Emma Raducanu is hard at work aiming to have a solid clay court season.
This portion of the campaign has been the most difficult for the British player since she burst on the scene back in 2021.
To further illustrate how challenging clay has been for Raducanu, she recorded her first win on the surface since 2023 against Suzan Lamens at the Madrid Open.
Raducanu played just two clay court events in 2024 and missed the French Open, but a year later she plans to compete at the clay court Grand Slam and is working hard to improve her level on the slow and low bouncing surface.
Emma Raducanu says what she is doing in training ahead of the French Open
Emma Raducanu has often been criticised for missing too many tournaments and struggles to stay fit.
The 2021 US Open winner’s multiple coaching changes have not given her much stability in what is a pivotal time in her career, but with Mark Petchey now as her coach, Raducanu is hoping for a sustained period of success.
The 22-year-old is currently at full health and ready to compete at the Italian Open, her first tournament since playing in the Spanish capital towards the end of April.
During a conversation with Sky Sports, Raducanu explained what she is focusing on in training to become more comfortable with playing on clay.
“I feel okay. I feel that I had a good time off after Madrid and just got back to practicing relatively quickly afterwards,” Raducanu said.
“I am just working on feeling a bit more comfortable on this surface. I don’t think I am fully there yet, but slowly I am putting in the good work and consistency is key, so I am keeping going.”
Emma Raducanu is adjusting to the conditions at the Italian Open before her first match
Raducanu is in Rome ready to compete at the Italian Open for the first time since 2022.
In fact, this will be just her second appearance at the Foro Italico, and she has yet to win a match there in her career.
Raducanu will start her campaign in 2025 against qualifier Maya Joint, and she has been working hard to adjust to the conditions in Rome.
“It depends on the time of day. It has not been too hot here, so it has been quite heavy,” she added. “Obviously that means it is slower and it is just a good challenge for my game.
“I want to work on doing things differently to bridge the gap between where I am now and where I want to be.
“So I am going to use the season to take pressure off and be more aggressive and play the way I want to more so, so it can help me on the other surfaces.”
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