Tim Henman believes Emma Raducanu must become more physically robust to compete with the game's best players - including world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. The British tennis star has struggled with her fitness so far this season.

Raducanu reached February's Transylvania Open final, but won just two games against 35-year-old Sorana Cirstea after having her blood pressure taken. The 2021 US Open champion was then forced to retire in her first match in Qatar, before fading in a three-set defeat to Antonia Ruzic in Dubai. That was followed by a chastening defeat to Amanda Anisimova in Indian Wells, where she again won just two games.

Questions have regularly been raised about what Raducanu needs to return to the form that saw her famously lift the US Open title as a qualifier five years ago. The 23-year-old has hired and fired at least nine different coaches since 2021 - a strategy that has drawn criticism.

And former Wimbledon semi-finalist Henman has suggested to Sky Sports that Raducanu must focus on improving physically if she is to compete with the sport's best players.

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He said: "It was highlighted in a match against (Amanda) Anisimova. She's never going to be as big a ball striker as Anisimova and the physicality that she brings to the court is obviously intimidating, as these top players are.

"But that's where I think Raducanu needs to be physically stronger. She needs more physical resilience so she doesn't get the little injuries that put her away from the court. They stop her building the momentum on the match court.

"You can still do a lot of physical work on the court, whether it's two on one when you're hitting and moving and building up that physical resilience to get stronger, to get faster, to hit the ball harder, to serve bigger. If I could pinpoint one area, it would most definitely be fitness."

Henmann also believes Raducanu can reach the top 20 and potentialy push for a place in the top 10 if everything falls into place.

He added: "I think we all appreciate and understand and see how good she could be. If she can continue to add these pieces to the puzzle there's no reason why she can't get in the top 20 and then knock on the door of the top 10.

"It does feel however far we get away from the US Open win, that spotlight will never dim. She's a really good athlete, but when she stretched out, she cannot withstand the power that's coming at her and give it back and that's where the gym work comes in."

Meanwhile former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has also urged the Brit to take a leaf out of Sabalenka's coaching manual by staying with one coach for an extended period of time.

Sabalenka has benefited from having a stable team behind her, winning multiple Grand Slam titles and reaching world No 1 over the past couple of years.

While Raducanu has worked with numerous coaches during that time, most recently splitting from Rafael Nadal's former mentor Francisco Roig in January 2026 after just six months. She has since turned to former coach Mark Petchey on an informal basis ahead of Indian Wells 2026.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Bartoli said: "For Emma to keep changing coaches is a difficult topic because you need to have some sort of stability.

"When you look at the coaching system, Sabalenka has had the same coach for such a long period of time and I think for Emma it's about trying to find the right fit!"

Bartoli added: "I do strongly believe she will need to find someone she can trust for a long period of time if she wants to improve."