Emma Raducanu has traded resort scenes for Bromley streets, and the contrast is as striking as a well-placed backhand. Returning home this off-season, the US Open champion says she is not hiding any more, even as the city keeps its eyes on her. On packed Tube carriages and in crowded coffee shops, she moves through normal life with rare calm, a sign that the year behind her has reshaped how she handles fame, pressure, and the spotlight.
From the National Tennis Centre to Barcelona’s training squares, the year has been a study in steady progress rather than fireworks, a pattern Raducanu hopes will carry into 2026. A season that saw 50 matches across 21 events and a jump of 32 places to No. 29 in the world has set up a hopeful arc heading into the Australian Open.
Raducanu’s Homecoming And Off-Season Rhythm
“This off-season has been so nice.”
Emma Raducanu
In 2025 Raducanu kept a punishing schedule: she played 50 matches across 21 events, making it the busiest season of her career. The result was a climb of 32 places to No. 29 in the world, a jump that should see her seeded at the Australian Open for the first time since 2022.
That progress came under a refreshed team. Raducanu has linked with Francis Roig, who spent 18 years on Rafael Nadal’s team, and she is laying the groundwork for a more self-reliant game under Roig’s careful, sometimes stern, coaching.
From Roig To Barcelona And The Language Lab
Pre-season shifted to Barcelona this winter, where she is training at Roig’s academy. The plan is to translate improved conditioning and smarter shot selection into a sharper, more consistent baseline, even as the calendar pushes players to race from event to event.
Alongside tennis, Raducanu has been busy with learning. She completed an art history course this year and is tackling three languages, Spanish, French and Mandarin, an approach she says feeds her brain and keeps overthinking in check.
2025 also tested her resilience. After a terrifying stalking episode, Raducanu says she has moved on and that life around the capital feels safer and more predictable, a shift that mirrors her aim to balance public life with personal boundaries.
United Cup, Calendar Realities, And The Road Ahead
On the court the year was steady rather than spectacular. There were no marquee titles, but no disasters either; a year in which Raducanu steadied her game and expanded her travel footprint, rising to No. 29 and showing why a more robust, more complete Emma could be ready for bigger stages.
The coaching stability continued to emerge with Roig guiding her approach, while a future staff addition is flagged: Emma Stewart will join as a combined physiotherapist and strength coach for 2026, a move Raducanu says will help her blend training with recovery.
In earlier weeks Raducanu also highlighted the value of blending study with sport, and the United Cup in January, which pairs her with Jack Draper, represents a fresh test of doubles chemistry and cross-border teamwork that could prime her for the season ahead.
Raducanu frames the calendar as a privilege rather than a grind, acknowledging that long seasons test mental stamina and physical limits. Her measured view contrasts with louder critiques in the sport, emphasizing discipline, progress, and the responsibilities that come with being a top player.
Looking ahead, the plan is to translate training into sharper matches while keeping rest days sacred. She is determined to cement a wider range of weapons and to reduce the frequency of unforced errors by trusting Roig’s method and her own evolving instincts.
There is also the dimension of identity, as Raducanu hones her public persona off the court. She has embraced studying, languages, and a connection to Bromley that anchors her sense of self, helping her resist the pull of relentless media attention.
Ultimately, the arc remains upward despite the bumps, with a growing sense that the best version of Emma Raducanu is a thoughtful competitor who can laugh at the small things, stay curious, and keep swinging with the poise of someone who knows where she is going.
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