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Emma Raducanu is hoping to make the most of a brutal schedule at the Australian Open after being handed a late start on Sunday. The British No.1 will face Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the second night session match on Margaret Court Arena - after a best-of-five set men's battle between Alexander Bublik and Jenson Brooksby.

Raducanu arrived in Melbourne late following a tough quarter-final exit in Hobart, where she lost to world No.204 Taylah Preston, and has yet to get on the practice courts. While the schedule "doesn't make sense" to the Brit, she doesn't want to complain.

"It's very difficult. You would love to have more time in the environment, more time practising, but I guess I was pretty much handed the schedule to try and turn it around and make the most out of what is in front of me," Raducanu said after arriving in Melbourne.

"I think it's easy to get down and complain about it, but it's not going to help. So I'm just trying to focus and turn it around for tomorrow."

The turnaround following her Hobart International loss is one thing, but Raducanu could be left waiting hours to go on court, depending on the outcome of the men's match which opens Sunday's night session on Margaret Court Arena.

The No.28 seed in Melbourne added: "I think it's very difficult to be scheduling women's matches after a potential five-set match. To me, it doesn't really make as much sense, but I think after seeing it, you know, the initial reaction is probably, like, oh, it's a late one. Then you deal with it, and you try and shift your day and adjust.

"Like today I'm going to practice and see what it's like. I don't think I have been in that situation. Only once before maybe when I played the semis of the US Open. I played second night match, but other than that, I haven't played that late.

"So for me, it's a new experience, something that I need to learn to do. Hopefully if I'm playing this game for a long time, I'll probably be in this situation again, so it's a good learning step to try and adjust and deal with that day, as well."

Raducanu suffered a setback with a foot injury during her pre-season and spent most of the time doing fitness and static hitting. The 23-year-old only started playing points a few days before the United Cup in Perth. She played one match there, losing to Maria Sakkari, then beat Camila Osorio in Hobart before getting a walkover and suffering defeat to Preston.

Meanwhile, her first-round opponent, world No.195 Sawangkaew, recently won an ITF title and enjoyed success at the Southeast Asian Games. And Raducanu knows the Thai player - who entered the Aussie Open using a protected ranking - will be dangerous.

"I think it's a tricky one, because playing a lot of matches, even if it's an ITF level and getting a lot of wins, it does so much. I experienced that firsthand in 2021 when I went on a good run in a bunch of 100Ks. I had a lot of confidence. You feel very match-sharp," she explained.

"I think it's a very dangerous opponent, a very dangerous situation to be in, so I think I'm ready for a tough one. Also, there is not as much data. There is not as much information about these players. You don't know that much about them, so there is that element of surprise, too.

"I'm very aware of the first-round match. Yeah, just need to practice and do my best to be ready for tomorrow."