As Emma Raducanu prepares for the US Open 2025, the scene of her historic 2021 triumph as an 18-year-old qualifier, the British No. 1 faces a pivotal moment in her career. The 22-year-old, now ranked No. 36 in the WTA, has shown flashes of brilliance this season but continues to grapple with a recurring challenge: her physical health. With a demanding North American hard-court swing looming, Raducanu’s top priority must be ensuring her body is robust enough to withstand the grind of top-level tennis. “I’m not overly concerned that it’s something serious, but I know it’s something that’s very annoying and needs proper and careful management,” she said of her ongoing back injury, a sentiment that underscores the critical need for durability as she aims to reclaim her place among the elite at Flushing Meadows.
Raducanu’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster, marked by resilience and setbacks. Her standout performances include a quarterfinal run at the Miami Open, where she defeated world No. 10 Emma Navarro and Amanda Anisimova, and a gritty third-round showing at Wimbledon, where she pushed world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to the brink in a 7-6(6), 6-4 defeat. “It’s hard to take a loss like that. At the same time, I’m playing Aryna, who is a great champion. I have to be proud of my effort,” Raducanu reflected, highlighting her ability to compete with the best when healthy. Her grass-court season, including a semifinal at Nottingham and a quarterfinal at Eastbourne, saw her climb from outside the top 200 to No. 36, securing a main-draw spot at the US Open. However, injuries—a back spasm in Strasbourg, a foot injury in Washington, and a withdrawal from Berlin—have disrupted her momentum, with only a 15-12 win-loss record this year.
The US Open, where Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam without dropping a set, holds special significance. Yet, her subsequent returns to Flushing Meadows have been less enchanted, with first-round exits in 2022 and 2024, the latter to Sofia Kenin. “I think I could improve every area of my game, to be honest, after today’s performance,” she admitted after a loss in Miami, pinpointing the need for consistency. Her physical fragility, a lingering issue since wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023, has been a barrier to sustaining the level she displayed in 2021. To address this, Raducanu enlisted fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, who previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka, in December 2024. “I’m excited and just itchy to kind of get on the practice court,” she said after leading Great Britain to the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals, signaling her intent to build a stronger physical foundation.
Nakamura’s expertise is crucial for Raducanu, whose back issues have required careful management, including dry needling and heat therapy. During her French Open win over Wang Xinyu, she battled illness and needed on-court medical attention, yet persevered for a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory. “I was just fighting through. It was really difficult,” she said, showcasing her growing resilience but also the toll of competing while compromised. Her Australian Open second-round win over Ekaterina Alexandrova, despite needing treatment for her back, further highlighted her determination but underscored the urgency of injury prevention. “I have had a lot more three-set matches this year and come out successful more than in the past, which gives me more confidence,” she noted, suggesting that increased match play is helping her durability.
Beyond physical health, Raducanu’s mental fortitude has been tested by off-court challenges, including a stalking incident in Dubai that left her in tears. “It’s very difficult for me to trust new people,” she admitted, explaining her “Fort Knox” approach to her inner circle, which now includes trusted coach Mark Petchey and mentor Jane O’Donoghue. This stability has allowed her to rediscover her “competitive spirit,” as she put it after Miami, where she thrived without a full-time coach. “I’d say I’m a bit of a free spirit so I don’t need restrictions or being told what to do,” she said, embracing her unique approach. Her decision to skip the 2024 Paris Olympics to focus on hard-court preparation reflects a strategic prioritization of her health and the US Open.
To succeed at Flushing Meadows, Raducanu must focus on injury management through Nakamura’s tailored fitness regimen, ensuring she can maintain her aggressive baseline game and improved serve. Her Wimbledon performance, where she saved seven set points against Sabalenka, showed she can challenge top players, but consistency hinges on physical readiness. “I think I need more weapons. I need to hit the ball with better quality more often,” she said before Wimbledon, a goal that requires a healthy body to execute. With the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington as her first stop, where she reached the quarterfinals in 2024, Raducanu has a chance to build momentum. A deep run at the US Open would not only boost her ranking but also restore the fearlessness of her 2021 fairy tale, proving she can scale tennis’s heights once more.
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