Emma Raducanu was forced to retire from her Italian Open first-round match against Bianca Andreescu after being hampered by yet another injury. 

Raducanu admitted to having problems with her back in Madrid last week and needed off-court treatment for the same issue against the Canadian in Rome. 

The 19-year-old trailed Andreescu 6-2 2-1 when she decided to retire hurt. 

This is the latest setback in a series of niggles that have plagued the teenager since her US Open win. 

With the French Open to come in just a couple of weeks, there are now questions concerning whether Raducanu will be fit in time for the second major of the year? 

How concerning are these injuries?

Raducanu spoke at the start of the year about building up her physicality ahead of her first full year on the WTA Tour. 

However, her pre-season was impacted by contracting Covid-19 and she had limited time to work on her fitness before the season started. 

"We've talked about the lack of physical foundation but she hasn't had the opportunity to put the work in away from tournament play," said former British number one Tim Henman. 

Raducanu receving treatment at the Italian Open

Speaking to Amazon Prime, Henman expanded: "That's the ideal scenario in November, December, when you don't have tournaments. Unfortunately for Emma she got Covid, missed three and a half weeks and has been playing catch-up."

Aside from her back problem, Raducanu has experienced troubles with blisters and had to bathe her feet in surgical spirit during Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie against the Czech Republic. 

The 19-year-old also retired in Mexico, after sustaining a left-hip injury against Daria Saville. 

Raducanu’s latest opponent, Andreescu, knows all to well how the Brit is feeling right now. 

The Canadian struggled with injuries herself after winning the US Open in 2019 and was ruled out of playing for 15 months after tearing her meniscus. 

Emma Raducanu at Madrid Open
MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 03: Emma Raducanu of Great Britain acknowledges the crowd following their defeat in their third round match against Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine during day six of Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica on May 03, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

"I hope Emma's injury - or whatever she is dealing with - isn't so bad,” Andreescu said. “She is an amazing player. She's dealing with something and I hope she is ok. 

"I think that you really have to experience it to really know what you need. But you're playing the best players. You really have to have the right nutrition, the right game plan, like physically, mentally, emotionally, everything.”

Will Raducanu play at Roland-Garros?

The Brit stressed in the build-up to the Italian Open that she was “managing” her back injury, but the signs in her match against Andreescu did not look good. 

Speaking after the contest, Raducanu explained how she hoped the injury would go away after a couple of days. 

"After Madrid, I thought that maybe taking one, two days off, it would just go away because a lot of the other small niggles I've had, they've kind of gone away after taking two days off,” she said. 

With the French Open to come in just two weeks, it remains to be seen whether Raducanu will recover in time. 

Losing early in Rome may be beneficial in the long run but there will be concerns over Raducanu’s ability to play multiple matches in succession, even if she does make it to Roland-Garros. 

Right now, there are plenty of things that the Brit is still learning, and it may well be a while longer until she figures them out.