Emma Raducanu has faced ongoing injury issues that have significantly disrupted her tennis career, according to Stephen Smith, a leading expert in athlete welfare and injury prevention. These physical setbacks have affected the British player’s ability to maintain consistent performance following her remarkable US Open triumph. Raducanu’s difficulties have not only limited her recent match play but also impacted her preparation for upcoming seasons.
Recent Physical Setbacks and Impact on Playing Schedule
The 23-year-old was forced to retire during her last match at the Qatar Open against Camila Osorio due to physical problems. Her 2025 season was cut short in mid-October after struggling with injuries at tournaments in Wuhan and Ningbo. A foot bone injury prior to the 2026 season further hampered her training, restricting her readiness for competition. Additionally, Raducanu underwent surgeries in May 2023 on both wrists and her ankle, which sidelined her for the remainder of that year.
Expert Insight on Injury Prevention and Career Planning
Stephen Smith, founder and CEO of Kitman Labs, highlighted the complexity of managing injuries for young athletes experiencing rapid success. He emphasized the importance of periodisation—the strategic structuring of training, rest, and competition—to help athletes adapt to the intense demands of a professional tennis career.
“It’s hard when a young athlete like that is coming through and having such great success on the court,”
Smith noted.
“I think the lessons we can take from other sports, and apply them back to a young athlete like that that’s emerging, is all about periodisation.”
Smith explained the challenges posed by the global tennis calendar, stating,
“The requirements in terms of the number of tournaments that they need to be involved in, it makes that even harder.”
He suggested that Raducanu should focus on selecting the most important tournaments while ensuring sufficient periods of recovery and developmental training:
“…she’d like to be able to cherry pick the ones that are more important throughout the year and keep building in blocks of development work to ensure that she has that base, and she’s getting enough recovery to be able to adapt to the demands of a formalised professional career.”
Smith also stressed that Raducanu must build foundational fitness and strength alongside recovery to meet expectations of reaching finals and winning trophies:
“It’s all about periodisation, it’s all about planning and being smart and being really strategic, but I think building in blocks, not just of recovery and rest, but of development work so she can actually top up some of those underlying foundational fitness and strength capabilities.”
Looking Ahead: Managing Health for Sustained Success
Raducanu’s ongoing injury challenges illustrate the physical toll placed on young elite tennis players navigating demanding tour schedules. The approach recommended by experts like Stephen Smith stresses the need for careful planning and prioritization of tournaments to preserve long-term health and career longevity. How Raducanu and her team implement these strategies will likely influence her capacity to regain peak form and build on her early breakthrough achievements.
