Emma Raducanu has decided to withdraw from the Madrid Open, marking her third consecutive tournament absence due to an illness she contracted back in February. The British No. 1 has been sidelined since her loss to Amanda Anisimova in Indian Wells six weeks ago, missing both the Miami Open and the Upper Austria Ladies Linz while dealing with post-viral symptoms.
Although Raducanu is skipping Madrid, she remains hopeful about returning to the court and kickstarting her clay season at the Italian Open in early May. Reports suggest that she has resumed training but is not yet ready to compete in Madrid.
Her withdrawal adds to the challenges faced by tournament organizers, following the recent pullouts of world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, a three-time former champion. Alcaraz sustained a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open, while Djokovic is still recovering from a persistent injury and is not fit to play.
Raducanu fell ill with a viral infection in February, which affected her performance during the Transylvania Open final where she was defeated by Sorana Cirstea. Subsequently, she participated in the WTA 1000 tournaments in Doha and Dubai, withdrawing mid-match in Doha and exiting in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Despite showing promise at the 2025 Italian Open, reaching the fourth round before being defeated by Coco Gauff, Raducanu has faced setbacks due to injuries and illnesses throughout her campaign. Her pursuit of consistent form has been hindered by a foot problem during the pre-season and health issues that have affected her performance.
The 23-year-old tennis player endured a second-round exit at the Australian Open and made changes in her coaching staff by parting ways with Francisco Roig, opting to be accompanied by her hitting partner, Alexis Canter, and physiotherapist Emma Stewart. While there were positive moments such as reaching a final in Cluj in February, Raducanu’s season has been disrupted by the ongoing effects of the viral illness she contracted earlier in the year.