Emma Raducanu is ‘a long way’ from reaching the physical levels required to compete with the best players in the game, according to respected commentator Nick Lester.
Raducanu went out of the Australian Open in the second round in Melbourne after a defeat against Anastasia Potapova, with the British No 1 suggesting she is not happy with the direction of her career after a straight sets defeat.
After achieving her aim of securing a seeded position for the first Grand Slam of 2026, Raducanu went out of the tournament in limp fashion and that was primarily due to her latest injury issue.
The 2021 US Open champion has been struggling with a foot injury that severely hampered her off-season and she admitted her first competitive set in two months came when she took on Maria Sakkari at the United Cup earlier this month.
Now Lester has given his verdict on Raducanu, as he appeared on the latest episode of the Off Court with Greg podcast.
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“Everything we are hearing in Melbourne is that physically, she is still a long way off where she needs to be by comparison with the players she wants to be matching,” said Lester.
“Health wise it has been a challenge for her. I think getting stronger and finding a way to add a few more weapons to her game to hurt the best players in the world is going to be a challenge.
“Then I guess, for her, it’s about finding ways to win on days when she is not playing her best tennis. That’s the next step for her.
“Hopefully she can get a good run of events together, as she did last year.”
When identifying the players who have worked hard to improve their physicality and take their game to the next level, Lester identified the three dominant stars of the women’s game as he named Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff.
“On the physical side, she is still behind her peers in terms of being able to stay with those players,” he added on Raducanu. “You look at Sabalenka, you look at Swiatek and you look at Guaff and athletically, they have advanced their careers.
“Coco and Iga are the two best athletes in this sport by quite a distance. They move so well, they cover the court so well and the injuries and the body is a little more frail for Emma at the moment.”
Raducanu suggested she was not happy with the tactics she was using in big moments after her defeat against Potapova, sparking speculation that she may split with coach Franciso Roig.
Yet Lester is convinced the coach who has worked with Rafael Nadal can add a lot to Raducanu’s game.
“From what I’ve heard, Francisco is an outstanding coach,” he added. “His attention to detail is of the highest order.
“People who were behind the scenes at the United Cup and saw him working were very impressed. He is held in very high regard and hopefully that’s a partnership that has got some length to it. I think he is someone most players would want in their corner.”
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