Rick Macci, the renowned former coach of Serena Williams, is confident that Emma Raducanu possesses the talent to be “100% a top 10 player,” but he also pointed out the challenges surrounding the young Brit’s coaching instability. Recently, Raducanu parted ways with her coach Nick Cavaday after a third-round exit at the 2025 Australian Open, further contributing to the ongoing debate about her coaching situation.
Raducanu and Cavaday first worked together during her younger years before rekindling their partnership in the previous season. Under Cavaday’s guidance, Raducanu made a comeback to the top 100 of the WTA Rankings after an injury-riddled 2023, which saw her undergo surgery. However, the news of their split was unexpected, especially since Raducanu had previously expressed her hope that their collaboration would be long-lasting. Cavaday, on his part, stated that stepping down was his decision, emphasizing his need to focus on his own health and personal time away from the demanding tennis schedule.
Reflecting on their time together, Cavaday shared his gratitude: “I am very happy to have been able to work with Emma over the last 14 months. At this moment in time, it’s important for me to spend some more time at home and prioritise getting back to full health, which is hard to do with the extensive calendar. I am glad Emma is back to being established on tour now with a ranking inside the top 60, and I look forward to seeing what she does from here.”
Raducanu’s career saw a high point in 2022, when she achieved her career-best ranking of world No. 10, a year after her unforgettable US Open victory as a qualifier. Despite her early success, her coaching changes over the past few years have raised questions about the consistency of her development. In a series of posts on X, Macci emphasized Raducanu’s immense potential but warned that her coaching carousel could be hindering her progress.
Macci wrote, “Emma is one hundred percent a top ten player. Emma is a great ball striker. Mentally, Emma has been there, done that.” He continued, “Emma can beat anybody, anytime, anywhere – including herself if she does not have the right proven voice and inner secret sauce. She is too talented and proven not to be one of the best in the world. Unless you know what is inside the player’s head and if there is a burning desire, it is hard to speculate. She has more coaches in the past four years than titles, so maybe she should hire Emma to coach Emma.”
Further elaborating, Macci stressed the need for Raducanu to find a coach who could offer the right mental approach. “She needs the right quarterback who understands the mental game and bulletproof confidence,” Macci stated. “She won a Grand Slam. She has been a top 10 player. She does not need a new travel coach/buddy. The right quarterback calling every play can get Raducanu back.”
Macci, whose coaching resume includes five players who reached world No. 1, including Serena and Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati, and Andy Roddick, also expressed his willingness to assist Raducanu in the future. In 2023, the 70-year-old coach revealed he had offered to help Raducanu but made it clear that he wasn’t interested in being a travel coach.
“I talked to her agent and told him I can help her team but I am not a travel coach. I assist many players and coaches on both tours, and if this young lady is mentally all in, I can help her win again and again,” Macci wrote on X.
Raducanu’s coaching situation remains a focal point in her ongoing journey, and the quest for stability and the right guidance seems more crucial than ever for her to unlock her full potential.