Emma Raducanu Makes Surprise Coaching Reunion to Reignite Form Before Italian Open

TENNIS : Open Australie 2026 – Melbourne – 18//01/2026 Emma Raducanu – Australian Open – Melbourne – 1826 MELBOURNE PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxBEL Copyright: xSportxPZx

Names like Nick Cavaday and Mark Petchey have remained part of her circle. Their long-standing connection has offered stability during an otherwise shifting coaching setup.

Even now, her time with Richardson is not expected to become a long-term arrangement. There are no plans for him to stay on through the rest of the clay season.

The 23-year-old has not had a permanent coach since ending her partnership with Francisco Roig in January. Since then, she has traveled with hitting partner Alexis Canter and physiotherapist Emma Stewart, while Petchey briefly assisted her in Indian Wells.

After her stint in Alicante, Raducanu returned to training at the National Tennis Centre in London. This time, Richardson was no longer part of the setup. She is now expected to make her return at the upcoming Italian Open. The signs are pointing toward a comeback, even though nothing has been formally confirmed.

Raducanu and Eva Lys appeared on Saturday’s practice schedule, booking a court from 12 pm to 1 pm local time. That decision suggests she is actively preparing to compete again.

The Italian Open, a WTA 1000 event, begins on Tuesday, though seeded players usually start later. Raducanu would likely play on Thursday or Friday if seeded, while also defending 120 ranking points from last year’s fourth-round run in Rome.

It has been nearly two months since her heavy 52-minute loss to Amanda Anisimova in Indian Wells, where she managed to win just two games. And now, after reconnecting with a trusted figure from the most successful phase of her career, she will hope to arrive in Rome refreshed, sharper, and ready.

Emma Raducanu faces scrutiny over decision-making authority within her camp

Emma Raducanu first worked with Nigel Sears during her breakthrough run at Wimbledon. That period marked the beginning of her rapid rise on the biggest stage. Soon after, she partnered with Andrew Richardson and achieved something remarkable. She went on to win the US Open in 2021, a victory that changed everything.

That triumph instantly turned her into one of the brightest young stars in tennis. Expectations rose quickly, and so did the scrutiny around her decisions.

Since then, Raducanu has worked with a wide range of coaches. The list includes Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs, Nick Cavaday, Vladimir Platenik, Mark Petchey, and Francisco Roig.

Her decision to part ways with Roig even triggered debate across the tennis world. Questions about stability and long-term planning quickly resurfaced. Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters did not hold back when sharing her concerns. She openly questioned the structure behind these frequent changes.

“When I hear those kinds of things, I am curious to know who makes those decisions. Is it her? Her agent? Her father? There are many things that intrigue me in that situation. Who makes these decisions for her? Who makes her panic so quickly? Because she has had very good coaches she has worked with in the past, coaches who take their time and understand that developing and adjusting technique and tactical gameplay takes time. Working on that takes time,” she said.

Even the recent development involving Richardson in Spain caught many by surprise. The sudden nature of the update raised further uncertainty. On a recent episode of The Tennis Podcast, broadcaster David Law reacted to the news. He made it clear that the situation remains unclear.

“We have not had this information confirmed, and also even if it is confirmed, we don’t know if it’s a meaningful development, other than they may just be practising together for a bit.”

As for the Italian Open, Raducanu has played the event twice before, in 2022 and 2025. Her experiences there have been mixed but informative.

On her debut in Rome, she retired against Bianca Andreescu while trailing 6-2, 1-2. She returned last year with more confidence and delivered a stronger performance. She won three matches before reaching the fourth round.

Her run ended with a heavy loss to Coco Gauff, going down 6-1, 6-2. Despite that defeat, it remained one of her better WTA 1000 results. With a record of 3-2 in Rome, the tournament stands out as one of her stronger events at this level. It offers a base she can build on.

This year, Raducanu will aim to push beyond that fourth-round barrier. The tournament begins on Tuesday, May 5th, and presents another key test in her evolving journey.

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