Emma Raducanu faces a hurdle in her journey to the French Open. Despite her impressive comeback and determination, she didn’t secure a wildcard entry to the main draw of the tournament. Meaning she might have to tackle the qualifying rounds to earn her spot.
The decision came from the French Tennis Federation (FFT), which chose to allocate its wildcards to local French players and uphold reciprocal agreements with other tennis federations. Raducanu, currently ranked 212th due to her recovery from surgeries last year, had hoped her protected ranking of 103 would secure her entry. However, she finds herself just four places shy of direct qualification into the main draw.
Raducanu’s recent performances reflect her resilience on the court. After a commendable start to the clay court season, including leading Great Britain to victory in the Billie Jean King Cup and reaching the quarter-finals in Stuttgart, she faced a setback in Madrid. Following her defeat to María Lourdes Carlé, Raducanu confessed to feeling fatigued. Despite opportunities in WTA 125 events in Madrid and Rome, she chose not to participate, focusing on her Paris ambitions.
The decision not to grant Raducanu a wildcard has wider implications. It’s not just her who misses out; other notable players like Dominic Thiem, a former French Open finalist and US Open champion, also face uncertainties. Thiem announced his impending retirement due to a wrist injury, making a potential farewell at Roland Garros significant. However, like Raducanu, he might have to navigate the qualifying rounds.
Caroline Wozniacki, still outside the top 100 despite her comeback, and Simona Halep, dealing with physical issues since her return from an anti-doping ban, are among the other absentees from this year’s French Open.
