Grand slam champion Emma Raducanu has thrown her support behind British teammate Billy Harris, who steps into the spotlight following the late withdrawal of star Jack Draper from the United Cup in Perth.
Leadership Role for Raducanu in Draper's Absence
The 2021 US Open winner, now 23, has assumed a leadership role for Team Great Britain after world No.10 Jack Draper was forced to pull out of the teams event. Draper's withdrawal is due to an ongoing arm injury that marred the conclusion of his 2025 season.
The United Cup begins at Perth's RAC Arena on Friday, with Great Britain's campaign starting on Sunday. Raducanu, currently ranked 29th in the world, faces a challenging start to the new year with matches against Japan's four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and Greece's former top-10 player Maria Sakkari.
Harris Faces Stern Test on Big Stage
However, the spotlight shines equally on 30-year-old journeyman Billy Harris, ranked 124th globally. He faces arguably a tougher assignment, stepping in for Draper to play singles. Harris is scheduled to meet Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki (world No.100), who is coming off a career-best finish to 2025, and the mercurial Greek star and two-time grand slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Raducanu expressed confidence in her teammate, highlighting Harris's breakthrough 2025 season. "Billy has had a great year, he has really broken through and it's nice to see," she said. "He's got an amazing story, so it's nice to spend some time with him in the team environment."
Harris's recent achievements include winning his first grand slam match at Wimbledon and qualifying for the US Open main draw for the first time.
Stars Enjoy Perth's Charms Ahead of Battle
Ahead of the tournament, players including Raducanu, Harris, Osaka, and Mochizuki took a break from preparations to visit Rottnest Island. The group famously stopped to take selfies with the island's iconic quokkas.
Naomi Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion, said she was delighted to be back in Western Australia, having last played in the state at the 2018 Hopman Cup. "I had really good memories so I'm glad that I'm back," Osaka remarked. She acknowledged the challenge ahead against Raducanu, having lost to the Briton in their sole 2025 meeting in Washington.
Harris, for his part, downplayed the pressure of replacing Draper. "I played it last year in Sydney and got some good matches but hoping to get some wins this time," he stated, expressing his enjoyment of the team format and pride in representing Great Britain.
The United Cup kicks off in Perth on Friday with Spain taking on Argentina and Greece facing Japan, setting the stage for a thrilling weekend of international team tennis.
