Emma Raducanu has postponed the start of her clay-court season after withdrawing from the Linz Open as she continues recovering from a viral illness. The British number one had been scheduled to compete in the WTA 500 event in Austria next week.
According to her representatives, Raducanu wants to fully recover before returning to competitive tennis on clay.
Illness disrupts early season
The 23-year-old began feeling unwell during February’s Middle East hard-court swing and has struggled to regain full fitness since then. She did compete at Indian Wells last month but later decided to skip the Miami Open.
Her withdrawal from Linz adds another interruption to a career that has seen several injury and health setbacks since her historic triumph at the US Open in 2021.
Mixed results this year
Raducanu has played six tournaments in the 2026 season so far, winning seven of her 14 matches. Her best performance came at the Transylvania Open, where she reached the final while chasing her first title since her Grand Slam breakthrough.
Despite the encouraging run, the early months of the season have again been marked by inconsistent results, coaching changes and health concerns.
Targeting Madrid return
Raducanu now hopes to return in time for the Madrid Open, which begins the European clay-court swing on the WTA calendar. The clay season will conclude with the French Open at the end of May.
Her withdrawal also follows fellow British player Jack Draper pulling out of the Monte Carlo Masters as he continues a cautious comeback from an arm injury.
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