Emma Raducanu to face Naomi Osaka and may also face 16-year-old star ahead of Aus Open
Emma Raducanu is set to face Naomi Osaka in a charity match prior to the Australian Open. The Brit has enjoyed a positive week after returning to the court for the first time since undergoing surgery to try and solve her recurring injury problems that have hindered the early stages of her career.
Raducanu was forced to miss the majority of 2023 after opting to go under the knife and have surgery on both of her wrists as well as her ankle. But the 21-year-old showed that she was ready to make an impact following her spell on the sidelines when returning at the ASB Classic in New Zealand.
After beating Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the round of 32 of the competition, Raducanu was beaten by Elina Svitolina – with her lack of match fitness proving costly in a 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 defeat. But the 2021 US Open winner will be pleased with how her comeback has begun and she has now made it into the main draw of the Australian Open due to other players withdrawing.
With her spot in the first Grand Slam of the year secured, Raducanu has added to her schedule as she looks to improve her match fitness. According to the i Paper, the world No. 301 will face Osaka in a charity match on January 9 as part of her run-in to the tournament.
The match is set to take place at Melbourne Park, and her preparations will continue next weekend as Raducanu has signed up to play at the Kooyong Classic exhibition.
The full lineup for the event has not been revealed, with the Brit being only the second WTA player to have been unveiled. The only other female to have been announced is teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva, who continues to impress since bursting onto the scene at the WTA 1000 in Madrid after receiving a wildcard.
The teen, aged 15 at the time, reached the fourth round of the competition before going on to make it to round three of the French Open. Andreeva hasn’t looked back since, recently reaching the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International and the 16-year-old could face Raducanu in an exhibition match.
Raducanu will head into her upcoming matches full of confidence though, regardless of the opposition. Speaking after her displays at the ASB Classic, she said: “I’ve only played two matches and my court time has been pretty limited. I’ve been training for the last few months at the LTA (National Tennis Centre in Roehampton) but I had a few setbacks with my wrists and ankles. To be back up to this speed after so little time is a great sign. I’m looking forward to the season. It’s just the beginning, it’s week one of a lot more to come.”
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