Former ATP World No. 4 Tim Henman is convinced by Emma Raducanu's tennis ability but advises his compatriot to bide her time before returning to the court.
Henman, a former British No. 1, has been very supportive of Raducanu when speaking to the media. He is of the view that results are unlikely to be an obstacle for the 20-year-old when she returns to the WTA tour but wants her to heal completely from any niggling injuries.
The four-time Wimbledon semifinalist highlighted the importance of building a solid base when it comes to the physical side of the game, stating that Raducanu lacks that at the moment in order to cope with the rigors of the tour week in and week out.
"It is above all about the physical side and building the resilience to stand up to the demands of the tour week in, week out. She has always been different with coaches and some people like to do things differently in an individual sport. I have absolutely no doubts about her tennis ability, but it’s the physical side and building that base around you."
Raducanu hasn't played competitively since mid-April when she was comprehensively beaten by Jelena Ostapeko in Stuttgart. Since then she underwent multiple surgeries, on her wrists and ankle, and only started hitting on a tennis court very recently.
Her return to action remains a mystery despite committing to play at the Macau exhibition next month in China. Henman urged the former US Open champion not to rush her comeback and instead build on her physique which is a non-negotiable requirement in the modern game.
"It is the fundamental requirement in the modern game and she needs to be using this time to create that. Jack Draper (her equally talented British contemporary) has realized the importance of this and you are seeing him reap the benefits."
"Perhaps she needs to look at what Jack has been doing. Everyone wants her to succeed and you just hope she will make the right choices to achieve what she is capable of. Emma should take her time."
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