EMMA RADUCANU has withdrawn from this week’s Madrid Open as her absence from competitive tennis continues.
The Brit, 23, picked up a virus while playing in back-to-back tournaments in the Middle East – in Doha and Dubai – in February.
Though the 2021 US Open champion played in the Indian Wells Open third round on March 8, she was not fit enough to appear at the Miami Open.
And she has yet to open up on clay this term as she recovers from post viral symptoms.
The world No.29 has been replaced in the main draw in the Spanish capital by Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.
Raducanu did not play as scheduled at the Linz Open in Austria.
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Nor did she travel to Melbourne as Britain won a two-day Billie Jean King Cup playoff tie against Australia to book their spot in the eight-nation Finals in September.
Her team are hopeful she will be able to play at the Italian Open in Rome, which is in the first week of May.
If she did turn up at the Italian capital, it would mean a gap of EIGHT weeks since her last professional clash.
Raducanu has returned to training and is gradually stepping up her workload.
Yet the longer she is off a match court, the harder it will be to have a deep run at next month’s French Open in Paris.
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