Emma Raducanu: Does British No 1 want to stay with identical coach after break up with Francis Roig forward of tennis return at Transylvania Open?

Emma Raducanu is trying to find a tenth coach within the final 5 years after splitting with Francis Roig following her early Australian Open exit.

Raducanu introduced on Thursday that she ended her relationship with Roig, who helped Rafael Nadal win 16 of his 22 Grand Slam titles, after lower than six months collectively.

Since her breakthrough at Wimbledon 2021 and that spectacular triumph on the US Open later that 12 months, the longest time period Raducanu has been with the identical coach for is 13 months.

“I don’t necessarily disagree with the strategy of Raducanu. She’s got to feel like the relationship is right,” mentioned Sky Sports activities Tennis commentator Jonathan Overend.

“She’s bought to really feel like this can be a partnership which goes to work. Individuals say there is not any level chopping and altering on a regular basis. However, you alter academics most 12 months at college, and also you choose up the very best parts of that trainer.

“And you move onto the next one, and you pick up new elements. So I don’t necessarily disagree with it. But she’s got to find the right fit.”

Typically, tennis’ high gamers have the identical coach for a number of years – Andy Murray spent six years with eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl, Serena Williams had Patrick Mouratoglou for a decade and Novak Djokovic has been with Marian Vajda for many of his profession.

Overend thinks Raducanu must “believe” in her means of enjoying which didn’t occur underneath Roig with the British No 1 even admitting herself that “I didn’t play how I wanted to play” following her second-round defeat on the Australian Open.

“Whether she needs to bring in more advisors from outside, whether she needs to spend longer over the selection process, I don’t know,” mentioned Overend.

“But she’s got to get the right fit in order that an experienced coach can come in, improve her weaker areas, but still encourage her to exploit the positive areas of her game and enjoy her to have fun on the court. That, to me, is the most important summary.”

Raducanu’s teaching historical past

Raducanu’s first skilled tennis coach Nigel Sears left after she reached the fourth spherical of Wimbledon in 2021, earlier than she selected to not prolong her contract with Andrew Richardson, who helped the then 18-year-old to a memorable US Open title.

Torben Beltz had a brief spell as her coach between November 2021 and April 2022, earlier than being changed by Dimitri Tursunov, who warned of “red flags” if Raducanu continued to hearken to too many voices.

Sebastian Sachs lasted simply the primary half of 2023 as Raducanu’s coach earlier than reuniting with Nick Cavaday, who mentored her as a junior, on the finish of 2024.

Nevertheless, Cavaday stepped again initially of final 12 months in January for well being causes however labored with Raducanu once more throughout the grass-court season, alongside Mark Petchey.

Raducanu performed a few of her finest tennis underneath Petchey, whose tv commitments meant he was at all times unable to turn into a full-time coach earlier than she turned to Roig.

The early indicators underneath Roig have been constructive as Raducanu clearly improved her serve and return, coming near beating Aryna Sabalenka in an exciting second-round match on the Cincinnati Masters. That was the excessive level of Roig’s spell with hindsight as Raducanu was thumped in straight units by Elena Rybakina on the US Open then did not win a couple of match in her ultimate 5 tournaments of the 2025 season.

A foot downside meant Raducanu was not absolutely match when heading to Australia forward of the primary Grand Slam in Melbourne however within the matches she did play, there was clearly much less on-court interplay between herself and Roig in comparison with the beginning of their relationship.

Overend mentioned: “There was an inevitability to this from the moment there appeared a split in a small camp. When there’s a disagreement about the way a tennis player is being told to play, it never ends well.

“I believe it was then the case of when, fairly than if, they have been going to finish their relationship. You may’t have a state of affairs just like the one in Melbourne with Raducanu mainly saying ‘I am not having fun with enjoying this fashion’. I favor to play a unique means.

“It’s just not a contusive environment for a healthy working relationship. My instinct when I heard her say what she did was ‘fair enough’. Ultimately, it’s an individual sport and a player has to be comfortable with what they are doing.

“Positive, the coaches can play to supply their knowledge and recommendation. Francisco Roig has lots of expertise and knowledge to supply and I am certain he can coach gamers into enjoying the way in which he feels is the easiest way to play. I completely have little doubt he can try this.”

What’s subsequent for Raducanu?

Raducanu is ready to play subsequent week on the Transylvania Open in Romania, the place she’s the highest-ranked participant within the WTA 250 occasion.

The 23-year-old will then head to the Center East for WTA 1000 tournaments in Doha (February 8-14) and Dubai (February 16-22) earlier than Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March, all on Sky Sports activities Tennis.

Whether or not she could have a brand new coach previous to these vital occasions in mid-February is unclear and Overend thinks the principle precedence for Raducanu is to get pleasure from her tennis once more.

“When you hear Raducanu talk about hitting the ball fast and hard into the corners, that’s clearly what she enjoys doing,” he mentioned.

“It’s a game which is exciting to watch when it’s working. So, my feeling is that, yes, there are a lot of other areas in her game that she does need to work on and improve. She knows that.

“I believe the very best use of a coach, and he or she completely wants a coach with expertise, with knowledge, like Francisco Roig, who can enhance these weaker areas of her recreation, but additionally encourage her to go about her enterprise in that free and exuberant, thrilling method that permits her that free swing when she needs to, to go for these corners laborious and quick, like she clearly needs to do. However nonetheless coach her within the areas that want enchancment.

“I believe altering the entire technique to get her to play differently, and that won’t essentially be what has been tried by Roig, however clearly that is the way in which it has been interpreted by Raducanu, that to me is limiting lots of that freedom, which is so necessary in my thoughts for a younger tennis participant.

“Ultimately, this is a game. It’s something that needs to be enjoyed. People need to have fun playing tennis. That’s how you get into tennis in the first place. And that’s how ideally young people to spend their careers, having fun playing a game.

“In fact, it is not that straightforward as a result of the stakes are so excessive. However I believe the extra gamers will be inspired to see the enjoyable facet of it, the higher. It may assist with their psychological well being in the long run. It may assist with their profession longevity, absolutely, by permitting her to go for her photographs in the way in which she clearly feels she needs to extra usually. I believe that may solely be factor.”

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