Tim Henman has told Emma Raducanu what he thinks she must improve to compete with the world’s best players including Aryna Sabalenka
Tim Henman believes Emma Raducanu needs to build greater physical strength to challenge the sport’s elite players – including world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. The British tennis player has encountered fitness issues throughout this season.
Raducanu made it to February’s Transylvania Open final, but managed only two games against 35-year-old Sorana Cirstea after requiring her blood pressure to be checked. The 2021 US Open champion subsequently withdrew from her opening match in Qatar, before wilting in a three-set loss to Antonia Ruzic in Dubai. This was followed by a humbling defeat to Amanda Anisimova in Indian Wells, where she once more secured just two games.
Questions have consistently been posed about what Raducanu requires to rediscover the form that saw her memorably claim the US Open trophy as a qualifier five years ago. The 23-year-old has appointed and dismissed at least nine different coaches since 2021 – an approach that has attracted criticism.
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And former Wimbledon semi-finalist Henman has told Sky Sports that Raducanu must concentrate on developing physically if she wants to match the sport’s top players.
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He said: “It was highlighted in a match against (Amanda) Anisimova. She’s never going to be as big a ball striker as Anisimova and the physicality that she brings to the court is obviously intimidating, as these top players are.
“But that’s where I think Raducanu needs to be physically stronger. She needs more physical resilience so she doesn’t get the little injuries that put her away from the court. They stop her building the momentum on the match court.
“You can still do a lot of physical work on the court, whether it’s two on one when you’re hitting and moving and building up that physical resilience to get stronger, to get faster, to hit the ball harder, to serve bigger. If I could pinpoint one area, it would most definitely be fitness.”
Henman also believes Raducanu can break into the top 20 and potentially challenge for a spot in the top 10 if everything clicks into place.
He added: “I think we all appreciate and understand and see how good she could be. If she can continue to add these pieces to the puzzle there’s no reason why she can’t get in the top 20 and then knock on the door of the top 10.
“It does feel however far we get away from the US Open win, that spotlight will never dim. She’s a really good athlete, but when she stretched out, she cannot withstand the power that’s coming at her and give it back and that’s where the gym work comes in.”
Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has also called on the British star to take a page from Sabalenka’s playbook by committing to a single coach over a prolonged period.
Sabalenka has thrived with a consistent support team around her, claiming multiple Grand Slam titles and ascending to world No 1 over the last couple of years. Raducanu has worked with a string of coaches during this period, most recently parting ways with Rafael Nadal’s former mentor Francisco Roig in January 2026 after just six months together. She has since enlisted the help of former coach Mark Petchey on an informal basis ahead of Indian Wells 2026.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Bartoli said: “For Emma to keep changing coaches is a difficult topic because you need to have some sort of stability.
“When you look at the coaching system, Sabalenka has had the same coach for such a long period of time and I think for Emma it’s about trying to find the right fit!”
Bartoli added: “I do strongly believe she will need to find someone she can trust for a long period of time if she wants to improve.”
