Emma Raducanu all smiles as she sets up difficult date with Iga Świątek at Australian Open

Facing a friend on the other side of the net is never easy. However, British player Emma Raducanu secured a victory in the second round, defeating her close friend Amanda Anisimova, ranked No. 35, in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.

The win marked Raducanu's first-ever advancement to the third round of the Australian Open, with the No. 61-ranked player dropping her racket and raising her hands above her head, beaming as she soaked in the roaring applause from the Australian crowd. The 22-year-old had burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old prodigy at the 2021 US Open.

However, she has been plagued by wrist injuries since that breakthrough victory, forcing her to spend long periods away from the court. She has remained in the media spotlight, but also suffered much online abuse after withdrawing injured from the mixed doubles at Wimbledon last year, cutting short what was set to be Scot Andy Murray’s final appearance at the tournament. Raducanu, though, said there was no ill-feeling between her and Murray, who congratulated her after her win at Melbourne Park.

“I saw Andy today and he said ‘well done’ and congratulated me,” Raducanu said. “That was really nice. He’s someone I have a lot of respect for. So it was really nice to get that from him.” Both Raducanu and Anisimova had to contend with tricky serving conditions caused by the swirling wind inside Kia Arena. Raducanu said she was proud of how she had managed to reset, and seemed to see the lighter side of the conditions. “I think sometimes it’s better to … laugh it off rather than get stressed about it,” she said.

This seems to echo her attitude both on and off the court for 2025. “This year I’m just approaching it in a holistic way, meaning having good people around me, staying positive,” she said. “Anything that’s not helping me, I’m going to be very decisive and prioritize myself and focus on that. Anything that’s going to try and affect that, I just don’t have time for. No hate. I just don’t want those negative emotions coming in.”

The 22-year-old Raducanu survived a challenge from American Anisimova. From the first point, a wonderful baseline battle was established, and it was clear this was going to be a high-quality match. The match was full of tension and momentum shifts, with Raducanu having to take a medical timeout for treatment in the second set. They traded fierce backhands, with Raducanu fighting to return high defensive lobs, extending rallies and keeping the pressure on Anisimova. “When you play a friend it adds another dimension to it and not necessarily a pleasant one,” Raducanu said. “I know who my friends are… they’re hardly on the tour and I think I prefer to keep it that way.”

She survived the challenge of Anisimova but faces a far more daunting task next: world No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Swiatek eased past Rebecca Sramkova on Rod Laver Arena, 6-0, 6-2. Swiatek, who has won five Grand Slam titles, four of them on the clay of Roland Garros, said she was ready for Raducanu. “For sure it’s going to be a tough match. Emma can play great tennis, we all know that,” she said.

Like Raducanu, Swiatek won her first Grand Slam title as a teenager (19). But their paths have been starkly different, with the injury-hit Raducanu’s inconsistent playing schedule contrasting sharply with the consistency and dominance of Swiatek, who spent 125 consecutive weeks as world No. 1. Asked if she envied Swiatek’s career trajectory, Raducanu appeared unfazed. “Everyone’s doing things at their own pace,” she said. “Everyone’s story is different.”

Raducanu can go into the next match without expectation. “For me it’s going to be a very good match. Every match I play against a top player, I really enjoy it. It’s another opportunity to test myself and see where I’m at,” she said. “Going into the match I have nothing to lose, I’m just going to go for it.”