Emma Raducanu is set to ignore key advice from British No.1 Tim Henman, suggesting that she does not ‘need matches’ to get back to her top level and explains why she’s ‘not too concerned’ over tournament results this year.
Henman told Metro.co.uk last month that Raducanu must build up her ‘physical resilience’ in 2024 and look to play at 20 tournaments this year with no setbacks.
He feels Raducanu is still ‘massively inexperienced’ on the WTA Tour but the 21-year-old – a US Open champion in 2021 and top-10 player in 2022 – is adamant that she wants to ‘work on developing skills’ rather than playing at lots of events.
Raducanu, currently ranked world No.250, is in action at Indian Wells this week as a wildcard – her fifth event since returning from nine months on the sidelines with injury and surgery – where she faces Rebeka Masarova on Thursday.
Speaking ahead of that match, Raducanu told the BBC: ‘I want to work on becoming a better tennis player.
‘I think for me I’m not too concerned about this year’s tournament [results]. A lot of people out there would say that I need matches, but I think that for me I want to work on my game and development.
‘Taking time to do that is very necessary and not just following the crowd, or playing a lot of matches, or dropping down [to Challenger level] to do that. I want to work on developing skills.’
Raducanu could be set to face world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round at Indian Wells.
The British star enjoyed her career-best Indian Wells performance last year in what was undoubtedly her finest showing in an injury-hit 2023 campaign.
British No.1 Katie Boulter is also in action at Indian Wells – seen by many as the unofficial fifth Grand Slam – and she faces Camila Giorgi in the first round.
Boulter has just enjoyed a new career high, lifting the San Diego Open trophy while unseeded to register her first WTA 500 title.
Britain’s men are also in action at Indian Wells including Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper and Dan Evans.
Murray recently confirmed that he is set for his final summer in tennis before retirement.
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