Emma Raducanu believes she is on the right path towards greater success in 2026 as she prepares to begin the new tennis season as Great Britain’s leading player at the United Cup in Australia.
Raducanu, the British women’s No 1, will make her debut in the mixed-gender team competition on Sunday against Japan’s Naomi Osaka. “I think for me it’s just about stacking the good days,” said Raducanu on her hopes for 2026. “I’ve been putting in some good practices. Even if each practice isn’t as perfect as you want it to be, I think just the consistency of it is the most important thing. That’s what really helped me last year. So I just hope to carry that on and enjoy the tennis, enjoy the process of what I’m doing, which right now I am.”
Raducanu begins her year having finally appeared to have found some stability after a turbulent start to her career. The 23-year-old enjoyed her most consistent season in 2025, remaining healthy enough to compete regularly and return to the top 30 of the WTA rankings at No 29. Her coaching partnership with Francisco Roig, the former coach of Rafael Nadal, has looked promising since they began working together in August and her team now includes the physiotherapist and strength and conditioning coach, Emma Stewart, who most recently worked for British Rowing.
“Physically I also improved,” said Raducanu. “I became fitter, so I was able to play more matches and more tournaments on the road. That just gives us more opportunities to get some points here and there and also have good weeks when you’re in a good run of momentum to kind of carry that through three, four, five matches. So yeah, that was a really good benefit for me as well. Also, just my approach to playing. I’ve been a lot better, a lot more composed, but at the same time enjoying it a lot more again. That’s been a big win for me.”
This year marks the fourth edition of the United Cup, with the event split between Perth and Sydney in the round-robin group stages before the final knockout rounds take place in Sydney. Other notable competitors this year include Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Taylor Fritz. The ATP, WTA and Tennis Australia have admirably invested significant money and time into attempting to build a serious mixed-gender team competition. Unlike the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup, which are organised by the ITF, the competition offers ranking points in hopes of attracting top players.
Last year’s edition marked a positive step forward for the event, particularly with the final between the USA and Poland showcasing one of the leading rivalries of the sport in Gauff’s intense, high quality win over Swiatek en route to the USA’s victory. However, the event is yet to attract either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, which would take it to another level. Next week, the top two men’s players will instead compete in a lucrative exhibition match together in South Korea.
The British team is rounded out by Billy Harris, Neal Skupski, Olivia Nicholls, Jan Choinski and Katie Swan, with Tim Henman the team captain. Harris is the team’s first choice singles player, while Skupski will likely compete alongside either Nicholls or Raducanu in mixed doubles. Choinski and Swan will act as the singles substitutes. Britain have been drawn into a difficult three-team group as they begin against Japan on Sunday before facing a Greek team led by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari on Monday.
Until a few weeks ago, Britain was one of the favourites for the title after Jack Draper was announced in the team alongside Raducanu. Draper has since withdrawn from the entire Australian swing due to his continued recovery from the bone bruise injury to his left arm that has essentially sidelined him for at least six months. The 24-year-old has contested just one match since Wimbledon, when he was ranked No 4, withdrawing before his second round match at the US Open.
Harris, a 30-year-old ranked No 128, also replaced Draper in this competition last year as the British No 1 navigated a hip injury. Although he was competitive against much higher ranked opponents, Harris lost all three men’s singles matches. This time, he only found out he would be competing there again this year on Christmas Eve, two days before Draper announced his withdrawal: “I was training at the National Centre, and obviously Jack was training throughout December,” he said. “I was staying ready just in case he couldn’t make it out here and then found out the news I think on just the day before Christmas. In my head I was preparing as if I could play. Unfortunate that Jack couldn’t make it, but a great opportunity for myself.”
