Emma Raducanu’s coaching changes have been a persistent part of her story since she broke through with her famous US Open win in 2021.
Many observers were surprised when she parted company with Andrew Richardson shortly after that iconic victory in New York three-and-a-half years ago,
Since then, she has rattled through a long list of coaches, with Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs and Nick Cavaday enjoying brief spells working with the 22-year-old Brit.
Her most recent coach lasted just one match, with Vlado Platenik disposed of after just one tournament at Indian Wells last month.
Platenik was informed that his services would no longer be required shortly before the Miami Open, with Raducanu turning to former British player Mark Petchey for that tournament in Flordia.
Petchey is a regular contributor to the Tennis Channel in America, but he relished the opportunity to work with Raducanu and his contribution proved to be effective as she enjoyed her best run of form since the US Open win.
Raducanu made it through to the quarter-finals in Miami in a run that included a fine victory against top 10 player Emma Navarro and recent WTA 1000 tournament Amanda Anisimova.
Petchey’s encouraging words from the sidelines and the impact he appeared to have on her much-improved serve suggested he would be a perfect long-term coach for Raducanu.
Now the BBC are suggesting Raducanu and Petchey are in talks to make his position in her camp permanent.
Petchey is a former coach of Andy Murray, but decided to move away from working with professional players after relocating to America and taking up a role with the Tennis Channel.
Yet it was evident from his reactions in Raducanu’s box that he relished the challenge of working with a player he spent some time on court with prior to her breakthrough US Open win.
Raducanu was also positive about the atmosphere Petchey helped to create around her as her season sparked into life in Miami, where her long-time mentor Jane O’Donoghue was also a part of her team.
When asked what Petchey brought to the team, Raducanu offered up this verdict: “I think just a relaxed environment, but focused when needs to be.
“I’m someone who works really hard and can be really intense, but sometimes too intense. I guess in that way it’s harder to be extremely focused when you need to be on the match court because you’re focused from the first minute to the last.
“So I think just being able to switch off and have fun with them and play Spikeball before the match, and we just create certain routines. Yeah, they bring small doses of happiness that I guess just keep you going, the small things.
“Just having them around, people that I really trust, yeah, I think that’s probably when I started feeling a bit better off the court. That translated on the court. I was freer.”
The prospect of Petchey taking over as Raducanu’s full-time coach seemed unlikely after the Miami Open, but the fact that he has held talks over accepting the role suggests it may soon become a reality.
Raducanu could make her next appearance on court at the Madrid Open later this month after she opted out of playing for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup this season in order to take a break from the game after a hectic run of tournaments.
