The Brits down under: Will they finally conquer?

Racquet bag packed, jetlag slept off and suncream applied, seven Brits have sealed passage into the first round of the Australian Open. The 110th edition of the ‘happy slam’ could see a handful of Britons make their way into the second round, but how are they looking, who are they playing and how did they get here?

It seems appropriate to start with the reigning grand slam champion, Emma Raducanu. The golden girl has found life on the tour to be tricky so far, winning only twice since she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in September.

With a freshly painted target on her back, a valid side-effect of winning a grand slam at 18, Raducanu enters the Australian Open as the 17th seed in just her third-ever slam. Of the three female Brits, Raducanu will be making her debut down under and with just one warm-up encounter prior to her tie against fellow-US Open champion, Sloane Stephens, Raducanu may struggle.

She missed 20 days of practice, due to contracting Covid in Abu Dhabi, in a heavily disrupted pre-season whilst having to get to grips with new coach, Torben Beltz. The Bromley teenager is beginning her first season on the WTA tour and alongside Nike, she has nailed the message; “World off. Game on.”

A Brit whose game is certainly on is the highest-ranked Brit across both tours, Cam Norrie. 12 months ago, he entered Melbourne ranked 69th. Since then, his record of 52-28 has seen him fly up the ranks and into his highest-ever of 12th.

Last year he was beaten in three sets by Rafael Nadal in the third round, the deepest a Brit had gone in Melbourne since Kyle Edmund’s 2018 run to the semi-finals. Norrie kicks off his campaign against Sebastian Korda, if he progresses he is favourite to make the fourth round where he may face the Wimbledon runner-up, Matteo Berrettini

Although Norrie ended 2021 in fine form, Dan Evans has started 2022 on fire. Unbeaten in his three ATP Cup encounters, the 24th seed made his way to the Sydney Tennis Classic semi-final where he lost to eventual-winner Aslan Karatsev.

Since his run to the fourth round in 2017, Evans has failed to make it past the second round. He won Melbourne 2 in preparation for the tournament last year but came undone to Norrie in the first round. Evans went on to endure a tricky year with multiple first round exits.

The former-British no.1 begins against Belgian David Goffin, with a potential second round battle against Alexei Popyrin, who he beat twice last year. Matters become significantly more-challenging shall he face a top 10 player in Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Then, nose-bleed territory looms. The seismic leap from the fourth round into the quarter-finals is a jump rarely executed by the Brits in Australia. British number one’s, Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman failed on multiple occasions of going beyond the fourth round. Only Edmund and Andy Murray have ventured beyond since John Lloyd’s 1977 final defeat.

Heartbreak in the pulsating summer sun has fallen over Murray on one too many occasions. Tripping at the final hurdle five times - a tournament record. If the Queen were to come for dinner, at least the silverware would be appropriate.

Three years ago, Murray hobbled away from Melbourne with nothing but a tear-soaked towel on his person. This week, the three-time grand slam champion made his way to an ATP final for the since time since Antwerp 2019. He lost to Karatsev, but that roaring fight in the old dog burns on.

Following the retirement of Johanna Konta in 2021, Heather Watson took the reins as the ‘head’ of the GB women. Watson has been on the professional circuit since 2010, dwarfing that of Raducanu and Harriet Dart.

The nine-time WTA tour-titlist winner will need to lean on her experience should she progress past Mayar Sherif. With 40 grand slam appearances to her name, she has won 50% of her matches in the state of Victoria.

Perhaps, the lesser-known representatives are Liam Broady and Dart. She makes a return to the draw after missing out in qualifying last year. This will be Dart’s third grand slam in a row, but her opponent in Poland’s Iga Swiatek gives her an almighty challenge.

In typical Murray/Broady fashion - they’re fighting again. Not on Twitter this time, rather a battle in tugging at heartstrings. Murray’s perseverance through injury to return to where he almost retired or Broady’s seven-year heartache finally anguished as he qualified for the Australian Open for the first time in his career.

A man who wasn’t sure if he would still be playing tennis in 2020, worked his way back from 4-6, 2-5 down to rally and knock off Roman Safiullin. Adorning fluorescent 70s gear, there was no doubt that Broady was ‘Stayin’ Alive’. Hometown ‘badboy’, Nick Kyrgios awaits across the net.

British tennis is riding the wave. Spearheaded by Raducanu; Norrie and Evans operate the engine room, Murray and Watson plough on with never-faltering spirit; whilst Dart and Broady embark on a sea of new adventures. Can the Brits conquer down under?