Emma Raducanu risked huge fine during controversial withdrawal from Italian Open

Emma Raducanu, 23 and British No. 1, withdrew from the 2026 Italian Open due to a post-viral illness, but not before holding a pre-tournament press conference in which she told BBC Sport she 'felt really good.' Under on-site withdrawal rules, skipping the press conference could have resulted in an £11,000 fine, suggesting the penalty may have influenced her decision to conduct interviews despite already knowing she would pull out. The withdrawal surprised fans as it came less than 30 minutes after her apparently upbeat media appearance.