Tim Henman makes stance clear on Emma Raducanu after Brit snubs French Open

Tim Henman has backed Emma Raducanu’s decision to skip the French Open and priorities the upcoming grass-court season.The Brit pulled out of qualifying for Roland Garros at the weekend after missing out on a wildcard for the second Grand Slam of the year.

Raducanu has struggled with form and fitness after undergoing wrist and ankle surgery which saw her miss much of 2023. She returned to action at the Auckland Open in early January but has failed to win more than two matches at a single tournament she has competed in since.

Raducanu is now ranked 221st in the world and hasn’t played a competitive match since losing in the first round of the Madrid Open on April 24. She decided on Saturday to take herself off the list for French Open qualifying, which began on Monday. Raducanu confirmed she made the decision in order to put herself in the best position physically for the remainder of the year.

She said in a statement: “It’s important for me to keep laying on the foundations and I will use the time to do a healthy block before the grass and subsequent hard court seasons to give myself a chance to keep fit for the rest of the year.”