Emma Raducanu started working with Yutaka Nakamura, a fitness trainer best known for his work with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka.
The 22-year-old, who will fly to Brisbane next week for warm-weather training ahead of the new season, said Nakamura would be with him “almost every week” of the year.
Injuries have hampered Raducanu’s career since he won the US Open as a teenager in 2021.
But after a trial run earlier in the fall, he felt now was the right time to add a dedicated fitness expert to his team.
“I think he will help me explore how far I can go, like athletically,” Raducanu said.
“I think that is a great strength of mine that I have not been able to fulfill. I think I can be one of the best athletes in the world of tennis and I’m just looking forward to seeing how much I can do.
“My natural athleticism is something I have to use. I have to hone it, I have to polish it, it’s still quite raw and I don’t think it’s fully developed yet so he’ll help me explore that.”
Nakamura has been training with Raducanu and his coach Nick Cavaday at the National Tennis Center in London all week.
After Christmas in New Zealand, Raducanu will start the season in Auckland at the end of December and also hopes to play in Adelaide before the Australian Open starts on January 12.
