Emma Raducanu reveals reason for high turnover of coaches

Emma Raducanu has had five different coaches in just two years

Sonia Twigg
Friday 20 October 2023 09:36 BST
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‘Ancient Chinese dynasties inspired my comeback’, says tennis star Emma Raducanu

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Emma Raducanu shot to fame when as a teenager she came through qualifying and went on to win the 2021 US Open, but since then has struggled for form, and has changed her coach numerous times.

The former British number one split with her fifth coach in just two years in June when Sebastian Sachs and Raducanu parted ways, and she has not confirmed a new coach yet.

"I ask my coaches a lot of questions," she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

"On certain occasions they haven’t been able to keep up with the questions I’ve asked and maybe that’s why it ended."

"It’s something I’ve always done. I keep provoking and asking questions to coaches and challenging their thinking as well. I’m not someone that you can just tell me what do and I’ll do it, I need to understand why and then I’ll do it."

Raducanu began her career with Nigel Sears, who departed in July 2021 following her fourth-round exit at Wimbledon.

Andrew Richardson guided her to her US Open title a few months later, but did not last much longer than the tournament itself, with Torben Beltz appointed in November 2021.

Since there has also been Dimitri Tursunov, who told tennismajors.com in October 2022 that there were some “red flags that just couldn’t be ignored” when it came to the young British player and urged her not to listen to too many voices.

Emma Raducanu won the US Open as an 18 year old (ZUMA/PA)
Emma Raducanu won the US Open as an 18 year old (ZUMA/PA) (PA Media)

Raducanu’s poor run of form has also been impacted by injury and she has undergone surgery on both wrists and an ankle earlier this year, but she has struggled to find the levels she reached at Flushing Meadows as an 18-year-old.

The now-20 year old has also set her sights on reaching an Olympics and representing Great Britain at the event, although Paris 2024 may come around too quickly.

"Obviously, the Olympics is such a big thing in sport," said Raducanu.

"I think I could play another four if I really wanted to, so this one isn’t the immediate rush or pressure, it’s just about getting back on court.

"I love the Slams but I do want to have the Olympic experience. I’ll just see how it goes, if I even qualify and how it goes from there."

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