Fragile Raducanu makes another pullout

Serial WTA absentee Emma Raducnau has pulled out of yet another event, with the one-time British No. 1 now set to miss the Rome Masters underway this week.

The No. 30 has not played in two months since losing 6-1, 6-1 at Indian Wells in early March to Amanda Anisimova.

Raducanu pulled the plug in odd fashion, with  her withdrawal from the Foro Italico announced 30 minutes after she left a media conference where she expressed excitement at the chance to get back on court.

The cause of the withdrawal was a generic “illness.”

 Should she somehow play Roland Garros starting in late May, Raducanu’s ranking would likely have dropped into the danger zone for one of the 32 seedings.

British media speculate that the Rome media event was a smokescreen, with the player avoiding an USD 15,000 fine had she not attended the conference after what seems to have been a pre-planned onsite pull.

The 23-year-old had been training on the Roman clay since the weekend, giving all indications that she was preparing for the event, last major test before Roland Garros.