Emma Raducanu's Wimbledon hopes were dashed after a stress fracture in her leg, prompting former British No. 1 Tim Henman to emphasize the need for greater physical resilience from the young player. Raducanu withdrew from the tournament late Sunday night after a scan revealed the injury had worsened. She had been dealing with the lower leg issue for several weeks, with her participation in the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club earlier in June reportedly exacerbating the problem.
Henman, a consistent supporter of Raducanu since her 2021 US Open victory, told Daily Mail Sport prior to her withdrawal that while her tennis game does not need altering, her physical conditioning does. "Does Emma need to change anything in her tennis game? Absolutely not. Does she need to become physically more resilient? 100 per cent yes," Henman stated. He pointed to her tournament schedule, noting that playing one week on grass and then missing the next, with an absence from practice leading into Wimbledon, indicates a lack of physical resilience.
Raducanu's coach, Andrew Richardson, who is a childhood friend of Henman and was best man at his wedding, has returned to her team this summer. Henman expressed confidence that Richardson, known for demanding high physical standards, will address the issue, although the primary responsibility for fitness lies with Raducanu's trainer, Emma Stewart. Henman stressed the importance of a coordinated approach among the coaching, training, and physiotherapy staff.
"You can't have a coach working separately from a physical trainer, working separately from a physio," Henman said. "You're a team and you've got to communicate and coordinate, and so I'm sure Andrew is leading that."
He further commented on the contrast with top players who manage to play multiple consecutive weeks, a feat Raducanu has struggled to achieve. This season, Raducanu has competed in only 10 events, playing a total of 20 matches. Her 2025 season was previously impacted by bone bruising in her right foot, and she missed a significant portion of the current year due to a viral illness. Despite these setbacks, she reached two finals, in Cluj and at Queen’s, demonstrating her continued talent, though physical issues remain a persistent challenge.