Sky Sports activities’ Tim Henman and Martina Navratilova debate whether or not Emma Raducanu must decide to a long-term coach or enhance her off-court physicality to succeed in her full potential.
The British No 1 suffered a heavy defeat by the hands of Amanda Anisimova within the third spherical at Indian Wells final week.
Her 52-minute drubbing has led to debate as as to whether the 23-year-old is healthier off with no everlasting coach. Nonetheless, some consultants really feel that the previous US Open champion will not have the ability to obtain future success with out one.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Raducanu displays on her loss to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells
Raducanu parted firm with Francisco Roig within the wake of her second-round defeat on the Australian Open.
She loved a powerful run of kind whereas working with Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey early in 2025 in a short lived association, however employed Roig in August as she sought a brand new everlasting fixture.
Following a six-month spell during which she has endured disappointing outcomes, Roig, who previously coached Rafael Nadal, grew to become the ninth coach to depart since Raducanu’s 2021 US Open win, with the pair gelling nicely on a private degree however not aligning on model of play.
Her subsequent event in Romania noticed her attain her first remaining since her victory in New York in 2021, and because the break up from Roig, Raducanu insisted she is completely satisfied working with hitting companion Alexis Canter, a 27-year-old British former participant who reached a career-high rating of 779 final yr.
Raducanu retained Canter as a part of her setup, in addition to working with Petchey at Indian Wells.
“You need somebody full-time,” tennis legend Navratilova informed Sky Sports activities. “You don’t need to have a great coach all the time. Maybe somebody even part-time, which is kind of what she’s got.
“However you continue to have to remain constant and get this particular person to get to know you, get the historical past and provides them an opportunity to make a distinction. You possibly can’t count on outcomes to return immediately – that is an extended course of.
“You need to buy into the coach and stay there for a little bit longer.
“I believe that is the most important mistake – she’s been by too many individuals and then you definately get so many various concepts and you do not fairly know which one to stay with.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Danyal Khan was joined by Raducanu as she spoke about her break up with coach Francis Roig and her psychological wellbeing – which has had an influence on her performances
Henman: Raducanu wants extra bodily resilience
Raducanu wants extra bodily resilience to get stronger, to get quicker, to hit the ball more durable, to serve greater, in line with Henman
Sky Sports activities analyst Henman thinks Raducanu ought to focus on engaged on her physicality to match the likes of fellow Grand Slam champions Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff.
The four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist mentioned: “It was highlighted in a match against Anisimova.
“She’s by no means going to be as large a ball striker as Anisimova and the physicality that she brings to the courtroom is clearly intimidating, as these prime gamers are. However that is the place I believe Raducanu must be bodily stronger. She wants extra bodily resilience so she would not get the little accidents that put her away from the courtroom. They cease her constructing the momentum on the match courtroom.
“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.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Laura Robson, Naomi Cavaday and Henman talk about how a lot influence coach Mark Petchey can have as the 2 reunited at Indian Wells
Navratilova, a nine-time Wimbledon singles champion, added: “You can hit the ball harder once in a while, but if you’re not strong enough, you can’t maintain it. It’s not about hitting it harder all the time, but being able to sustain it. And the harder you can hit it with less effort, the more control you have and then you save the body because the muscles are doing the work instead of the joints.”
‘The concentration is going to by no means dim’
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Have a look again at Raducanu’s unimaginable win on the 2021 US Open. The event is again on Sky Sports activities Tennis this August!
Raducanu is at the moment sitting at world No 24, however Henman believes she has the flexibility to interrupt into the highest 10.
“I think we all appreciate and understand and see how good she could be,” Henman mentioned of Raducanu, who shocked the world by profitable the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier.
“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 really feel nevertheless far we get away from the US Open win, that concentration is going to by no means 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 that’s where the gym work comes in.”
Robson: Raducanu has ‘identical concepts’ as Petchey
Petchey additionally coached Raducanu through the grass-court season
Former Junior Wimbledon champion Laura Robson sees Raducanu’s happiness on courtroom as the most important benefit and argues working with Petchey can solely deliver out the perfect in her.
She mentioned: “I think we make such a big deal out of the coaching situation and as long as she is feeling happy on the court, as long as she’s confident out there then that’s half the job done, and that’s what coaches try and bring out in you when you do have one.
“She clearly will get on rather well with Petch. They have been on and off for a good few years now and it is somebody she is aware of. They’ve the identical concepts. They agree on a lot that she must deliver on the market, so why not?
“As long as you’ve got someone who’s taking care of the boring stuff like the logistics of booking practice, finding someone to practice with, racket re-strings – all of that. As long as that’s taken care of, then you can just focus on trying to play.
“They’ve the identical identification of how each of them really feel she needs to be as a participant.”
Raducanu is hoping to revert to a extra aggressive model with a view to compete with the highest gamers and Robson says she has proven previously that she is able to taking part in towards the elite on the WTA Tour.
“For sure. We’ve seen how close her matches against Sabalenka have been,” mentioned former British No 1 Robson.
“It feels like everyone is adding different elements to their game all the time, so at the moment it feels like she wants to add that aggression back into her game and once you’ve got that you can start thinking about adding more variety again so you’ve got more strings to your bow.
“However you wish to have a transparent identification as a participant earlier than you exit onto any match courtroom – as long as that is outlined in your thoughts then that is half the job executed.”
Watch the ATP and WTA Excursions, dwell on Sky Sports activities or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra dwell sport this yr at no further value. Discover out extra right here.
