Emma Raducanu formally confirmed that she and Maria Sharapova’s ex-strength and conditioning coach Yutaka Nakamura struck a deal earlier than excitedly stating that she will be able to “turn out to be among the finest athletes in tennis.”
After the 22-year-old sustained an unlucky foot harm in mid-October and was pressured to overlook the rest of the Asian swing, British media reported that she reached out to Nakamura, who is likely one of the most distinguished health coaches on the Tour. Previously, the 52-year-old additionally labored with Naomi Osaka.
Whereas working with Sharapova and Osaka, these two have been successful Grand Slams. Now, his subsequent job can be to raise Raducanu’s energy to a subsequent degree and assist the Briton scale back accidents and bodily setbacks going ahead – one thing that has hampered the present world No. 59 because the begin of her profession.
Now, Nakamura will be part of coach Nick Cavaday within the 22-year-old’s group.
“He’s going to be with me so much subsequent yr. I’m actually wanting ahead to it. I feel it’s good as a result of as an individual, I feel we’re fairly comparable within the sense that we’re very targeted with our work. After we work, we’re not like speaking or chit-chatting about different issues. It’s very very similar to that is our time to focus,” Raducanu advised British reporters on the Nationwide Tennis Centre in London.
Raducanu has the very best expectations for the Nakamura partnership
As talked about above, the 52-year-old is taken into account among the finest within the enterprise in tennis.
In the course of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the British tennis star battled main harm points and that led to 3 surgical procedures. Since returning to tennis firstly of 2024, the 22-year-old has appeared higher however she nonetheless handled sure accidents and niggles.
In Raducanu’s thoughts, there may be completely a room for enchancment in that regard. And he or she believes Nakamura is the one who may also help her turn out to be a lot stronger and in the end make among the finest athletes on the WTA Tour.
“I feel he’s going to assist me simply actually discover how far I can go, like athletically. I feel it is a large energy of mine that I’ve nowhere close to fulfilled. I feel I can turn out to be among the finest athletes on the market in tennis and I am simply wanting ahead to seeing how a lot I can do. My pure athleticism is one thing that I’ve to make use of. I’ve to hone it, I’ve to shine it, it is nonetheless fairly uncooked and I do not suppose wherever close to absolutely developed so he’ll assist me discover that,” Raducanu mentioned.
After sustaining a ligament harm to her foot, the previous world No. 10 was out of motion for 10 months however managed to get well in time for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. In Malaga, she gained all of her three singles matches and appeared excellent on the courtroom. In the course of the occasion, the Briton famous that she was already getting ready for the 2025 season.
And after the BJK Cup Finals concluded, Raducanu continued to follow and do health club work.
“I really feel actually robust. I really feel actually match. The one factor I can’t actually communicate for, is I haven’t performed that many matches. On the coaching courtroom I really feel superb, I’m throwing myself round, however it’s totally different enjoying matches. I performed a couple of at Fed Cup [now the Billie Jean King Cup], and I felt like I recovered nicely. I wasn’t tiring within the matches. It will simply be good to see as the extent will increase, and if I’ve to play extra [matches] back-to-back, how I’m going to react,” she famous.
Raducanu will very quickly depart for Australia
During the last week, the British tennis star practiced on the Nationwide Tennis Centre in London. However for this preseason, she desires to do one thing in a different way – on December twelfth, she is going to fly to Australia along with her group.
When she lands in Brisbane, she is going to meet her pal and fellow WTA colleague Priscilla Hon – the plan is to get some work completed and likewise accustom nicely to the situations in Australia forward of the Australian Open.
Then, Raducanu will fly to Auckland for her first event of the season which begins on December twenty ninth.
“We’re going to hit, dangle on the market, get within the warmth. I didn’t wish to go straight to Auckland as a result of for those who get to a event too early, you type of get a bit stale earlier than the match. So I needed to go there when it’s event time,” she revealed.
Additionally, Raducanu revealed that she could play the Adelaide Worldwide within the second week of the season however that relies on how she does in Auckland and if there’s a place for her in Adelaide.