British tennis star Emma Raducanu has voiced her clear frustration with the Australian Open's scheduling, which has left her scrambling to prepare for her opening match in Melbourne.
A Rushed Arrival and a Late-Night Slot
Raducanu only landed in Melbourne on Friday, 16th January 2026, following a quarter-final run at the Hobart International. Despite the tight turnaround, she has been scheduled to play her first match on the tournament's opening Sunday. Her clash with little-known Thai player Mananchaya Sawangkaew is set for the second night session on Margaret Court Arena, following a men's match that begins at 7pm local time.
This scheduling decision raises the possibility of a very late start for the 23-year-old. "It's very difficult," Raducanu admitted. "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." She was forced to arrange her first practice session for 9pm on Saturday evening in a bid to acclimatise.
Questioning the Logic and Managing Injury Setbacks
The former US Open champion was particularly critical of the logic behind placing a women's match after a potential five-set men's encounter. "To me, it doesn't really make as much sense," she stated. Raducanu revealed she has rarely played so late, with only her US Open semi-final experience as a comparison, calling it a "new experience" she must learn to handle.
The situation is compounded by Raducanu's ongoing physical challenges. A foot injury severely limited her pre-season training, leaving her short of match sharpness. She managed the issue during the United Cup and her Hobart campaign, where she beat Camila Osorio before losing to Australian Taylah Preston.
"It's definitely a lot better," Raducanu said of the foot. "I've been having to manage it for the last few months but I'm really happy with the progress... I came out to Australia not knowing how it would go and now I'm in a much better place."
Facing an Unknown Quantity in Round One
On paper, world number 195 Mananchaya Sawangkaew, making her Grand Slam debut, represents a favourable draw. However, Raducanu is taking nothing for granted, noting the Thai player's lower-level title win this season. "I think it's a very dangerous opponent, a very dangerous situation to be in," she cautioned. "You don't know that much about them, so there is that element of surprise, too."
Adopting a pragmatic, long-term view for the season, Raducanu is trying to ease the pressure on herself. "After last year being my first real year on tour, I really learned that the season is so long," she reflected. "I started training very, very late on tennis-wise. So, because of that, I feel like I need to kind of take the pressure off myself." Her immediate focus is on adapting to the challenging schedule and progressing past a tricky first-round test.
