Raducanu’s road leads from Rome to a French Open fitness race and questions beyond

Late withdrawal from Italian Open casts significant doubt over player’s chances of competing at Roland Garros

In the end Emma Raducanu was one of the first in and out the grandiose gates of the Foro Italico this year. She had arrived in Rome early, eager to test her health and readiness for top-level competition through a series of training sessions on the heavy red clay courts of the Italian Open. As the hours on court piled up, and her planned opening match on Thursday drew closer, it seemed reasonable to conclude that she would make her first appearance in two months. Instead, her absence from the courts will extend to more than two months.

Things are rarely straightforward with Raducanu, demonstrated by the nature of her withdrawal in Rome, which occurred just 30 minutes after she gave little indication of her intention toduring a press conference. The past few months, as usual, have come with ample speculation about Raducanu’s health, meaning her appearance in Rome was at least an opportunity for her to provide clarity on her recent struggles. Somehow, the manner of her exit only generated further questions.