Emma Raducanu fitness update issued ahead of French Open after 66-day absence from tennis

British No. 1 and 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu is set to finally return to tennis after a two-month lay-off due to health issues.

Raducanu, 23, who is currently ranked 30th in the world, has not played a competitive match since losing to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells back in March and has since withdrawn from four successive tournaments – the Miami Open, Linz Open, Madrid Open and Italian Open – due to post-viral infection symptoms.

The 23-year-old was expected to return at the Italian Open, even fulfilling media obligations by appearing at a press conference ahead of the Rome tournament, only to withdraw 30 minutes later.

However, she has been granted a wildcard and will return to court at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, which commences on May 17, one week before the second major of the season, the French Open.

Raducanu, who has won seven of her 14 matches in 2026, also entered last year’s Strasbourg event as a wildcard, reaching the second round.

Speaking about her fitness struggles earlier in May, she told BBC Sport that she would only return to action when she felt “100 per cent ready” to do so.

"I feel really good right now in terms of where I am headed," she said before pulling out of the Italian Open.

"I think I have put a lot of good work in over the last three weeks, but it's relatively early on in my return.

"I had almost six weeks of doing nothing, just trying to recover from the virus, and it takes a lot out of you physically.

"I'm feeling in a better place – not 100% – and I feel like I have got a great purpose and a way about how I am approaching things right now."

In a separate interview with reporters, she added: "Post-viral, it's quite hard. You feel drained, you feel tired, no energy. It's difficult, and it lingered for quite a while.

"Right now, I wouldn't say I'm 100 per cent. I'm still building my way back. It is difficult to then kind of maintain it."

Raducanu will be a welcome addition to the French Open line-up, with high-profile figures such as reigning men’s singles champion Carlos Alcaraz and Britain’s Jack Draper already confirming their withdrawal through injury.

World No. 40 Holger Rune and world No. 73 Arthur Cazaux have also pulled out.