British tennis icon Emma Raducanu will miss the 2026 Linz Open in Austria, scheduled to run between April 6 and 12. The 23-year-old star’s setback comes just a day after fellow Brit Jack Draper’s withdrawal.
Emma Raducanu’s Clay Season Delayed Further by Viral Illness
Raducanu first felt discomfort after contracting a virus during her trip to the Middle East in early February. Although she returned to participate in Indian Wells, she decided to skip the recently concluded Miami Open. She will now miss the Linz Open as well to recover fully before the French Open, slated to begin in a couple of months.
The Brit, ranked No. 28 in the WTA rankings, has also decided to skip the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup clash against Team Australia, scheduled to be played at John Cain Arena in Melbourne Park from April 10 to 11.
Emma Raducanu sigue de baja y sin competir.
En Inglaterra habla de las secuelas de un extraño virus que contrajo en Oriente Medio, el pasado mes de febrero.
¿Qué es lo que le pasa a Raducanu? pic.twitter.com/sOK03cCxvD
— José Morón (@jmgmoron) April 1, 2026
Raducanu’s career has been hit by multiple injuries since winning the US Open title in 2021. She hinted at getting her rhythm back last year, playing 50 matches in a single season, but has struggled once again this year.
Raducanu has had a mixed campaign so far, winning seven of the 14 matches she has played. The youngster had a good run in the Transylvania Open, reaching the final only to lose to Sorana Cîrstea 6-0, 6-2.
MORE: Emma Raducanu Must Find ‘Right Fit’ Like Aryna Sabalenka, Claims Marion Bartoli
She aims to return to action at the Madrid Open. The opening WTA 1000 event of the European clay-court season will run from April 20 to May 3, with Aryna Sabalenka looking to defend her title.
Jack Draper to Miss Monte Carlo Masters Amid Cautious Comeback
Raducanu’s withdrawal was announced hours after her compatriot Jack Draper pulled out of the prestigious Monte Carlo Masters, scheduled to commence on April 5. The former world No. 4 joined Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz in giving the heavyweight ATP event a miss.
Draper was out of action for six months due to an injury in his left serving arm. He returned to action in the Dubai Tennis Championship but lost to Arthur Rinderknech in the round of 16 clash. At Indian Wells, the defending champion beat Novak Djokovic but lost to Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals, before going down to Reilly Opelka in the second round in Miami.
Despite losing his first match in Miami, Draper said he felt good about his game before stressing the importance of being cautious with a long season ahead. The 24-year-old plans to continue his training in London to attain full fitness ahead of the summer months.
