Emma Raducanu’s next opponent arrived at the Australian Open looking unrecognisable… after trolls forced her to step back from the sport with jibes about her ‘giant’ breasts

Emma Raducanu’s upcoming opponent at the Australian Open has debuted a bold new look on social media.

Raducanu booked her place in the second round of the competition after a creditable 7-6, 7-6 win against No. 26 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in Melbourne.

As a result, Raducanu will face American tennis star Amanda Anisimova in the next round, who previously quit the sport after being targeted by trolls.

Anisimova, 23, returned to tennis last year after taking an eight-month break from the sport to focus on her mental health, amid frequent reports about her appearance.

But almost exactly 12 months after ending her break, the former French Open semi-finalist has completed a stunning transformation after ditching her usual blonde hair for a brunette look.

Amanda uploaded a photo showing off her new hair color to Instagram and wrote: “Why not.”

She will compete against American tennis star Amanda Anisimova, who only returned to tennis last year

Anisimova recently ditched her blonde hair for a new brunette look in a social media post

At just 21, Anisimova briefly walked away from tennis after she was brutally mocked by social media trolls for having “giant breasts.”

Before announcing she was taking a break from the sport, the New Jersey-born star, whose parents emigrated to the US from Russia, shared a screenshot of a user’s cruel prank with her on Instagram.

‘The most unathletic body ever! Narrow shoulders and gigantic breasts,” the post read.

She initially responded to the comment with “Thanks” and a kissing emoji before sharing it on her story, writing, “I don’t know what to think? lol.’

Anisimova then added, “The amount of people commenting on my body on social media every day… will never understand what the hyperfixation is about.”

After losing in the first round of the 2023 Madrid Open, Anisimova revealed she would be taking a step back from the sport as she struggled with her mental health.

“Hey guys. “I thought I would make a post explaining what was going on and what my plans were,” she explained. ‘Since the summer of 2022 I have really been struggling with my mental health and burnout.

‘It has become unbearable to be at tennis tournaments. Right now my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break. I worked as hard as I could to get through it. I will miss being there, and I appreciate all the continued support.”

She previously had blonde hair during her tennis career before making the bold change

Despite her new look, Raducanu hopes to beat the American in their duel

Since her return in January 2024, Anisimova – currently ranked 36th in the world – has played twice at the US Open, French Open and Australian Open, reaching the fourth round of the latter competition last year.

Meanwhile, Raducanu played generally well in her opening match, with some impressive issues resolved on the spot – helped by an odd word from coach Nick Cavaday – winning only her fourth Grand Slam match against a ranked opponent.

The British No. 2 appeared to adjust her serve for the umpteenth time – this time a grip change – and her second delivery was extremely inconsistent.

The first serve was fine – 57 percent in and nine aces – but in the first set Raducanu won only 18 percent of her second service points. The double faults were the main culprits, but even when the second serve came in, Alexandrova was brutal. The fact that Raducanu was still able to take the set showed how well the rest of her game was working.