Raducanu voices concerns over Australian Open schedule
Emma Raducanu has expressed her displeasure with the Australian Open organisers after being handed a challenging schedule for her opening match, reports BritPanorama.
The British No 1 arrived in Melbourne only on Friday, after advancing to the quarter-finals at the Hobart International earlier that week. Despite this late arrival, tournament officials have scheduled her to play against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew as the second night session on Margaret Court Arena.
This timing presents a significant issue, as her match follows a men’s fixture starting at 7pm local time. Should that match extend to five sets, Raducanu may face an extremely late start. Scheduled to hold her first practice session at 9pm local time on Saturday, the rapid turnaround highlights the challenges she faces as competition begins.
“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,” she stated. The 23-year-old was particularly critical of the decision to place women’s fixtures after men’s matches that could run the full distance.
Raducanu elaborated, stating, “It’s very difficult to be scheduling women’s matches after a potential five-set match. To me, it doesn’t really make much sense.” She acknowledged that the current circumstances represent unfamiliar territory, with her only comparable experience stemming from her semi-final run at the US Open.
The scheduling issues arise during a challenging period for Raducanu, who has been managing a foot injury that significantly limited her pre-season preparation. Her recent performances reflect a struggle for match fitness, highlighted by a defeat to low-ranked Australian Taylah Preston in Hobart and an unconvincing display against Maria Sakkari at the United Cup.
However, she noted, “It’s definitely a lot better,” regarding her injury, adding, “I’ve been having to manage it for the last few months but I’m really happy with the progress that I’ve made this year.”
Taking a measured approach to the season, Raducanu is aware that her delayed return to tennis training limits her immediate expectations. “I started training very, very late on tennis-wise,” she explained, “So, because of that, I feel like I need to kind of take the pressure off myself and not put too much pressure on and expect to be playing amazing tennis.”
Her opponent, Sawangkaew, ranks 195th globally and is competing in her first Grand Slam main draw. Raducanu warned against underestimating the Thai player, who has claimed a lower-level title this season. “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,” she asserted.
Raducanu’s first match is scheduled to take place at 9.40am at the Margaret Court Arena tomorrow, as she prepares to navigate the complexities of a tournament that, like many things in tennis, remains unpredictable.
