Emma Raducanu makes daring declare after hiring Maria Sharapova’s ex-trainer forward of latest season

Emma Raducanu has appointed Yutaka Nakamura as her fitness trainer and hopes he can help her become ‘one of the best athletes in tennis’.

Nakamura, 52, has worked with Grand Slam champions Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka and the Japanese looks to be a smart addition to team Raducanu.

‘He is going to help me explore how far I can go athletically,’ said the 22-year-old. ‘It’s a big strength of mine that I have nowhere near fulfilled. I can become one of the best athletes in tennis and he’s really going to help.

‘He’s going to be with me a lot next year. I am looking forward to it. We’re quite similar in the sense that when we work, we’re not chit-chatting about other things. It’s very much like: this is our time to focus. It’s nice to have someone on the same wavelength.’

Raducanu has been dogged by injuries so appointing a full-time fitness coach is a major step in the right direction.

Nakamura will fly out from London with the British No 2 and coach Nick Cavaday on Thursday to begin preparations for next month’s Australian Open.

The 22-year-old is eager to get back to action and feels fully fit once again.  

‘I feel like I’m in a pretty good place to just get on court as much as I can,’ Raducanu added. ‘I feel really strong. I feel really fit.

‘The only thing I can’t really speak for is I haven’t played that many matches. On the training court I feel amazing. I feel like I’m running around, throwing myself around on the court, but it’s different playing matches.

‘I played a few (at Billie Jean King Cup) and I felt good. I felt like I recovered well. I wasn’t tiring in the matches. It would just be good to see as the level increases, and if I have to play more back-to-back, how I’m going to react.’