Emma Raducanu says the wind in Hobart is "quite strong" and highlights that's one thing she will need to quickly adjust.
After kicking off her 2026 season by playing only one United Cup match, the 23-year-old is set to make her debut at the WTA 250 tournament in Hobart.
With her ranking of No. 29 in the world, Raducanu is the highest-ranked player in this year's Hobart tournament and therefore landed the top seeding.
In the previous years, the 2021 US Open champion usually didn't play any tournaments the week before the Australian Open. But this year, she decided to give it a try.
While Raducanu has never before played a match in Hobart, she has practiced at the tournament for the past couple of days. And so far, the thing that has stood out for the Briton are the tricky conditions.
Raducanu: The wind is quite strong… Probably won't be hitting the ball amazingly
“I need to get used to the conditions and the courts. In particular, the wind is quite strong here. So, getting used to that, adjusting the game, probably accepting that you’re not going to feel like you’re hitting the ball amazingly because it’s a lot of adapting and improviszng. But it’s all part of the skill set that you need to play in all types of conditions, so I think it will also be a good test and challenge for that," the top seed explained.
Over the weekend, the Hobart draw was released. In the opening round, Raducanu will clash against Camila Osorio. It will be their second meeting and the first one since the British tennis star beat the Colombian on the hard courts of Washington in 2022.
The draw for @HobartTennis 🇦🇺🐨 has been released and Emma is the top seed at a tournament for the 2nd time in her career and will face Camila Osorio 🇨🇴 in her 1st match
Chat with other Emma fans on Discord 👇https://t.co/o6ROVK9mKH pic.twitter.com/pegcw0MLkm
— Raducanu News 🐨 (@RaducanuNews) January 10, 2026
As the top seed, Raducanu is among the top favorites for the title. If she wins Hobart, it will be her first title since the 2021 US Open.
