MELBOURNE, Jan 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu has criticised the scheduling at the Australian Open starting Sunday, saying "it does not make sense". The 2021 winner at Flushing Meadows begins her Melbourne campaign in the last match of the first day on Margaret Court Arena, following a men's clash. The 23-year-old Briton, who faces Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand, said: "I think it's very difficult to be scheduling women's matches after a potential five-set match. The 28th-seeded Raducanu faces a tight turnaround after travelling to Melbourne following her quarter-final defeat on Thursday in a warm-up event in Hobart. "But I guess I was pretty much handed the schedule to try and turn it around and make the most out of what is in front of me."

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 18, 2026 05:30 UTC