She is the only player Emma Raducanu has beaten at a Grand Slam this year after missing Wimbledon and the US Open

In 2026, Emma Raducanu will likely want to forget her disappointing Grand Slam season. The British tennis player, who previously won the US Open in 2021 after being the first and only qualifier to claim a Grand Slam title, has faced numerous injury setbacks this year. Raducanu missed Wimbledon and the US Open due to a stress fracture in her lower right leg. Her only Grand Slam victory so far this year came at the Australian Open, where she defeated Thai player Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1 in the first round.

Prior to her match against Raducanu, Sawangkaew had experienced a tough journey to reach the main draw of the Australian Open. She had been absent from tennis for several months due to an injury layoff and qualified for the tournament using a protected ranking. Despite this, Sawangkaew was unable to secure her first win at a major tournament, as Raducanu proved too strong, winning the match 6-4, 6-1.

Since Raducanu's win, Sawangkaew has managed to secure her first Grand Slam victory at Wimbledon, defeating Maja Chwalinska 7-5, 6-2. She then went on to win her second Grand Slam match at the US Open against Panna Udvardy, winning 6-4, 6-3. However, Sawangkaew was unable to advance past the second round of both tournaments. Despite her early exit, Sawangkaew's ranking has risen to a career-high of world number 88, thanks in part to her wins at Wimbledon and the US Open.