British number one Emma Raducanu has been handed a formidable path at the 2026 Australian Open, with a potential third-round showdown against the world's top player lying in wait.
A Daunting Path at Melbourne Park
Despite being seeded 29th for the season's opening Grand Slam, Raducanu's draw has placed her in the same section as the formidable world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian, a two-time Australian Open champion, is the toughest possible opponent Raducanu could have faced at that stage.
The 23-year-old Briton will begin her campaign against Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew, who is set for her Grand Slam main draw debut. Should she progress, Raducanu would then meet either Russia's Anastasia Potapova (ranked 59) or Dutch player Suzan Lamens (ranked 85) in the second round.
History Repeating for Raducanu?
A third-round clash would likely see a rematch of last year's Wimbledon encounter, where Sabalenka ended Raducanu's run. This pattern of facing the sport's elite in major tournaments has been a recurring theme for Raducanu.
In the past year, the US Open champion has also been eliminated by Iga Swiatek at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros, and by Elena Rybakina in the third round of the US Open. However, she pushed Sabalenka to a close defeat in Cincinnati last season, suggesting the gap may be narrowing.
Sabalenka will be determined to reclaim the Australian Open title she lost in a shock defeat to Madison Keys last year, having reached the final for three consecutive years prior.
Other British Hopes in the Draw
Elsewhere in the women's singles, Katie Boulter faces a tough opener against the in-form 10th seed, Belinda Bencic, who has won all five of her matches this season. Sonay Kartal will take on 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya, while Fran Jones meets a qualifier on her return to the Australian Open main draw after five years.
On the men's side, British 26th seed Cameron Norrie begins against France's Benjamin Bonzi, with a potential third-round match against world No 3 Alexander Zverev. Jacob Fearnley faces Poland's Kamil Majchrzak, and qualifier Arthur Fery has also secured his place in the main draw.
The draw sets up a compelling first week in Melbourne, with Raducanu's potential clash against the top seed providing a major early test of her credentials against the very best.
