RADUCANU TO RESET AFTER ANOTHER EARLY EXIT

Emma Raducanu’s 2026 Australian Open campaign came to an abrupt end on Wednesday with a second-round defeat that’s already got her thinking hard about the direction of her game.

The British No. 28 seed was beaten 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 by world No. 55 Anastasia Potapova at Melbourne Park, ending her hopes of a big third-round showdown against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Raducanu showed promise early, even holding a 5-3 lead in the opening set, but she never looked quite at ease on court and struggled to maintain consistency. Her forehand, a shot that had improved in recent seasons, was again erratic, contributing to a flurry of unforced errors at crucial moments.

In the post-match press conference, the 23-year-old was refreshingly candid about her performance and her overall season so far. Raducanu admitted she “just didn’t feel too good on the court” and didn’t have the legs or sharpness she wanted, largely because her build-up to the Grand Slam was compromised by a lingering foot injury and disrupted preparation.

Rather than dwell on the defeat, she’s determined to take stock and adjust her approach. “I don’t want to give myself too much of a hard time because I know my preparation going into this tournament,” she said, and added she’ll take a few days off to “get back home and try and just re-evaluate my game a bit.”

Image credit: BBC