Raducanu receives Strasbourg wildcard

British number one Emma Raducanu is set to return to competitive action at the Strasbourg Open after receiving a wildcard entry, as she looks to build crucial match fitness ahead of the French Open later this month.

Raducanu has not competed since her third-round defeat to American Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells on 8 March.

She subsequently withdrew from the Italian Open earlier this month due to health concerns, having been affected by a post-viral infection that has disrupted her recent season.

The WTA 500 event in Strasbourg, which begins on Sunday, will mark her final opportunity to gain competitive clay-court practice before the French Open commences on 24 May.

However, Raducanu is expected to miss out on a seeded position at Roland Garros, as her ranking is likely to drop further once results from Rome and Paris are fully accounted for.

Currently ranked world number 30, the 2021 US Open champion has endured a stop-start year, winning seven of her 14 matches so far.

Four of those victories came during her run to the final of the Transylvania Open in February, following an early exit at the Australian Open.

Raducanu was also awarded a wildcard into last year’s Strasbourg tournament, where she impressed with a win over top-20 player Daria Kasatkina before being defeated by American Danielle Collins.

Although she had appeared in media commitments shortly before withdrawing from the Italian Open in March, Raducanu has maintained that she will only return to competition when fully fit, stating she is focused on being “100% ready” before resuming her tour-level campaign.