Emma Raducanu Suffers Shock Defeat to World No. 204 in Hobart Quarterfinal
January 15, 2026 – Hobart, Australia
Britain’s Emma Raducanu (World No. 29) was knocked out of the WTA 250 tournament in Hobart after a surprising straight-sets loss to Australian wildcard Tayla Preston (World No. 204). The quarterfinal match ended 6–2, 6–4 in favor of the home player.
Match Overview
The encounter, played on Thursday morning local time, lasted 1 hour and 28 minutes. Preston delivered a composed and confident performance, capitalizing on her opportunities against the higher-ranked opponent.
Match statistics:
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Tayla Preston: 2 aces, 1 double fault, 6/9 break points converted
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Emma Raducanu: 1 ace, 4 double faults, 3/7 break points converted
Preston consistently applied pressure on Raducanu’s serve and maintained control during key moments, preventing the former US Open champion from mounting a comeback.
Next Round
In the semifinals of the Hobart tournament, Tayla Preston will face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Iva Jovic (USA) and Magda Linette (Poland).