Rain Halts Raducanu’s Hobart Clash with Osorio

Emma Raducanu’s first-round match at the 2026 Hobart International was suspended by heavy rain on Tuesday, forcing the Briton to return on Wednesday to complete her clash with Colombia’s Camila Osorio.

Raducanu, who is seeking her first win of the 2026 season, led 6-3 2-4 when play was stopped due to worsening conditions. The match had already been interrupted once before by rain, with both players struggling to adapt to blustery winds and a slick court surface.

Tough Conditions, Shifting Momentum

The first set saw an intense exchange of early breaks before Raducanu found her rhythm, sealing the opener in 45 minutes with solid forehands and greater consistency.

Osorio, ranked world number 82, responded in the second set by upping her aggression, particularly with effective sliced backhand drop shots that disrupted Raducanu’s timing. The Colombian, battling a noticeable cough throughout, still managed to take three consecutive breaks as Raducanu struggled with court coverage and lost intensity.

Just two points were played after the players returned from a 30-minute delay before the rain returned and halted play for good.

What’s Next for Raducanu?

The match will resume Wednesday morning, giving Raducanu little recovery time ahead of the Australian Open, which begins Sunday. Despite flashes of brilliance, including powerful forehands, the world number 29 showed rustiness—possibly due to a recent foot injury that interrupted her pre-season.

The winner of the tie will face Poland’s Magdalena Frech, who breezed past Elsa Jacquemot 6-4 6-0, in the quarter-finals.

Dart Advances in Melbourne Qualifiers

Meanwhile, Harriet Dart kept her Australian Open dreams alive with a gritty 6-3 2-6 6-3 win over home hope Destanee Aiava in the first round of qualifying. The British number five will next face Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee.

However, there was disappointment for Mimi Xu, who fell 6-3 2-6 6-2 to Darja Vidmanova, ending her Melbourne hopes.

British Men Suffer Early Exits

The men’s draw saw a series of defeats for British hopefuls:

• Ryan Peniston lost 6-1 6-1 to Roman Andres Burruchaga.

• Billy Harris went down 6-3 6-4 to Chris Rodesch.

• Jan Choinski fell 6-3 6-4 to Leandro Riedi.

• Jacob Fearnley, a lucky loser in Adelaide, was defeated 6-3 6-4 by Quentin Halys.

Cruz Hewitt Falls Short in Home Slam Bid

Cruz Hewitt, the 17-year-old son of Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt, had his Australian Open qualifying hopes dashed by American Michael Zheng.