Emma Raducanu has reportedly been given the green light to work with renowned tennis coach Mark Petchey ahead of this summer’s Wimbledon Championships, signaling a new chapter in her coaching journey.
Petchey, who is currently a TV commentator for the Tennis Channel, has apparently received permission from the broadcaster to work alongside Raducanu during the grass-court season. Despite his full-time role in media, the 54-year-old is set to focus on helping the 22-year-old Brit as she looks to fine-tune her game ahead of one of tennis’ most prestigious events.
Petchey’s connection with Raducanu has been growing, having been seen in her player box during her impressive run in Miami. The British star reached the quarter-finals at the WTA 1000 event, marking her best result of the year. This performance seems to have laid the foundation for their continued collaboration, which looks set to extend beyond just the Miami tournament.
The young talent has experienced several changes in her coaching setup this year. Nick Cavaday, who initially joined her team, stepped down due to health reasons, while Vlado Platenik’s brief tenure ended after just one match. Despite these challenges, Raducanu’s partnership with Petchey appears to offer a fresh opportunity for growth. While Petchey was seen supporting Raducanu in Miami, it’s important to note that he isn’t yet officially part of her coaching team.
Raducanu’s journey through Miami provided a much-needed boost, with the British player reaching her first-ever WTA 1000 quarter-final. Reflecting on her performance, she expressed a mixture of satisfaction and a desire for further improvement. “Despite losing today I can take some good positives from this week and look forward,” Raducanu shared. “I think I just need to take a beat and kind of reevaluate what I’m doing. This week it was good but I need to kind of just figure things out and then I’ll make a plan from there.”
Mark Petchey has long been a vocal supporter of Raducanu, defending her from the intense criticism she has faced in the aftermath of her US Open victory. In an interview earlier this year, Petchey explained that much of the negative commentary surrounding Raducanu has been overly harsh. “There’s no doubt that she is misunderstood,” Petchey remarked in January. “If there was an Olympic event for cutting people down who have been successful, as a nation, we (Great Britain) would win the gold medal for it every four years.”
Petchey expressed his frustration at the unrealistic expectations placed on Raducanu after her surprise US Open triumph, noting how quickly public opinion shifted when her subsequent results didn’t match the same level of success. “She’s had to deal with so much which must be incredibly hard for a youngster who is on the cover of every magazine and everybody’s favourite tennis player after the US Open,” he added. “Obviously, when things don’t go from strength to strength, the attitudes of some people change.”
The former player also highlighted the unfair label of “one-Slam wonder” that has been thrust upon Raducanu, pointing out how difficult it must be for her to cope with such criticism. “She’s already getting called a one-Slam wonder like she’s never going to win one again, and that must be incredibly difficult to deal with,” he remarked. “People love to take pot shots at her but there’s a lot more to her than just being a tennis player.”
Petchey further praised Raducanu’s multifaceted personality, emphasizing that she has a wide range of interests outside the sport. “There is so much more to her personality, and she has so many other interests which people don’t realise,” he noted. “She’s not arrogant, but you’ve got to be confident. You’ve got to believe in yourself to exist and survive. Let alone thrive.”
In the unforgiving world of professional tennis, Petchey stressed the importance of self-belief. “Tennis is a ruthless, hostile environment where you have at a Grand Slam, 127 other players who absolutely want to beat your brains out,” he explained. “They want the same dream that you’re fighting for, the same trophy, and only one person is going to put a pair of hands on that silverware at the end of it. So, if you don’t back yourself, no one else is going to back you.”
As Raducanu prepares for the challenges of Wimbledon, the support of a seasoned coach like Petchey may just provide the stability and guidance she needs to build on her potential and handle the pressures that come with being one of tennis’ brightest stars.