While the tennis world has been keenly observing Emma Raducanu’s coaching conundrum, ex-British tennis star Laura Robson has her own take on the 22-year-old’s predicament. Robson observes that Raducanu is not in any immediate hurry to augment her coaching team and is likely to be selective when it comes to choosing a new mentor.
Emma Raducanu, the US Open champion of 2021, parted ways with her coach Nick Cavaday last season – a move initiated by Cavaday himself due to certain health-related concerns. This marked the end of Raducanu’s first full season under a single coach. Currently, the world number 55 is being guided by her junior coaches, Jane O’Donoghue and Roman Kelecic.
Raducanu’s performance post-Cavaday has been less than stellar, with her winning just one in four of her matches. Nevertheless, the young talent showed promising signs of recovery in her recent outing in Dubai. She defeated Maria Sakkari but eventually bowed out to Karolina Muchova after a hard-fought battle.
Robson, now a tennis analyst, shared her insights on Raducanu’s coaching situation in a Sky Sports column. She emphasized Raducanu’s strategy of not rushing into a new coaching partnership. Robson believes the young star is waiting for the right person who will genuinely benefit her game.
Moreover, Robson pointed out the scarcity of top-tier coaches available for full-time travel, suggesting that Raducanu’s options are somewhat limited. She stressed the importance of the British star entering a new partnership with complete confidence.
One of the high-profile coaches currently unattached is Goran Ivanisevic. The Croatian tennis coach, known for coaching several male players including Novak Djokovic, recently made a shift to the WTA Tour. He agreed to train Elena Rybakina, but the partnership was short-lived and unsuccessful. Whether Ivanisevic would consider coaching another WTA player if approached remains unknown.
As Raducanu navigates these challenges, her journey serves as a fascinating subplot in the world of tennis. Her decision-making process and eventual choice of coach will undeniably shape the trajectory of her budding career.
