Emma Raducanu marked her return to competitive tennis with a spirited performance at the United Cup, displaying the kind of determination and skill that has tennis fans excited about her 2026 season ahead.

The 23-year-old British number one, ranked 29th in the world, took to the court in Sydney after a precautionary break to manage light bone bruising on her right foot. While Greece's Maria Sakkari ultimately prevailed 6-3 3-6 6-1, Raducanu's performance offered plenty of reasons for optimism as she prepares for the Australian Open.

What stood out most was Raducanu's ability to move freely and strike the ball with quality despite having only resumed hitting two weeks ago. The 2021 US Open champion broke Sakkari's serve in the opening game and showed no hesitation when pushing off her right foot—a testament to her recovery progress.

"Being able to produce that, having not played, is just giving me confidence to what I can do when I do practise more," Raducanu said with characteristic positivity. "I know now I just need to get my head down and keep working."

The match showcased Raducanu's growing mental fortitude, one of the key developments in her game over the past year. After dropping the first set, she demonstrated her fighting spirit by battling back to level the match, showing the resilience that has defined her recent evolution as a player.

While rustiness was understandable given her time away, the quality was evident throughout. Her crisp ball-striking and aggressive play created numerous opportunities, and fans watching could see glimpses of the form that carried her through an encouraging 2025 season.

Great Britain's Billy Harris also delivered an impressive performance earlier in the day, pushing former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas to the absolute limit. The 30-year-old came within two points of a career-defining victory before falling 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4) in an intense battle that showcased British tennis depth.

Tsitsipas himself praised Harris's performance: "Billy put out an incredible performance, I haven't played such a high-quality match in a long time. He did great to push me to my limit."

Olivia Nicholls and Neal Skupski provided a bright finish for Great Britain with a convincing mixed doubles victory, claiming a 6-2 3-6 10-4 win over their Greek opponents.

Looking ahead, Raducanu is scheduled to compete in Hobart next week before the Australian Open begins on January 18, where she's on track to be seeded—a significant milestone that reflects her strong world ranking position.

With her movement looking unrestricted and her competitive fire burning bright, Raducanu's return offers genuine promise. Having shown she can produce quality tennis with minimal match practice, the coming weeks of training and competition should only enhance her sharpness and confidence.

For British tennis fans, there's plenty to be excited about as both Raducanu and the emerging Harris continue developing and pushing tennis's established stars.