\n<\/p>\n
Remember when Raducanu caused a seismic shock by winning the 2021 US Open as a teenage qualifier who had barely played a professional tournament?<\/p>\n
She managed to achieve the unthinkable by playing with a freedom which she has not been able to replicate consistently since.<\/p>\n
Almost five years later and having reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam tournament only once since, Raducanu is determined to get back to basics.<\/p>\n
That means rediscovering her natural instincts to be an aggressive baseliner. Her early success was built around not being afraid to take returns early in a bid to hustle opponents.<\/p>\n
First serves were put back deep in the court to instantly put her rivals on the back foot and second serves were swatted away with impunity.<\/p>\n
Raducanu’s power off both wings was impressive, although it was clear her forehand needed more work than her solid and stylish backhand.<\/p>\n
Over the next year or so, the forehand deteriorated to a place where it lacked any punch and, following the wrist surgery which ruled her almost completely of the 2023 season, is what Roig tried to remodel.<\/p>\n
The lack of trust in what Raducanu was being asked to do, though, was clear at the Australian Open.<\/p>\n
In a demoralising second-round exit, she made 19 unforced errors off that wing and spoke afterwards about returning to a simple philosophy – “hitting the ball to the corners and hard”.<\/p>\n
There is another aspect to Raducanu’s ambitions of returning to the top 10 and challenging the very best players – her body and mind.<\/p>\n
She must continue to build fitness and durability, and have the heart for a scrap in tough moments, to implement the style she wants.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n