Emma Raducanu’s Australian Open campaign ended earlier than expected after a straight-sets defeat to Anastasia Potapova, leaving fans and experts searching for answers. The British number one, seeded 28th, lost 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 in the second round, missing out on a potential blockbuster clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
Injury-hit preparation
Raducanu’s build-up to the tournament was far from ideal. A foot injury ended her 2025 season early and delayed her return to training. She only resumed hitting balls on December 20, three weeks later than planned.
With limited match practice, Raducanu arrived in Melbourne with just one win under her belt. A timid loss to world number 204 Taylah Preston in Hobart further exposed her lack of sharpness. Although she managed to beat Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the first round, she looked underprepared against Potapova.
Technical changes still a work in progress
During the off-season, Raducanu worked on adjusting her forehand technique, introducing a higher and longer takeback to generate more spin. However, she struggled to trust the shot in match conditions.
She landed only 70% of her forehand returns and committed 19 unforced errors from that wing. In contrast, Potapova enjoyed a much cleaner performance, exposing Raducanu’s technical uncertainty.
Flat performance on court
Raducanu admitted she felt off from the start. Windy conditions made matters worse as she failed to find her rhythm.
Her body language reflected frustration. Movement was sluggish, confidence low, and she rarely engaged with her support box or the crowd. After narrowly losing the first-set tiebreak, she failed to recover, surrendering the second set comfortably.
Coaching questions resurface
Questions emerged again over Raducanu’s coaching stability, given her history of frequent changes. However, she dismissed any rift with current coach Francisco Roig, who previously worked with Rafael Nadal.
Raducanu insisted they remain aligned and credited Roig for helping improve several aspects of her game. She also revealed she prefers solving problems internally during matches rather than seeking constant guidance from the sidelines.
Where does she go from here?
The loss marked Raducanu’s first defeat to a lower-ranked player at a Grand Slam since 2022. It also extended her struggles at majors, having passed the third round only once since her historic US Open triumph in 2021.
Despite the setback, Raducanu remains optimistic. She believes the technical changes will pay off with time and match practice, admitting consistency is the missing piece.
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