Raducanu, who faces No. 26 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the opening round, said in her pre-tournament news conference that she got “badly bitten” by ants or mosquitoes Thursday January 9. Despite suffering what she described as an allergic reaction, Raducanu did not administer an antiseptic spray provided to her by someone in attendance.

British tennis star Emma Raducanu's preparations for the Australian Open were disrupted when she was bitten during time off from practice in Melbourne - just days out from the tournament

Emma Raducanu admits she is "quite sensitive" about what she takes amid the recent doping cases in tennis and also reveals she refused to use an antiseptic spray in Melbourne after being presumably bitten by a bug or an insect.

Emma Raducanu has become the latest victim of Australia’s famously hostile wildlife – although it was not spiders or snakes in her case, but rather “jumping ants”.

Raducanu has been handed a difficult draw against 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who she had been due to play at Wimbledon last summer before the Russian pulled out.

Australian Open, the first grand slam tournament of the year and the 113th running of the event, starts at Melbourne Park on Sunday with four British women, including the 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu,

Emma Raducanu has revealed she refused to use antiseptic spray on insect bites at the Australian Open, fearing it could lead to a failed drug test. The British No 2's cautious approach comes after recent positive tests by other players,

Following a period of rest, though, Raducanu is now firmly focused on the Australian Open and making a positive start to the 2025 tennis season. How can I watch Australian Open te