Emma Raducanu has criticised the Australian Open’s scheduling after being placed in a late-night slot for her first-round match, saying the timing makes little sense. The British No 1 will face Mananchaya Sawangkaew on Sunday night, leaving her minimal time to adjust to conditions at Melbourne Park after competing in Hobart.
Raducanu lost to Taylah Preston in the Hobart International quarter-finals on Thursday, and a delayed flight meant she only arrived in Melbourne late on Friday. She will have just one training session before her opening match, despite the first round being spread across three days this year.
Her match is due to follow a men’s encounter between Alexander Bublik and Jenson Brooksby, which could go to five sets. “I think it’s very difficult to be scheduling women’s matches after a potential five-set match,” Raducanu said. “To me, it doesn’t really make as much sense.” She added that the situation is a new experience, having previously only played late at the US Open semi-finals.
Raducanu acknowledged the temptation to complain but said she is trying to focus and adjust. “It’s easy to get down and complain about it, but it’s not going to help,” she said. Sawangkaew, a 23-year-old Thai player, is ranked 195 after a six-month injury layoff but broke into the top 100 last June.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic said the Professional Tennis Players’ Association’s lawsuit against governing bodies was a significant reason behind his decision to leave the organisation he co-founded. He felt his name was overused and disagreed with parts of the legal action, though he still supports the concept of players-only representation.
