Emma Raducanu (Image: Getty)
Emma Raducanu wants a conversation with Andy Murray
Emma Raducanu will keep Mark Petchey as her part-time coach for the French Open and Wimbledon even if his TV work could stop him attending her matches. The British No.2, who is looking for her seventh full-time coach of her short career, has ruled out approaching Andy Murray.
And the former US Open champion will have Petchey, who has coached her and the Scot, in her team for the second Grand Slam of the season along with Jane O’Donaghue and Tom Walsh.
Petchey, 54, started helping Raducanu at the Miami Open in March while continuing to work as an analyst for the Tennis Channel and TNT Sports.
Raducanu will face China’s world No.42 Wang Xinyu with the winner likely to face defending champion Iga Swiatek in the second round. Coaches have been allowed to offer limited on-court advice to players since 2022.
And asked about Petchey’s Paris availability, world No.43 Raducanu said: “It completely depends on the schedule that he gets here, I knew that going into it. I think for him it’s a great opportunity to keep doing what he does so well and at the same time have fun hopefully being on court with me. I have Tom here who is going to help and Jane, when he isn’t available. And that’s how its going to go.
“I think being a lot more self-sufficient is something Mark has helped me with the last few weeks. Since Miami I think one thing that is a great sign of a coach is when you don’t necessarily feel like you need them every shot, every point, so he’s really helped me to figure things out for myself.”
Raducanu, who is getting acupuncture after suffering a back spasm in Strasbourg last week, has a busy grass-court schedule planned before Wimbledon.
“I want to keep working with him as much as I can,” Raducanu added. “He’s going to help me over the grass which I’m looking forward to and then we haven’t spoken from then on so at least for now I’m pretty set up.”
Raducanu has made up with Murray since pulling out of their mixed doubles pairing at Wimbledon last year and the Scot is now available after splitting with Novak Djokovic.
“I hope he’s forgiven me for last year, I still feel bad about it,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him around and having a conversation. I think he would give great advice, he’s been in a similar situation and would probably understand a lot of things that I’m also going through. But as to anything more, I don’t know, that’s very far out of thought.”
