Emma Raducanu has kick-started her 2026 season with a hard-fought victory at the Hobart International, overcoming Colombian opponent Camila Osorio in a match twice interrupted by the Tasmanian weather.
A Match of Two Days
The British number one and top seed was forced to return on Wednesday to complete the contest after heavy rain halted play on Tuesday. At that point, Raducanu was in a precarious position, trailing 4-2 down in the second set having already claimed the first 6-3.
When the players resumed with Osorio serving at deuce, a transformed Raducanu took to the court. She displayed sharp focus and immediate aggression, piling pressure on her opponent. The decisive moment came with Osorio serving for the set at 5-4; Raducanu seized her fourth break point opportunity to level the set and ultimately force a tie-break.
Raducanu Finds Her Rhythm
In the tie-break, the 23-year-old former US Open champion reasserted her dominance, closing out a 6-3, 7-6(2) triumph. She celebrated the win, her first since September, with a characteristic fist pump and a yell of delight.
This performance marked a significant step forward from her season opener at the United Cup, where a loss to Maria Sakkari highlighted her struggle for match sharpness after a foot injury disrupted her pre-season training.
On-Court Reaction and Next Steps
"Very, very difficult match," Raducanu admitted in her post-match interview. "We played under all conditions and coming on, coming off a few times, it was really difficult. I don’t think I’ve slept over many matches in between so that was also a new one for me."
She praised Osorio's resilience, saying, "I thought Camila played an incredible match overall. Such good defence, and then stepped in when I dropped the ball short. I’m just really pleased with how I came out today and turned it around."
Raducanu was due to face Magdalena Frech in the second round, but the Pole has since withdrawn through injury. This likely grants Raducanu a walkover into the quarter-finals, where she is expected to meet Australian Taylah Preston.
Norrie's Auckland Exit
In other news from the Antipodes, British number one Cameron Norrie saw his run at the ASB Classic in Auckland end in a heartbreaking second-round defeat. Playing in the city where he grew up, Norrie held a match point in the tenth game of the deciding set but ultimately fell to France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).
