Emma Raducanu is unlikely to appoint a new head coach in the immediate future, with former British No. 1 Laura Robson noting that Raducanu’s options are “pretty limited” when it comes to finding a mentor who can commit to traveling full-time.
Since parting ways with Nick Cavaday at the end of January, following the Australian Open, Raducanu has been without a coach. Cavaday, who had stepped in as her coach during the latter part of the 2023 season, decided to step down to prioritize his health. The move came after a series of coaching changes since Raducanu’s breakthrough win at the 2021 US Open. Over the past four years, Raducanu has worked with a variety of coaches, including Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, and Sebastian Sachs, but it appeared that she had finally found a stable setup with Cavaday, showing signs of improvement in her game.
However, Cavaday had been battling health issues and the demands of travel had taken a toll on him. He explained his decision to step down by saying, “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 first tournament after the Australian Open was the Singapore Tennis Open, where she traveled with only her mother and fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura. During her Middle East swing, another childhood coach, Jane O’Donoghue, joined her, but Raducanu has yet to announce her long-term coaching plans. In the past, she has emphasized that finding the “right fit” is crucial in any coaching partnership.
Robson believes Raducanu will stick to this principle despite her early struggles without a permanent coach. In her latest column for Sky Sports, Robson commented on Raducanu’s recent performances, stating, “Emma Raducanu has been out in the Middle East trying to build on the form we saw from her in Australia. She is competing really well and making sure she’s trying to do the right things on the court. I don’t think she’s in any rush, really, to employ someone new, just for the sake of it. It has to make sense for her and it has to be the right person.”
Robson also pointed out the difficulty in finding a suitable coach who can commit to full-time travel, saying, “There’s not too many amazing coaches around who can travel full-time, so options are pretty limited. You wouldn’t want to go into a new partnership without 100 per cent confidence.”
Raducanu’s 2024 season has had its ups and downs. After a third-round exit at the Australian Open, she went on to lose her opening matches at the Singapore Tennis Open, Abu Dhabi Open, and Qatar Open. However, she found some form in Dubai, defeating Maria Sakkari in the first round, only to fall to Karolina Muchova in her next match.
Looking ahead, Raducanu will be competing at the “Sunshine Double” in March, with her current ranking ensuring direct entries into both the Indian Wells and Miami Open. However, as of now, she is expected to continue her campaign without a permanent head coach at these prestigious WTA 1000 events.