British tennis star Emma Raducanu has indicated she is in no rush to appoint a new full-time coach, stating her satisfaction with her current “informal” coaching setup as her part-time collaboration with Mark Petchey continues.
Raducanu, the 22-year-old, brought Petchey, a familiar figure in British tennis and a former coach of Andy Murray, into her coaching team on a casual basis for last month’s Miami Open.
Petchey was present in Raducanu’s coaching box as she reached the quarter-finals of the prestigious tournament, showcasing some of her best tennis of the season.
Following her successful run in Miami, Raducanu had expressed interest in a more regular partnership with Petchey to lead her team. However, Petchey’s commitments to his television broadcasting work have presented a scheduling challenge.
As Raducanu prepares to return to competitive action this week at the Madrid Open after a month away from the tour, she confirmed that Petchey will be working with her around his other commitments at the WTA 1000 clay-court event.
“I’m happy with the set-up going forward right now – it’s been working well,” said the current world number 49. “I like him a lot, and I’ve known him since before the US Open [victory in 2021], so it’s nice to have familiar faces around me.”
Raducanu’s decision to continue with an informal arrangement suggests a level of comfort and trust in her existing setup as she navigates the clay-court season. Tennis fans in Kumasi and across Ghana will be watching her progress at the Madrid Open with interest.
