Serve On SI

Emma Raducanu Explains Fitness Mistakes & Future Fixes

Emma Raducanu revealed what caused her physical problems and plans to correct the issues.
Pat Benson|
Emma Raducanu discussed her training mistakes and plans to correct them with a new approach.
Emma Raducanu discussed her training mistakes and plans to correct them with a new approach. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

December is always the slowest month on the tennis calendar. Luckily for fans, players are more open than ever, thanks to social media and high-profile interviews.

Look no further than Emma Raducanu. The 22-year-old has shared a lot of personal information about her recovery from injuries and a new approach to regaining the physical form that helped her win the 2021 US Open.

Raducanu's decision to hire Yutaka Nakamura has earned praise. The strength and conditioning specialist has previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka.

Now, Raducanu is sharing some self-evaluation and plans for the future in an interview with The Times.

Radcuanu offered a glimpse of what her new routine under Nakamura looks like, "I'm doing lighter weights, which I actually prefer, rather than just lifting really heavy weights. More movements and long ranges because I'm very flexible, so I need to be strong in those ranges.

"A lot of the niggles or injuries that I've had are because I'm too loose and I get into these positions that I'm not able to control yet. That's one thing that we're working on," said Radcuanu.

After taking a "deep dive" to diagnose the reason for Raducanu's constant injuries, the conclusion was that her body was often not in shape for competitive matches because of an inadequate recovery from previous physical problems.

Additionally, Raducanu pointed to load management and an unclear scheduling plan. It is also worth noting that Raducanu's team has crafted a plan to improve her approach to media relations. The entire story written by Stuart Fraser is fascinating and worth a read.

Raducanu travels to Auckland on Friday to prepare for her first tournament of the season at the ASB Classic WTA 250. From there, she will have the Adelaide International WTA 500. Eventually, her month of January hits a crescendo at the Australian Open on January 12, 2025.

Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

More Tennis News

Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

Share on XFollow Pat_Benson_Jr
Home/News