'In a better place but not 100%' - Raducanu out of Rome as wait for return continues

Britain's Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Italian Open because of the post-viral illness that has kept her off the WTA Tour for two months.

The British number one had been practising in Rome since Saturday and spoke to the media just 30 minutes before formally pulling out.

According to the WTA rulebook, players have to fulfil media duties on site even if they withdraw - and can be fined if they fail to do so.

There was, however, no clear indication Raducanu was about to abandon her comeback, although she did say she wants to return when "100% ready".

"I feel really good right now in terms of where I am headed," Raducanu told BBC Sport before her withdrawal was announced.

"I think I have put a lot of good work in the last three weeks, but it's relatively early on in my return.

"I had six weeks almost of doing nothing just trying to recover from the virus, and it takes a lot out of you physically.

"I'm feeling in a better place - not 100% - and I feel like I have got a great purpose and a way about how I am approaching things right now."

Raducanu last played a match in Indian Wells on 8 March, and has since missed the Miami Open and clay court events in Linz and Madrid because of her post-viral symptoms.

However, the 23-year-old has been practising in recent weeks at the National Tennis Centre in London and at the Ferrer Academy near Benidorm.

She had been accompanied in Rome by Jane O'Donoghue, a friend and former LTA national coach, and physio Emma Stewart, who perhaps tellingly was with Raducanu during her interviews.

"Coming on to the clay courts is much more physically demanding than potentially other surfaces but I want to come back 100% ready," Raducanu said.

"I have been building my way up slowly and looking forward to when I get out there."

We now know she will not be getting out there in Rome this week.

Raducanu has one last chance to play a WTA event before the French Open in either Strasbourg or Rabat in two weeks time.

But if she misses the entire clay swing, then Raducanu will have been absent for three months by the time the grass court season begins.

Even if Raducanu is fit to compete at Roland Garros, which begins on 24 May, she will do so as an unseeded player.

The 2021 US Open champion is currently 30 in the world rankings but only 32 players are seeded - and she will drop several places now she is no longer able to defend the points she earned from a fourth-round run in Rome last year.

'No plans right now' to resume partnership with US Open winning coach

It was while practising at the Ferrer Academy in Spain that Raducanu linked up again with Andrew Richardson, who coached her to her improbable US Open triumph in 2021, and is now the tennis director there.

"We stayed in touch, and we stay on good terms, so that's incredibly important - he's someone I've known since I was ten years old and I really wanted to get on the European clay," Raducanu said.

She added they have "no plans right now" to resume the partnership that was ended immediately after she won in New York as a teenage qualifier.

"He is a great person and I enjoyed being on court with him," Raducanu continued.

"He obviously has ties to the academy and a lot going on in his own life so we haven't really spoken about that but I can just say it was a nice week with him."