Henman's advice to Raducanu: Play lower-level tennis to regain mojo

Emma Raducanu will return to action in a matter of weeks at the ASB Classic in Auckland which begins on January 1, 2024 and sees her play for the first time since April.

But Tim Henman believes that Raducanu should go down a different course of action to return going forward with her ranking currently low so getting entries without wildcards may prove difficult.

Henman said to Eurosport that Raducanu should play ITF, WTA 125k/Challenger, or lower level tennis to get her tennis mojo back and so she is at least playing tennis. As well as staying injury-free. That is of course easier said than done with the fame of the Brit after winning the US Open in 2021 meaning that playing lower level is less likely.

“I think for me, any event that she's going to play is great. If it's qualifying at the Australian Open, great. If she gets into the main draw, great. If she's going to drop down and sort of play smaller WTA events, Challenger events, ITF events, it does not matter. Just to be on the court competing and staying injury free, that is the biggest tick in the box that Raducanu could have," said Henman to Eurosport.

But one comeback that Henman is massively excited for is the return of Naomi Osaka after becoming a mother for the first time. It has garnered some excitement as of late with Patrick Mouratoglou admitting himself that the WTA needs superstars and Osaka is one.

“I think it's massively exciting to have Osaka coming back because she just played such incredible tennis in the Slams,” Henman added. “But she obviously had her struggles mentally, and to have been away from the court and now to be the mother of a child, I think inevitably that's going to give you a different perspective.

“When the pressure is slightly off from within, then I think when you get that type of freedom, you can play some of your best tennis. If she can be on the court playing with a smile on her face and showing her abilities, her ball striking, and the tennis that we've seen in the past, then she's a huge addition to world tennis.”