Concerns for Emma Raducanu after latest announcement leaves big question marks

Kevin Palmer 19 Apr 2026 7:15 PM

Emma Raducanu speaks at a press conference

Emma Raducanu at a press conference

When will Emma Raducanu return to tennis?

It is a question that many will now be asking after it was confirmed he plans to make a return to the game at the Madrid Open next week have been abandoned.

Raducanu has not played since a heavy defeat against Amanda Anisimova, with her withdrawal from the Miami Open the following week put down to a viral illness that she said was picked up when she was playing in a tournament in Club, Romania, in February.

She also revealed she didn’t put in any training during the off-season due to a physical issue and while there are suggestions the 23-year-old will look to return in the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome next month, there will be inevitable speculation that she will now skip the clay court season, including the French Open.

Clay courts are not Raducanu’s best surface and she has enjoyed more success playing in front of her British fans on grass or on hard courts, with his famous 2021 US Open win an iconic example of her prowess when she is at her best.

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However, that win in New York in 2021 is now an increasingly distant memory and many will now question whether she can get back to her best after almost five years of constant injury and physical issues.

Sky Sport Tennis host Gigi Salmon spoke to Tennis365 about Raducanu’s health issues and admitted she was concerned over the persistent disruptions for the British No 1.

“They said in Cluj that she had a chest infection and I was working on the next two tournaments when she retired and then lost in the Middle East,” Salmon told Tennis365.

“I was wondering if it was the hangover from the chest infection. You are probably told not to play and to rest, but you want to play and try and put it behind you and chase the ranking points.

“Is there an element of stress in there for Emma? I’ve asked a few ex-players to try and get my head around what it is. If it continues to happen, I will fall one way than the other.

“If she can find some stability, and I know we have spoken about this for a long time now, then she has a chance to have a great year.

“If she is saying she doesn’t want a full time coach and she is happy with Mark Petchey, that’s good for her. I sometimes wonder whether she actually enjoys what she does because sometimes it doesn’t feel it’s someone who enjoys what she does.

“I cannot imagine what is it like to be her. The pressure and the scrutiny every time she does everything is there, so if she can enjoy herself that will help her play better.

“I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in that kind of spotlight. She does have this appal that transcends tennis and it must be pretty tough to deal with.”

The what comes next question has been asked of Raducanu time and again in recent years and unless we see her back on court soon, the concern over the nature of the illness that is continuing to keep her away from tennis will rise.