StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

TASMANIAN DEBUT: WHY DID EMMA RADUCANU CHOOSE HOBART FOR 2026 PREP

Emma Raducanu joins Jack Draper for a high-stakes January. Will this packed schedule finally bring the Brit a second major title?

Tasmanian Debut: Why Did Emma Raducanu Choose Hobart for 2026 Prep
Will Raducanu and Draper Lead Britain to Glory

Emma Raducanu is getting ready for the 2026 Australian Open by signing up for another early-season tournament.

The 2021 US Open champ is adding the Hobart International to her schedule before the Australian Open. This news comes after it was announced that she'd begin her season at the United Cup.

The Hobart International confirmed Raducanu's participation on Wednesday via their Instagram account, saying, Grand Slam champ vibes at Hobart 2026, brought to us by Emma Raducanu.

The Hobart International, a WTA 250 event, will happen January 12-17 at the Domain Tennis Centre in Hobart, Tasmania. The event started in 1994, and American McCartney Kessler is the current champion.

This will be Raducanu’s second tournament of 2026, following the United Cup, a mixed-gender team match in Brisbane, Sydney, and Perth, January 2-11. Raducanu will play with ATP Tour star Jack Draper for Great Britain.

Great Britain is in Group E with Greece and Japan, and their matches will be in Perth.

So, Raducanu has a packed January. The Australian Open main draw starts January 18, the week after the Hobart International.

Why Emma Raducanu Could Move Up the Rankings in Early 2026

Raducanu is currently ranked 29th in the WTA with 1,563 points, and her schedule gives her a solid chance to improve her ranking before the Australian Open.

She's not defending any points until the Australian Open since she began her 2025 season at the Melbourne Grand Slam. She had planned to play in the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland this year but had to pull out due to a back injury.

Players can gain up to 500 points at the United Cup, so Raducanu could benefit if Great Britain does well.

She’ll then have another shot at earning points at the Hobart International, which offers 250 points to the winner.

Some good results could help Raducanu climb the rankings, as she is close behind Sofia Kenin (No. 28) by 26 points, Dayana Yastremska (No. 27) by 41 points, Marta Kostyuk (No. 26) by 96 points, and Paula Badosa (No. 25) by 113 points.

Raducanu will be defending 130 points at the Australian Open since she reached the third round at this year’s event.

CARLOS ALCARAZ AND JUAN CARLOS FERRERO SPLIT: RUSEDSKI REVEALS POTENTIAL REASONS FOR SHOCK BREAKUP

Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero part ways after seven years. Greg Rusedski weighs in on the scheduling rows behind the split.

top-news
Carlos Alcaraz Parts Ways With Ferrero After Major Success

The tennis world is buzzing because Carlos Alcaraz and his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, are parting ways. Greg Rusedski, a former British No. 1, is sharing his thoughts on why this successful partnership ended.

Alcaraz himself confirmed the split, which ends a long run that saw him become the world's top player and win six Grand Slam titles.

"This is tough to write," Alcaraz said. After over seven years, Juanki and I have decided to stop working together. Thanks for making my childhood dreams real. We started when I was just a kid, and you were with me on an amazing journey that was incredible, both on and off the court. I loved every minute.

We hit the top, and if we had to split, I'm glad it was from up there—where we always wanted to be. Now, we're both changing things up with new projects. I know we'll handle it well and give it our all, like always. I wish you the best. I'm glad we gave it everything. Thanks for everything, Juanki!

Rusedski told Tennis365 that disagreements over scheduling might be the reason for the change.

"I'm not shocked," Rusedski said before the release of his new podcast, Off Court with Greg. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some arguments about scheduling. Carlos got hurt at the Tokyo event and then again at the ATP Finals, but he's still playing exhibition matches.

If you watch the Netflix documentary, you see Carlos’s team wants him to be super serious to reach the level of greats like Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Look at Jannik Sinner. He skipped the Davis Cup Finals and isn't playing any exhibitions to get ready for the new season. When Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic were on top, they didn't play many exhibitions. The off-season is key for preparing, but Carlos might think he can keep going without problems. That might not be true.

Rusedski thinks it will be hard for Alcaraz to find a replacement for Ferrero. How do you replace Ferrero? Who can do that? It's not easy. He's been with Carlos from the beginning, and it will be tough to find someone who can give him what Juan Carlos has.

THREE-PEAT GLORY: HOW DID JANNIK SINNER SECURE THE 2025 FANS’ FAVOURITE CHOICE

Jannik Sinner makes history as only the second player to three-peat the Fans’ Favourite award. Can the Italians rule the 2026 tour?

top-news
Can Anyone Topple Jannik Sinner’s Global Popularity

Jannik Sinner, currently ranked number 2 worldwide, has been voted Fans’ Favourite singles player in the ATP Awards for the third year running.

Sinner started 2025 strong, defending his Australian Open title by defeating Alexander Zverev in the final this January. Later, the Italian star won against his friend and rival, Carlos Alcaraz, in the Wimbledon final, grabbing his first title at the All England Club. The tennis star, who has claimed 24 Tour titles, also secured the Masters 1000 title in Paris, his second Nitto ATP Finals title in Turin, and two ATP 500 titles in Beijing and Vienna. He won his second ATP Finals title in Turin without dropping a set in front of his fans.

Sinner is now only the second player, after Ivan Lendl (1982, 1985, and 1986), to win two Nitto ATP Finals without losing a set in 2024 and 2025. Sinner is also the third player to win multiple ATP Finals titles on home soil after claiming this trophy in Turin in 2024. The first two players to do this were John McEnroe (three times in New York in 1978, 1983, and 1984) and Boris Becker (twice in Frankfurt in 1992 and 1995).

This year, Sinner had a record of 58 wins to just 6 losses, reaching the final in 10 out of the 12 tournaments he played. The only two exceptions were Halle and Shanghai.

Sinner was named Newcomer of the Year in 2019 and both Most Improved Player of the Year and Fans’ Favourite in 2023.

In a message to his fans, Sinner said, “Thank you so much for voting for me. Winning the Fans’ Favourite award again means so much to me, especially because of you. This year has been very intense, but you give me so much energy and love, especially when I play in front of you. It’s the best feeling for us, tennis players. Thank you so much. I’ll get ready to be at my best for next year, and I’ll see you all very soon.”

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News