Emma Raducanu, the top-ranked British tennis player, is set to compete again in Strasbourg, having received a special invitation, aiming to gain competitive play ahead of the French Open.
The 23-year-old Raducanu pulled out of the Italian Open because of health reasons earlier in May and has not played competitively following her third-round defeat by American player Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells on March 8th.
This clay-surface tournament in Strasbourg is scheduled to commence on Sunday, occurring seven days prior to the commencement of the French Open, which starts on May 24th.
Due to a post-viral ailment that has prevented her from participating in the circuit, Raducanu is expected to lose her seeding for the year’s second major tournament.
The champion of the 2021 US Open presently holds the 30th global ranking, though her position is anticipated to decline significantly once the events in Rome and Paris conclude this week.
Last year, Raducanu also received a wildcard entry for the WTA 500 competition in Strasbourg, triumphing over Daria Kasatkina, a player ranked among the top 20, prior to her defeat by American competitor Danielle Collins.
This year, the British player has secured victory in seven out of 14 contests, with four of these wins occurring during her journey to the Transylvania Open final in February, which followed her elimination in the second round of the Australian Open.
In March, Raducanu did not explicitly suggest her withdrawal from the Italian Open, even though she addressed reporters only half an hour before the announcement of her decision, stating her preference to resume play solely when “completely prepared”.
