‘Doesn’t really make sense’ – Raducanu questions Australian Open scheduling
Video credit: SNTV
Emma Raducanu will get her 2026 Australian Open campaign underway on Sunday, the beginning of a playing schedule which “doesn’t make much sense” to the Brit.
The 23-year-old British No. 1 only arrived in Australia on Saturday having reached the quarter-finals of a warm-up tournament in Hobart before her flight to Melbourne was delayed.
Nonetheless, the 2021 US Open champion is scheduled to begin her quest for a second Grand Slam title less than 48 hours later, where she will face Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew.
“It’s very difficult,” Raducanu said. “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.
“I have to make the most out of what is in front of me. It’s easy to complain about it, but it’s not going to help.”
With men’s 10th seed Alexander Bublik’s five-set clash against Jenson Brooksby scheduled before Raducanu’s opening match, starting at 7pm local time, there is a chance Raducanu may not take to Margaret Court Arena until nearly midnight.
Raducanu speaking to the press ahead of the Australian Open on Sunday.
Image credit: Getty Images
“I think it’s very difficult to be scheduling women’s matches after a potential five-set match,” a concerned Raducanu added.
“To me, it doesn’t really make as much sense. After seeing it, the initial reaction is, ‘Oh, it’s a late one’. Then you deal with it, try and shift your day and adjust.”
The Australian Open has been slammed in previous years following its late finishes, with Britain’s Andy Murray famously playing until past 4am local time in 2023.
Raducanu has been forced to adjust her practice time to adjust to the late-night conditions.
“When I played the semis of the US Open I played second night match, but other than that, I haven’t played that late,” she said.
“So it’s a new experience, something that I need to learn to do. Hopefully if I’m playing this game for a long time, I’ll probably be in this situation again, so it’s a good learning step to try and adjust and deal with that day.”
Despite the tricky scheduling, Radunacu is fired up for her fifth appearance at the tournament, where she reached the third round last year.
“I haven’t really taken the results in the past few weeks too seriously,” she said. “I know I am working my way into it and, even this week, I know I still am on the way to where I want to be.
“I’m very happy with the last few weeks – how I was able to be very matter of fact about it, not too emotional.”
How to watch the 2026 Australian OpenAll the action from Melbourne will be available live and on-demand via TNT Sports and its streaming platform discovery+.
TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.
The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports and entertainment in one destination.
You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
Stream every match of the 2026 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+.