After a worrying few days in Melbourne – she was withdrawn from two consecutive exhibition matches – Emma Raducanu’s outing took a turn for the better on Thursday.
After a solid two-hour workout in the morning, she earned an advantageous draw against a woman who hadn’t been on tour in six months.
In a replication of the tournament that made her famous, Raducanu will open her Australian Open campaign against 31-year-old American Shelby Rogers, whom she defeated en route to the 2021 US Open title.
The previous match was Raducanu’s first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, tennis’ biggest venue, and she had a look of wonder as she looked out into the dizzying stands.
But if he felt any trepidation about performing on such a big stage, he soon overcame it and reeled off 11 straight matches, turning Rogers’ early lead into a 6-2, 6-1 defeat.
Today, Raducanu, a global celebrity with 2.4 million Instagram followers, is used to being in the spotlight. But his lower rankings following his injury (he is ranked 299th in the world, while Rogers is 156th) means he will likely have to settle for one of the smaller exhibition courts.
As this is the first Australian Open to start on a Sunday, the first round of the tournament will last three days and it has not yet been decided when Raducanu will play. He may opt to wait until Tuesday after experiencing general soreness at last week’s comeback tournament in Auckland, which forced him to pull out of two exhibition matches scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
But fears that Raducanu may have suffered a specific injury were allayed on Thursday when he trained for two hours at Melbourne Park at Bromley Tennis Center with his last local coach, Nick Cavaday, who worked with him as a junior prospect.
Andy Murray faced 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina in a draw that had mixed results for the British team. If he wins this, Murray could potentially face two old foes he has known since his teenage years: Gael Monfils in the second round and… gulp… Novak Djokovic in the third round.
“Hopefully I can get there,” said Murray, who made his second appearance at the Kooyong Classic exhibition on Thursday, posting a solid 6-4, 6-2 victory over former US Open champion Dominic Thiem. “I haven’t been at my best in the grand slams in the last few years, so I need to focus on the first match. But I would love to play Novak again if possible.”
How can the English perform in Melbourne?
Emma Raducanu (299) – Shelby Rogers (156)
Rogers’ form will be difficult to predict. He has not played since last year’s Wimbledon due to knee and abdominal discomfort. Raducanu, who missed most of last season through injury, may have a slight advantage, having enjoyed a glimpse in Auckland last week. Rogers stands 5ft 9in and relies on direct, route-one play from the baseline. Raducanu is advised to use angles and changes of pace to keep himself moving, as Rogers has a real impact on the ball when allowed to prepare his feet. Had Raducanu been successful, she would likely face Romanian 22nd seed Sorana Cirstea, whom she pinned in the third round of Wimbledon in 2021, in a tough next match.
Prediction: third round
Andy Murray (44) – Tomas Martin Etcheverry (30)
Murray hasn’t had much luck lately at the Australian Open. He has managed to secure a first-round seed in each of his four appearances since his hip problem began. Etcheverry may not be a big name – except in the most literal senses – but he is a relentless grinder who gives very little away. These two met twice on the ATP Tour last season, each securing a victory after tough three-set battles. But in the longer format used at the slams, Murray would be wise to avoid another dogfight against such a physically strong opponent. “It’s not easy,” Murray said on Thursday. “He had a great year last year and is playing very well. The first game was a good test for me.”
Prediction: third round
Cameron Norrie (19) – Juan Pablo Varillas (80)
This should be a comfortable draw against the 28-year-old Peruvian, who has only a single grand slam victory on hard courts. But there must be some concern about the fitness level of Norrie, who made the late decision to withdraw from the ATP event in Auckland on Thursday. The problem in his right wrist was given as the reason. Although Norrie’s manager insists the withdrawal was “precautionary,” Norrie himself has a sentimental affection for the city where he grew up and would not take the decision lightly.
Prediction: fourth round
Katie Boulter (57) – Yue Yuan (73)
Boulter comes into the Australian Open ranked among the top 50 in the world in her own eyes. She made a flying start to the new season, scoring a career-best win over world No. 5 Jessica Pegula at the United Cup in Perth, but then lost some of that momentum by losing to unheralded Anna Bogdan in Adelaide. Still, it’s a good draw. Both of these women are unusually tall (Boulter is 5ft 11in and Yuan is 5ft 10in) and will be playing first-strike tennis because they are not the best defenders. If Boulter wins, she would likely face another Chinese opponent, the dangerous Qinwen Zheng, in her next match.
Prediction: Second round
Dan Evans (40) – Lorenzo Sonego (46)
When it comes to power, Evans is no match for Sonego, a tall and thin Italian. But as a quick-footed runner with a silky touch, he is accustomed to neutralizing more physically imposing players. Sonego can be disruptive when his game is fluid, but he is also prone to instability and has generally underperformed in the majors. Had Evans been successful, he would likely have faced a repeat of his fan-pleasing showdown with reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open.
Prediction: Second round
Jodie Burrage (102) – Tamara Korpatsch (81)
Korpatsch was Raducanu’s opponent here last year and was defeated without much appeal, although Raducanu was hampered by an ankle sprain. While he normally performs at his best on clay courts, Burrage prefers faster surfaces. Based on this, we can tip Burrage to open his first Australian Open with a win. If we’re right, Burrage will likely face ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova in the second round.
Prediction: Second round
Jack Draper (62) – Marcos Giron (60)
These two may be close in the rankings, but Draper is clearly underrated at No. 62, having missed all of last year’s grass-court season with a nasty shoulder tendon injury. He underlined his talent by going undefeated at the UTS Finals at London Docklands last month, beating key rivals such as world No.8 Holger Rune and three-time grand finalist Casper Ruud. Yes, we are talking about an exhibition, and it is very interesting. But I have yet to meet a professional athlete who likes to lose.
Prediction: Second round