Emma Raducanu has been given a stark reality check about her game ahead of the first tennis grand slam of the year in Melbourne
Emma Raducanu is a seed at the Australian Open but has been handed a tough route to the final stages(Image: Lintao Zhang, Getty Images)
Emma Raducanu has been advised to lower her expectations for a deep run at the Australian Open as her current game is not up to scratch. The 23-year-old has achieved her goal of being seeded for the first grand slam of the year but questions remain about her physical endurance.
The 28th seed faces a challenging path to glory in Melbourne, with world number one Aryna Sabalenka potentially awaiting her in the third round, assuming both players advance that far.
Despite putting up a good fight in a third-round loss to Sabalenka at Wimbledon last year, Raducanu was soundly defeated twice by Iga Swiatek and once by Elena Rybakina as she failed to make it past the last 32 at any of the four slams in 2025.
Tennis legend and commentator Mats Wilander believes that is still her limit until she can consistently compete on the WTA tour. Speaking to TNT Sports, the three-time Australian Open men’s champion said: “I think she can do something like winning a couple of matches.
“I don’t expect Emma Raducanu’s game to be good enough where she can get to the quarters or semis or final because I don’t think her game is good enough and I don’t think the preparation is there.
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“I think she has the talent. I think technically she has the shots. I think the serve technically is good enough. I think in the future, she can be competing with the best players in the world, but she’s not there.
“She doesn’t need two months. She needs a couple of years of being on tour week in, week out to toughen her up physically and to toughen her up mentally.
Mats Wilander does’t fancy Emma Raducanu’s chances at the Australian Open(Image: John Berry/Getty Images)
“She’s not ready to have a great tournament. And I’m hoping one day you will see Emma Raducanu that is physically ready. I know that injuries is bad luck, and to her, she’s having too much bad luck.”
Before she can consider taking on Sabalenka, Raducanu will have to negotiate her first-round match against the lower-ranked Thai player, Mananchaya Sawangkaew. A potential second-round clash awaits with either Anastasia Potapova or Suzan Lamens.
Raducanu has had a troubled build-up to the Australian Open(Image: Getty)
Raducanu heads to Melbourne following an unexpected quarter-final defeat to Australian Taylah Preston at the Hobart International. Preston, ranked 204th in the world, emerged victorious 6-2 6-4.
The warm-up event had seemed like a golden opportunity for Raducanu to finally make it to another semi-final, especially considering the withdrawal of her second-round opponent, Magdalena Frech, due to injury.
Raducanu faces Sawangkaew on the opening day of the tournament on Margaret Court Arena on Sunday.
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