Emma Raducanu expresses frustration in organizing the Australian Open | Tennis News

Emma Raducanu has been left underwhelmed by the organization of the Australian Open after she was forced to clap her hands to prepare for the tournament.

The British No 1 arrived in Melbourne on Friday after reaching the quarterfinals of the Hobart International but will begin her campaign here on Sunday against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew.

And not only has he been scheduled on the opening day, he has also been given a second night session at Margaret Court Arena after the men’s match which starts at 7pm local time (8am BST), meaning a very late start is possible.

Raducanu was planning to do his first practice at 9 pm local time on Saturday, and he said: “It is very difficult. You would like to have more time in the environment, more time to practice, but I think I was given the schedule to try to turn it around and make the most of what is in front of me.

“I think it’s easy to go down and complain about it, but it won’t help. So I’m trying to focus and answer you tomorrow.

“It’s very difficult to schedule women’s matches after a match that could be five sets. It doesn’t make much sense to me.

“Today I’m going to practice and see what it’s like. I don’t think I’ve ever been in that situation. It was only once when I played in the semi-finals of the US Open.

“I played the second night game but, other than that, I haven’t played that late. So, for me, it’s something new, something I have to learn to do.”

It would be a difficult situation even if Raducanu comes into the season in good shape, but the 23-year-old has yet again struggled with his fitness during pre-season, with a foot injury limiting his time on the court.

She looked just short of a match against Maria Sakkari at the United Cup last week, when she beat Camila Osorio in the opening round in Hobart but lost to low-ranked Australian Taylah Preston.

Raducanu said about the foot issue: “It’s definitely much better. I should have managed it a few months ago but I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made this year.

“I came out to Australia not knowing how it would go and now I’m in a better place and I’m improving every day.

“I can easily get frustrated not having the preseason I wanted. I think it will frustrate me. After last year was my first real year on the road, I really learned that the season is really long. I just want to try to work on this year.

“Obviously I want this week to go well but I know I’m working on the right things and it will go well in time.

“I started training very, very late tennis-wise. So, because of that, I feel like I need to release myself and not put too much pressure and expect to play amazing tennis.”

On paper, Sawangkaew shouldn’t offer much of a threat to be ranked down at 195 and make his grand slam, but the 23-year-old already has a junior title to his name this season.

“I think it’s tricky because playing a lot of games, even if it’s at the ITF level, and getting a lot of wins, does a lot,” said Raducanu.

“I think he’s a very dangerous opponent, a very dangerous situation to be in. You don’t know much about them, so there’s that surprise, too.”

Williams is excited to make history before the wildcard returns

Venus Williams is ready to celebrate her latest milestone as she prepares to make her first Australian Open appearance in five years.

At 45, the American will become the oldest woman to compete in a major at Melbourne Park, surpassing Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she played her last match in 2015.

“I didn’t think about it until it came out in the press, so yay, yay for me,” said Williams, who started playing in the tournament in 1998. “Let’s do this.”

Williams reached her second singles final in Melbourne in 2017 but has not traveled Down Under since 2021, and it has been two-and-a-half years since she last appeared outside the US Open.

But returning to the court last summer after injury and her health brought joy and emotion to Williams, who sought her first singles win in two years in Washington and reached the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles at the US Open with Leylah Fernandez.

He pointed out at the time that Australia might be a long way off but a wild card would come and Williams gratefully agreed.

“You have to throw out the red herrings,” he said. “Also, I was getting married. I had two marriages. It was a busy time for me, so I was focused on that.

“This is the biggest place to play in the world. I’ve had some amazing memories here. I love challenges, so I’m up for the challenge.”

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