28th-seeded Emma Raducanu is all set to begin her 2026 Australian Open campaign against Thai player Mananchaya Sawangkaew. Being a seeded player at a Major for a while, Raducanu will aim to win the first few rounds with as little hassle as possible to keep her level up for the later rounds, whereas Sawangkaew will be looking to cause a big upset.
Emma Raducanu vs. Mananchaya Sawangkaew Match Details
Date: Jan. 18, 2026
Tournament: Australian Open 2026
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Category: Grand Slam
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, TSN, RDS, Sky Sports
Raducanu vs. Sawangkaew Head-to-Head
Raducanu and Sawangkaew have yet to meet on the WTA Tour, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Raducanu did not have a great start to the new season, as she lost her only singles match at the United Cup, 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, to Maria Sakkari. She then entered the Hobart International as the top seed.
She won 6-3, 7-6 (2) against Camila Osorio in the first round, and then got a walkover from Magdalena Frech in the second round. However, the British player lost 2-6, 4-6 against Australian wildcard Taylah Preston in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Sawangkaew has made a winning start to her 2026 season, winning the ITF event in Nonthaburi. She did not drop a set in five matches, with her title run including wins over Sakuru Hosogi in the quarterfinals, Naiktha Bains in the semifinals, and a dominant 6-1, 6-4 victory over Lisa Pigato in the final.
Raducanu vs. Sawangkaew Prediction
Raducanu had a 55 percent win rate on outdoor hard courts last year, with some of her best results on the surface being a semifinal finish in Washington, where she lost to Anna Kalinskaya, and a quarterfinal finish at the Miami Open, where she lost to eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula.
Including ITF and Challenger matches, Sawangkaew had a 52 percent win rate on hard courts last year. The best result on the Tour was reaching the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open as a qualifier, where she lost to Anna Kalinskaya. Apart from that, she had runner-up finishes in a Challenger event in Mumbai and at an ITF event in Japan.
More: Emma Raducanu Reveals True Feelings on ‘Tough’ Win in Hobart in Rain-Interrupted Fixture
If past hard-court records are considered for both players, Raducanu has reached only one hard-court final, whereas Sawangkaew has yet to get one. However, the one final for the British player was the 2021 US Open, where she won the title as a qualifier.
Coming into the match, the Thai player is in better form, while Raducanu has had a shaky start. But playing on one of the biggest stages in tennis might prove daunting for Sawangkaew, which could help Raducanu take control of the match and advance to the next round.
Pick: Raducanu to win in straight sets
