Emma Raducanu has criticised the logic behind the Australian Open scheduling after being handed a first-round match on Sunday night in Melbourne, less than two days after arriving in the city.
The British number one reached Melbourne on Saturday following a run to the quarter-finals of a warm-up event in Hobart, a journey complicated by a delayed flight. Despite the quick turnaround, Raducanu is set to open her Australian Open campaign within 48 hours, questioning whether the timetable adequately considers player welfare and preparation.
The 23-year-old, ranked 29th in the world and seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time in more than three years, said the lack of adjustment time has been challenging. While acknowledging that players often deal with tight schedules, she suggested the situation was far from ideal and left her with little control other than adapting as best she could.
Further concerns centre on the timing of her match against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew. Their contest is scheduled second on Margaret Court Arena during the evening session, following a men’s singles match between Alexander Bublik and Jenson Brooksby. With that match potentially running to five sets from a 7pm local start, Raducanu may not take to the court until close to midnight.
Raducanu questioned the sense of placing a women’s match after a potentially lengthy men’s encounter, arguing that such scheduling does not always appear logical. Nevertheless, she stressed that she intends to manage the situation pragmatically rather than dwell on the drawbacks.
To prepare, Raducanu has adjusted her routine, pushing her only practice session at the Australian Open back to 9pm on Saturday to acclimatise to late-night conditions. She admitted that competing so late is largely unfamiliar territory for her, describing it as a new experience and an opportunity to learn how to adapt for the future.
The former US Open champion enjoyed a positive 2025 season, returning to the world’s top 30 and playing more matches than in any previous year. However, an off-season foot injury disrupted the technical work she hoped to complete with coach Francisco Roig, who previously worked with Rafael Nadal.
That lack of preparation has shown at times this season, including a passive loss in Hobart where Raducanu appeared short of confidence. Despite this, she said she is not placing too much emphasis on recent results, viewing the early part of the year as a process of building form and rhythm rather than an immediate measure of success.
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