Emma Raducanu has had a tough road out of the Australian Open despite being seeded, with world number one Aryna Sabalenka potentially waiting in the third round.
Live coverage of Radukanu competing in the Hobart International quarter-finals on Thursday morning. sky sports tennisShe is seeded 28th at this year’s opening Grand Slam and will face Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the first round.
Either Austria’s Anastasia Potapova or Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens will be Radukanu’s second-round opponent before Sabalenka’s rematch with last year’s Wimbledon. This match also advanced to the third round.
Pre-tournament favorite Sabalenka will begin her campaign for a third Australian Open title against French wild card Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, while six-time major champion Iga Swiatek will play a qualifier ahead of her fourth-round clash with Naomi Osaka in the second week.
Great Britain’s Katie Boulter, who made it to the last-minute main draw, had a tough opening match against poor 10th seed Belinda Bencic, while Sonay Kartal faced 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya and Francesca Jones faces a qualifier.
Venus Williams is set to become the oldest woman to play in the Australian Open main draw, surpassing the 44-year-old record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, and could face compatriot Coco Gauff if the American duo wins their opening match.
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Radaducan also narrowly lost to aryna, whom they would meet at the Cincinnati Open last August.
Djokovic is in the same camp as defending champion Sinner.
Novak Djokovic has joined defending men’s singles champion Jannik Sinner in the same half as the Serbian continues his quest for a 25th Grand Slam.
After withdrawing from the Adelaide International last week, Djokovic has not competed in a tennis tournament since November and will now compete at the Australian Open, where he won his record 10th title.
The 38-year-old missed a practice session in Melbourne on Wednesday with a neck problem, sparking concerns about his fitness.
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Novak Djokovic’s last match was the Athens Open in November.
The fourth seed will not face Sinner until the semifinals, where he lost in each of the four major tournaments last year, and will face Spain’s Pedro Martinez in his first match.
Sinner, the reigning champion, takes on France’s Hugo Gaston, while Carlos Alcaraz, who is looking to win a career Grand Slam, plays Australia’s Adam Walton.
Britain’s Cameron Norrie, seeded 26th, will face France’s Benjamin Bonzi and a third-round tie with third-seeded Alexander Zverev, while Jacob Fearnley will face Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak.
Australia’s big home hope Alex de Minaur suffered a tough first round draw against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.
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