Fri. Mar 29th, 2024


Tennis pioneer Billie Jean King says Emma Raducanu would benefit using a sports psychotherapist as she bids to regain the form that took her to last year’s US Open title.

The 19-year-old called an early halt to her WTA Tour season after a problem with her wrist last month in a year plagued by injuries.

Raducanu is now focussing on the physical work that was clearly lacking this season under the tutelage of Andy Murray’s former trainer Jez Green, with her next scheduled event set for Abu Dhabi on December 16 in a pre-season exhibition.

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain during practice ahead of the Agel Open at Ostravar Arena on October 02, 2022 in Ostrava, Czech Republic (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
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Raducanu is currently working with Andy Murray’s former trainer Jez Green

Raducanu, who sent the tennis world into a spin when she came through qualifying, not dropping a set in 10 matches to win at Flushing Meadows, has struggled on her first full season on the Tour.

She went out in the first round at the US Open and the second round of the other three Grand Slams. The British No 1 has also dropped to 76th in the WTA rankings having broken into the top 10 in July.

As well as injuries, Raducanu has had a succession of changes to her coaching set-up, with Dmitry Tursunov the latest to part ways with the teenager.

“Now I think that she needs to have space and time and talk to people she trusts,” King said ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals which start next week in Glasgow.

“I would hope she has a psychotherapist, I think they’re very helpful in hearing yourself. I’ve been going forever. It really helped my life.”

Emma Raducanu of Britain arrives for her match against Magda Linette of Poland during the women's quarter final match at the Korea Open tennis championships in Seoul on September 23, 2022. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
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The British No 1 will miss the Billie Jean King Cup Finals due to a wrist injury

Raducanu’s whirlwind rise to fame has inevitably placed high demands on her young shoulders and 12-time Grand Slam singles champion King said choosing the right people to have around is vital for her progress.

“I hope she gets people she can trust, who have no agenda. She needs to get away from people who have agendas, like ‘I wanna coach you, I wanna do this’ forget that,” King said.

“She needs to be herself and she’s very bright, actually very level-headed. I’m really impressed with her as a human being.”



By Dave Jenks

Dave Jenks is an American novelist and Veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Between those careers, he’s worked as a deckhand, commercial fisherman, divemaster, taxi driver, construction manager, and over the road truck driver, among many other things. He now lives on a sea island, in the South Carolina Lowcountry, with his wife and youngest daughter. They also have three grown children, five grand children, three dogs and a whole flock of parakeets. Stinnett grew up in Melbourne, Florida and has also lived in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. His next dream is to one day visit and dive Cuba.