Emma Raducanu, the 22-year-old British tennis star, is looking to make a key change to her team ahead of the 2025 season in an effort to finally reach her full potential on the tennis court. Raducanu, who shot to fame with her stunning victory at the 2021 US Open, has faced challenges ever since, most notably with her health and injuries. These struggles have been compounded by the revolving door of coaches and support staff that have characterized her post-Open career. As she heads into the new season, Raducanu is determined to address one of the key factors that has been holding her back: her physical fitness and resilience.
For the past few years, Raducanu’s career has been marked by frequent changes in her coaching and support team, with many questioning whether this lack of continuity has contributed to her struggles. Since her remarkable US Open win, where she became the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam title, Raducanu has worked with several coaches and fitness advisors, but the lack of stability around her has often been seen as a potential issue. Despite this, Raducanu has remained focused on improving her game, and in recent months, she has made significant strides, climbing over 200 spots in the WTA rankings.
Raducanu’s most recent hurdle has been an injury layoff. After undergoing operations on both wrists and one ankle, she missed much of last season, limiting her ability to compete regularly on the WTA Tour. This injury hiatus has taken its toll, as Raducanu played fewer tournaments than almost any other player in the top 60, and only three tournaments since Wimbledon. However, despite these setbacks, Raducanu remains determined to push forward and has expressed her intention to make a successful return in 2025.
One of the steps Raducanu is taking to improve her physical condition is adding a renowned fitness trainer to her team. She has confirmed that she is in talks to bring on board Yutaka Nakamura, a fitness expert who has previously worked with tennis legends such as Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka. Although the deal is not yet signed, Raducanu has indicated that talks are progressing positively and she is “ready to commit” to her physical development in a way that she has not done before.
Nakamura, who has a wealth of experience in working with top tennis players, could be a crucial addition to Raducanu’s team. His expertise in conditioning and fitness could help Raducanu overcome the physical issues that have plagued her career thus far. Raducanu has often acknowledged that her athleticism is one of her greatest strengths, but she feels that she has not yet reached her full potential in this area. With the addition of Nakamura, Raducanu hopes to take her fitness to the next level, ensuring that she is able to stay on court longer and compete at the highest level without the threat of injury derailing her progress.
“I think my goal next year is to stay on court longer,” Raducanu stated, reflecting on the challenges she has faced with her injury history. “This year I came to top 60 in the world, but I played I think less than 15 events. I know if I’m on court and healthy and competing, I can go even higher and further.” These words highlight Raducanu’s ambition to push herself further in the rankings and on the global stage. She recognizes that consistent match play is essential to her development, and having a stable fitness regime in place is crucial to achieving that goal.
Raducanu also acknowledged that she has previously shied away from hiring a full-time fitness trainer, opting instead to rely on the support provided by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and the staff at their Roehampton base in South London. She had previously stated a preference for keeping her team small and streamlined, but with her injuries in mind and her desire for more consistent training, she now feels ready to make the commitment to a full-time fitness coach.
“I think that my athleticism is a strength of mine, but it’s nowhere near its full potential,” Raducanu explained. “I’m just looking forward to exploring that further, and ready to commit to doing that.” This willingness to commit to improving her physical conditioning marks a significant shift in Raducanu’s approach to her career. If she can stay injury-free and build her fitness consistently, it’s clear that the British star has the potential to climb higher up the rankings and compete at the very top of the sport once again.
While Raducanu’s physical condition has been a major talking point, the mental aspect of her game is also crucial to her success. Tennis legend and former British No. 1 Tim Henman has spoken extensively about the challenges Raducanu has faced in building the necessary resilience to compete consistently on the WTA Tour. Henman believes that Raducanu’s physical resilience has been one of the key areas of struggle. “The element she has struggled the most with is her physical resilience,” Henman said in a recent interview with *Sky Sports Tennis*. “We talk about these long seasons and about being out there competing on tour, and she is still trying to build that resilience.”
Henman also noted that Raducanu’s match count has been relatively low compared to other players in the top 60, with Raducanu having only played 31 matches on tour over the past year. Despite this, she has managed to finish in the top 60, a testament to her natural talent and ability to compete at a high level when healthy. Henman believes that bringing someone like Nakamura into her team could be a “really good investment” for Raducanu’s future, helping her build the physical resilience she needs to be more competitive on the tour and avoid injuries.
Looking ahead to 2025, it’s clear that Raducanu is ready to make the changes necessary to fulfill her potential. By adding a dedicated fitness expert to her team and committing herself to her physical development, she is setting herself up for a successful and injury-free year. With a renewed focus on her fitness and a clear goal of staying on court for longer periods, Raducanu’s prospects for the upcoming season are certainly promising. If she can stay healthy and maintain the momentum she has built in recent months, there’s no telling how far she can go.