Tim Henman sets target for Emma Raducanu ahead of Australian Open and 2026 season

Emma Raducanu should be aiming to establish herself in the world’s top 20 this season, according to Tim Henman, as the British No 1 continues to build up to the opening grand slam of the year at the Australian Open.

The former US Open champion returned to the top 30 in the WTA rankings for the first time in two years after a more positive 2025 campaign, where she managed to commit to a full schedule and play a career-high 50 matches, and will be seeded for the Australian Open draw this week.

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A frustrating off-season foot injury has disrupted the 23-year-old’s preparations and threatens her momentum ahead of the tournament but Henman, who worked with Raducanu as part of Great Britain's United Cup team last week, remains optimistic after seeing how she made progress in Perth.

Raducanu was limited to static drills as she trained in London during the off-season and was unable to play a part in Great Britain’s opening United Cup tie against Japan and Naomi Osaka before falling to a three-set defeat to Greece’s Maria Sakkari. Raducanu has entered the WTA 250 event in Hobart for a last-minute tune-up, where she is the top seed.

“She's still building up that fitness again and that resilience,” said Henman, who will be commenting on the 2026 Australian Open for TNT Sports and Discovery+ .

“I think when I reflect on 2025, she finished 29 in the world, which I think is a very solid year, but if she can continue to build the physical resilience and also the speed and power that goes with that, then there's no doubt in my mind that she can finish in the top 20 this year because her ball striking and her tennis ability is extremely high level.

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“It's early on in the season. Hopefully she can start to build momentum because that's what you need. You need matches and wins. Hobart's a good opportunity, it does look pretty windy and not the easiest conditions, so whatever happens there, hopefully she can come to Melbourne and have a good run.”

Henman was positive after witnessing Raducanu’s work with coach Francisco Roig, the Spaniard who was a major part of Rafael Nadal’s career, and was confident that the Briton will manage to overcome some of the issues that troubled the final weeks of her 2025 season with a consistent workload.

Raducanu’s season-opening defeat to Sakkari at the United Cup was the sixth match in a row she had lost after it went to a deciding set, which included the tough defeats from match-point up against Barbora Krejcikova and Jessica Pegula.

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“Those matches against Krejcikova and Pegula they could have put a very different angle on the year - she had match points in both of those. Win those matches, win a couple more, she probably would have been close to 20,” Henman said.

“But that is all part of the learning process, it's all part of the journey of dealing with those setbacks and the adversity. If a third set record hasn't been particularly good, then I think that points to getting physically stronger and more durable in those longer matches. I think having spent time with her in Perth, that's absolutely on the radar.

“I really enjoyed spending time with Francisco Roig because our sort of paths have crossed over many years on the tour when he was playing and then coaching Rafa but I've never actually spent any time with him. I think he is a really top class individual and a coach and I think a big asset to Emma. I really hope they can continue to build on their relationship going forward.”

Meanwhile, Raducanu’s opening match at the Hobart International against Colombia’s Camila Osorio was abandoned due to rain. Raducanu won the opening set 6-3 but was trailing by a break 4-2 in the rain-disrupted second set before the first-round match was finally suspended until tomorrow.

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