In her latest Sky Sports column, Gigi Salmon speaks to Emma Raducanu and her new strength and conditioning coach at the National Tennis Centre. She also discusses Raducanu’s Christmas plans and reflects on her chat with British No 1 Katie Boulter.
“I think I can become one of the best athletes out there in tennis,” the words of Emma Raducanu which I’m sure you have read in a number of pieces published about her in the last few days, including here on Sky Sports.
These quotes came from a get-together that I was lucky enough to be invited along to at the National Tennis Centre in London at the end of last week. A handful of the British tennis media had been invited along to spend some time with Emma in an informal setting an idea that was hers, so with a quick call to make sure I could get the children picked up from school if I was late back or stuck in traffic (I ended up making school pick up with five minutes to spare) it was off to Roehampton.
Yutaka Nakamura (front centre) most recently worked with former world No 1 and four-time Grand Slam Champion Naomi Osaka
It came across very quickly that building a relationship with the British press is important to Emma, and something that can work both ways as we learn more about her, she can also. She wants to learn more about us and how we work.
Emma is in pre-season with plenty to look forward to ahead of the new campaign, a settled relationship with coach Nick Cavaday who she has known since she was nine and coached her from the age of 9-11, and the newest addition to Team Raducanu, renowned strength and conditioning coach, Yutaka Nakamura.
Nakamura spent seven years on tour with Maria Sharapova during the time of her greatest successes, most recently has worked with former world No 1 and Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka while also working alongside the likes of Kei Nishikori and Dennis Shapovalov.
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Laura Robson and Tim Henman discuss the impact Raducanu’s new fitness trainer will have and how it can improve her physical resilience
Excitement at working with Raducanu
Raducanu hopes to become one of the best athletes in tennis
I was lucky enough when we arrived at the NTC to spend a few minutes with Yutaka, whose excitement at working with Emma was evident. He said they are still getting to know each other but that the vibe they already have is good, something that Emma echoed to us a little later.
He is looking forward to exploring her potential which he thinks is endless and spoke of the timing being right.
He will be a constant fixture on the tour with her in 2025 and in the words of Emma, ‘we are on the same wave length, he will help me explore how far I can go athletically, it’s a big strength of mine that I have nowhere near fulfilled I think I can become one of the best athletes out there in tennis’.
The other thing that struck me and is so important when you think you are going to be with that person or group of people week in week out is when he said, ‘she is a lovely person, a really good person’.
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Raducanu looks back at her US Open triumph in 2021…
Something else that stood out was when Emma was asked if there was one particular thing this year that made her realise that maybe some changes need to be made and it turns out it was a trip to see her Grandma in China who she went to see after her run to the quarter-finals of the Korea Open.
She spoke of exploring her creative side, playing the piano and painting while wondering what she wanted for herself and key was to stay healthy next year and to bring someone in to come on the road and that lead to a week’s trial at Wimbledon with Yutaka Nakamura.
December for Raducanu sees her fly to Brisbane on Thursday for some warm weather training where she will link up with good friend and fellow WTA player Priscilla Hon, before heading to New Zealand to spend Christmas with her best friend’s family, and while December in London is her favourite month, it will be a beach and a BBQ for Christmas Day! And then the season will start at the WTA 250 ASB Classic in Auckland.
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Martina Navratilova believes Raducanu should take ownership of her tennis career…
Boulter will never be satisfied
Katie Boulter will represent Great Britain in the United Cup
It all feels and sounds really positive and while Emma said she doesn’t have a particular New Year’s resolution. It’s clear that fitness and staying healthy is a big goal for 2025 and it’s a shared goal with British No 1 Katie Boulter, who I spoke to at the NTC at the start of the week.
Katie finished the year at a career high ranking, two titles this year including her first at 500 level in San Diego and she said that the biggest frustration from this year is that she will never be satisfied, which is part of what drives her.
Boulter is leaving the UK a little later and will stay in Europe before heading out to get ready to represent Great Britain in the United Cup, but she says she went with her partner Alex de Minaur to buy a Christmas tree and give him a little taste of a British Christmas, and there will be a day with family before she heads off and the season gets under way.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
- United Cup featuring Great Britain – December 27, 2024 – January 5, 2025
- Brisbane International (ATP 250) – December 29, 2024 – January 5, 2025
- ASB Classic, Auckland (WTA 250) – December 30, 2024 – January 5, 2025
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.