Emma Raducanu is set to return to clay-court action at the Rome Masters after a viral illness sidelined her since February. She faces a challenging draw, potentially meeting tough opponents like Maria Sakkari and Coco Gauff.
Key points
Emma Raducanu returns to clay-court action at the Rome Masters
She has been out since February due to a viral illness
Raducanu's ranking has dropped to No. 30
She could face Maria Sakkari in the second round
Last year, she lost to Coco Gauff in the Round of 16
The last few months have been very tough for Emma Raducanu. She has been out of action since the Indian Wells Open due to a viral illness that she had picked up in February during the Middle-East swing. This led to a big delay in the commencement of her clay-court season. However, the British No. 1 is now finally ready to make her much-awaited return and will be in action at the Rome Masters. However, Raducanu is set to face a monumental challenge in the tournament.
The 23-year-old has been provided with an incredibly grueling draw at the Italian Open. She could face tough opponents in the first few rounds itself. Her long absence from the tour has seen her ranking drop down to No. 30. But that rank is still good enough to earn her a bye from the first round. Raducanu will be taking on either a qualifier or Maria Sakkari in the second round. If she makes it through here, then her potential opponents in the third round can be Alexandra Eala, Magdalena Frech or Xinyu Wang.
Getting past the third round can be a difficult task for Raducanu as she comes into the Rome Masters with no match practice on clay. But a win in this round would see her qualify for the R16, the same stage where she was handed a 6-1, 6-2 defeat by Coco Gauff last year. However, things will keep getting harder from here.
Raducanu can be potentially drawn against Marta Kostyuk, who had clinched the title at the Madrid Open just days before. She could also face either former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova or World No. 14 Ekaterina Alexandrova. A positive result here would make this Raducanuâs best campaign at the Rome Masters as she has previously never gotten past the fourth round.
Q&A
What is Emma Raducanu's current ranking ahead of the Rome Masters?
Emma Raducanu's ranking has dropped to No. 30, which earns her a bye in the first round at the Rome Masters.
Who could Emma Raducanu face in the second round of the Rome Masters?
In the second round, Emma Raducanu could face either a qualifier or Maria Sakkari.
What challenges does Emma Raducanu face in her return to clay courts?
Raducanu faces significant challenges due to her long absence from the tour and lack of match practice on clay.
What was Emma Raducanu's previous result against Coco Gauff at the Rome Masters?
Last year, Emma Raducanu lost to Coco Gauff in the Round of 16 with a score of 6-1, 6-2.
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The likes of Hailey Baptiste, Madison Keys, Elina Svitolina or Victoria Mboko could turn out to be Raducanuâs opponents in the quarterfinals. All of them are formidable players, who could go on to get the better of the Brit and knock her out of the tournament.
Emma Raducanu GBR, Australian Open 2026, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Emma Raducanu GBR , Australian Open 2026, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx
Emma Raducanu GBR, Australian Open 2026, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Emma Raducanu GBR , Australian Open 2026, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx
If she manages to advance to the next round, Raducanu could potentially face Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka or Karolina Muchova in the semis. All of these players boast a higher ranking than Raducanu and it wonât be a big surprise if they went on to defeat her.
If the 23-year-old gets past the last 4, she will qualify for her second final of the season. She had previously played the final of the Transylvania Open in February, but had been defeated by Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-2.
Notably, Raducanu could potentially be up against the likes of Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova or Belinda Bencic in the final of the Rome Masters. The Brit would definitely be considered the underdog heading into a match against any of these players and will have to put in a colossal effort in order to claim victory.
Though there arenât a lot of expectations from Raducanu coming into the Rome Masters, she has looked strong on the surface during her practice sessions. She has even got the vote of confidence from a tennis great.
Emma Raducanu gets the backing of former British No. 1 ahead of Italian Open
Greg Rusedski, who is set to begin his coaching stint with Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Rome, was impressed with Raducanuâs shots and remarked she was pretty âaggressiveâ on the court.
âI had my session this morning with Joe on the outside practice courts and right in front of me, before I walk into the center court, see Lilli Tagger was practicing with Emma Raducanu. Jane OâDonoghue was there coaching her as well. So good to see she was playing pretty aggressive, taking the forehand on,â he said on his podcast, âOff Court With Greg Rusedskiâ.
Rusedski is optimistic about Raducanuâs chances in Rome and feels that she can gain her momentum back if she ends up performing well in the tournament.
âEmma looked like sheâs striking it well, so fingers crossed this is the start of getting her momentum back because letâs not forget, she hasnât played a match since Indian Wells. Conditions are fast or quick, and she looked good in the practice session. So, you know, for all those Raducanu fans out there, this is a good week to start. Hopefully sheâs healthy, can push through and get some wins this week,â he added.
Will Raducanu go on to bring a major improvement to her win-loss record of 7-7 this season and make a deep run at the Italian Open, or will she bow out in the first few rounds? Drop your predictions in the comments!
