Raducanu's risky strategy backed by Tim Henman prior to US Open

Tim Henman backed Emma Raducanu after she skipped tournaments leading up to the US Open. The 21-year-old player only participated in one hardcourt tournament in the weeks leading up to the last Grand Slam of the year and skipped the WTA 1000 Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, which are typically part of the August schedule for top players.

The 2021 US Open champion did not receive wildcards for Toronto or Cincinnati, meaning she would have had to play the qualifiers before the main draw. However, she chose to skip these tournaments, arriving at Flushing Meadows with less match play than other top players.

The World No. 71 has shown improvement throughout the year, despite skipping several tournaments, including the French Open, Olympic Games, and four WTA 1000 events. Her last tournament was the DC Open earlier this month, where she reached the quarterfinals before losing to Paula Badosa.

Raducanu has faced criticism for her limited schedule, which has seen her miss some of the season's most important tournaments. However, former British No. 1 Tim Henman defended Raducanu's approach: "I think it's a little more frustrating if you don't get into those tournaments, but give her another three to six months, and she'll be a direct entry into those biggest and best events," he told Sky Sports.

"But there's no rush to play tournaments. She's still only 21, even though it feels like she's been around for so long. When she had the surgeries, two on her wrists and one on her foot, that was actually a blessing in disguise,” he added. “It really gave her a chance to step back and really look at her general fitness and resilience to build the foundation and compete on tour. When you look at the events she's played, she's played some great tennis.”

Raducanu has a tough draw in the first round, as she faces 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin (No. 54). With no previous matchups between them, the clash of former Grand Slam champions promises to be one of the most electrifying matches of the first round, with two players who have already shown they have what it takes to reach the top in the majors.