British tennis star Emma Raducanu is set to make her return to action at the Strasbourg International next week after being granted a wild card entry.
The 23-year-old, who had a breakthrough year in 2021 by winning the US Open, has been sidelined since March due to health concerns. Raducanu withdrew from the Italian Open earlier this month, citing health reasons, and has not played since her third-round exit in Indian Wells to Amanda Anisimova.
The Strasbourg tournament, starting on Sunday, is an important opportunity for Raducanu to regain match fitness ahead of the French Open, which begins on May 24. The clay-court event is a week before the second Grand Slam of the year, and Raducanu is eager to regain her competitive edge.
Although she is currently ranked 30th in the world, Raducanu is expected to drop in the rankings after this week tournaments in Rome and after Paris.
This absence from Rome has likely cost her a seeded position for the French Open, a significant setback for the former US Open champion. However, the wild card entry into Strasbourg provides a crucial chance for Raducanu to prepare for Roland Garros.
Raducanu has had a mixed year, winning seven of her 14 matches, including a notable run to the final of the Transylvania Open in February.
She reunited with former coach Andrew Richardson ahead of her planned comeback at the Italian Open in Rome, but ultimately withdrew. The 23-year-old trained at the Ferrer Tennis Academy in Spain, where Richardson is based, bringing a familiar presence into her camp during a period shaped by illness and patchy form.
Despite an early exit at the Australian Open, the Briton showed signs of progress, and her performance in Strasbourg will be closely watched as she looks to get back to top form.
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports