Emma Raducanu suffered a straight-sets defeat against Diane Parry at the 2026 Strasbourg Open on Tuesday, spoiling her highly anticipated return to competitive tennis.
The opening-round match marked Raducanu's first tournament appearance in more than two months following a lengthy battle with a post-viral illness.
Despite the on-court hiatus, the world No. 37 started strong, establishing a 4-2 lead in both sets. But service struggles hindered her momentum, and No. 94 Parry capitalized on her errors.
The French wildcard won four consecutive games to steal the first set, before outlasting Raducanu in a tense second-set tiebreak to secure the 6-4, 7-6 (4) upset victory.
Raducanu Reunites with US Open Coach Andrew Richardson
The tournament at Strasbourg also marked Raducanu's first official match since reuniting with coach Andrew Richardson. Richardson famously guided her to a historic 2021 US Open title before the pair split.
Although his vocal coaching from the player box failed to spark a win on Tuesday, Raducanu expressed satisfaction with her competitive spirit after the prolonged WTA battle.
"I think I played well in moments but, yeah, it’s been a long break since I've played a competitive match," Raducanu said post-match. "It's going take a little bit of time before I find my groove on the match court. I'm proud with how I fought and competed throughout the whole match."
Now, the British star looks to quickly regain her rhythm and sharpness on clay. She's heading directly to Paris for the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros this week, where she expects to compete as an unseeded player due to her recent WTA rankings drop.
