The draw for the 2026 Australian Open has delivered a tantalising early test for Britain's Emma Raducanu, setting her on a potential collision course with top seed and title favourite Aryna Sabalenka in the third round.
A Familiar Foe Looms in Melbourne
Despite entering the tournament seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time since her 2021 US Open triumph, Raducanu's hopes of a deep run face an immediate hurdle. To reach the second week, she would likely need to overcome the world number one, Sabalenka, in a rematch of their epic Wimbledon third-round battle from last year.
Raducanu's Grand Slam year in 2025 was defined by brutally tough early draws, resulting in defeats to elite players Iga Swiatek (twice), Elena Rybakina, and Sabalenka herself. The seeding in Melbourne offered hope of respite, but the draw has paired her with Sabalenka at the earliest possible stage for a seeded player.
Navigating the Path to the Showdown
The British number one, seeded 28th, must first navigate her opening rounds. She begins against Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew, whose ranking of 195 is misleading due to a recent injury. Sawangkaew is a talented player who reached the final of the Southeast Asian Games in December and won her first tournament of 2026 without conceding a set.
Despite a surprise loss to world No. 204 Taylah Preston at the Hobart International warm-up event, Raducanu remains a strong favourite to progress. A second-round match against either Anastasia Potapova (ranked 54) or Suzan Lamens (ranked 95) awaits.
It would be a major disappointment if Raducanu failed to reach the third round, where a blockbuster against Sabalenka is the anticipated prize.
History Suggests a Close Contest
There is cause for optimism in the Raducanu camp, however. Sabalenka is the one elite opponent against whom the Briton has made significant recent inroads. Their Wimbledon clash was a championship highlight, with Sabalenka needing a sublime drop shot to save a set point before winning 7-6, 6-4.
An even closer encounter followed a month later in Cincinnati, where Raducanu pushed the Belarusian to the absolute limit in a three-hour, nine-minute thriller, ultimately losing 7-6, 4-6, 7-6. Notably, the second set in Cincinnati was the first Raducanu has won in 12 matches against the 'big four' of Sabalenka, Swiatek, Rybakina, and Coco Gauff.
Improving that record is a stated priority for Raducanu and her coach, Francis Roig, this season, and the Australian Open provides a dramatic early opportunity.
Other British Hopefuls Face Tough Openers
Raducanu is one of four British women in the main draw. Katie Boulter, ranked 113th, faces a formidable task against 10th seed Belinda Bencic. Sonay Kartal meets 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya, while Francesca Jones has a more favourable match against qualifier Linda Klimovicova.
On the men's side, with Jack Draper absent, Cam Norrie leads the British charge as the 26th seed. He opens against France's Benjamin Bonzi (world No. 106) and could face third seed Alexander Zverev in the third round. Jacob Fearnley plays Kamil Majchrzak, and Arthur Fery, in his first non-Wimbledon Grand Slam main draw, takes on 20th seed Flavio Cobolli.
In the men's overall draw, Novak Djokovic's quest for an 11th Australian Open title could see him face Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. Sinner has beaten Djokovic five consecutive times. Many are predicting a fourth straight Grand Slam final between defending champion Sinner and his rival, Carlos Alcaraz.
