Emma Raducanu is optimistic that her health setbacks are finally behind her as she gears up for her opening match at the French Open on Sunday. The British No 1 will take on Argentina’s Solana Sierra in the first round, marking only her second match since March following a two-and-a-half-month absence due to a post-viral illness.
After a closely contested loss to Diane Parry in her first match in Strasbourg this week, the 23-year-old is focusing on the positives. “I feel a lot better,” Raducanu said. “I thought I’d completely flipped it. There’s just been a little bit of a lingering cough. But I feel, health-wise, really good. I played a really positive match in Strasbourg in the sense it was over two hours and physically I pulled up really well.”
Unseeded but Unfazed
Raducanu’s extended absence saw her drop out of the top 32, leaving her unseeded in Paris. While she avoided the biggest names in the draw, she faces a tough challenge in Sierra, who is ranked 64th and comfortable on clay. The 21-year-old Argentine made a surprise run to the fourth round of Wimbledon last year.
“It’s going to be a really tricky first round, especially coming in light on matches, but I’m just proud of how I’m approaching every day, proud of the work I’m putting in,” Raducanu added. “I know I’m going to have to play really good tennis and be aggressive. The conditions are pretty lively in the practice days, as the weather is hot, but that could be a good thing.”
Norrie and Other British Hopes
With Jack Draper sidelined through injury, Cameron Norrie was seen as Britain’s best hope for a deep run. However, the 20th seed revealed he is struggling with a rib injury. “I haven’t been able to hit since I’ve arrived here, so just been enjoying Paris and resting,” Norrie said. “But I think I needed the rest, so maybe it’s a good thing. I really know I’m feeling the ball well. Luckily, I’m scheduled on Tuesday so I have some time to recover. Hopefully I can be good to play.”
Norrie, who faces Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in his first match, admitted he may have overtrained, including a five-set training match against American Ben Shelton that lasted nearly five hours.
Six British players are in the main draws. In the men’s singles, Jacob Fearnley and qualifier Toby Samuel join Norrie. Fearnley has also battled a rib problem this season and has struggled to back up his stellar first season on tour, winning just seven matches all year. He has the incentive of a potential second-round match against world No 1 Jannik Sinner if he can defeat Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
The 24-year-old, who has started working with Andy Murray’s former fitness trainer Matt Little, said: “I did go up the rankings pretty fast and maybe didn’t have the time to really reflect on it and appreciate it for what it was. And maybe got too far ahead of myself. Life in general, there’s ups and downs, and just on a little bit of a down right now, but no reason why I can’t get back up.”
Samuel faces eighth seed Alex de Minaur of Australia in his first grand slam appearance. In the women’s draw, Katie Boulter plays wild card Akasha Urhobo, and Fran Jones meets Beatriz Haddad Maia.
