Emma Raducanu is concentrating on turning into among the best athletes in tennis after hiring health coach Yutaka Nakamura.

Recognized for his work with Maria Sharapova and, extra lately, Naomi Osaka, Nakamura will journey with Raducanu all through the season.

Persistent accidents since her beautiful victory on the US Open in 2021 have saved Raducanu away from the court docket for prolonged durations and addressing an absence of bodily robustness is a much-needed step.

“I believe he’s going to assist me simply actually discover how far I can go, athletically,” mentioned the 22-year-old, who had beforehand relied on Garden Tennis Affiliation employees for her health coaching.

“I believe it’s an enormous power of mine that I’ve nowhere close to fulfilled. I believe I can change into among the best athletes on the market in tennis and I’m simply wanting ahead to seeing how a lot I can do.

“And I believe he’s actually going to assist with that. And the best way I’m working with him and Nick, it’s much more built-in.”

Raducanu has discovered stability in her teaching set-up over the past 12 months with childhood mentor Nick Cavaday, and each he and Nakamura will be part of the British quantity two when she flies out to Australia subsequent Thursday.

Having educated on the Nationwide Tennis Centre in London since serving to Britain attain the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup final month, Raducanu will now head to Brisbane for some warm-weather work.

She is going to spend Christmas in New Zealand earlier than taking part in her first match of the brand new season in Auckland beginning on December 30.

Having missed two months on the again finish of the 2024 season with a foot harm, Raducanu is raring to play as a lot as attainable within the early weeks and can be hoping to compete in Adelaide forward of the Australian Open, which begins on January 12.

“I really feel like I’m in a reasonably good place to simply get on court docket as a lot as I can,” mentioned Raducanu, who’s presently ranked 59th on the earth.

“I really feel actually robust. I really feel actually match. The one factor I can’t actually communicate for is I haven’t performed that many matches. On the coaching court docket I really feel wonderful. I really feel like I’m operating round, throwing myself round on the court docket, but it surely’s completely different taking part in matches.

“I performed a number of (at Billie Jean King Cup) and I felt good. I felt like I recovered properly. I wasn’t tiring within the matches. It could simply be good to see as the extent will increase, and if I’ve to play extra back-to-back, how I’m going to react.”

The tennis world was rocked final week when it was introduced Iga Swiatek had been given a one-month doping ban following a optimistic take a look at in August.

The five-time grand slam champion’s clarification {that a} complement she took had been contaminated with a prohibited substance was accepted, and Raducanu admitted it has left her feeling uneasy.

“I believe basically, not simply me however numerous the gamers I do know, we’re fairly apprehensive,” she mentioned.

“The whole lot we take, we’re very conscious of the state of affairs and the way simply issues may be contaminated. And there are particular dietary supplements that I’ll wish to take however I can’t take them as a result of they’re over-the-counter they usually’re not batch examined (pre-tested for prohibited substances).

“To batch take a look at one thing is £1,000 for one little factor, so it’s very costly. For the issues that you simply actually, really want to take, then it’s clearly price that, however you simply have to chop out numerous issues that you simply wouldn’t essentially take.

“I’m very cautious with what I drink, what I eat. If I depart my water round, I’m very on edge about it. However it’s simply a part of the game. We’re all in the identical boat.”