Emma Raducanu has revealed the key reason why she hired acclaimed physio Emma Stewart ahead of the start of her 2026 campaign.
World No 29 Raducanu ended the 2025 season ranked inside the top 30, achieving her highest WTA Ranking since August 2022 — when she was still the reigning US Open champion.
With a 28-22 record for the year, 2025 proved to be a huge positive for Raducanu despite a challenging start to the season, having been ranked outside the top 50 when the season began.
Her efforts in 2025 continued her comeback from a lengthy injury layoff across the second half of 2023, having been ranked 285th in the world this time two years ago.
Looking to improve her ongoing physical conditioning after a string of physical concerns, Raducanu initially started working with acclaimed fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura at the start of 2025, though the pair split midway through the season.
However, physical fitness remains a key priority for Raducanu, and she has now hired Stewart, as first reported by multiple outlets late last month.
Stewart has previous experience working within women’s tennis, working as a WTA Tour-provided physio for a number of years.
However, more recently, she was working with the Great Britain men’s rowing team, including working as a team physiotherapist for various squads during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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Stewart will reportedly work primarily as Raducanu’s physio but is also set to take charge of the Brit’s strength and conditioning programme until a specific trainer is found for that area.
Speaking in a new interview with The i, the 23-year-old revealed that she decided to work with Stewart due to the work the two had done previously.
“I did some work with her in Madrid in 2022, and I always remembered she really helped me with my back at the time,” Raducanu says.
“In rowing, you see a lot of hips and backs… she knows how to treat it, it’s very helpful. Certain flare ups that I’ve had, she’s helped me with.”
Raducanu ended her season after an opening-round loss at the Ningbo Open in October and has since pulled out of two upcoming exhibitions, reportedly due to bone bruising.
However, the 23-year-old looks set to be back to full fitness by the start of 2026, where she will make her United Cup debut.
The world No 29 will lead Great Britain’s squad in the team event alongside ATP Tour world No 10 and British men’s No 1 Jack Draper, who himself is returning after a significant injury setback across the second half of 2025.
The United Cup will take place from January 2-11 and will swiftly be followed by the opening major of the year at the Australian Open, where Raducanu reached the third round in 2025.
Read Next: Emma Raducanu 2026 schedule: Where will star play as she targets further rankings surge?
The post Emma Raducanu explains why she hired new physio with Olympic experience appeared first on Tennis365.
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