Emma Raducanu's brief clay-court campaign ended in tears after a first-round defeat at the French Open, but the British number one is already looking ahead to the grass season. The 23-year-old lost 6-0 7-6 (4) to Argentina's Solana Sierra in Paris, a match that highlighted the rustiness from a two-and-a-half-month layoff due to a post-viral illness.
Raducanu, who won the US Open in 2021, has had a stop-start season, battling a foot injury and then a virus that turned into a lingering cough. Despite the loss, she stood by her decision to play on clay rather than move straight to grass. 'I think I competed as well as I could in the second set with what I had,' she said.
The former champion will now turn her attention to grass, a surface that suits her aggressive, first-strike style. She has rehired her US Open-winning coach Andrew Richardson and is set to play at Queen's Club starting June 8, with potential entries in Berlin and Eastbourne. Raducanu has ranking points to defend from last year's quarter-final at Queen's and third round at Wimbledon.
Raducanu's resilience will be tested as she aims to recapture the form that saw her rise to prominence. 'I'm looking forward to getting back on home soil,' she said. 'Queen's is always an amazing tournament.'
