RG Roundup: Jiri Lehecka withdraws with back injury, Emma Raducanu opts out of qualifying

At the Mutua Madrid Open, Jiri Lehecka was having a tournament to remember until a back injury suddenly derailed his bid in the semifinals.

On Sunday, the unfortunate turn of events ultimately led the Czech to withdraw from Roland Garros.

Lehecka became the third ATP player slated to compete in the main draw relegated to the sidelines, joining Marin Cilic and Facundo Diaz Acosta. The 22-year-old had matched his career-high ranking of No. 23 achieved earlier this January.

As for Jannik Sinner, the world No. 2 emerged on social media Sunday with a simple update. “Let’s work,” read a caption accompanied by photos with his team training on red clay in Monte Carlo.

Like Lehecka, the Australian Open champion also saw his Madrid campaign halted by injury. In the Spanish capital, Sinner pulled out ahead of his quarterfinal with a right hip injury that had been aggravated in an earlier match.

Elsewhere, Emma Raducanu has opted to forgo Roland Garros qualifying in favor of preparing for the grass-court swing.

Currently ranked No. 212, the 2021 US Open title holder hasn’t competed in nearly a month following a first-round exit in Madrid that left her to admit she was “mentally and emotionally” exhausted. Raducanu, who used a protected ranking to enter the season’s second Grand Slam event, was three spots out of a main-draw spot.

“It’s important for me to keep laying on the foundations,” the 21-year-old told British press. “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.”

Qualifying at the Paris major gets underway Monday. Two-time finalist Dominic Thiem features on Court Suzanne Lenglen against Italy’s Franco Agamenone.

Former world No. 10 Lucas Pouilles takes on rising Serbian Hamad Medjedovic, while Americans Lauren Davis, Alycia Parks, Claire Liu and Denis Kudla are among the Americans beginning their bids.