British number one Emma Raducanu has been handed a testing draw at next week’s Lexus Eastbourne Open, where she is expected to make a return after managing a back problem.
The 22-year-old has been troubled by the issue since competing at Strasbourg in May ahead of the French Open.
Former US Open champion Raducanu took an off-court medical timeout during her quarter-final loss to Zheng Qinwen at Queen’s Club last week, after which it was confirmed she would miss the Berlin Open, having been offered a wild card into the WTA 500 event.
Raducanu had instead looked to prioritise rest and recovery to ensure she is fully fit for Wimbledon, which begins on June 30.
At last year’s LTA event on the south coast, Raducanu claimed a first victory over a top-10 player by defeating Jessica Pegula before going on to make the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Seeded seventh in the draw for Eastbourne, Raducanu has been handed a first-round match against American Ann Li.
Should Raducanu progress through the top half of the draw, she could then come up against two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in the second round.
Defending Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina, the Australian world number 16, is also a potential opponent in the quarter-finals.
Speaking about her fitness issues after playing at Queen’s, Raducanu said: “It’s been lingering for the last few weeks and I have had back issues before.
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“I think it’s just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it.
“I’m not overly concerned that it’s something serious, but I know it’s something that’s very annoying and needs proper and careful management.”
Raducanu spent the afternoon at Queen’s, watching US Open doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz as he looked to secure a spot in the final.
