LONDON — As the 2025 tennis season gathers momentum, the narrative surrounding Emma Raducanu has shifted from one of injury-riddled uncertainty to one of deliberate, long-term construction. The 2021 US Open champion, whose career has been a rollercoaster of historic triumph and persistent physical setbacks, is now publicly outlining a vision not for the next tournament, but for the player she aims to become by 2026. Her goal is not merely to return to the top 100, but to fundamentally build a better Emma Raducanu.
The Foundation: Building a "Base Level"
Central to this new phase is a concept Raducanu has repeatedly emphasized in recent interviews: developing a "base level." For a player whose game has often been dissected for its technical beauty and tactical flexibility, this term represents a conscious pivot towards athletic durability and consistent performance. After multiple surgeries on her wrists and ankle, Raducanu’s primary objective has been to construct a physical foundation robust enough to withstand the grueling WTA tour. "The most important thing is that I can get through tournaments pain-free," she stated.
This pursuit of a base level transcends mere fitness. It’s about creating a default mode of play—a reliable, high-percentage game she can revert to under pressure, regardless of the opponent across the net. In the past, Raducanu’s success was often predicated on sublime timing and reactive brilliance. The new blueprint involves cultivating a style where she is the proactive force, dictating terms from the baseline. "I want to have a game where I'm not so worried about my opponent," she explained.
Dictating Play: From Reactor to Aggressor
The ambition to worry less about an opponent’s strengths is a profound strategic evolution. It signals a move away from a counter-punching identity towards that of a controlled aggressor. This requires enhancements in several key areas:
- Serve & Return: Developing a more potent first serve to earn cheap points and a more aggressive return position to seize control of rallies from the first shot.
- Rally Tolerance: Building the physical and mental stamina to sustain high-intensity, extended baseline exchanges without error rates spiking.
- Point Construction: Moving from spectacular, opportunistic winners to systematically constructing points using patterns that play to her strengths, particularly her formidable backhand.
This shift is already visible in her collaboration with coach Nick Cavaday. Their work appears focused on simplifying her game plan, reinforcing her technical fundamentals, and instilling the confidence to play first-strike tennis. The goal is to make her game less variable and less susceptible to the specific threats posed by a diverse range of opponents. "I want to be the one dictating and imposing my game," Raducanu affirmed.
The 2026 Timeline: A Patient Blueprint
Perhaps the most telling aspect of Raducanu’s current mindset is her specific mention of 2026 as a target. This is not a short-term fix or a desperate push for immediate ranking points. It is a patient, two-year project acknowledging that true transformation takes time. The 2025 season, therefore, is framed as a critical building year—a period for embedding these technical and physical changes, accumulating match miles, and learning to win consistently again, all without the overwhelming pressure of replicating her 2021 fairytale.
This long-view approach is a direct response to the turbulence of her post-US Open years. The cycle of breakthrough results, injury breakdowns, and coaching changes prevented any sustained development. Now, with a settled team and a body finally healing, the process can be linear. "It's about putting the pieces of the puzzle together slowly," she has said, emphasizing incremental progress over overnight results.
The Mental Rebuild: Confidence from Consistency
The psychological component of "building a better Emma" is inextricably linked to the physical and technical base. Raducanu has spoken candidly about the confidence erosion that comes with persistent injury. You cannot trust your body if it repeatedly fails you at critical moments. By forging a resilient physical base, she aims to rebuild the unshakeable self-belief that defined her New York run. Confidence, in this new paradigm, won’t come from a single win, but from the knowledge that her body and her game are built to last.
This mentality represents a maturation. The teenage Raducanu played with fearless, almost naive, abandon. The 22-year-old version is seeking a more sustainable source of strength: the quiet assurance that comes from preparation and proven durability. "When you have that base level, you walk onto the court with a different kind of confidence," she noted, highlighting the shift from hope to expectation.
Conclusion: A Sustainable Ascent
Emma Raducanu’s goal for 2026 is, in essence, a rejection of the boom-and-bust narrative that has surrounded her. It is a commitment to becoming a mainstay rather than a meteor. By prioritizing a solid "base level," she is investing in the mundane foundations of elite sport—durability, consistency, and repeatable patterns—over the search for magical form. If successful, the player that emerges in 2026 may not only dictate points with her forehand but finally dictate the trajectory of her own career, on her own terms. The project to build a better Raducanu is underway, and its success will be measured not in a fortnight of magic, but in seasons of sustained, commanding tennis.