The season is over: coming back to the court after the three surgeries in 2023 was already an important step but, in general, Emma Raducanu has shown in this 2024 glimpses of the great talent that three years ago led her to win the US Open at just 19 years old.
At the Billie Jean King – the last event of the women’s season – the British player gave a great contribution, which unfortunately was not enough for her team to win the title against Italy, but it certified how much good the 23-year-old showed in her comeback season.
And these changes and improvements were confirmed by the British player herself, who, in an interview for Tennis Majors, underlined how she aims to become one of the best athletes.
“I feel very strong. I feel very fit. The only thing I can’t talk about is that I haven’t played many matches. So it’s different. On the practice court I feel great. I feel like I’m running, throwing myself around the court, but it’s different playing matches. I played a couple of matches in the Fed Cup and I felt good. I felt like I recovered well. I didn’t get tired during the matches. It will be good to see how I react when the level increases and if I have to play more matches in a row,” she explained.
Emma Raducanu© LTA/Instagram
The British tennis player has clear ideas for the future. The contribution of her new fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura – who has already worked in the past with players such as Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka – could push her to make a decisive leap in quality for her career.
“When we work, we don’t talk or chat about other things. It’s like our time to concentrate. When we’re off the court or in the gym, we talk about everything. On the court we don’t talk about chit-chat and things like that. I think it’s good to have someone who is on the same wavelength as you.
He will help me understand how far I can push myself, for example athletically. I think that’s one of my strengths and I’m not there yet. I think I can become one of the best athletes in tennis and I can’t wait to see what I can do. And I think he’s going to help me a lot. And the way I’m working with him and Nick is much more integrated,” added Raducanu.
Tennis World USA