Emma Raducanu recently confirmed that she is in talks to add the renowned fitness trainer to her squad as she looks to make a successful comeback from injury.
The former US Open champion is expected to open for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup final against Germany in Malaga on Friday.
This is his first tournament in two months after suffering a foot ligament injury at the Korea Open.
Raducanu has climbed more than 200 places in this year’s rankings after missing most of last season after undergoing surgery on both wrists and one ankle, but has played few tournaments in the top 60 and only three since Wimbledon.
‘My athletic ability is not up to my full potential.’
Yutaka Nakamura (front center) has previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka.
She revealed a deal to hire fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, who has previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka, is still in negotiations but has not yet been approved, and said she was “ready to commit” to physical improvements.
“I think my goal for next year is to stay on the court longer,” said Raducanu, who previously cited a desire to keep his team small as a reason for not hiring a full-time fitness trainer and relying on Lawn Tennis Association staff.
“This year I’m ranked 60th in the world, but I’ve competed in less than 15 events, and I know I can go higher and further if I stay healthy and competitive on the court.
“I think my athleticism is my strength, but I’m not at the level where I can reach my full potential. I’m ready to explore that further and put in the effort to do that.
“While the season is coming to an end for a lot of players, I feel like I’m just getting started and putting in the work, training really well, training hard and already looking forward to next year. For me, that’s not really the case. I want to rest a bit more.
“I’m looking forward to competing here this week, taking this situation and improving for next year.”
Having Raducanu available is a huge boost to England’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals where they face defending champions Canada on Sunday.
She starred last April when Great Britain unexpectedly beat France on clay and qualified directly for the finals event for the first time in the current format.
They reached the semi-finals without Raducanu two years ago but were given a wild card as hosts of the event in Glasgow.
This year, at the request of the Spanish authorities, it was scheduled to be held in Seville, but was moved to Malaga, where the Davis Cup finals will be held next week.
Heavy rain and flooding delayed the start of the event from Wednesday to Thursday, but the venue suffered no damage and fortunately the situation was not as severe as the devastating floods that hit southern Spain two weeks ago.
happy birthday
Teams were unable to practice with venues closed. This meant Raducanu’s 22nd birthday wasn’t as planned.
“I’m so grateful to my team for all the hard work they did to make me feel so special yesterday,” she said. “There was a birthday banner, cake and balloons.
“Considering the weather, it was really nice. We couldn’t go out or do anything, but that was just the way it was. Despite the conditions, we had a really good time. It was really memorable.”
Captain Anne Keothavong has the strongest team of all, with the resourceful Katie Boulter taking on the number one role and Harriet Dart, Heather Watson and doubles specialist Olivia Nicholls making up the quintet.
Boulter struggled for form from the grass-court season, but was rewarded for her time in Asia with semifinals in Tokyo and finals in Hong Kong, placing her in the top 25 for the first time.
“I feel like I’m constantly trying to find my rhythm again,” Boulter said. “I’ve gained a lot of confidence over the past few weeks. I’ve found my level again, so I think I’ll be strong next year.”
Germany is led by 84th-ranked Laura Siegemund, who is also a strong doubles player, but England will go into the match as favorites.
“I’m excited to have the best team I can field,” Keothavong said. “I believe we are the team that can win this tournament.”
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