Emma Raducanu hasn’t been able to find the same level of success since she won the 2021 US Open. Over the last two years, she has been unable to keep up with the top-ranked players. On top of that, she has struggled to stick with one coach, which many believe is the primary reason behind her shortcomings on the tour.
Her coaching struggles have been a hot topic in tennis circles. Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli is the latest to chime in on the debate as she asks the Brit to stick with one coach for a longer time.
“For Emma to keep changing coaches is a difficult topic because you need to have some sort of stability,” Bartoli said.
The former French tennis star took the example of Aryna Sabalenka, who has kept Anton Dubrov as her head coach since 2020 and has seen major success come her way. The Belarusian has won all four of her Grand Slams with Dubrov, suggesting what an association with a long-time coach could do.
“When you look at the coaching system, Sabalenka has had the same coach for such a long period of time and I think for Emma it’s about trying to find the right fit!” Bartoli added. “I do strongly believe she will need to find someone she can trust for a long period of time if she wants to improve.”
Since 2021, Raducanu has easily worked with 8-10 different coaches. She won the US Open with coach Andrew Richardson but split shortly after the title.
Torben Beltz (late 2021-early 2022), Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs, Nick Cavaday (2024–2025), and former Rafael Nadal coach Francisco Roig (Aug 2025 – Jan 2026) were some of the coaches Raducanu had shorter stints with. Most recently, the British star has reunited with Mark Petchey on a short-term basis.
Martina Navratilova’s Advice For Emma Raducanu on Coaching Changes
Like Marion Bartoli, Martina Navratilova has also asked Emma Raducanu to refrain from making frequent coaching changes. She asks the Brit to be patient as it takes time to get comfortable with a new coach.
“I mean, I don’t know what’s the record for a coach – maybe six months! So, I wish that she would really pick whoever she wants to be her coach carefully and then stick with it,” said the 18-time Grand Slam champion.
Most of Raducanu’s coaches were on a few-month stint, so Navratilova advised her to at least give it a year before thinking about moving on.
“Give it a year because it takes a while to be comfortable with making changes and being able to incorporate the person into your game,” Navratilova added. “The biggest thing I see I think she could get fitter, which the coach has nothing to do with, but you know, the coach can only do so much. Pick the right coach and stick with him or her, please!”
Raducanu’s contract with Mark Petchey is a unique one. Given Petchey’s broadcasting duties, his availability will be limited on a tournament-by-tournament basis.
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