Emma Raducanu, the 22-year-old British tennis sensation, has once again captured the attention of tennis fans worldwide as she gears up for the Australian Open. Despite facing physical setbacks and a challenging draw, Raducanu has embraced the underdog mentality, ready to prove herself against the top players in the world.
Raducanu’s journey to the Australian Open has been anything but smooth. She pulled out of her scheduled warm-up tournament in Auckland due to a back spasm, but has since recovered and resumed training at Melbourne Park. During her pre-tournament press conference, Raducanu expressed confidence in her preparation, stating, “I’ve been feeling good. I think the last 10 days I’ve had a positive block of training. Coming back on the court, adapting to the conditions here, has been good for me. Now I feel good and I feel ready to give it my best here.”
One of the key factors contributing to Raducanu’s readiness is her recent collaboration with renowned fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura. Nakamura’s expertise is expected to enhance Raducanu’s physical resilience and help her achieve her full potential. Raducanu acknowledged that building a strong body is a continuous process, saying, “I think building a body, that’s a continuous process. I think it’s not something that you necessarily put a timeline on.”
Raducanu’s first-round opponent is the 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, a player with significant experience on the tour. Raducanu, however, is unfazed by the challenge, embracing the underdog mentality. “She’s been in this situation many more times than I have. Being unseeded, you can play any top opponent. I guess I’m coming in with the underdog mentality.”
Raducanu’s confidence has been buoyed by her recent performances in practice sessions, where she has held her own against top players. “I’ve been playing sets with top players. I’m feeling like I’m holding my own more than OK in those instances and practices. I feel pretty good with my game. I’m looking forward to putting it on the match court. I think I can be a dangerous opponent for anyone really.”
As Raducanu steps onto the court at the Australian Open, she carries with her the determination and resilience that have defined her career so far. With the underdog mentality firmly in place, she is ready to take on the world’s best and continue her journey towards tennis greatness.
Emma Raducanu in 2025
WWWLWWLLWW Ranked world no.60, the Brit played her last match on the 19th of November 2024 when she defeated world no.235 Viktoria Kuzmova 6-4 6-4 in the Rubber 1 in (draw).
At the moment, during this season the Brit owns a composed 23-13 match record.
