The former US Open champion has had a promising spell on clay in recent weeks
But Raducanu seemed to struggle with a back issue that forced third-set decider

Emma Raducanu was overturned 6-4, 1-6, 3-6 by Danielle Collins in Strasbourg, with her pre-French Open preparations ending on a souring note after she was forced to take a lengthy medical timeout in the second set.

The 22-year-old has previously struggled with a back issue as she did on Wednesday, and withdrew from the Auckland Open at the end of December after suffering a spasm while stooping to tie her shoelace.

A possible resurgence of this issue could come as a bitter blow to the former US Open champion, who has been building a fine profile on clay this season with hopes of a tilt at the French Open next week.

Raducanu could be coming into the French Open in her sharpest form on the surface after a promising run in Rome saw her win three consecutive clay matches before she was stopped by Italian Open finalist Coco Gauff in the fourth-round.

And there was much for Raducanu to be pleased with against Gauff's compatriot on Wednesday afternoon, with the former British No1 in cool and composed form against an increasingly frustrated Collins before her second-set dip.

Raducanu's steadiness was in evidence from the off, with the Briton happy to cede the spotlight to her bombastic opponent in the opening games of the match.

Emma Raducanu battled through three tough sets against Danielle Collins in Strasbourg on Wednesday afternoon

A medical timeout after appearing to suffer discomfort in her back halted a strong start

But for every blasted winner from the baseline Collins served up to Raducanu, came a reckless unforced error, with the world No46 racking up 19 in the first set.

Comparatively tentative as she was whisked around the court by Collins, the 22-year-old was able to keep her head above water and maintain a consistently high level, moving nicely on a surface that has been a point of improvement for her.

Raducanu has the finest break point conversion record on the tour, another marker of her renewed form this season, and after missing out on an initial chance to strike in the opening game, finally broke through in the fifth game.

Strong too was her first serve, and Raducanu refused to give Collins an inch as she closed out the first set with a simmering confidence.

But Collins had already seen out a gritty three-set victory in Strasbourg against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, and had her eyes on another as she finally breaking Raducanu to lead 2-0 after the break.

Scenting blood in the water, Collins' level soared as Raducanu's dipped, with the former world No7 storming to a four-love lead in the second set - and barely hindered when a piece of clay found its way into her eye at the start of the fifth game.

But what might have been an entertaining clash was forced to pause when Raducanu called for the physio at 4-0 for the apparent issue with her back.

After rushing through the game, Raducanu retreated off-court to receive treatment.

Although she returned to the match looking brighter, she could only post a solitary game to the scoreboard in the second set, and Collins looked set to continue to menace on the front foot into the decider.

Raducanu showed off her fine first-serve skills in the opening set but struggled with her reserves as the game ticked past the two-hour mark

Raducanu may have looked far closer to the player she had been in the first set and had the opportunity to break in the fourth game, she could only manage to trade advantages with Collins before the American held her serve with an almighty roar.

That imperfect but crucial hold may have gone some way to unleashing the 'Danimal', as the at-times controversial star is known to her legion of fans, and on its heels came a first break of the Raducanu serve, and - she hoped - momentum wrenched away from the Briton for good.

Instead, Collins was forced to battle through an odyssey of a service game, with Raducanu battling down the hatches to snatch a break back for 3-3 as the third set ticked towards the 45-minute mark.

But Collins was down, but not out, swiftly claiming her second break to love with more controlled, but no less aggressive tennis, and pouring cold water on the faint hopes of a fightback for her opponent.

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