Raducanu to Face Osaka in United Cup Debut

Emma Raducanu, Great Britain's top-ranked female tennis player, is set to make her debut in the United Cup on Sunday in Perth, Australia, facing Japan's Naomi Osaka in the women's singles as part of the mixed-team event's group stage. The 23-year-old, currently ranked No. 29 in the WTA standings, enters the 2026 season with renewed optimism following a stable and injury-free 2025 campaign that marked her most consistent year since winning the 2021 US Open.

The United Cup, now in its fourth edition, kicks off with round-robin matches split between Perth and Sydney before knockout stages in Sydney. Britain finds itself in a challenging Group E alongside Japan and Greece. Raducanu's team, captained by Tim Henman, includes Billy Harris as the primary men's singles player, Neal Skupski, Olivia Nicholls, Jan Choinski, and Katie Swan. Harris steps in after Jack Draper's withdrawal due to a lingering bone bruise in his left arm, which has sidelined the former world No. 4 for much of the past six months. Draper had been part of the squad until his announcement just before Christmas, leaving Harris, ranked No. 128, to prepare on short notice. "I was staying ready just in case he couldn't...