Emma Raducanu admitted that it felt ‘alien‘ to step onto court after not playing for over two months as her 2026 season started on a down note with a 4-6, 6-3, 1-6 defeat in her United Cup match for Team GB against Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
The British No 1 had previously withdrawn on Sunday from what should have been her first game of the year against Naomi Osaka, due to a call over a foot issue that troubled her at the tail-end of her season last year.
Although team captain Tim Henman stressed that it had been a marginal decision for her to withdraw against Osaka and that Raducanu had been ‘very, very close’ to playing, her caution raised concerns about the British No 1’s fitness with the Australian Open fast approaching.
A day later, the 23-year-old shared that she was ‘really proud’ of how she played under the circumstances, despite recognising that she is some way off her level after returning to hitting a mere two weeks ago.
‘It’s been a good two and a bit months where I didn’t play,’ Raducanu said after her match, adding: ‘It’s been difficult to increase the load and add the unpredictability of tennis.
‘I think today, being able to produce that (performance), having not played, is just giving me confidence to do what I can do when I practice more. I know now I need to get my head down, keep working’.
Emma Raducanu was unable to secure an opening victory to start 2026 off on the right note
Before then however, Raducanu will be keen to shake off some of the ring rust on display on Monday evening in her first competitive action since October.
Sakkari has long been Raducanu’s ‘pigeon’ – a phrase in tennis parlance to describe a player whom has suffered serial defeats in the match-up – with the Briton having won all four of their previous meetings since the first time they met on the way to her historic US Open win in 2021.
But the Greek No 1, who at world No 51 is a long way from her career-high ranking of world No 3 in 2022, was a consistent, battling force as she swiped the first set.
Raducanu hit back in the second set, as if remembering who it was she was facing, and how often she has managed to get the better of the 30-year-old before.
But the Bromley native faltered in the third, crumbling quickly after losing her serve for 2-1 as Sakkari scythed through the next five games to confirm her victory in breathless fashion.
With Raducanu’s result, Great Britain have been eliminated from the United Cup, and focus for the player will now switch to Hobart, where she is expected to play in her final pre-Grand Slam tune up in the 250 event.
Earlier in the day, Billy Harris – who took up the place of British No 1 Jack Draper after he withdrew from the tournament at the end of last year – lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 1-6, 6-7(4).