{"id":421196,"date":"2026-01-21T17:26:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/421196\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:26:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:26:13","slug":"australian-open-recap-emma-raducanus-plan-to-change-her-tennis-for-the-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/421196\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian Open recap: Emma Raducanu\u2019s plan to change her tennis for the better"},"content":{"rendered":"

Follow The Athletic\u2019s Australian Open coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

Welcome to the Australian Open<\/a> briefing, where The Athletic\u00a0will explain the stories behind the stories on each day of the tournament.<\/p>\n

On Day 4, a high-profile player said she needs to change her game, rain delays caused tension and a breakout star\u2019s Melbourne journey ended.<\/p>\n

What is in Emma Raducanu\u2019s tennis future?<\/p>\n

For the 12th time in the 13 majors she has played since winning the U.S. Open in 2021, Emma Raducanu failed to reach the second week. On this occasion, off the back of a truncated pre-season because of a foot injury, the No. 28 seed was beaten 7-6(3), 6-2 Wednesday by Anastasia Potapova.<\/p>\n

To return to the level she reached during those crazy few weeks in New York more than four years ago, Raducanu said she needs to simplify her game \u2014 like she did back then.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, I just want to hit the ball to the corners, and hard,\u201d Raducanu said in her news conference. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m doing all this variety, and it\u2019s not doing what I want it to do. I need to just work on playing in a way more similar to how I was playing when I was younger.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always just changed direction, took the ball early, and went for it. I think I do have the ability to do many things on the court, but I feel like, as I\u2019m learning all those skills, it\u2019s like I need to stick to my guns a bit as well and work on that.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it\u2019s pretty simple.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raducanu gave the impression that the technical adjustments she\u2019s been making under coach Francisco Roig have left her confused and caught between two styles. Her forehand has been a particular work in progress in the opening part of 2026, and she said Wednesday that \u201cI think I want to be playing a different way, and I think the misalignment with how I\u2019m playing right now and how I want to be playing is something that I just want to work on\u201d.<\/p>\n

When she started working with Roig early last August, Raducanu spoke of being more proactive and not just scrapping from the back of the court. The plan initially appeared to be working, but the Brit lamented on Wednesday that in the first set against Potapova, all she was really doing was hanging in there, despite the difficult conditions.<\/p>\n

Next up for Raducanu, after analyzing what went wrong in Melbourne, will be next month\u2019s Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania \u2014 her father\u2019s home country.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Charlie Eccleshare<\/p>\n

A player\u2019s journey ends \u2014 after an even longer one for his coach<\/p>\n

Michael Zheng<\/a>, the Columbia University senior who beat talented fellow American Sebastian Korda on the opening day of this Australian Open, saw his run come to an end Wednesday when he was forced to retire with an adductor (groin muscle) strain.<\/p>\n

Zheng, 21, had won the opening set 6-3 over No. 32 seed Corentin Moutet of France, showing off the aggressive baseline game that got him the win over Korda and made him a back-to-back NCAA singles champion in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n

But the five sets against Korda, on top of three wins in qualifying and then a comeback from Moutet was too much.<\/p>\n

Zheng had to receive treatment on the court during a medical timeout early in the third set. He came out from that strong, but shortly after was incapacitated once more and retired with Moutet leading 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 2-0. \u201cIt was shaping up to be a good match, you know, split sets,\u201d he said in his news conference.<\/p>\n

Zheng was battling Moutet to earn a shot against Carlos Alcaraz, which would have been a tough task for a college player anyway. Still, Zheng would have liked that shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get the chance to play the No. 1 player in the world, it doesn\u2019t happen very often,\u201d he said. \u201cHopefully I\u2019ll get the opportunity again in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zheng earned about $150,000 for his efforts during the past 10 days in qualifying and the main draw. According to his coach Howard Endelman, who traveled for 25 hours from New York to arrive for the Moutet match Wednesday morning, he should be allowed to keep it, since he is a graduating senior.<\/p>\n

Accepting money beyond $10,000 plus expenses would ordinarily make him ineligible to play college tennis, but that would only take effect next year, after he has left school.<\/p>\n

Zheng is scheduled to finish his degree in psychology this spring while attempting to help Columbia to a team NCAA title. Endelman is now scheduled to fly all the way back to New York.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Matt Futterman<\/p>\n

How did rain add to the tension?<\/p>\n

Weather discussions so far this tournament have tended to focus on the Melbourne heat, which was punishing on Tuesday, and is forecast to reach about 104F (40C) Friday.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, conditions were generally pleasant \u2014 until around 8:50 p.m., when the heavens opened. For a few of the players involved, the rain could not have come at a less convenient time.<\/p>\n

America\u2019s Emilio Nava and British No. 26 seed Cameron Norrie were in a tiebreak on Court 7, with the latter leading two sets to one and three points from victory. While on 1573 Arena, the Czech No. 19 seed Karol\u00edna Muchov\u00e1 was up 4-2 on Alycia Parks, with the American serving at deuce.<\/p>\n

Alexander Zverev and Alexandre Muller were getting into the meat of their match, with the No. 3 seed a break up in the third set having split the first two, but they were at least on one of the three courts at Melbourne Park that has a roof. They returned pretty quickly, and Zverev closed out a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win.<\/p>\n

\"Rain<\/p>\n

\n Wet weather left players waiting to resolve some tight situations at Melbourne Park. (Martin Keep \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

For the others, there was more than an hour to wait. More than an hour of that familiar dance tennis players have to do of trying to keep warm and remain focused without overthinking things and getting stressed.<\/p>\n

Norrie seemed to get the balance right, winning three of the five points on the resumption to clinch the tiebreak and a 6-1, 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) victory. Likewise Muchov\u00e1, who held twice to seal the deciding set and triumph 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at the second opportunity after missing three match points the previous game.<\/p>\n

For Parks and Nava, thoughts will now inevitably drift to whether the outcomes would have been different were it not for one of tennis\u2019 great variables.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Charlie Eccleshare<\/p>\n

How did a home favorite withstand a barrage?<\/p>\n

Alex de Minaur delighted the Melbourne crowd with a four-set win over Hamad Medjedovic Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

The Australian\u2019s 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 triumph was Novak-Djokovician in its ruthlessness. After dropping a close opening set, de Minaur dialed up his deadliest forehands and dug in on defense. No matter what Medjedovic tried, he found the ball back at his feet, and he was beaten mentally well before de Minaur converted match point with an ace.<\/p>\n

The No.6-ranked player on the ATP Tour has historically been underpowered, having to scrap for all his victories. That he has made enough incremental improvements in his game to close a potentially complicated match in such clinical fashion is astonishing.<\/p>\n

Still, Medjedovic might be the more interesting character in the story. The 22-year-old won the NextGen ATP Finals in 2023 and is ranked 90th in the world. He boasts a sledgehammer serve and forehand, with which he had de Minaur scrambling on his heels for much of the night, and Djokovic, who also represents Serbia, has helped him during his development.<\/p>\n

\"Hamad<\/p>\n

\n Hamad Medjedovic was unable to sustain his impressive level from the first set. (William West \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

But Medjedovic is a glass cannon, and Wednesday night he shattered more quickly than expected. Though the match may have gone four sets, Medjedovic had enough gas to make it competitive for about one and a half.<\/p>\n

By early in the final set, Medjedovic was putting his back into every mammoth groundstroke, in the hopes of ending points as soon as possible. His attempts to hit the perfect backhand slice often died on his own side of the court, short of the net. Medjedovic\u2019s flagging stamina even allowed de Minaur to momentarily channel prime Roger Federer, hitting three aces en route to a 45-second hold of serve at 4-0 in the third set.<\/p>\n

To compete with top players like de Minaur, who can play at a high intensity for a full four or five sets, Medjedovic has a few steps to go. In the meantime, he\u2019ll make for entertaining danger to anyone he meets in draws \u2014 at least, until he gets tired.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Owen Lewis<\/p>\n

Other notable results on Day 4:
\nCoco Gauff (3)\u00a0made light work of a potentially testing matchup. She let Olga Danilovi\u0107\u2018s left-handedness play into her backhand \u2014 which is Gauff\u2019s best shot \u2014 and cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win.
\nYannick Hanfmann gave\u00a0Carlos Alcaraz (1) something of a going-over with his heavy ballstriking, but the top seed emerged unruffled in a 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-2 win.
\nThe first set was more up-and-down than the scoreline suggests, but\u00a0Aryna Sabalenka\u00a0(1) eased past\u00a0Bai Zhuoxuan (Q)\u00a06-3, 6-1.
\nAnd\u00a0Mirra Andreeva (8)\u00a0produced some of the best tennis of the tournament so far in a 6-0, 6-4 win over\u00a0Maria Sakkari.
\nShot\u00a0of the day<\/p>\n

Quentin Halys may have lost to Daniil Medvedev in four sets, but pulled off this remarkable backhand pass from nearly in the stands:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Worldwide World of Sports)<\/p>\n

Drop Shots<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc57 Naomi Osaka\u2018s stunning walk-on outfit<\/a> for her first-round win over Antonia Ru\u017ei\u0107 reminded the world of her place at the forefront of tennis fashion.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa For some U.S. tennis fans, ESPN\u2019s coverage of this Australian Open<\/a> has been a frustrating and unexpectedly expensive experience.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 Oleksandra Oliynykova<\/a> pushed defending champion Madison Keys to her limits early in their first-round match, but left an even deeper impression with her news conference about life in Kyiv during Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udda9 Gauff wants to dictate her tennis matches, playing on the front foot. It\u2019s a forehand she hits on her back foot<\/a>, on one leg, that tells players and fans how she is feeling about her tennis.<\/p>\n

Up next: Second round continues<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Women\u2019s singles: Jessica Pegula (6) vs. McCartney Kessler<\/p>\n

7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+<\/p>\n

From doubles partners to singles opponents for American compatriots Pegula and Kessler. This is a tricky second-round assignment for Pegula, with Kessler having been on the cusp of being seeded for this Australian Open. In their only meeting to date, the No. 6 seed triumphed in the ATX Open final last March, but familiarity in tennis can be a curse as much as a blessing.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Men\u2019s singles: Tom\u00e1\u0161 Mach\u00e1\u010d vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas (31)<\/p>\n

2:30 a.m. ET (estimated) on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+<\/p>\n

A potentially thrilling matchup between two very pure tennis players, one of them on top form (Mach\u00e1\u010d) and the other building back. The Czech\u2019s flamboyant shotmaking and talent are clear, but his body has let him down on myriad occasions since he broke through. Tsitsipas himself is still recovering from a back issue that had the 27-year-old Greek contemplating retirement at its lowest depths.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Women\u2019s singles: Tereza Valentov\u00e1 vs. Linda Fruhvirtov\u00e1 (Q)<\/p>\n

2:30 a.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+<\/p>\n

Czechia\u2019s production line of incredibly talented women\u2019s players is one of the most exciting things in tennis, and two of the country\u2019s rising players, with vast potential, now meet in Melbourne. Fruhvirtov\u00e1, 20, was inside the WTA top 50 as early as 2023. She reached the fourth round of the Australian Open that year, before a run of indifferent results stayed her progress. Valentov\u00e1, 18, has also had to slow down. In 2023, she was at the top of the junior field before choosing to take time off to manage an abdominal injury. Since then, she has won and won and won in the tennis minor leagues, before stepping up to the WTA Tour last year.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Men\u2019s singles: Jaume Munar vs. Casper Ruud (12)<\/p>\n

4:30 a.m ET (estimated) on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN+<\/p>\n

A repeat of one of the best matches of last year\u2019s Australian Open. A five-set win for Ruud that said more about Munar than the Norwegian, forecasting the Spaniard\u2019s vastly improved form on hard courts that lasted for the duration of the season. Ruud still starts as favorite, but is living on a timeline more important than his tennis one: his fianc\u00e9e, Maria, is days from giving birth, and Ruud has said that he will leave the tournament when it happens, win or lose.<\/p>\n

Australian Open men\u2019s draw 2026Australian Open women\u2019s draw 2026<\/p>\n

Tell us what you noticed on the fourth day\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Follow The Athletic\u2019s Australian Open coverage Welcome to the Australian Open briefing, where The Athletic\u00a0will explain the stories…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":421197,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[99,428],"class_list":{"0":"post-421196","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tennis","8":"tag-sports","9":"tag-tennis"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=421196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421196\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/421197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=421196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=421196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=421196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}