The rising stars in British tennis: the eight Brits competing in the Australian Open
Several compelling narratives shape Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam at this year’s Australian Open. Can the Serb bounce back from a disappointing 2024? How many more tournaments does the 37-year-old have left? And the story dominating headlines, how will Andy Murray fare as a coach to his former foe?
The three-time Grand Slam champion’s presence at the upcoming tournament from the stands and absence on the court will be noted, just five months after retiring as a player.
The Scot’s victory over Djokovic at the US Open in 2012 ended a 35-year wait for a British singles champion at a major tournament and a 76-year drought in men’s singles. But aside from Emma Raducanu stunning the US Open in 2021, when the 18-year-old became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title, a British player has not seen success since Murray’s last title at Wimbledon in 2016.
Murray has been a beacon of hope and pride for British tennis this century. This is an opportunity to look to the future and assess who could take the baton from Britain’s most successful player of the Open era.
Seven Britons have qualified for the Australian Open; can anyone stake a claim over the next two weeks?
Jack Draper
The British No. one reached the US Open semi-finals and won his first two ATP Tour titles in his breakthrough season in 2024, placing the 23-year-old as the 15th seed. He also defeated four top-10 players last year, including Carlos Alcaraz at Queens and Alex De Minaur at the US Open.
But preparation for the Australian Open hasn’t been ideal for the left-hander, who was ruled out of the recent United Cup due to a hip injury.
Speaking on his ambitions for 2025, Draper told Sky Sports about his motivations to “shake up those guys at the top of the game – the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz. Winning my first title, then the US Open, have been huge in really believing that I belong.”
He opens against Mariano Navone and could meet Alcaraz in the fourth round, a chance to test himself again and push further.
Emma Raducanu
The British No. two has been blighted with injuries following that fairytale in New York. She’s undergone surgeries on her ankle and wrists since lifting the trophy, and only progressed past the second round at Grand Slam once.
Pulling out of a warm-up tournament in Auckland last week with a back niggle, there were fears Raducanu would be unable to compete down under. She insists it was nothing serious, and is set to face 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in a challenging first-round match.
Fitness struggles have plagued the former world No. 10, and now ranked 60th, the lack of playtime has translated to rusty performances. If she can compete in a consistent run of tournaments, the 22-year-old has the talent and the potential to do something special again.
“I feel good. I feel healthy and feel I’ve been training well. I’m prepared and ready to go,” said Raducanu. “I think I can be a dangerous opponent for anyone.”
Katie Boulter
The 28-year-old is seeded for the first time at Melbourne, ranked No. 23. Boulter impressed at the United Cup, earning three wins against Argentina and Australia in the opening two ties. Despite narrowly losing the third set to Iga Swiatek, she pushed the world No. two to the wire.
“I was quite calm in that situation as well, which is something I’ve not always felt when playing massive players and I think that mindset is going to help me win those matches,” she reflected. “I truly believe I can do it.”
If she can overcome Rebecca Marino in the first round, Boulter may have another opportunity to prove herself against the world’s best.
Jacob Fearnley
Another young talent, Fearnley will kick off his second-ever Grand Slam in an enticing opening match against wildcard entry, Nick Kyrgios. Playing such a high-profile player on a big court is a “dream come true” for the Scot.
He said: “It’s something I always wanted to achieve, but didn’t think it would happen this fast. It’s a really cool, surreal experience for me. This is what I’m playing for, to keep improving my ranking and keep getting better and keep putting myself in positions like this.”
The world No. 86 must adapt to this environment if he wants a deep run in a Grand Slam.
Sonay Kartal
Kartal won her first WTA title in September, climbing into the top 100 rankings (currently 87th). The 23-year-old is just the 21st British woman to break into the WTA top 100 since 1975, and the ninth in the last 10 years.
The British No. three, who grew up playing Raducanu, is in the main draw for the first time and faces Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. A win could potentially see her play the favourite, Aryna Sabalenka, in the next round. Relatively inexperienced in Grand Slams, Kartal is certainly one to watch this week and in the future.
Cameron Norrie
The British No. two and world No. 48 made headlines this week after accidentally hitting a spectator with his racket in the Auckland Open. The incident was inconsequential, and the 29-year-old apologised.
Norrie had his most fruitful Australian Open last year when he reached the fourth round, but he’ll have to get past a tough opening match against Matteo Berrettini if he wants to better that feat.
Jodie Burrage
One of two Brits outside the top 100 competing in Australia, the world No. 173 will meet Leolia Jeanjean in her opening match. Given the draw, Coco Gauff would likely be the 25-year-old’s next opponent should Burrage progress.
Burrage, who was riddled with injuries in 2020, shared that she came close to quitting tennis last year after a serious injury setback. However, perseverance and love for the sport spurred her on, making her qualification for this tournament under a protected ranking an admirable one.
Harriet Dart
A lucky loser in this years’ tournament, Dart only found out she was in the main draw an hour before her opening match. After losing in the qualifiers, former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova’s withdrawal through injury opened up a spot for Dart.
Making her Australian Open debut in 2019 and suffering defeat to Maria Sharapova in the first round, Dart has only made it past the opening game down under once, going out in the round the following year. She made it into the top 100 world rankings for the first time, competing in all four grand slams for the first and only time of her career, and is currently ranked 112.
The 28-year-old has the opportunity to climb the ranks and progress to the second round if she overcomes Jana Fett.
A new era
Coverage for the Australian Open starts at on Sunday at 7 am GMT and promises to be a pivotal fortnite for British tennis. Draper’s meteoric rise, Raducanu’s quest for renewed glory, and Boulter’s growing confidence signal a new era of ambition and talent in the post-Murray landscape, with the likes of Fearnley and Kartal ones to watch.
With eight Britons in the draw, the next chapter of British tennis is ready to be written – the next hero could emerge from the heat of Melbourne’s summer.
