Emma Raducanu touched down in Melbourne only on Saturday after a Hobart quarterfinal run and a delayed flight, leaving her little time to settle. Less than 48 hours later, the 23-year-old, seeded at a major for the first time in over three years, faces Mananchaya Sawangkaew. With the turnaround unforgiving, Raducanu has openly voiced her frustration over the Australian Open’s scheduling squeeze.

Raducanu planned to hold her first practice session at 9 pm on Saturday. The late timing reflected how tight her schedule had become. Speaking honestly, she shared her frustration with the situation. 

“It’s very difficult. You would love to have more time in the environment, more time practising, but I guess I was pretty much handed the schedule to try and turn it around and make the most out of what is in front of me.”

She admitted it would be easy to dwell on the inconvenience. Instead, she chose a practical mindset. “I think It’s easy to complain about it, but it’s not going to help,” Raducanu said. Her focus, she explained, is on recovery and readiness rather than frustration.

The Briton also questioned the logic behind late-night scheduling. “So I’m just trying to focus and turn it around for tomorrow. It’s very difficult to be scheduling women’s matches after a potential five-set match,” she said. From her perspective, the order does not add up.

“To me, it doesn’t really make as much sense,” Raducanu continued. She explained that her immediate priority was to get on court and adjust. “Today I’m going to practise and see what it’s like,” she added, emphasizing preparation over complaint.

Late-night matches are unfamiliar territory for her. “I don’t think I have been in that situation,” she said. She recalled only one similar experience. “Only once before maybe when I played the semis of the US Open.”

She explained how rare this is in her career. “I played second night match but, other than that, I haven’t played that late,” Raducanu said. The Australian Open setup will test her adaptability. “So, for me, it’s a new experience, something that I need to learn to do.”

Raducanu’s concerns extend beyond preparation. She is scheduled on the opening day and placed in the second night session on Margaret Court Arena. The men’s match before her begins at 7 pm local time, raising the possibility of a very late start.

She is set to face Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the final match on Sunday night. Their contest follows Jenson Brooksby’s clash with Alexander Bublik. In Raducanu’s view, the order of play is far from ideal.

Recent history supports her concern. At the 2024 US Open, two men’s matches ran long on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Aryna Sabalenka and Ekaterina Alexandrova began their night-session match at eight minutes past midnight, the latest start in tournament history.

The same event saw another extreme finish. Zheng Qinwen and Donna Vekić completed their match at 2:15 am. It became the latest finish for a women’s match at the US Open. Those examples highlight the risk of late scheduling.

Tournament organisers defend the system. They argue that equal prize money means equal conditions, including late matches. A women’s match can also delay a men’s match if it runs long. Officials also note that the move to a 15-day format from 2025 is meant to ease pressure.

The counter-argument focuses on fans and players. Night-session tickets cover two matches. If a long men’s match comes first, many fans leave before the women play. Scheduling women first could improve attendance. 

And as Raducanu prepares for her opener, she has also shared updates on her health, hoping preparation and recovery will be enough.

Emma Raducanu opens up about her ongoing foot issue

It would be a difficult situation even if Raducanu arrived in peak condition at the AO. Instead, the 23-year-old has once again dealt with physical setbacks in the pre-season. A foot injury severely limited her time on court and disrupted her preparation for the new year.

Her injury troubles are not new. Last season, Raducanu ended her 2025 campaign early in mid-October. She was forced to retire against Ann Li in Wuhan due to injury. She later played the Ningbo Open but was clearly not at full strength, citing ongoing physical struggles during her time in China.

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According to PA reports, Raducanu was diagnosed with light bone bruising in her right foot. The issue also forced her to withdraw from two exhibition matches in the United States in December. She chose recovery over competition to focus on returning to full fitness ahead of the 2026 season.

The lack of match play showed at times. She appeared short of sharpness against Maria Sakkari at the United Cup last week. In Hobart, she beat Camila Osorio in the opening round but then suffered a loss to low-ranked Australian Taylah Preston.

When asked about her foot problem, Raducanu offered a positive update. “It’s definitely a lot better. I’ve been having to manage it for the last few months but I’m really happy with the progress that I’ve made this year,” she said. “I came out to Australia not knowing how it would go and now I’m in a much better place and just improving day by day.”

She also spoke about her mindset after a disrupted pre-season. “I could easily get frustrated about not having the pre-season I wanted,” she said. “I think it would only frustrate me.” Her focus now is on gradual progress rather than quick results.

Raducanu reflected on lessons learned last year. “After last year being my first real year on tour, I really learned that the season is so long,” she added. “I just want to try and work my way into this year.” She stressed patience and trust in the process.

On paper, her opening opponent, Mananchaya Sawangkaew, poses a limited threat. The Thai player is ranked 195 and making her Grand Slam debut, though she has already won a lower-level title this season. 

As the early rounds begin tomorrow, Raducanu’s challenge now will be managing expectations, late-night scheduling, and relying on patience and grit at the Australian Open.