Raducanu, who faces No. 26 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the opening round, said in her pre-tournament news conference that she got “badly bitten” by ants or mosquitoes Thursday January 9. Despite suffering what she described as an allergic reaction, Raducanu did not administer an antiseptic spray provided to her by someone in attendance.

British tennis star Emma Raducanu's preparations for the Australian Open were disrupted when she was bitten during time off from practice in Melbourne - just days out from the tournament

Emma Raducanu admits she is "quite sensitive" about what she takes amid the recent doping cases in tennis and also reveals she refused to use an antiseptic spray in Melbourne after being presumably bitten by a bug or an insect.

Emma Raducanu has become the latest victim of Australia’s famously hostile wildlife – although it was not spiders or snakes in her case, but rather “jumping ants”.

Raducanu has been handed a difficult draw against 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who she had been due to play at Wimbledon last summer before the Russian pulled out.

The 22-year-old British tennis star said a hand and ankle swelled up but she refused to use an antiseptic spray in case contamination led to a positive doping test.

Emma Raducanu had a worrying moment just days before the Australian Open and thought she might fail a drugs test.

Emma Raducanu has revealed she refused to use antiseptic spray on insect bites at the Australian Open, fearing it could lead to a failed drug test. The British No 2's cautious approach comes after recent positive tests by other players,

Raducanu said she was left with a swollen ankle and hand after the insect bites triggered an allergic reaction but the former US Open champion opted to “tough it out” because she didn’t want to risk failing a drugs test.