Australian Open 2024: Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rogers preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (PR) Emma Raducanu vs (PR) Shelby Rogers
Tournament: Australian Open 2024
Round: First round (Round of 128)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard (Outdoor)
Prize Money: A$86,500,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Sports & Sony Liv | Canada - TSN & RDS
Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rogers preview
2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu will square off against Shelby Rogers in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open.
Raducanu cut short her 2023 season in order to undergo multiple surgeries to treat her injuries. She made her comeback after more than eight months at this year's ASB Classic.
Raducanu was drawn against Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the first round and battled hard to score a three-set win. She then faced Elina Svitolina in the next round. While the Brit was initially able to go toe-to-toe with her opponent, she faded away in the decider to lose the match 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 1-6.
Raducanu was then supposed to compete against Naomi Osaka in a charity match. However, both of them pulled out of the scheduled contest as a precautionary measure.
For various reasons, 2023 was a year to forget for Rogers. She called a time on her season following a first round exit from Wimbledon. Prior to that, she won consecutive main draw matches in just two tournaments.
The first instance was at the Abu Dhabi Open in February and then the Charleston Open in April. Rogers will now be making her return to the tour after a six-month break.
Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rogers head-to-head
Raducanu leads Rogers 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2021 US Open in straight sets.
Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rogers odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rogers prediction
Both are on the comeback trail, although Raducanu already has a couple of matches under her belt, unlike Rogers. This will be the latter's first match in over six months. She also arrives in Melbourne on a five-match losing streak, with her last victory coming at the Madrid Open in April.
The last time these two crossed paths, Raducanu had no trouble getting the better of Rogers. This was during her title-winning run at the US Open in 2021. The Brit was invincible during the tournament as she won all of her matches, including qualifiers, in straight sets.
It has been a bumpy ride for Raducanu since then, as various injuries have prevented her from gaining a semblance of momentum. Rogers can be a tricky opponent to deal with as she has wins over Serena Williams, Petra Kvitova, and Ashleigh Barty, among others.
However, Rogers is coming in cold into this contest without any competitive match play. Raducanu already has an edge over her in that department, which could prove to be the difference. The Brit will be expected to make it through this clash, given her opponent's current predicament.
Pick: Emma Raducanu to win in straight sets.