The British No 1 has been handed a first-round bye and will open her campaign in the second round against either Argentina’s Solana Sierra or a qualifier. It marks her first match since Indian Wells and her first appearance on clay this season after a disrupted preparation period.
Raducanu’s return has been delayed by a viral illness and a right-hand injury that forced her out of the Madrid Open, leaving her without a match on clay leading into Rome.
Early Path: Sierra First, Then Gauff Looms Large
Should she progress past her opener, Raducanu is projected to face a steep rise in difficulty. The most immediate challenge in her section is a potential third-round meeting with reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff, one of the sport’s most consistent young stars on clay.
Beyond that, the draw only intensifies. Madrid Open finalist Mirra Andreeva is the highest-ranked potential quarter-final opponent, while world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka also sits in the same half of the draw—raising the possibility of a heavyweight semifinal encounter.
Raducanu’s projected route highlights just how demanding her return could be:
- R2: Solana Sierra / Qualifier
- R3: Coco Gauff
- R4: Jovic / Barbora Krejcikova
- QF: Mirra Andreeva / Jasmine Paolini / Elise Mertens
- SF: Aryna Sabalenka / Amanda Anisimova / Belinda Bencic / Linda Noskova
- Final: Elena Rybakina / Iga Swiatek / Elina Svitolina / Jessica Pegula
Clay-Court Comeback Under New Coaching Setup
The 23-year-old has spent recent weeks rebuilding her form off court, including training sessions in Spain at the Ferrer Tennis Academy near Alicante with Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to her breakthrough US Open title run as a qualifier.
Her current preparation has also included hitting work with Alexis Canter, a brief return to collaboration with Mark Petchey during Indian Wells earlier in the season, and ongoing guidance in Rome from childhood coach Jane O’Donoghue.
The shifting support structure reflects a broader search for stability as she reintroduces herself to competition after interruptions to her season.
British Contingent: Mixed Fortunes Across Tours
Raducanu remains Britain’s top-ranked women’s player, with Sonay Kartal, Katie Boulter, Fran Jones, and Harriet Dart rounding out the national top five.
Boulter, meanwhile, has shown encouraging early clay form, reaching the quarter-finals in Rouen and recording a win at the Madrid Open. She begins her Rome campaign against Germany’s Eva Lys.
On the men’s side, Cameron Norrie continues to lead the British rankings after a strong start to the year that included a quarter-final run in Barcelona and a return to the top 20. He enters Rome with a first-round bye.
A group of British players—including Jacob Fearnley, Jan Choinski, Jack Pinnington Jones, and Billy Harris—are competing in qualifying for main draw places.
Sinner, Djokovic, and a Historic Prize in Play
At the top of the men’s field, world No 1 Jannik Sinner and veteran Novak Djokovic are positioned in opposite halves of the draw, meaning they can only meet in the final.
Djokovic, returning to competition after a break since March, is chasing yet another milestone in his already decorated career. A title in Rome for Sinner would also place him among the rare group of players to complete the Career Golden Masters, a feat Djokovic himself has achieved twice.
Projected Semi-Finals Highlight Elite Depth
Men’s projected quarter-finals by seeding underline the depth of the field:
- Sinner vs Ben Shelton
- Félix Auger-Aliassime vs Daniil Medvedev
- Lorenzo Musetti vs Novak Djokovic
- Alex de Minaur vs Alexander Zverev
Women’s projected last-eight matchups include:
- Sabalenka vs Anisimova
- Gauff vs Andreeva
- Pegula vs Swiatek
- Svitolina vs Rybakina
Rome Schedule and Stakes
The tournament begins with the women’s main draw on May 5, followed by the men’s draw on May 6. The event runs through finals weekend on May 16–17, with day sessions starting at 10am and evening matches from 6pm.
For Raducanu, the Italian capital represents more than just a return—it is her first real test on clay this season, arriving against a backdrop of fitness concerns, a reshuffled coaching setup, and a draw that offers little margin for easing back into rhythm.