Emma Raducanu news: Tim Henman exclusive on what happens next for US Open champion
Tim Henman has insisted Emma Raducanu will need time to adapt to life at the WTA Tour, as he admitted his experience watching her win the US Open last September was one of his most memorable in tennis.
Former British No.1 Henman was a constant source of advice and inspiration to Raducanu during her remarkable US Open triumph, as she moved through the qualifiers and lifted the trophy in New York.
Now he has insisted expectations need to be diluted around the 19-year-old as she heads into 2022 with a very different mindset compared to a year ago.
“Her world has turned upside down,” Henman told Tennis365 at a Eurosport and discovery+ event. “It will be a steep learning curve on and off the court and we just have to be patient.
“This is only her third Grand Slam. She has played two of them before and won one of them. It is amazing how she has burst onto the scene.
“She is a very, very good player, but she has a lot to learn. If results don’t go her way in the early part of the season, it doesn’t mean she isn’t going to be a great player in the future.
“She has to keep learning, keep working hard, doing the right things and results will come.”
Raducanu was coached to Grand Slam glory by Andrew Richardson, who was best man at Henman’s wedding to his wife Lucy and he told Tennis365 that it was a story that was hard to comprehend.
“I loved being on the side of the court and watching the way she played,” added Henman. “It was absolutely incredible, her performance.
“You look at her journey through the three weeks and the ten matches without dropping a set and I felt very privileged to be courtside. Whether I was able to support her or help her is a moot point. It was all about her. She was out there delivering the goods on the court.
“I still look back at that as the best tournament I’ve ever watched, men’s and women’s.
“Coming into the US Open in 2021, it was missing Roger (Federer), Rafa (Nadal) and Serena (Williams) and there was a hint of negativity, but as the matches unfolded there were so many tight matches and final set tie-breakers. The excitement and quality of tennis were fantastic.”
The Australian Open will be live on discovery+ and Eurosport from January 17th.
