Melbourne, Jan 17 (NationPress) Emma Raducanu has raised concerns regarding the scheduling of the Australian Open, which compelled her to hastily prepare for the tournament after she arrived on Saturday with her first match set for Sunday.

The British No. 1 landed in Melbourne on Friday, having just wrapped up her quarter-finals at the Hobart International. She is set to kick off her campaign on Sunday against the lesser-known Thai player Mananchaya Sawangkaew.

Raducanu has been placed on the opening day schedule, facing the second night session at Margaret Court Arena, which follows a men's match beginning at 7 PM local time, potentially leading to a very late start for her.

“It’s quite challenging. Ideally, you would want more time to acclimatize, more time to practice, but I’ve been handed the schedule and must make the best of it,” Raducanu, who intended to have her first practice at 9 PM on Saturday, shared with Sky Sports.

“It’s easy to feel down about it, but that won’t help me. I’m focusing on making the most of my situation for tomorrow. It’s quite difficult to schedule women’s matches after a potential five-set match. To me, it simply doesn’t make much sense,” she expressed.

“I’ll practice today and see how it goes. I don’t think I’ve encountered a situation like this before. I might have played the second night match during the US Open semi-finals, but aside from that, I haven’t played that late. So, this is a new experience for me, something I need to learn to handle,” she added.

At 23, Raducanu is facing a challenging situation despite a strong season start. She has been dealing with physical issues during the pre-season, particularly a foot injury that has significantly reduced her court time.

During her United Cup match against Maria Sakkari last week, she was not at her best. Although she won against Camila Osorio in the Hobart opening round and received a walkover against Magdalena Frech, Raducanu ultimately lost to the lower-ranked Taylah Preston.

Regarding her foot injury, the WTA No. 29 stated, “It’s certainly much better. I’ve been managing it for several months, but I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made this year. I arrived in Australia uncertain about how things would unfold, but now I’m in a much more favorable position, improving daily.”

“I could easily become frustrated about the lack of the pre-season I desired. However, that would only lead to more frustration. Having experienced my first real year on tour last year, I’ve learned that the season is lengthy. I just want to gradually find my rhythm this year. While I hope for a good week, I know I’m focusing on the right aspects, and everything will come together in due time,” she added.

“I began my tennis training quite late. Because of that, I feel the need to alleviate the pressure I put on myself and not expect to play outstanding tennis immediately,” Raducanu remarked.

Even though Sawangkaew is ranked 195 and is making her Grand Slam debut, she shouldn’t be underestimated, as she has already secured a lower-level title this season.

“It’s a tricky situation because even competing at the ITF level and securing wins can have a significant impact. She’s a very dangerous opponent, and not knowing much about her adds an element of surprise,” Raducanu noted.