Raducanu Focuses on Revival Without New Coach
Emma Raducanu, the British No 1, has no immediate plans to hire a new coach as she aims to restart her challenging season in the United States next month. She will compete at Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March without a full-time coach following her split with Francisco Roig in January. Roig was her ninth coach since turning professional.
“Right now I wouldn’t say I’m actively looking for a coach,”Raducanu stated in Tokyo, where she was announced as a global brand ambassador for the Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo, marking the end of her partnership with Nike.
“I think I had a great experience with Francis in terms of how we got on so well … the rapport was great. I think in the end, we just weren’t aligning on certain key aspects. But we still maintain a really good relationship.”
Raducanu has not won a tournament since her unexpected US Open victory in 2021. She plans to enter Indian Wells and Miami, where she reached the quarter-finals last year, with Alexis Canter, a former British professional who coached her last month.
“Right now I have Alexis in my corner,”she explained.
“He knows me as a person. He knows me as a player. And I’ve actually had some success with him in the past year in Washington [where she overcame Naomi Osaka in the second round] and Cluj … so it’s going well.
“I know the drills that I need to be doing right now in this moment in time … just repetition of doing those key fundamentals. I think I want to go back to that and [develop] a more aggressive style of playing.”
Injury and Illness Challenges
The 23-year-old has faced injury and illness since her breakthrough five years ago at Wimbledon. Earlier this month, she was defeated by qualifier Camila Osorio at the Qatar Open after attempting to continue playing following a medical timeout. This came after her emotionally and physically difficult withdrawal from a previous match.
Raducanu revealed she had been recovering from what appeared to be a viral infection contracted in Romania.
“In Cluj, I picked up like a virus, I think, at the start of the tournament,”she said.
“So I was dealing with that and the after-effects … I had really long effects for the last three weeks. I’ve been trying to clear them. So the Middle East trip was very difficult for me.
“I’m getting ready for Indian Wells and just trying to get back to full health. And I still have a bit of time, so I’m just looking forward to doing my best to be ready for that.”
Looking Forward to Wimbledon
Although Wimbledon is still several months away, Raducanu expressed excitement about competing on home soil this summer.
“That month of the year on the grass is something really special that we all look forward to as Brits,”she said, recalling her 2021 Wimbledon debut where she reached the fourth round as a wildcard ranked 338th. Weeks later, she became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade in 1977.
“[Wimbledon] was my first big tournament, my first big win, my first big match. And it holds a special place,”she added.
“And I feel like the British public have really seen so many different kind of steps I’ve taken as I’ve been growing up … my evolution. They saw me first there.
“Having to pull out of that match in the fourth round and then a few months later winning the US Open … it’s pretty special. I feel like everyone’s seen my history. So to be going back [to Wimbledon] feels very comfortable.”
New Partnership with Uniqlo and Social Media Realities
Raducanu had maintained a low profile on social media ahead of her announcement with Uniqlo, though she made a discreet visit to one of its Tokyo stores to purchase a warm coat. She also shared her perspective on the ongoing issue of online abuse directed at athletes, highlighted during the recent Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
“For me, I’ve accepted that it’s going to keep happening,”she said.
“Whatever everyone tries to do about it, it seems like there are just too many people … that there’s no real way to stop it. It comes with the territory of being in the spotlight or having a public presence. If I wasn’t achieving anything then no one would speak about me, so I think being aware of that and just accepting that there’s no way of stopping it is important.”
Resilience as a Key Lesson
As fans hope for an injury-free spring and summer, Raducanu reflected on how her setbacks have prepared her for the challenges ahead.
“Sport is a great vehicle in terms of teaching you life lessons. I believe resilience is the biggest lesson that I can take away from this. Because the season is so long – it’s 11 months of the year – it’s very difficult to be on court the entire time if you play all these tournaments that are now being made mandatory.
“Just doing your best each day, and striving to be the best version of yourself is my goal. But I think just knowing that whatever challenge comes my way, I can keep falling down seven times, but I’m going to get up eight times. That’s something that I keep with me. It serves me pretty well in the tough moments.”
