Emma Raducanu explains Francis Roig split and blocking out the noise surrounding coaching changes
Emma Raducanu revealed it was former coach Francisco Roig’s decision to part ways and that noise surrounding her coaching appointments has been difficult to block out.
The former US Open champion split with Roig following her second-round defeat at the Australian Open. The Spaniard was Raducanu’s ninth coach since her US Open victory in 2021.
Raducanu has since reunited with Mark Petchey on a day-to-day basis during Indian Wells, while continuing to work closely with hitting partner Alexis Canter.
“After Australia, me and Francis were talking. We have a great relationship, we could have a really open and honest conversation,” Raducanu told Sky Sports News.
“He ended up saying, ‘look, I don’t think this is going in the way we both want it to’ so he ended it really.
“In a way I think we had a few moments where we weren’t agreeing on a few things. Other than that we still maintain a great relationship and I’ve seen him here, it’s been great to a see a familiar, great face around.”
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Tim Henman, Laura Robson and Naomi Cavaday discuss how much impact coach Mark Petchey will have as the two reunite ahead of Indian Wells
Petchey had already been scheduled to be in Indian Wells for commentary duties, with Raducanu reintroducing his support after the pair’s successful spell on a temporary basis together last year.
He teamed up with Raducanu in Miami as she reached the quarter-finals last March, before remaining present as she made it to the fourth round in Rome before performing well at Wimbledon, where she went toe-to-toe with Aryna Sabalenka in a glimpse at a return to top form.
“Mark was going to be here anyway for commentating and I’ve been working with Alexis who has been helping me so much,” she said.
“With Mark I knew he’d be in Indian Wells so I asked him to come out a few days earlier just to do some stuff with me on the court and try to feel back in a better way with my game.
“At the start of the year I didn’t feel too good but the last few days I’ve been feeling better. It’s not something that has really been organised going forward but I knew he would be here and it’s been great, I always love being on court with him.”
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Jonathan Overend believes that if Raducanu can find the right balance with the correct coach, she will be set up for a great year of tennis
A carousel of coaching changes has prompted a wave of outside noise surrounding Raducanu in recent years, coupling with a torrid time with multiple injury setbacks amid her bid to unearth her best tennis.
The British No 1 recently suffered a first-round defeat to Antonia Ruzic at the Dubai Tennis Championships, having retired due to illness against Camila Osorio in the first round in Qatar.
“It is a challenge because I think it affects some of the decisions I make,” she said of outside noise. “I don’t want to start working with anyone not knowing if it’s going to be 100 per cent set in stone, because I feel like regardless of how or why it ends it will be put on me, even if I didn’t end it with Francis.
“It does affect at some points but I know at the end of the day I need to take the decision that’s going to make me the best player. By having the experience of spending too long doing something I’m not comfortable doing, it’s only effected me and made me feel worse about my tennis.
“Having gone through that, I don’t want to because I know how it makes me feel on the court.”
Raducanu returns to action on Friday when she faces Anastasia Zakharova following a first-round bye.
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