Raducanu avoids the big hitters in French Open draw

EMMA Raducanu steered clear of the favourites in the draw for the French Open where she faces world number 64 Solana Sierra in the first round.

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Emma Raducanu will face a qualifier in the first round of the French Open

The British number one is unseeded after slipping to 37 in the rankings and arrives at Roland Garros with a single clay-court match under her belt after losing in the first round in Strasbourg to Diane Parry.

Raducanu will be hoping for a return to form on the big stage and her prospects are potentially boosted by a first-time meeting with the 21-year-old Argentinian, who fell at the first hurdle last year in her maiden appearance in the main draw.

The pair had been due to meet in the Italian Open earlier this year, only for the 2021 US Open champion to withdrawn from the tournament citing illness.

Sierra is certainly no pushover, though, having enjoyed strong results on the European clay this season, while she made a surprise run to the last 16 at Wimbledon last year.