Raducanu Withdraws From Miami Open With Post-Viral Illness
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- Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from this week's Miami Open (17–29 March) because of lingering post-viral symptoms after falling ill while playing in the Middle East last month.
- Raducanu played through the illness at Indian Wells last week, reaching the third round before losing 52 minutes to world number six Amanda Anisimova.
- The 23-year-old will surrender 215 ranking points from her 2025 Miami quarter-final run but has chosen full recovery over defending them, skipping the Billie Jean King Cup tie in Melbourne next month.
- Raducanu is scheduled to return in three weeks at the WTA event in Linz, which would mark her first clay-court tournament of the season.
- British number two Sonay Kartal has also pulled out of Miami after failing to recover from a back injury that forced her retirement during her last-16 match against Elena Rybakina at Indian Wells.
- Britain's Fran Jones (ranked 93rd) has been drawn against 45-year-old Venus Williams (ranked 517) in the Miami first round — Williams has lost eight consecutive WTA singles matches since beating Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open in July 2025.
Why it matters: Raducanu is conceding a sizable 215 ranking points that could see her slip down the WTA ladder, a real cost for a player still rebuilding her ranking after injury setbacks. With both her and Kartal out, British interest at the Miami Open hinges on Fran Jones facing a 45-year-old Venus Williams on an eight-match losing streak.
