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Raducanu faces late-night opener amid tight schedule
Emma Raducanu has raised concerns over her Australian Open first-round match being scheduled for Sunday night in Melbourne, just days after arriving from a Hobart tournament.
Tight turnaround raises concerns
The British world No. 29 arrived in Melbourne on Saturday after reaching the quarterfinals in Hobart, delayed by a late flight. With less than 48 hours to adjust, she will face Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew in her opening match.
Raducanu, seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time in over three years, admitted the short preparation time was far from ideal.
"You would love to have more time in the environment, more time practicing, but I guess I was pretty much handed the schedule to try and turn it around. I have to make the most out of what is in front of me."
Emma Raducanu
Late-night start adds to challenges
Raducanu's match is set as the second fixture on Margaret Court Arena during the evening session, following a men's singles match between Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik and American Jenson Brooksby. The best-of-five-set opener begins at 7pm local time (06:00 GMT), meaning Raducanu may not step onto court until close to midnight.
The Australian Open has a history of late finishes, including Andy Murray's 2023 match that concluded at 04:05 local time. Sports scientists have warned against romanticizing such late-night scheduling.
"I think it's very difficult to be scheduling women's matches after a potential five-set match. To me, it doesn't really make as much sense."
Emma Raducanu
Adjusting to late-night conditions
Due to her delayed arrival, Raducanu missed training on Friday and rescheduled her only practice session to 9pm on Saturday to acclimate to late-night play. She acknowledged the adjustment would be a learning experience.
"When I played the semis of the US Open, I played a second-night match, but other than that, I haven't played that late. So it's a new experience, something that I need to learn to do."
Emma Raducanu
Form and off-season challenges
Raducanu showed promising progress in 2025, climbing back into the top 30 and playing more matches than in any previous season. However, her off-season technical work with coach Francisco Roig-who helped Rafael Nadal win 16 majors-was disrupted by a foot injury.
Her limited practice has been evident in early 2026, including a passive performance in a Hobart loss to world No. 204 Taylah Preston. Raducanu remains focused on long-term improvement.
"I haven't really taken the results in the past few weeks too seriously. I know I am working my way into it, and even this week, I know I still am on the way to where I want to be."
Emma Raducanu
