“We haven’t made anything formal” – Emma Raducanu, still speed-dating coaches like commitment is a Grand Slam itself

Britain’s Emma Raducanu has hinted that she is not looking to have a long-term coaching staff despite recent criticism. The 22-year-old was once regarded as the next big thing, especially when she lifted the US Open at the age of just 18 back in 2021.

Since then, however, things have not been great for Raducanu, who has struggled to produce positive results consistently, largely because of fitness concerns. Another reason cited by many as contributing to the struggles of Toronto-born staff is the inconsistency of their coaching staff.

Raducanu has recently spoken to Sky Sports where she talked about why she is not having a consistent coaching staff. The former world number 10 also stated that she is nearing the announcement of a permanent coaching staff ahead of the Madrid Open and will work with Mark Petchey.

“We haven’t made anything formal. It’s pretty informal for now but is something that’s going well,” she said. “He’s [Petchey] someone I feel I can trust because I’ve known him so long. For now, it’s working well, and it’s nice to be with someone whom I feel comfortable with. I’m still figuring things out: what works for me, what doesn’t. What gets the best out of me? For now, I’m not getting as technical as I used to. It wasn’t the best start to the season for me, and it was just nice to rest the body.
"At the same time, I needed time to get used to a new surface, because it is very different and it isn’t a surface I’ve spent a lot of time on. I was just working on movement and adapting, and getting used to the court surface.

I feel like in the future, and I’ve always said this, it can be a good surface for me, I just need to keep spending some more time on it. I did some great work with Mark out there, it was nice to be around him, not just on the court. He’s someone I get on well with and we always have very thought-provoking, interesting conversations. It was a perfect balance of work and being relaxed off the court.”