Emma Raducanu did not hide her displeasure with the Australian Open schedule after being slated to begin her campaign on the opening day, despite arriving in Melbourne just two days earlier.
Raducanu landed in Melbourne on Friday following her quarterfinal run in Hobart, where she lost in straight sets to Taylah Preston.
With her opening match in Melbourne scheduled for Sunday, Raducanu acknowledged the challenges posed by the scheduling but stressed the need to make the most of the situation.
“It’s very difficult. You would love to have more time in the environment, more time practising, but I guess I was pretty much handed the schedule to try and turn it around and make the most out of what is in front of me,” Raducanu said. “I think it’s easy to get down and complain about it, but it’s not going to help. So I’m just trying to focus and turn it around for tomorrow.
“It’s very difficult to be scheduling women’s matches after a potential five-set match. To me, it doesn’t really makeC much sense. Today I’m going to practice and see what it’s like. I don’t think I have been in that situation. Only once before maybe when I played the semi-finals of the US Open,” she Added.
The Brit is set to open her Australian Open campaign against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the final match of the day on Margaret Court Arena.
She holds a 1–2 record for the season so far, having lost her lone singles match at the United Cup before heading to Hobart, where she defeated Camila Osorio in the opening round, received a bye in the second round, and then fell to Taylah Preston in the quarterfinals.
Raducanu Cautions Against Underestimating Opening-Round Challenge
Raducanu and Sawangkaew are yet to face each other on the WTA Tour, with their Australian Open meeting marking their first encounter.
Despite the Thai player’s limited experience at the WTA level, Raducanu was full of praise for her consistency on the ITF circuit and warned against underestimating the challenge she could pose.
“I think it’s a tricky one because, playing a lot of matches, even if it’s at ITF level, and getting a lot of wins, it does so much,” said Raducanu.
“I think it’s a very dangerous opponent, a very dangerous situation to be in. You don’t know that much about them, so there is that element of surprise, too.”
Sawangkaew is ranked No. 195 in the world and is set to make her Grand Slam debut. The 23-year-old is unbeaten this season at 5–0, having captured the WTT W75 title in Nonthaburi, Thailand, in the first week of January.
Also read:
Serena Williams’ Cousin-In-Law Sev Ohanian Wins Big At Golden Globes 2026 With ‘Sinners’ Movie
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
