Raducanu can draw strength from good signs

PROMISING PRACTICE PLUS A WELCOME FIRST-ROUND RIVAL

- Neil McLeman

EMMA RADUCANU enjoyed a welcome day of good news before the Australian Open as she proved her fitness with two practice sessions and then drew the No.156 on her Grand Slam return.

And Andy Murray declared yesterday he would "love" to play Novak Djokovic in another Melbourne meeting if he wins his first two matches, starting with world No.30 Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

But while the Scot was the only British player to draw a seed, Raducanu will play her first Grand Slam match in a year against Shelby Rogers.

The former world No.30 from America has been out of action since Wimbledon because of abdominal and knee injuries and got married in December.

In another good omen for Raducanu, she thrashed then-world No.43 Rogers, right, in only 65 minutes in their only previous meeting on her way to the 2021 US Open title. The winner will likely play Romanian No.22 seed Sorana Cirstea in the second round.