Emma Raducanu ‘needs two years to toughen up physically and mentally’, says former world No 1

Ewan West 13 Jan 2026 5:00 PM

Emma Raducanu prepares to serve

Tennis great Mats Wilander has asserted that Emma Raducanu needs “a couple of years to toughen up physically and mentally” as he gave a candid verdict on the Brit’s Australian Open prospects.

Raducanu, who is ranked 29th in the world, is set to be seeded 28th at the Australian Open after the withdrawal of 25th-ranked Zheng Qinwen.

It will be the first time Raducanu has been seeded at a Grand Slam since the 2022 US Open — the last event before the points from her 2021 US Open title win dropped from her ranking.

The Brit holds a 5-4 record at the Australian Open, having reached the third round in 2025 after second round exits in the previous three years.

The 22-year-old’s preparations for the 2026 campaign were disrupted by a foot injury she had struggled with since the end of her 2025 season.

Raducanu started her season at the United Cup, where she fell in three sets to Maria Sakkari in her first match since October. She is in action this week at the Hobart International, a WTA 250 event at which she is the No 1 seed.

What did Mats Wilander say about Emma Raducanu’s chances at the Australian Open?

Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the Australian Open, Wilander argued Raducanu is not ready to make another deep run at a Grand Slam.

“I don’t expect Emma Raducanu’s game to be good enough where she can get to the quarters or semis or final because I don’t think her game is good enough and I don’t think the preparation is there,” said the Swede, who is a former world No 1.

“I think she has the talent. I think technically she has the shots. I think the serve technically is good enough. I think in the future, she can be competing with the best players in the world, but she’s not there.

“She doesn’t need two months. She needs a couple of years of being on tour week in, week out to toughen her up physically and to toughen her up mentally.

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“She’s not ready to have a great tournament. And I’m hoping one day you will see Emma Raducanu that is physically ready.

“I know that injuries is bad luck, and to her, she’s having too much bad luck.”

Mats Wilander gives his verdict on Emma Raducanu’s coach

The seven-time Grand Slam champion also claimed that Raducanu’s coach, Francisco Roig, has the “perfect” combination of attributes to help the Brit.

“Well, I think it’s going to help because I think Emma Raducanu is still in the building part of her career,” Wilander assessed.

“Even though she’s won a Grand Slam, she’s still trying to build a game, build the way that she wants to play tennis.

“And I think Francisco Roig understands tennis as good as any person that I’ve ever met in my life, and if not, the best.

“So he really understands the game. He understands technique. He understands tactics. And I think it’s the perfect combination because she’s building. She’s not at the top.

“She doesn’t need one word to change her tennis around. She needs a whole book to read out of. And Francisco can write that book for her, and it can really help her.”