Raducanu and Cavaday’s split came after her run to the third round of the Australian Open. The world No. 56 has already worked with six different coaches since her tour debut in the 2021 grass season. Following the split, Raducanu played in Singapore, where she lost in the first round, and has now taken a wildcard into the qualifying rounds for Abu Dhabi.
Despite competing without a coach, Raducanu isn’t traveling alone. During the off-season, she hired fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, who has been accompanying her on tour. Henman, a former world No. 4, weighed in on her situation, expressing that while she does need a new coach, her physical condition should be her top priority.
“I think it’s great that she’s now got a fitness trainer on board,” Henman said. “But when it comes to what’s most important—technical, physical, or mental—I believe it’s physical. She needs to build resilience to compete consistently, week after week.”
Henman emphasized that Raducanu’s playing level has always been high when she’s on the court, but her lack of physical durability has held her back. In 2024, Raducanu competed in just 13 events and two Billie Jean King Cup ties, managing only 33 matches in total—11 of which were on grass.
“She is fully aware of how few matches she played last year,” Henman continued. “I’m sure she’ll hire a coach at the right time, but for now, the work she’s doing on her physical conditioning is the most important.”
