Raducanu loses to world No.217 in Australian Open – Sports News
British No. 1 Emma Raducanu suffered a defeat on the Hobart International on Thursday, shedding 6-2, 6-4 to world No. 217 Taylah Preston. Raducanu is now set to compete in the Australian Open, with the principle draw kicking off on Sunday.
As the highest seed in the WTA 250 occasion, Raducanu had high hopes of securing her first title since her victory on the 2022 US Open.
The 23-year-old clinched her first match of the yr on Wednesday during a rain-delayed face-off in opposition to world No. 82 Camila Osorio.
Raducanu acquired a bye to the quarter-finals after Magdalena Frech withdrew earlier than their last-16 match. However, she was stunned by younger Aussie sensation Preston, who had just one win on the WTA Tour prior to this week – a victory over Frech on the 2024 San Diego event.
The 20-year-old capitalized on six of her 9 break factors, securing a straight-sets win in only one hour and 25 minutes. Preston will now face both Magda Linette or Iva Jovic in the semi-finals.
Raducanu’s focus now shifts to Melbourne Park, the place she’ll kick off her Aussie Open marketing campaign in opposition to Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew. If she advances, she’ll face both Anastasia Potopova or Suzan Lamens in the second spherical of the primary Grand Slam of 2026.
Raducanu may then be taking a look at a showdown with world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the third spherical.
Sabalenka kicks off her event in opposition to France’s Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah earlier than a potential second-round encounter with both Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or a qualifier.
The pair beforehand met in final yr’s Wimbledon third spherical, the place the British star pushed the Belarusian exhausting earlier than falling 7-6 (6), 6-4.
Evaluating her prospects Down Under in a dialog with TNT Sports prior to the draw being launched, former British tennis ace Tim Henman commented: “When I think about Emma Raducanu and her progress from the end of last year into this year, she’s moving in the right direction, but she’s had this problem with her foot.
“To see her out on the match court docket is thrilling. She simply performed one match at United Cup and I believe carried out nicely in opposition to Sakkari, however Sakkari performed very, very nicely.
“To me, there’s no question about her tennis ability. So if she builds her fitness, I would like to see her in the second week of the Australian Open. I think that’s realistic.
“Could she win three matches in Melbourne? Definitely. I believe if I may signal a contract and she or he was by way of to the spherical of 16, I believe that might be a great begin to the yr.”
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