Andy Roddick gives his verdict on Emma Raducanu as he questions the Brit’s training
Andy Roddick has raised questions over Emma Raducanu’s training methods as he shared his thoughts on the Brit ahead of the 2025 Australian Open.
The former world No 1 and 2003 US Open champion described Raducanu as a “star of the game” and “wildly intelligent” as he expressed his wish to see her play more often.
Raducanu will play world No 27 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round of the Australian Open in what will be her first match since the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November. It will be her first encounter with the 30-year-old Russian.
The 22-year-old, who is unseeded as the world No 60, is aiming to reach the third round of the Melbourne Grand Slam for the first time, having lost in the second round in each of her previous three appearances.
The 2021 US Open champion planned to start her campaign at the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland, but she was forced to pull out due to a minor back injury.
Roddick used an analogy to explain why he feels Raducanu’s priority for this year should be staying healthy and playing consistently.
“Maybe this is a terrible analogy, but I want Emma Raducanu to drive on the freeway at some time without stopping. I feel like it’s all city driving since her unbelievable run at the US Open,” the American told Betway.
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“I’m not there when she’s training, but is there a way to build up the body better? Is it more time spent training? Is it a scheduling thing? I think it probably could be a little bit of all of those.
“What I know for sure is that we would all be better off if we saw a healthy version of Emma more often.
“She’s a star of the game, she’s wildly intelligent, so I can safely speak for all of the tennis world in saying that all we want is more of her, more often.
“We want to see her healthy, happy and on the court. A lot more freeway driving, less starting and stopping.”
Raducanu finished the 2024 season as the world No 57 after amassing a 21-13 record — an impressive feat given she started the year ranked outside the top 300.
She has sought to address her injury issues by hiring Yutaka Nakamura, a renowned physical trainer who previously worked with tennis greats Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka.
