Tim Henman believes Emma Raducanu ‘needs a new coach’, having recently watched the tennis star lose to the world No 101 at the Singapore Open.
Raducanu exited the competition on Monday, with the Briton losing a three-hour epic against Cristina Bucsa.
The 22-year-old Briton is currently without a coach, having split from Nick Cavaday after the recent Australian Open.
And Henman believes Raducanu must make bringing in a new mentor a priority, while also revealing he feels she must improve physically in order to challenge the best players on the planet.
Emma Raducanu made the third round of the Australian Open prior to losing at the Singapore Open on Monday
REUTERS
“It’s for her and her team to look at. I think she needs a coach,” he said, per the Daily Express.
“I think it’s great that she’s now got a fitness trainer on board because which is the priority, is it technical, physical, or mental?
“I think it’s physical – to build up that resilience – so that she can compete, week in, week out.
“I never really felt like it’s been an issue of her level. I think, when she has played, her level has always been very, very good.”
Raducanu competed in 13 events last year, with injuries preventing her from taking to the court more.
Yet Henman wants the 22-year-old to pack out her calendar, with the former world No 4 adding: “If you look at her breakdown of her ranking last year, she played 33 matches, and I think 11 on grass.
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“When you look at the other 10 months of the year, to only have played 22 matches, that’s so few.
“And she is completely aware of that, so she’ll get a coach I’m sure at the right moment, but I think the work physically she’s doing is is the most important thing.”
Raducanu admitted after her Singapore Open exit that she felt she’d played better there, compared to the Australian Open.
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Tim Henman believes Emma Raducanu ‘needs a new coach’, having recently watched the tennis star lose to the world No 101 at the Singapore Open
PA
That comment raised eyebrows, especially given how she lost to a player below her in the world rankings.
Raducanu is clearly keen to bounce back immediately, however, having decided to enter qualifying in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
And that, for Henman, is a big positive.
Emma Raducanu has decided to play in Abu Dhabi just days after her defeat at the Singapore Open
REUTERS
“I think that’s a great move and if she can just stay healthy and she competes a lot, there results will come, because she’s that good,” continued the 50-year-old.
“If she wasn’t good enough, then you would say, ‘Well, she’s got to be careful with her schedule and try and choose some weaker tournaments’.
“But if she keeps the number of tournaments that she can compete in and stays healthy, I’m convinced that the results will follow.”