Emma Raducanu hints at major change after miserable Australia Open exit to Anastasia Potapova.

Emma Raducanu will take time to ‘re-evaluate’ following her second round Australian Open exit after admitting she is not playing ‘how I want to be playing.’

Raducanu, 23, has persistently struggled for form since her crowing moment at the US Open in 2021 with injuries also hampering her progress.

The Briton had hoped to get 2026 off to a flyer Down Under but crashed out of the first grand slam of the year overnight after a 7-6 6-2 defeat to Anastasia Potapova.

Victory would have set up a tantalising test against world no1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the competition.

Instead, Raducanu is heading home early after defeat to the 55^th ranked player in the world.

The British no1 arrived in Melbourne nursing a foot injury that left her short of preparation matches but she appeared to be gaining control of the contest in the early hours of Wednesday morning, moving 5-3 ahead in the opening set.

But Raducanu was unable to build on that early promise, making 28 unforced errors as she crashed out.

Speaking after the defeat, the revealed she will now take some time to take stock and weigh up some major changes to her game.

‘I don’t think I’m going to get straight back on the practice court,’ she said.

‘I think I’m going to take a few days, get back, get back home, and try and just re-evaluate my game a bit.’

Pushed by reporters what she meant, and if she was not playing the style of tennis she wants, she said: ‘Yeah, I would say so.

‘I think I want to be playing a different way.

‘And I think the misalignment with how I’m playing right now and how I want to be playing is something that I just want to work on.’

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