Since her 2021 Wimbledon debut, Emma Raducanu has become one of the most talked about names in tennis. But with fame came pressure. After a series of troubling injuries, she’s now entering a new era as she moves towards a more sustainable raft of training and wins.
Aged just 22, she tells me she’s now in the midst of finding the balance between recovery, wellbeing and performance both on and off the court. In a way, this is an opportunity that comes in the later stages of a seasoned athlete’s career. For Raducanu, the last few years have given her a unique insight on what it takes to get ahead – both physically and mentally.
Prior to her Wimbledon appearance, Raducanu was forced to take a step back from the relentless pace of elite tennis. While this was difficult for her, a break offered a shift in perspective. Her training now looks different and she explains that she’s leaning into a quieter kind of strength.
She tells me, “getting ready for the tournaments, fitness training is the same as always but [I’m also] making sure I get time off the court as well to kind of de-stress and take my time. Having Emma time, to just be on my own.”
Raducanu explains that recovery isn’t just something she slots in around the hard work, it’s a core part of it. And yes, while she is partial to an ice bath, recovery can also mean spending time with loved ones to boost her mood and help her to re-centre herself.
“I love going for walks. I go for a lot of walks – morning, evening, whenever I can fit them in. [I] go find a nice little coffee shop, maybe a gallery here and there, I’m quite into my art too. Otherwise [I’m] reading or spending time with friends if I can,” she says.
Of course, the delicate balance of recovery and training means pushing the body to its limits and then winding down to gear up for a harder push. Intensity is still a staple in the rising star’s training and she’s incorporated different elements to test herself ahead of Wimbledon.
“I love doing hot yoga. It’s my favourite type of exercise and it makes me pretty strong in the heat as well.” She notes the highs of 33 degrees on Wimbledon’s opening day. “Afterwards you feel great ‘cause you sweat so much. It’s just a great feeling after all the endorphins.”
Emma Raducanu’s training routine
She tells me there isn’t a rigid schedule when it comes to training, but she is consistent in finding balance between her court work, gym and recovery. When transitioning between surfaces, for example, she explains that it takes “a little bit of extra time” to adjust, sharing that this time around, “it took me a good 10 days, but I feel pretty comfortable now on the grass.”
Off the court, Raducanu’s focus is on her core muscles, which she says helps with the back injury that’s lingered since the pre-season. She’s also putting more of an emphasis on legs and the posterior chain, explaining that “on grass you need to stay low for longer.”
“I’d say reformer Pilates and hot yoga is so good for the deep core work, which is really helpful for the back.”
As a part of a typical training week, she tells me she practices, “twice a day and [I’ll do] one maybe two gyms a day with a longer warm up.”
In total, what she describes as a “proper” training week will see her at around “20 hours on court.” Meanwhile, off the court she works to, “recover well, sleep well, hydrate and eat well.”
“I have a good practice session before hopefully getting ready for the next day and just do a lot of treatment – a lot of physio and compression, ice. It does take a while but it’s worth it at the end of the day cause your body feels refreshed after.”
If the recovery time follows a win, “then that evening I really try and take the win in and enjoy it and savour it,” she says.
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In terms of maintaining energy during long matches, Raducanu works with an expert nutritionist but explains that she sticks to simple rules. “I stay hydrated, making sure I take my Evian.”
“I’ve started eating a lot more protein. I think I was pretty down on protein and I’m trying to get my iron levels up. I’m having a lot more steak, which the doctor ordered, and I’m not complaining about.”
Routine, simple intentional rules and a willingness to enjoy the process seems to be working in the tennis star’s favour as she sets out to play her first match on Court One.
The athlete is taking a more longevity-focused approach to her health – one that’s about building a body that’s match-ready, a positive mindset and a life that feels satisfying. She tells me between her taxing workouts she’s studying art history and that she brings a Jellycat toy along in her gym bag as a good luck charm on match days.
“I’m looking forward to Wimbledon and it’s always special playing in my home slam here. This year the weather is so nice – last year it rained a lot so we’re really getting to make the most out of the British summer.”
Emma Raducanu’s match against Mingge Xu is the third and final match on Court 1 on Monday 30 June.
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