Henman's advice to Raducanu: Play lower-level tennis to regain mojo
WTAWednesday, 20 December 2023 at 10:03
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.
Read also
“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.
Osaka comeback exciting - Henman
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.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I love WTA matches. Seek them out as much as possible on youtube and other platforms I already subscribe to. With that in mind, I do not wish to pay $$$ to a notoriously slippery subscription conglomerate sports broadcaster (like SkySports) just for the privilege to watch it and the tnt/eurosport/discovery subscription went from $$ to $$$+ annually in a blink of an eye. With ATP I have been begrudgingly paying xyz tennis only channel and try to catch up on slams elsewhere (pubs, youtube with USO later on games are just as enjoyable to watch and a smart move to upload on their official channel) but they don't cover WTA. I tried another Tennis dedicated channel that advertised originally as broadcasting where I live, but turned out, they took the money, but didn't cover the matches (only fluff/filler value documentaries). I don't understand why it is so hard to not lock the live matches to one broadcaster only refusing so many people who are happy to pay for the privilege just not through that one entry point. WTA is so exciting for the last few years and they really should capitalise on it as much as possible. And I know it is somewhat naive talking without knowing the inner works, but not being able to find any WTA other than youtube (and then only highlights mostly) is just so frustrating.JayJay11-09-2026
- Clearly not AI :-)
AceOfBase11-09-2026 - Oh my God!! Does anyone proofread these pages??? Case in point: However, the question mark over the 32-years-old head......???? No! No! No! However, the question mark over the 32-year-old's head...good grief man, hire a proofreader. This article is rife with errors making some sentences very difficult to read. I had to stop. I am a proofreader hence my disgust.Rapunzel10-09-2026
- Iga needs to make a decision whether she wants to continue the sport of tennis or pursue whatever she has going on in her personal life. One can tell that tennis is no longer an interest of hers. She should retire while she is on top, not when she slides to the bottom of the rankings. She has too much talent to look how she does on the court these days. She looks more like a wild card than a champion.crissy09-09-2026
- Looks like tennis has become a part of the American Oligarchy. As usual, Pegula is given a cupcake draw. With all her money, they have to fixed the draws in her favor in order to raised the trophy.crissy09-09-2026
- Huge win for Ben! He needed this. Amazing that Alcaraz took over four months off and still was able to make the QF’s and take Ben to a fifth set tie break! Insane tennis. Tiafoe vs. Shelton should be a good one too. Americans might finally get their US Open Champion after 23 years!DaveyWavey09-09-2026
- No one else would get away with this but these AMERCANS! It’s the US Open!! In America!! But sure, go off American ;)DaveyWavey08-09-2026
- WOW !!! Her comebacks have been intense. She's Baaaaack!
mandoist08-09-2026 - Don't lay this shitshow on "Americans". It is a long-running Ego trip with WTA allowing these two Elitists 'in need of a Camera' illicit Wildcards. If these two clowns want to "perform" -- then play the qualies.mandoist08-09-2026
- Here we go again…. Different rules for Americans! Especially THESE Americans. Yuck!DaveyWavey07-09-2026
Loading
