Hobart International Entry List: Emma Raducanu stars among leading contenders

Oli Dickson Jefford 18 Dec 2025 1:30 PM

Pictured: Emma Raducanu looks on during a match.

The 2026 WTA Tour season will start in just a handful of weeks, and the Hobart International will be among the very first events of the season.

Looking to continue her recent climb up the WTA Rankings, Emma Raducanu is among the biggest stars in action at the WTA 250 event, which is set to take place from January 12-17.

However, the 23-year-old is far from the only notable player set to compete at the famed tournament, with a strong line-up set ahead of action in Tasmania next month.

Who are set to be the top seeds?

The top seed at the WTA 250 event is set to be world No 20 Elise Mertens, who is somewhat of a Hobart veteran.

The Belgian lifted back-to-back titles at the tournament in 2017 and 2018, and has finished as the tournament runner-up the past two years.

Mertens is followed on the entry list by world No 29 Raducanu, who is set to make her tournament debut in 2026.

It will be the second tournament of her 2026 season, with the former US Open champion first set to compete at the United Cup.

Reigning champion McCartney Kessler — who defeated Mertens in the 2025 final — is back to try and successfully defend her title, with the American set to be seeded third as things stand.

Tennis News

Exclusive: What made Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova & Justine Henin so good? WTA star who played them reveals

Australian Open prize money problem needs to be fixed for tournament to maintain status

Provisionally rounding out the top four seeds is US rising star Iva Jovic, who will be looking to build on her breakthrough 2025 campaign, with Ann Li provisionally the fifth seed after a strong twelve months.

As it stands, Eva Lys will be seeded sixth, with Jessica Bouzas Maneiro seeded seventh, and Tatjana Maria eighth.

Who else is in action?

The tournament is a key event in the build-up to the Australian Open, and the strength and depth across the entry list as a whole are notable.

Most notably, 2021 French Open and 2024 Wimbledon singles champion Barbora Krejcikova is set to be in Hobart action in January.

Currently down at 65th in the WTA Rankings following an injury-ravaged 2025 campaign, the Czech will be looking for a significant surge across the 2026 season.

Another notable name set to be in action is Indonesia’s Janic Tjen, who was won of the breakout stars of the 2025 season.

Americans Peyton Stearns and Hailey Baptiste are currently set to be in action, with Solana Sierra and Olga Danilovic among the other players in line to compete.

Hobart International Entry List (as of December 18, 2025)

1) Elise Mertens
2) Emma Raducanu
3) McCartney Kessler
4) Iva Jovic
5) Ann Li
6) Eva Lys
7) Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
8) Tatjana Maria
Emiliana Arango
Janice Tjen
Magda Linette
Elsa Jacquemot
Xinyu Wang
Magdalena Frech
Hailey Baptiste
Peyton Stearns
Barbora Krejcikova
Solana Sierra
Olga Danilovic
Sonay Kartal
Antonia Ruzic