Emma Raducanu was unveiled as the new brand ambassador for the Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo in Tokyo, ending her long sponsorship deal with Nike. During the official press announcement, Raducanu reflected on many aspects of a frustrating season, including a disappointing Australian swing and heartbreaking losses in the subsequent WTA events.
During the media conference, Raducanu broke the silence on the highly discussed coaching debacle that has been making rounds since she parted ways with her ninth coach, Francois Roig, after a disappointing second-round exit at the Australian Open. The former US Open champion also said she is not actively looking for a new coach ahead of playing at the Indian Wells and Miami Open.
“Right now, I wouldn’t say I’m actively looking for a coach. I think I had a great experience with Francis in terms of how we got on so well … the rapport was great. I think in the end, we just weren’t aligning on certain key aspects. But we still maintain a really good relationship,” Raducanu said.
“Right now, I have Alexis in my corner. He knows me as a person. He knows me as a player. And I’ve actually had some success with him in the past year in Washington [where she overcame Naomi Osaka in the second round] and Cluj … so it’s going well,” she added.
“I know the drills that I need to be doing right now in this moment in time … just repetition of doing those key fundamentals. I think I want to go back to that and [develop] a more aggressive style of playing,” Raducanu concluded.
Emma Raducanu Expressed That She Was on the Path to a Full Recovery
Raducanu had picked up a viral infection during the Transylvania Open in Cluj, Romania. She had reached the final of the event but lost to the home favorite and veteran Sorana Cirstea in straight sets. Since then, the Brit has played in both events on the Middle East swing but hasn’t fared well in either.
“In Cluj, I picked up like a virus, I think, at the start of the tournament. So, I was dealing with that and the after-effects … I had really long effects for the last three weeks. I’ve been trying to clear them. So the Middle East trip was very difficult for me,” Raducanu said.
Despite the disappointing run, Raducanu expressed positivity and belief ahead of the two WTA 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami, where she hopes to build on that momentum and take it forward into the clay-court swing.
“I’m getting ready for Indian Wells and just trying to get back to full health. And I still have a bit of time, so I’m just looking forward to doing my best to be ready for that,” Raducanu said. The Brit will be up against some of the top names in women’s tennis at both the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments, with the former starting on March 2.
Also read:
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
