Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Italian Open due to ongoing post-viral illness, just half an hour after giving an upbeat press conference. The British No 1 was scheduled to play her second-round match on Wednesday but pulled out on Tuesday evening.
Raducanu had been struggling with a virus since February, which led to a poor performance at Indian Wells in March. She then took an extended break to recover. In her press conference, she said she had turned a corner and felt 'great on the court'.
However, less than 30 minutes later, the tournament supervisor confirmed her withdrawal. Players are required to conduct media duties before withdrawing to avoid fines; Raducanu complied, avoiding a $15,000 penalty.
This withdrawal extends her absence from the sport to over two months. She had recently trained with former coach Andrew Richardson to build fitness. Raducanu acknowledged the mental toll but expressed optimism about her recovery.
