Emma Raducanu 'needs a solution' as ex-coach weighs in on issues facing Brit

Emma Raducanu's former coach, Mark Petchey, says she must figure out what she wants from her team. The British No. 1 earned a reputation for changing coaches quickly earlier in her career, but she has since settled down with some trusted voices.

After her informal coaching arrangement with Petchey came to an end over the summer, she enlisted the help of Francisco Roig, one of Rafael Nadal's old mentors. Now, Petchey wants to see the world No. 33 find a "solution" to her long-term set-up.

Raducanu was left in a tough spot when her coach of 14 months, Nick Cavaday, stepped back earlier this season for health reasons. The Brit turned to some old mentors for a temporary solution and even had a very brief trial with Slovakian coach Vladimir Platenik.

But she ran into Petchey at the Miami Open, where he was working as a commentator, and the British coach agreed to help her on an ad-hoc basis. They enjoyed a successful few months together, but Raducanu needed a more permanent coaching solution, while Petchey had broadcast commitments.

The former US Open champion hired Roig ahead of the Cincinnati Open. Their partnership has gone well so far, but Petchey believes Raducanu needs to think long and hard about the type of support camp she wants, and whether she needs to bring in any new faces.

Speaking to tennis betting site BetVictor, Petchey said: "I think that's part of the puzzle for Emma. She needs to figure out what she needs.

"I think she needs to decide whether she needs somebody on the road permanently or whether she just needs somebody back at base and then someone to travel with her. She's in the process of figuring that out. I don't know where that's at. That's a piece of the puzzle that needs a solution and I'm sure she'll get there."

The ideal scenario, in Petchey's mind, would be for Raducanu to find a physiotherapist that can travel and work alongside Roig.

"I think it needs to be a blend. I don't think she needs a strength and conditioning coach with her all the time," he added.

"I think the ideal world would be to take a physio with her who also has the ability to implement a strength and conditioning programme on the road. That would be your perfect scenario, rather than having another person to look after and another person as part of the entourage.

"In a perfect world if she would have Francisco and then a blend of a physio and a strength and conditioning coach."

Raducanu has faced several injury setbacks in her young career, and even shut down her 2023 season to have surgeries on both of her wrists and one ankle. At the end of last year, she hired fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, but he has not been seen at recent tournaments.

During the recent US Open, the world No. 33 revealed that she had added travelling chiropractor Dr Jerome Poupel to her team. The Frenchman has previously worked with Tony McCoy and David Coulthard, and even works on horses.

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