Henman's Perspective: Raducanu's Coaching Future and Tennis's Physical Demands

The Lead

Tennis is in a good place, but I think it could be better, says Tim Henman when asked about the state of the sport that has consumed most of his life. The 51-year-old, who played in six grand slam semi-finals and reached No 4 in the world, offers unique insights into Emma Raducanu's coaching situation and the physical demands of modern tennis.

Henman's Perspective on Raducanu's Coaching

Henman was close to Raducanu during her unforgettable US Open run in 2021. When she clinched the title, the first person she turned to was Henman, who was working as a television pundit at the time. This connection gives him a unique perspective on her relationship with coach Andrew Richardson.

What did he think when, two weeks after she won what is, to date, her solitary adult title, Raducanu removed Richardson as she said he was not experienced enough? I was surprised she chose not to work with him, Henman admits. She's worked with a lot of coaches since then and now I really hope that her decision to get back with Andrew works for both their sakes.

He's one of my best friends and I've also been around Emma. So it would be good if results improve. Henman notes that Raducanu and Richardson have made headway, with her reaching the Queen's Club final recently, though she ultimately lost to Donna Vekic.

The Impact of Sudden Success

Raducanu won the grand slam title that eluded Henman, but she has a long way to go before she matches the depth of his overall achievements. The way he had to fight for his spot on tour forged a resilience and steeliness in him.

Does he believe Raducanu's shock US Open victory damaged her development? It was so unexpected because no one had ever qualified and made the final of a slam, let alone qualified and won it. So she didn't really have a foundation to build from, Henman explains. She'd just done her A-levels and played some grass-court tournaments and then her ranking went up to No 20 in the world.

All of a sudden she was playing top-level events and she wasn't ready, physically and mentally. You can't drop down to build match practice and resilience but would you rather it had not happened? Absolutely not. It's one of the most incredible achievements in sport.

The Physical Toll of Modern Tennis

Even more than Raducanu, Jack Draper has struggled physically, and the most talented British men's tennis player on tour has missed most of the last year through injury. Henman expresses his misgivings in regard to the brutal calendar that has resulted in the injury of so many leading players.

The schedule needs looking at because less is more and I would definitely streamline it, Henman says. The Masters 1000 events should be eight or nine days and then you need some periods where there is no tennis at the very highest level. It's good for the players and fans and builds expectation for the next event.

I'm not a fan of the 12-day Masters 1000 events. Physically and psychologically that is tiring and, if anything, we should be trying to shorten the season.

Future Prospects for British Tennis

Is Richardson the right coach to help Raducanu find consistency and durability? Of course. He was a good player and he understands the game well. He's got a good history with Emma as they've known each other since she was in her early teens, Henman believes.

When asked whether she can win another slam, Henman is cautious. It would be very hard. Not many people win slams so you could say, if you've done it once, you can do it again. But it's all about the process. She's got to become physically more resilient to build up her schedule, her match count, her weight of shot, her speed of movement and durability.

As for Draper, who reached No 4 in the world 15 months ago but has missed most of the last year through injury, Henman says: He's just got to try and stay patient because, if you're not healthy, you can't compete.