Emma Raducanu has been branded as a ‘phenomenal athlete’ by former world No. 4 Tim Henman who suggest that being away from the stressful tour life for a while could be of help for the 2021 US Open Champion.
The Brit rose to overnight stardom in the summer of 2021 when she reached the R4 at SW19 as a wildcard before becoming the first qualifier to seal a GS at New York. However, the fairytale success of the 20-year old at Flushing meadows was followed by a variety of injury setbacks and a tainted form that put her under lot of pressure.
The injuries led to her undergoing surgeries on both her wrists and also left ankle at a very early time of her career that was otherwise showing signs of great future success.
The former WTA no. 10 is back on practice courts in her mother’s home city of Shenyang, China.
Former British No. 1, Tim Henman believes that his compatriot would have gathered ‘physical resilience’ while on the sidelines.
“In my opinion her tennis ability is so outstanding – that will always be there,” said Henman.
“The challenge for her is to build up this physical resilience. She’s had a difficult time. And that’s where I think the surgeries could be a blessing in disguise – that it gives her the opportunity to put in the real hard yards to build up that physical resilience.”
Henman, continued, “In 12 months’ time, for argument sake, if Raducanu is not out in tournament play and winning matches I don’t think it will be because she hasn’t got the necessary tennis level. It’s more about the physical resilience.
“Because you can’t achieve what she achieved without being a phenomenal tennis player and a phenomenal athlete. Her journey was almost back to front, she didn’t have that foundation. She just won on pure natural ability and now the demands of the Tour, playing week in week out, competing, puts enormous strain on your body. And she’s got to build up that resilience. And I’m sure she’ll do that.”
Meanwhile Raducanu is trying to recover in time before the start of the next season and will be set to miss the US Open for the first time since she clinched the title 2 years ago.
Henman, a 4-time Semi-finalist at Wimbledon highlighted the disappointment the young Brit will be having after missing the New York major that built her, “She’ll be the most disappointed of anyone not to be at the US Open given her history, but being so young there will be so many opportunities ahead of her. So this is a great chance for her to kind of build to give her that foundation to be back on the match courts whenever she’s ready.”