Before each match day in Melbourne, we will preview three must-see matches.
Amanda Anisimova against Emma Raducanu
Call it the “I can’t believe they’re still so young” bowl. Raducanu and Anisimova are 22 and 23 respectively, but each has already had a career full of ups, downs, injuries, burnout periods and comebacks. This is what happens when you reach a major semi-final at 17, like Anisimova did at Roland Garros in 2019, or when you win one, and then the final, at 18, like Raducanu l ‘did at the US Open in 2021.
Considering how long these two have spent away from the game, it’s perhaps no surprise that they’ve never faced each other. Over the past two years, Raducanu has undergone surgeries on her wrist, foot and ankle, and two weeks ago she had to pull out of Auckland with what she called a “problem” in the back. For her part, Anisimova took a six-month break from touring in 2023, before returning last year and reaching her first WTA 1000 final, in Toronto.
Now, finally, both are fit and ready at the same time. Keep your fingers crossed and don’t have to retire before this match starts.
