Raducanu on Form & New Coach Petchey After Zakharova Win | Tennis News
INDIAN WELLS, CA – – Emma Raducanu is once again working with Mark Petchey, her former coach, following a parting of ways with Francisco Roig after a disappointing showing at the Australian Open. The move, announced earlier this week, comes as Raducanu seeks to recapture the form that propelled her to the 2021 US Open title.
The split with Roig, surprisingly, was initiated by the coach himself. Raducanu revealed in an interview with Sky Sports that Roig felt their partnership wasn’t progressing as either of them desired. “After Australia, me and Francis were talking. We have a great relationship, we could have a really open and honest conversation,” Raducanu explained. “He ended up saying, ‘look, I don’t think This represents going in the way we both want it to’ so he ended it really.”
Raducanu emphasized that despite some disagreements, she maintains a strong relationship with Roig. “In a way I think we had a few moments where we weren’t agreeing on a few things. Other than that we still maintain a great relationship and I’ve seen him here, it’s been great to see a familiar, great face around.”
The coaching carousel has become a recurring theme in Raducanu’s young career, and this latest change is sure to draw scrutiny. Still, Raducanu is taking a measured approach to finding a long-term solution, stating she won’t rush into hiring another coach. She’s prioritizing a return to the style of play that brought her initial success.
“So I want to come back to my natural way of playing,” Raducanu said to BBC Sport. She isn’t actively searching for a replacement at this time, preferring to wait for someone who fully understands her game, and approach. This suggests a desire for a coach who will facilitate her existing strengths rather than impose a completely new system.
Petchey’s return isn’t entirely unexpected. The pair previously collaborated, and maintained contact even after their initial partnership ended. According to Petchey, the timing felt right to reconnect, particularly as Raducanu found herself without consistent support. “Last year, the media commitments were overwhelming,” Petchey shared in a podcast. “But this year, she found herself once again in a situation where she had no one to lean on. She didn’t like the direction her game was heading.”
Petchey added that he felt compelled to offer assistance. “For my part, the spark reignited, and I said I’d come early to Indian Wells to try to help her. That’s where things stand.” His early arrival at Indian Wells underscores the urgency with which Raducanu and her team are addressing the situation.
Raducanu’s recent performance in the second round of Indian Wells, a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Anastasia Zakharova, offered a glimpse of potential progress. However, she acknowledged the match lacked extended rallies, making it demanding to draw definitive conclusions. “It’s difficult to read much into the game, other than the starting the point really, as there were no rallies,” she stated.
Despite the lack of competitive testing, Raducanu focused on the positive aspects of her preparation. “But I have to look at what I achieved in the last nine days of practice since I arrived here, and the first match was a good one for me.” She also demonstrated a resilient mindset, choosing to focus on the improvements made during practice rather than dwelling on any shortcomings.
“Today I could let it receive me down if I wanted to, but overall I think the days have been better than not.” This attitude suggests a growing maturity and a determination to control her narrative, both on and off the court.
Raducanu also spoke about areas where she needs to improve, particularly in matching the power and aggression of top players like Aryna Sabalenka. “If I’m not feeling it, that gap feels more evident in terms of weight of shot, in terms of power,” she admitted. “You just feel a little bit behind and your punches aren’t landing as much as theirs are.”
She recognizes the need to be more assertive when facing elite competition, but also emphasizes the importance of leveraging her own strengths and varying her tactics. “I need to obviously be aggressive when playing those players, but I think there’s still a long way to go to be doing that and I need to use my strengths and probably mix it up a bit more.”
In other matches at Indian Wells, Anisimova advanced to the last 16, where she will face 19-year-classic Canadian Victoria Mboko, the 10th seed. However, the spotlight remains firmly on Raducanu as she navigates this latest coaching change and strives to rediscover the form that made her a Grand Slam champion.
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the reunion with Petchey can provide the stability and direction Raducanu needs to consistently compete at the highest level. For now, she appears focused on rebuilding her game and returning to the “natural way of playing” that she believes holds the key to her future success.