Emma Raducanu has had a rocky couple of months on the sidelines. The Brit has been coping with lasting effects of a viral illness she picked up in February. This has ultimately led to four tournament withdrawals, including the ongoing Italian Open.
However, unlike other withdrawals, her decision not to compete in Rome comes as a surprise, considering she was spotted on the practice courts at Foro Italico. Raducanu also sounded optimistic when she spoke with the British press less than one hour before she quit.
Emma Raducanu ‘Felt Great on Court’ Before Italian Open Withdrawal
Raducanu arrived at the Italian Open venue days before the draw was made. She conversed with British reporters on Tuesday, noting that she was physically compromised due to her lingering illness.
“The last two months, in the beginning, it was quite difficult. I wasn’t feeling the best physically, and I think it had just been lingering for a while,” she said.
The 23-year-old trained on Spanish clay with her former coach, Andrew Richardson, for a couple of weeks before her brief return to the UK and her arrival in Rome. Richardson famously coached her to the US Open 2021 title.
“The last three weeks, I think I’ve really turned a corner and I feel so much better. And that’s a really positive thing for me,” she said.
“I feel great on the court. I feel like every day I’m working towards something. The break has helped me feel really motivated coming back, very hungry and happy to be out here training and putting out great sessions every day,” Raducanu added.
On Tuesday, she trained at Foro Italico with Emma Navarro, who has also been on the sidelines due to health struggles. About her own complications, Raducanu said:
“Post-viral, it’s quite hard; you feel drained, you feel tired, no energy. It lingered for quite a while. Right now I wouldn’t say I’m 100%. I’m still building my way back.”
“Even if your tennis level is very high, it’s difficult to maintain for the full duration of the match, so I think it was good to come here and practice and see how I’m doing in points and the sharpness of that to get your eye in for.”
MORE: Emma Raducanu Abandons Italian Open in Bizarre Turn After Showing Up at the Venue
Despite her generally optimistic comments, Emma Raducanu ultimately decided to pull out of the Italian Open less than one hour later. She also touched on the possibility of skipping the entire clay season.
“You never want to miss a Grand Slam (the French Open), and I think playing on the clay, getting any time on the clay, for me, it’s going to help me for the future and longer term.”
“It’s great for game development, for physical development, using your legs in a different way and loading. And I think it’s good for me as a player to be on the clay and spend time on it. I still want to train on it because it builds my game and skills in a different way,” Raducanu said about her upcoming plans.
She has already withdrawn from three tournaments on the surface – the Linz Open, the Madrid Open, and now the Italian Open. The French Open is her next scheduled tournament, where she has to defend just 70 points, courtesy of her second-round exit last year.
