Hobart International | Emma Raducanu's Australian Open preparation takes a hit after surprise loss to Taylah Preston

Emma Raducanu was into the Quarter-Finals of the Hobart International and her campaign was looking a bit rosier after she got a bye through as Magdalena Frech had to withdraw but in encountering Taylah Preston, it was a different story as the Aussie ace is now into the semi-finals on home soil.

Raducanu could feasibly meet Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the Australian Open with the draw being confirmed earlier on Thursday morning but in this defeat, her making said third round could be a stretch especially given her recent injury issues.

She lacked the firepower required as she lost out to Preston who used the home turf feel to surge past the Brit. Preston herself is 204th in the WTA rankings and it is just the second time that Raducanu has lost to a player ranked that low.

"I don't really know what to say! I'm just happy to get through to the next round and play in front of everyone," said 20-year-old Preston post match on court.

Raducanu flew out the traps breaking Preston in the opening game but the Aussie broke back immediately before a one-hour suspension for rain. On resumption, Preston continued her charge overpowering Raducanu and surging 4-1 up with another break. She broke for a third time to win the first set in some style.

Raducanu fought back to begin the second set breaking serve and stepped up the intensity only for Preston to find form again. She broke back to make it 3-3. Raducanu again was handed another chance on a plate as she let a break slip at 4-4 before Preston broke again to record the biggest win of her career in Hobart.

For Raducanu who certainly needs wins given her recent in out through injury and not playing a great deal can't take a huge amount of solace from a week where she reached the Quarter-Finals but only won one game in reality.

Elsewhere in Hobart, Ana Bondar was well beaten by Elisabetta Cocciaretto and she now faces the winner of Antonia Ruzic or Olga Danilovic after a 6-2, 6-2 win. Ruzic and Danilovic have just started.

“Actually, with Anna, we played the semifinal three years ago in Lausanne, and we took nine hours to finish the match for the rain, I swear,” Cocciaretto said in her on-court interview. “So today was quite better, actually. But I mean, outdoors, it’s always like this. We try to stay focused, to play our best and to give the best on the court.”

While Iva Jovic who in theory has to be favourite for the title now will face Magda Linette for a spot in the semi-finals. She will face Preston if she gets through and it would more back-to-back semi-finals for the 18-year-old.