Emma Raducanu has opened up about the challenges of being one of the most marketable athletes in the world, alongside the pressures of balancing her tennis career and off-court commitments. Reflecting on her journey, the 22-year-old expressed her excitement about exploring her full potential on the court. “I feel like I’m in a pretty good spot with my tennis,” she said. “I just want to see how much I can do and fulfill my potential. I’m curious about what level I can reach. A big part of that is staying healthy, and I really want to play more.”
Raducanu has frequently been in the spotlight for her coaching changes, but now seems focused on stability with coach Nick Cavaday. Addressing the criticism over her so-called ‘coach carousel,’ she explained her coaching philosophy and long-term ambitions in tennis. “It’s never been my philosophy to constantly change coaches. I’m a very loyal person—whether it’s with tennis, off the court, or even with what I eat. I like consistency,” she said. “When I find something I like, I stick to it, like eating the same salmon every single day. Unfortunately, in the past, things didn’t always work out that way.”
Raducanu also reflected on the toll that off-court commitments have taken on her, particularly after her breakthrough victory at the U.S. Open in 2021. Despite remaining one of the top 10 highest-paid female athletes, her ranking has fallen below the top 50, and she admits that juggling external obligations has been challenging. “After my big win, there was a lot of focus on off-court stuff,” she shared. “I always gave 100 percent on the court, but I wasn’t prepared for how much energy those off-court commitments would take. Now, I’m a lot more structured. I’ll dedicate specific times to business, and then focus solely on training for the rest of the week.”
One major shift for Raducanu has been learning how to set boundaries. “I’ve learned to say no more often,” she explained. “At first, I felt bad for letting people down. I always wanted to do extra for sponsors or magazines, but now I know how to balance it.”
In addition to managing her off-court responsibilities, Raducanu has worked on improving her game strategy and fitness. She’s optimistic about her partnership with Cavaday and her new fitness coach, Yutaka Nakamura, whom she believes will help her maintain peak physical condition throughout the 2025 season. Following a foot injury in September that sidelined her for two months, Raducanu is looking forward to building on the progress she made in 2024, which included a strong comeback after undergoing triple surgery the previous year.
“I’m aiming to play more than I did this year,” Raducanu said. “With my new team, I can maintain my physical work on the road and don’t need to constantly return home to train. I’m excited about these ‘microdoses’ of physical work, which I think will be a great asset next year.”
