The Madrid Open is moving forward without Emma Raducanu, as the British star withdrew from the tournament ahead of the 2026 clay-court event.
Raducanu's decision comes as she continues to manage her early-season schedule, prioritizing long-term health after dealing with post-viral symptoms from an illness picked up during February's Middle East swing. The 2026 Madrid Open — a key WTA 1000 event leading into the Paris Open — had previously been part of her planned buildup.
Instead, she will take more time before returning to competition.
The withdrawal comes during a challenging stretch. Raducanu has dealt with injuries and illness over the past year, limiting her ability to string together consistent appearances. She enters this phase of the WTA season with a 7-7 record in 2026 and has not competed since early March's Indian Wells, where she fell 6-1, 6-1 to Amanda Anisimova in the second round.
Skipping Madrid allows the 23-year-old a chance to reset physically while still targeting a return on clay.
The world No. 27 has shown signs of progress when healthy. The 2021 US Open champion played four clay events last season, highlighted by a fourth-round run in Rome. But that stretch also included recurring back issues in Strasbourg and after Roland Garros, reinforcing the need for careful scheduling.
Raducanu is expected to return later in the spring, with the Italian Open and Roland Garros remaining key targets.
If she doesn't, her absence would stretch to nearly three months — leaving her short on match play heading into the grass-court season.
How to Watch the 2026 Madrid Open This Week
The Madrid Open starts on Tuesday, with Raducanu among several notable 2026 withdrawals, including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Sonay Kartal, and Barbora Krejcikova.
Coverage of the tournament airs live on the Tennis Channel.
