Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Emma Raducanu Preview & Prediction | 2025 Australian Open | First Round
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Forder Grand Slam champion Emma Raducanu has drawn tough first-round opposition, with the seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova awaiting the British star.
Start date/time: Sunday 12th January, 2025, UK – not before 2:00am / Saturday 11th January, US ET – not before 9:00pm / US PT – not before 6:00pm
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Surface: Outdoor hard
How to watch on TV: UK – Eurosport / US – ESPN+
How to watch online: UK – Eurosport website & discovery+ / US – ESPN+ platforms
Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Emma Raducanu ticket information
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Emma Raducanu Prediction
Whilst Emma Raducanu has yet to hit the heights in Melbourne that she has at Grand Slams such as the US Open and Wimbledon, the 22-year-old has reached the second round for the last three years running. It’s unlikely that Ekaterina Alexandrova will be thrilled at the prospect of facing Raducanu when taking into account the latter’s baseline game and her ability to play at a genuinely world class level when at her best.
However, Raducanu’s injury is notorious and whilst the Brit is coming off the back of her most active season since winning the US Open in 2021, she was forced to pull out of the Auckland Open with a back injury, meaning this will be her first meaningful action of 2025. Back spasms can linger and Raducanu’s fitness has to be considered questionable here and whether it will affect her game, particularly the longer this match progresses.
This is an intriguing contest capable of going either way. Alexandrova will need to stand firm against a likely wave of Raducanu aggression, but should the match go the full three sets, then Raducanu could start to run out of gas. Predicting a winner isn’t easy, but backing this one to go the distance appears a shrewd play.
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Emma Raducanu Tip: Three total sets
