Emma Raducanu reflects on performance after early Australian Open exit
Emma Raducanu has revealed her plans to step back and reassess her approach to tennis after departing the Australian Open in the second round following a 7-6 6-2 loss to Russia’s Anastasia Potapova on Wednesday, reports BritPanorama.
The 23-year-old acknowledged a disconnect between her current performances and her aspirations on court, telling reporters after the defeat: “I think the misalignment with how I’m playing right now and how I want to be playing is something that I just want to work on.”
Her early exit means she will not face top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who awaited in the third round. Since capturing the US Open title in 2021 in remarkable fashion, Raducanu has found consistent form elusive, with various injuries compounding her difficulties on tour.
The Bromley-born player travelled to Melbourne carrying a foot problem that restricted her match preparation ahead of the tournament. Despite the setback, she appeared to be finding her rhythm during the contest, establishing a 5-3 advantage in the first set before her game unravelled.
Potapova, ranked 55th in the world, capitalised as Raducanu’s shot selection deteriorated, with the Briton committing 28 unforced errors across the two sets as her Australian Open campaign came to a premature conclusion.
When pressed by journalists on whether she felt dissatisfied with her current style of play, the 2021 US Open champion confirmed as much. “Yeah, I would say so,” she responded. “I think I want to be playing a different way.”
The admission of a fundamental mismatch in her game represents a significant moment of reflection for Raducanu, who had arrived in Australia hoping to launch her season positively at the year’s opening Grand Slam. Raducanu indicated she would not rush back into training following her Melbourne disappointment. “I don’t think I’m going to get straight back on the practice court,” she said. “I think I’m going to take a few days, get back, get back home, and try and just re-evaluate my game a bit.”
Her defeat to Potapova denied her what would have been a compelling encounter with world No 1 Sabalenka, the reigning champion who was waiting in the next round. Instead, Raducanu heads back to Britain earlier than anticipated, facing questions about her direction after another tournament cut short.
The former US Open winner must now determine how to bridge the gap between her current output and her ambitions. As for Potapova, she’ll be plotting how to overcome Sabalenka – who is the favourite to reign supreme Down Under.
In a sport where expectation often collides with reality, Raducanu’s journey serves as a reminder that the road to recovery can be as taxing as the battle itself.
