Emma Raducanu’s 2026 season has officially sprung to life in Hobart, as the British No. 1 showcased her trademark resilience and a dash of on-court innovation to claim her first victory since September. In a match that spanned two rain-soaked days and tested both her patience and her fitness, Raducanu overcame Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) to advance to the quarterfinals of the Hobart International. The result not only marks a significant step in her comeback from injury but also sets the stage for a tantalizing clash with home favorite and wildcard Taylah Preston.
The journey to this win was anything but straightforward. On Tuesday, Raducanu took the first set 6-3 but soon found herself trailing 4-2 in the second when the heavens opened over Tasmania. The match was suspended at deuce, forcing both players to sleep on their unfinished business—a scenario Raducanu admitted was entirely new to her. “I don’t think I’ve slept over many matches in between so that was also a new one for me,” she said in her on-court interview. “Very, very difficult match. We played under all conditions and coming on, coming off a few times, it was really difficult.”
When play resumed on Wednesday, Osorio pressed her advantage, moving up 5-3. But Raducanu, ever the competitor, dug in. She broke back on her fourth opportunity in the tenth game and forced a tie-break, where she found another gear, dominating 7-2 to seal the match. The victory was punctuated by a celebratory fist pump and a roar—a release of relief as much as triumph. “I thought Camila played an incredible match overall. Such good defence, and then stepped in when I dropped the ball short. I’m just really pleased with how I came out today and turned it around and then stuck in during the tie-break.”
The win carries extra weight for Raducanu, who is ranked world No. 29 and seeded first at this WTA 250 event. She ended her 2025 season early due to a lingering foot injury and entered Hobart having played just one match in 2026—a loss to Maria Sakkari at the United Cup, where she looked understandably rusty. The off-season wasn’t kind either, with “light bone bruising” on her right foot disrupting her preparations. Yet, in Hobart, she’s started to find her feet again, both literally and figuratively.
“These ones mean so much more,” Raducanu reflected after the match. “It’s such a fine line between winning and losing a match like that. It can easily affect your whole mood, your whole days, your whole weeks. I try not to let that happen but it’s very difficult. This is a very good day for sure to stack up.”
Her scheduled second-round opponent, Poland’s Magdalena Frech, withdrew due to a left thigh injury, granting Raducanu a walkover into the last eight. That stroke of fortune has given her an extra day to recover and prepare for her next test: a first-ever meeting with Australia’s Taylah Preston, a 20-year-old wildcard who’s been making her own headlines in Hobart.
Preston’s journey to the quarterfinals has been equally impressive. Born in Joondalup, Western Australia, and currently ranked No. 204, Preston has long been touted as one of her nation’s brightest young prospects. She started playing tennis at age four and reached a career-high ITF Junior ranking of No. 10 in 2022. While her WTA Tour record stands at 4-7, she’s already collected seven ITF titles and made her Grand Slam main draw debut as a wildcard at the 2024 Australian Open. This week in Hobart, Preston upset world No. 40 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the opening round—Bouzas Maneiro herself having recently stunned Coco Gauff—and then dispatched Rebecca Sramkova in straight sets to book her quarterfinal date with Raducanu.
For Raducanu, this quarterfinal isn’t just about another notch in the win column. It’s a chance to build momentum ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, which kicks off in Melbourne in just a few days. The Brit’s last appearance in a final was her astonishing run to the 2021 US Open title, and she’ll be eager to show she can recapture that form after a rocky 2025 campaign.
Observers in Hobart have noted subtle changes in Raducanu’s game. After an off-season spent working through static drills and adapting her technique to counter the tour’s bigger hitters, she’s lengthened her forehand swing to generate more pace and spin. Those tweaks were evident as she stepped inside the baseline and dictated play during the crucial stages against Osorio, particularly in the tie-break. “By imposing her superior firepower, Raducanu separated herself from her lesser opponent and she finished the match by winning seven of the last nine games on the restart, completing her great recovery with a confident, emphatic tie-break,” reported one outlet.
The Hobart International has also seen its share of drama elsewhere. No. 3 seed Iva Jovic, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Anna Bondar, Antonia Ruzic, and Olga Danilovic all advanced to the quarterfinals, while in Adelaide, Madison Keys and Victoria Mboko are set to meet in the quarters after respective wins. But for British fans, all eyes remain on Raducanu and her quest to reestablish herself among the game’s elite.
The quarterfinal against Preston promises to be a fascinating clash of styles and generations—Raducanu’s experience and Grand Slam pedigree against Preston’s youthful exuberance and home-court support. It will be their first meeting, and with both players eager to impress ahead of the Australian Open, sparks are sure to fly.
As the action heats up in Hobart, Raducanu’s resilience and adaptability have already delivered a compelling narrative. Whether she can continue this upward trajectory against Preston remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: the British star has put her injury woes behind her, at least for now, and is once again a force to be reckoned with on the WTA Tour.
With the Australian Open looming, every match counts. For Raducanu, this hard-fought victory in Hobart is more than just a win—it’s a statement that she’s back, hungry, and ready to take on whatever the new season throws her way.
