Raducanu in the Main Draw of the Australian Open After Davis's Withdrawal

Organizers announced on Wednesday that Emma Raducanu, the former US Open champion, has moved into the main draw of the Australian Open after American Lauren Davis withdrew from the first Grand Slam tournament of the year due to a shoulder injury. Raducanu, who defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse at the Auckland Classic on Tuesday in her return to competition after undergoing surgery on her wrist and ankle, has dropped to 301st in the world rankings, and her current ranking did not guarantee her direct entry into the tournament taking place at Melbourne Park. The 21-year-old British player also did not receive a wildcard to participate in the event and was expected to follow a similar path as her journey in Flushing Meadows 2021 when she became the first woman in the open era to win a major title after starting from qualifying. However, Davis's exit, following the withdrawals of Karolina Muchova, Petra Kvitova, Irina-Camelia Begu, and Katie McNally, opened a spot for Raducanu in the main draw of the major tournament scheduled between January 14 and 28.