AO Opening Week: Naomi Osaka-Emma Raducanu charity match-up cancelled
A charity match that was due to showcase two grand slam champions on Rod Laver Arena has been unexpectedly called off.
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A charity match that was to showcase four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka and US Open winner Emma Raducanu has been cancelled, after both players regretfully withdrew as precautionary measures.
Fans who bought tickets to the Tuesday evening Rod Laver Arena clash will be refunded, but are still permitted to use their tickets to enter Melbourne Park to watch Australian Open qualifying matches and public practice sessions on the same day.
Osaka withdrew from the match on Tuesday morning, stating she needed more time to prepare for her Australian Open campaign.
Croatian player Donna Vekic, a quarter-finalist at last year’s Australian Open, was called in to take Osaka’s place. But Raducanu pulled out a few hours later.
Both Osaka, of Japan, and Raducanu, of Britain, have recently returned to tennis after months on the sidelines, due to maternity leave and long-term injury respectively. Raducanu missed three majors last year after surgery on her ankle and wrists.
Tennis Australia said in a statement: “Unfortunately, the charity match scheduled for (Tuesday) evening will not take place. The players have regretfully withdrawn for precautionary reasons.
“We are incredibly excited for the three action-packed charity matches we have scheduled over the next three nights.”
These will see Aussie No.1 Alex de Minaur take on Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday night, and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic host a special event on Thursday night, also set to feature Aryna Sabalenka, Stefanos Tsitsipas and other big-name players.
Friday night’s charity match will pit Alcaraz against Casper Ruud.
Most tickets to the charity matches are $20, with seats close to the baseline $50. Proceeds will go towards a range of children’s charities through the Australian Tennis Foundation.
Punters can alternatively snap up a ground pass forAO Opening Week, presented by the Herald Sun, for $10 for adults and $5 for kids to gain access to public practice sessions and qualifying matches this week, while 6000 racquets will also be given away to kids who register when they arrive at Melbourne Park.
On Monday, persistent rain largely confined fans to practice sessions on Rod Laver Arena, where new world No.10 and top-ranked Australian Alex de Minaur was among several superstars tuning up for the Australian Open main tournament.
Alcaraz also practised with fellow young gun Casper Ruud in front of adoring fans, including Callum, 13, Toby, 11, and Bob, 11.
The trio attended Opening Week with the aim of seeing the Wimbledon and US Open champion train, and left with a photo and signed racquet.
“(Meeting) Carlos Alcaraz (was) the dream. He is my favourite player on tour,” Callum said.
Bob added: “I want to keep this (signature) forever.”
Joining them at the special meet-and-greet were Sophie, 3 and Cami, 5 – the daughters of Major League Baseball player Mark Canha, of the Detroit Tigers. Canha and his family are regulars at the US Open, and made the trip from their home in Arizona to experience another grand slam.
Alcaraz will return to Rod Laver for another practice session on Tuesday, alongside Djokovic, Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Andy Murray, Tsitsipas and other big names.
Meanwhile, all Australian Open qualifying matches that were slated for Monday will have to be rescheduled, after the downpour prevented any play on outside courts.
Organisers are confident qualifying can still be completed on schedule, with play expected to resume on Tuesday morning and Aussies Arina Rodionova, Destanee Aiava and Astra Sharma among those on the line-up.
Australian Open director Craig Tiley urged fans not to let the weather spoil their experience.
“Unfortunately it’s difficult to get out and around because of the weather, but we encourage you to do that,” he said.
“If ticket sales are any indication … if the weather is good, we’ll have a record-breaking crowd (for the tournament as a whole).”
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a minimal chance of rain and temperatures ranging from 25C to 32C from Tuesday to Friday.
ausopen.com
AO Opening Week, presented by the Herald Sun
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Public practice sessions – Rod Laver Arena
9.30am Caroline Wozniacki and Qinwen Zheng
9.45am Coco Gauff
10am Frances Tiafoe
10.45am Aryna Sabalenka
12.15pm Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev
2.15pm Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov
2.45pm Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas
4.15pm Novak Djokovic
Aussies in qualifying matches – outside courts
Kia Arena Dane Sweeny, Melisa Ercan, Arina Rodionova, Destanee Aiava
1573 Arena Petra Hule, Hayden Jones
Court 3 Priscilla Hon, Emerson Jones, Ivana Popovic
Court 6 Li Tu, Astra Sharma
Court 7 Talia Gibson, Pavle Marinkov, Jaimee Fourlis, Kaylah McPhee
REST OF WEEK
January 10 Carlos Alcaraz v Alex de Minaur charity match, Rod Laver Arena
January 11 A night with Novak Djokovic and friends charity match, Rod Laver Arena
January 12 Carlos Alcaraz v Casper Ruud charity match, Rod Laver Arena
January 13 Kids Tennis Day
January 14 Australian Open main tournament begins
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