Emma Raducanu handed major boost ahead of first match for two months
Emma Raducanu is finally set to return to tennis after a two-month absence as she plays the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France, one week before Roland Garros begins.
The British star has not played since Indian Wells, when she won her first match against Anastasia Zakharova and then lost to Amanda Anisimova.
Illness and injury have followed for Raducanu, which has caused multiple withdrawals from high-profile events, most recently at the Italian Open.
Having just confirmed she will work with her US Open-winning coach Andrew Richardson, the star has entered the WTA 500 event in Strasbourg as her first taste of clay before Roland Garros.
Raducanu was given a difficult draw in Strasbourg, but she’s received a very lucky break ahead of her first match at the clay court tournament.
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The Brit will play Diane Parry in the first round and there was a chance she could have played 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys in round two if she won.
However, Keys has withdrawn from Strasbourg, citing a thigh injury after playing a WTA Challenger in Paris last month, so Raducanu’s draw has opened up.
The American has been replaced by Zhang Shuai, who currently sits outside the top 50 of the WTA Tour rankings.
Keys’ withdrawal means Raducanu will not have to play a seeded player until the third round at the earliest, where another American, Iva Jovic, could await.
Raducanu has also been drawn in the same side of the draw as Ekaterina Alexandrova, Emma Navarro, Alexandra Eala, Ann Li, and Maya Joint.
The British star will likely need time to get up to speed in Strasbourg, especially as she has not played on clay so far this season, so an easier early run will be beneficial to Raducanu.
Raducanu has played the Strasbourg event once prior in her career, which came at the 2025 event when she received a wildcard. She made full use of the entry by defeating sixth seed Daria Kasatkina in the first round, before losing to Danielle Collins.
After a topsy-turvy start to the 2026 season, which has seen the Brit reach her first WTA final in five years at the Transylvania Open, as well as suffer two first round exits, Raducanu currently sits at seven victories and seven losses in the first five months on the WTA Tour.
She sits at World No. 37 in the rankings currently, meaning she has narrowly missed out on seeded entry at Roland Garros. Raducanu will need five withdrawals from the top 32 in order to gain a last-minute seed at the Grand Slam event.
