Emma Raducanu officially withdrew from the 2026 Madrid Open on Sunday, extending her absence from the WTA Tour to nearly two months. She has been sidelined by lingering post-viral symptoms stemming from an illness she originally contracted in February during the Middle East swing.
Her exit compounds an unfolding organizational crisis for the Madrid Open. Raducanu’s withdrawal arrived concurrently with the sudden pull-outs of world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and three-time champion Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz sustained a fresh wrist injury in Barcelona. The simultaneous loss of these major competitors drastically alters the competitive landscape of the tournament.
Raducanu has not played a competitive match since a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Amanda Anisimova in the second round of the Indian Wells Open on March 8. She currently holds a 7-7 record for the 2026 season.
Amidst her physical setbacks, her camp has seen significant restructuring. She recently ended her coaching partnership with Francisco Roig. Roig subsequently partnered with Iga Swiatek. Raducanu is now training informally with Mark Petchey.
She is prioritizing physical conditioning over clay-court preparation, according to Sky Sports, which verified her ongoing rehabilitation for post-viral symptoms and confirmed her target return timeline for the Rome tournament. Her representatives are targeting a return at the Italian Open beginning May 4.
While other young players have recently captured clay titles, Raducanu is keeping her focus strictly on a full medical recovery before returning to competitive play.
How Mass Withdrawals Are Reshaping the Madrid Open Bracket
Raducanu’s prolonged absence highlights a chaotic physical toll impacting the professional tennis tours this spring. The simultaneous withdrawals of Raducanu, Alcaraz, and Djokovic represent a massive disruption for tournament organizers and a major tactical shift for the active roster.
With Alcaraz nursing a wrist injury and Djokovic skipping the event, the men’s and women’s brackets in Madrid are missing critical anchor competitors. This clears the path for lower-seeded players to capitalize on the vacant draw slots in a premier Masters 1000 event. The shifts open up massive ranking point opportunities just weeks before the French Open.