By Emma Raducanu’s hopes for a wild card entry into this year’s French Open have been dashed, leaving her likely to compete in the qualifying rounds after withdrawing from the Internationaux de Strasbourg.
Despite being the fourth alternate into the main draw at Roland Garros, the former US Open champion faces the prospect of qualifying for a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since her historic victory in 2021.
The French Open organizers have adhered to their tradition of predominantly awarding wild cards to French players, allocating a total of 30 wild cards to homegrown talent across the main draw and qualifying rounds. Notable exclusions from the wild card list include two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki, and two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem.
Among the recipients of wild card invitations are French veterans Alize Cornet and Richard Gasquet, who received wild card entries along with eight men and eight women players selected by the French Tennis Federation.
Cornet, 34, recently announced her impending retirement after making her 20th consecutive appearance at the French Open, where she debuted in 2005. Gasquet, 37, a former world No. 7, has had notable successes at Wimbledon and the US Open but has not surpassed the third round at Roland Garros since reaching the quarter-finals in 2016.
Additionally, American Sachia Vickery and Australian Ajla Tomljanovic were granted wild cards as part of an agreement with the United States Tennis Association and Tennis Australia, reflecting the international scope of wild card allocations.
