Emma Raducanu has had a torrid few months since she injured her ankle and wrists in January. The grand slam champion famously won the 2021 US Open without dropping a set, becoming the first teenager to win the championship since Serena Williams in 1999.
However, huge criticism and the lack of a consistent coach have hampered the 21-year-old Brits flow and the former Serena Williams coach believes that the only way for her to regain form is to find stability around her.
Former Seena Williams coach hopes Emma Raducanu finds stability
Serena Williams’ ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes that Emma Raducanu must find stability as she returns to tennis; otherwise, she will probably never manage to fulfill her potential to the fullest. The British star started her career in the best possible way when she won the US Open at just 18.
However, since then, Raducanu has not won any titles and has been facing an injury crisis, which has had a negative impact on her form and results. Furthermore, it is worth noting that Emma Raducanu has not had a consistent coach and has collaborated with four different coaches since the 2021 US Open. She had three surgeries in May and will be back at the beginning of the 2024 season. However, she has not yet revealed who her coach will be for 2024.
“I know that Raducanu is coming back which is great news for British tennis. She has suffered a lot both in her tennis, in her results and after that with injuries but I hope she can find some stability around her because without stability she’s not going to be able to achieve her potential and that would be sad.
“Can she trust a project & to follow that project for long enough to be able to make real progress that she needs to do in order to achieve her potential… What hurt her so much is all those changes because you cannot change your tennis project every three months, it doesn’t make sense.”
Let’s hope that she can stay injury free at the start of the season and that she can find someone who can help her fall in love with the game and tennis again for her future.” Mouratoglou told Sky Sports.
Raducanu set for her return at Auckland Open
Emma Raducanu is scheduled to make her highly anticipated return to tennis at the Auckland Open in January, as she is prepared to leave her injury struggles in the past. The British star recently participated in the Stuttgart Open in April. However, she had to undergo surgery in May on both hands and her ankle to address the ongoing issues she was facing.
She seems to have made a complete recovery and has received a wild card for the WTA 250 event in New Zealand, taking place from January 1-7. Meanwhile, her participation in the 2024 Australian Open hinges on her performance at the tournament in Auckland. While her protected ranking of 103 allows her to enter the Melbourne showpiece, it may not be sufficient to secure a spot. She might need to rely on other players withdrawing or earning a wild card.
Raducanu began her 2023 season at Auckland, beating Linda Fruhvirtova in the first round before retiring injured from her last-16 encounter with Viktoria Kuzmova, leaving the court tearfully with an ankle injury. The 21-year-old Brit is among a star-studded line-up in Auckland, with the likes of Caroline Wozniacki and Coco Gauff also in the draw.
