Emma Raducanu was given two opponents during a botched Qatar Open draw (Image: Getty)
Qatar Open organisers were forced to restart the draw after a technical mishap saw handed two different opponents in the space of a few minutes.
Taking place in the Qatari capital of Doha, Raducanu had originally been paired up against Anna Kalinskaya, but when the draw was posted online, .
According to The i Paper, the confusion stemmed from the drawing of all the chips representing players, only for there to still be an empty line on the 56-line draw sheet.
It’s explained by a human error while inputting the names, but in order to preserve the integrity of the draw process, the organisers decided the 40 unseeded players who instead be reallocated.
There had been a similar problem at last year’s when Beatriz Haddad Maia’s corresponding number was pulled out, only for Mirra Andreeva’s name to appear in the draw.
Back in Doha, it means Raducanu will play against Alexandrova as her opponent for the opening round – a repeat of the 22-year-old’s first-round clash.
If history repeats itself and Raducanu defeats Alexandrova, her reward will be a meeting with runner-up Aryna Sabalenka, who has been handed a bye into the second round.
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Emma Raducanu could meet Aryna Sabalenka in the second round (Image: Getty)
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Raducanu wasn’t scheduled to play in the WTA 1000 event and has only played at the Qatar Open once before.
She enters the tournament on the back of a three-match losing streak, having lost both of his opening matches at events following last month’s defeat to at the .
Raducanu is also on the lookout for a new coach after she parted ways with Nick Cavaday in Melbourne.
The former player had been working with Raducanu since November 2023, but wasn’t able to continue because of an ongoing health issue.
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It’s claimed in the same report that while the search for Cavaday’s replacement goes on, Jane O’Donoghue will be acting as an advisor to Raducanu in Doha, with the former player and coach a “close family friend and trusted confidante”.
Raducanu is also believed to have access to on-demand tactical analysis via the Lawn Tennis Association’s team of data scientists.
The Qatar Open gets underway on Sunday morning and will run until 15 February.
Swiatek is the defending champion having won the title for a third time last year.