Emma Raducanu believes that adopting a more relaxed approach has been key to her recent success this season.
The 22-year-old former U.S. Open champion has reached the Miami Open quarter-finals after decisively defeating Amanda Anisimova with a score of 6-1, 6-3.
Before Miami, Raducanu had lost six out of her last seven matches.
Just before the tournament, she also decided to end her brief coaching partnership with Vlado Platenik after only one match.
After experiencing a difficult stalking incident earlier in the year, Raducanu seems to have rediscovered her enjoyment of tennis, both on and off the court in Miami.
Following her victory against eighth-seed Emma Navarro in the third round, Raducanu commented that she has been trying to maintain a more relaxed attitude this week, avoiding being intensely focused all the time.
Raducanu mentioned that incorporating other sports into her routine has been beneficial. She explained that learning to throw an American football has become part of her warm-up.
She described her 30-minute warm-up routine as being like a sports day, including American football, soccer, cornhole, and sometimes golf or frisbee.
She finds this approach more engaging and it effectively raises her pulse, as she can put in more effort while playing games like American football compared to just running in a straight line. She emphasizes that it`s much more enjoyable.
Raducanu reiterated that she is taking a different approach this week.
She mentioned playing spike ball with her team just five minutes before a match, which helps her relax. She believes that when she plays her best tennis, she is genuinely expressing her personality.
Raducanu considers herself a free spirit and feels restricted when given too many instructions. She believes that being authentic is key to playing her best tennis.
Since parting ways with Platenik, Raducanu has been working with Jane O`Donoghue, her childhood coach, and Mark Petchey, who previously coached Andy Murray.
After her win against Anisimova, Raducanu stated that she feels she has made significant progress in the past week.
She admitted that she hadn`t been feeling great about her tennis or overall situation since Indian Wells. However, she is now surrounded by supportive people she trusts and enjoys spending time with off the court, which she believes is extremely important.
Raducanu feels that as an expressive person, being authentic and true to herself allows her creativity to flourish on the court.
She recognizes that a rigid, regimented approach hinders her ability to express herself. She is pleased to have realized this during this week.
Raducanu is projected to return to the world`s top 50 rankings following her strong performance in Miami.
If she wins against Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals, the former Grand Slam champion could potentially climb into the top 40.
