Emma Raducanu will return after two months of absence

British No. 1 Emma Raducanu will return to WTA Tour action next week at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, ending a more than two-month absence caused by a post-viral illness.

The 23-year-old, currently ranked 30th in the world, has been awarded a wild card into the WTA 500 clay court event.

Internationaux de Strasbourg will take place from May 17 to 23 and will provide vital match practice ahead of the French Open at Roland Garros.

Raducanu’s last competitive match was on March 8 at Indian Wells, where she suffered a straight sets loss in the third round to Amanda Anisimova (6-1, 6-1).

He subsequently withdrew from several tournaments, including Miami, Linz, Madrid and, most recently, the Italian Open, citing lingering symptoms of a virus he contracted in early February.

In Rome, he had completed his pre-tournament media duties and expressed optimism about his recovery before retiring shortly after.

This will be Raducanu’s first clay court appearance of the 2026 season.

She also received a wild card to Strasbourg last year, reaching the second round with a win over Daria Kasatkina before falling to Danielle Collins.

The tournament organizers welcomed his return on social media with the message: “Welcome back, Emma!”

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The 2021 US Open champion has faced a challenging period marked by injury and illness issues since her breakthrough Grand Slam victory.

His return comes at a crucial time as he aims to regain form and confidence on the red dirt.

Raducanu has worked with several coaches in recent months, including a reunion with Andrew Richardson, who guided her to the 2021 title.

A good performance in Strasbourg could boost his momentum heading into Roland Garros, where he will look to make a deeper run than in previous years.