Emma Raducanu has revealed she plans to adopt a “savage approach” in 2025 as she looks to build on her third-round appearance at the Australian Open.
Raducanu progressed beyond the second round of a Slam for the first time since winning the US Open in 2021.
After victories against Ekaterina Alexandrova and Amanda Anisimova, Raducanu’s run was put to an end by eventual semi-finalist Iga Swiatek.
It marked a positive return to action following an injury-ridden 2024, but the good vibes were duly dampened last week when Raducanu was dumped out of the Singapore Open by Cristina Bucsa.
She’ll have a chance to right those wrongs this week when Raducanu competes at the Abu Dhabi Open, having been drawn against Marketa Vondrousova in the first round of the WTA 500-level event.
It comes amid a shift in mentality from Raducanu in recent weeks, with the 22-year-old having admitted she’s looking to be more ruthless this year.
Speaking at the Open, she said: “Anything that’s not necessarily serving me, I’m just pretty savage in terms of just prioritising myself and focusing.”
It’s a sentiment she’s since backed up. When asked to elaborate ahead of the Abu Dhabi Open, she stated: “I think it was just about my time.
“I think last year it was a difficult year for me in terms of missing the second half of the year due to injury. And I think I just had a lot of time to think and reflect in that period
“I think I just had to make some really difficult decisions. Some decisions that internally, you kind of toil with, you know emotionally you’re attached to, and I think that I wasn’t necessarily being able to do the best things for myself.”
Away from the court, Raducanu is on the lookout for a new coach, having parted ways with Nick Cavaday having stepped down following the Australian Open defeat to Swiatek.
On the hunt, Raducanu said: “I think that’s why I haven’t necessarily jumped into something straight away, because I want to make sure it’s a right fit.
“And I think this period where I don’t necessarily have someone is going to tell me a lot. It’s going to teach me a lot, what I want, what I don’t want to look for in the next person.
“So I think I’m using this time period to just figure out what I really value. I’m not too sure yet right now. I haven’t come to any plans or decisions. So yeah, I’m just taking it, using the next couple weeks to see how I feel, and then make a decision.”
Raducanu returns to action in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
