Australian Open 2025: 25 favorites to watch out for | No. 21, Women's Singles
Emma Raducanu is yet to progress past the second round at the Australian Open. That's a surprising statistic given her affinity for quick hardcourts.
Things, however, may change for better in the 2025 season. She comes into the tournament with a 3-3 win-loss record. These include big wins over fellow Slam winners like Sloane Stephens and tough losses against Coco Gauff.
The Australian Open is the only Slam that Raducanu has competed at every time in the last three years. Injuries and surgeries have derailed her progress often in the period but she is always fresh and ready for the Australian Open at the start of the season. What then, one might ask, needs to change for her to post a big result Down Under.
Luckily for her, Raducanu is someone who does not need a lot of matches under her belt to find her form. We have seen her come back from layoffs and blow past the likes of Serena Williams and Jessica Pegula. In fact, she often thrives in difficult situations.
Playing a big name early in the draw isn't going to weigh too much on Raducanu, who showed just how comfortable she is being the underdog during her historic run to the 2021 US Open title. It is the matches where she's expected to win that often turn problematic for her.
Raducanu has a new coach by her side in the form of Nick Cavaday and they would likely be putting in some work into the mental side of her game during the off-season. A little help from the draw and Raducanu could be in with a real shot.
Emma Raducanu comes into the 2025 Australian Open swing on a high
It also helps that Emma Raducanu ended the 2024 season on a high. In fact she will come into the new year on a three-match winning streak. How many players can boast of that?
Her performances at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals were instrumental in Great Britain’s run to the semifinals. She beat good players in the form of German power-hitter Jule Niemeier, the seasoned Victoria Hruncakova and the big-serving Rebecca Marino.
Those results also came on the heels of a return from an injury, one that cut short her Asian swing. The youngster has slowly begun to master her demons. She put together a steady grasscourt season for herself in 2024 (a Wimbledon 4R and two top-10 wins in three tournaments) and should have her eyes set on doing the same Down Under.
Provided that she comes into the 2025 season a little prepared, both mentally and physically, there’s no reason why Raducanu cannot turn over a new leaf at the Australian Open.