A cranky back forced Emma Raducanu's Rome retirement today.
The US Open champion hopes the back issue won't prevent her from making a Roland Garros debut this month.
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The 19-year-old Raducanu took treatment for the sore back before pulling the plug while trailing Bianca Andreescu 6-2, 2-1 in her Rome opener.
Afterward, Raducanu said she's still aiming to play Paris, but must be sure her back is fully fit.
"I mean, obviously I would not want to miss the French Open," Raducanu told the media in Rome. "I mean, the whole clay season leads up to it. I think the last few weeks have been really positive. I've learnt a lot about myself and my game has definitely improved on this surface.
"But, I mean, for sure I need to make sure my back is fully right, however long that takes. I need to just keep on it. I don't want to play my next match with a feeling of limitation because I think that I learnt my lesson from this week, when to push, when not to push. Probably today wasn't right."
It's been a season of injury, illness and change for Raducanu, who split with coach Torben Beltz last month.
The 12th-ranked Briton, who reached the Stuttgart quarterfinals and Madrid round of 16, said she believes clay can be her best surface.
The question is: can Raducanu regain her fitness for a Roland Garros debut?
The clay-court major begins on May 22nd.
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Raducanu suggested it's unlikely she will try to play another tune-up tournament next week.
"Of course I want to play every opportunity I have, and probably even when I shouldn't," Raducanu said. "But, you know, I just really need to be sensible. Sometimes I feel like I need a voice to, you know, just hold my hand, Do this, do that.
"I hope that I can just get my back right and my body fully fit. I think that next week might be a tight turnaround, even though I wanted to play next week and get more matches on clay.
"Yeah, my back takes priority, so we'll see what happens I hope."
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