Emma Raducanu lifts the lid on major changes she's made to her fitness regimen

Emma Raducanu recently opened up about the big changes she made to her fitness regimen to improve her game on the court and reduce the risk of injury as she begins her season at the Australian Open 2025. The former World No. 10 will face 26th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova on Monday, January 13.

Among the major changes Emma Raducanu made was bringing on board strength and conditioning coach Yutaka Nakamura in December last year.

Nakamura is well-known in the tennis circuit, having previously worked alongside top players such as Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, and Naomi Osaka. Addressing the media at a press conference in Melbourne on Friday, January 10, Raducanu shed light on the impact Nakamura has had on her regimen.

“I think having him in my camp has been a really good addition. He's helped me a lot just in terms of microdosing bits the fitness here and there throughout the day, tapering and managing my loads. I'm someone who is always going to want to push more, train more, do more. Sometimes actually having him to adapt the exercises or pull me back has been helpful,” she said.

The 2021 US Open winner added that Nakamura’s experience of working with some of the biggest women’s players on the tennis circuit is a massive advantage.

“He's also a really committed person, someone who is quite reliable as well. Every day I know that there's not going to be any major surprises coming my way. He's just been obviously with a lot of experienced and top players. So having that and his belief and confidence in me has helped a lot,” she added.

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Emma Raducanu opens up on 'feeling the difference' after working with Yutaka Nakamura

Emma Raducanu struggled through the 2022 and 2023 seasons with injuries to her back and wrist. She subsequently underwent surgeries on her ankle and wrists. Not long after, the Brit hurt her left foot after the Korea Open in 2024, and in search of a long-term solution, brought Nakamura onto her team.

Discussing his impact on her warm-up sessions and the 'continuous process' of rebuilding fitness, Raducanu said:

“I think building a body, that's a continuous process. I think it's not something that you necessarily put a timeline on. Like, Okay, in a year I'm going to be a top athlete. Even when you're a top athlete, there are always things you can do better. But I think I do already feel a difference when I step on the court.”

Emma Raducanu plays a backhand during a practice session ahead of the 2025 Australian Open. Source: Getty

Expressing her trust in Nakamura's judgment to unlock her full potential, Raducanu added:

“I feel like I'm quite reactive and explosive. I think that stems from my warm-ups being not necessarily warm-ups, but they're more like a bit of a session. I feel just ready to go when I'm on the court. I trust his work and trust his judgment.”

She will begin her Australian Open 2025 campaign on January 13 when she takes on Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in the opening round. This will mark the first time the two will face each other on tour.