Emma Raducanu’s coach, Mark Petchey, recently made a controversial comment about Joao Fonseca and Rafael Jodar after their Round of 32 contest at the 2026 Madrid Open.
Fonseca and Jodar were involved in a three-set thriller. The Spaniard won the first 7-6, but the Brazilian hit back to win the second set 6-4. Jodar turned the tide in the third, securing it with relative ease, 6-1.
After the match, Petchey took a dig at fans calling Fonseca and Jodar the future of tennis. He believes Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will continue their dominance for the foreseeable future.
“Should be a fineable offence to say this is the future of tennis,” Petchey tweeted. “The guys at the top are going to be around for the next decade and some change.”
Petchey’s comments didn’t sit well with many fans.
“This is one of the most embarrassing tweets I’ve ever seen from someone in the tennis industry,” one fan wrote.
“What???? Are you actually criticizing people for being excited about these two being in the top 20/10 and battling it out? And how exactly do you know the top 2 will be around for a decade? At the same level? Horrible comment,” another reacted.
“This is so dumb. Like I would actually recommend termination for such a stupid comment. Carlos and Jannik have been without healthy competition and you’re subtly discouraging it. Turn in your badge…,” one fan said.
“Establishment panicking that Sincaraz may actually have some viable challengers? What is the establishment’s obsession for Sinner and Alcaraz to dominate the sport?” one fan asked.
“They might not get to Sincaraz level but with the current state of the top 10 it’s not farfetched to say they’re the next best thing,” one fan added.
“Your not a smart person Mark pls stfu😇😇” one fan wrote.
Emma Raducanu and Mark Petchey Reunited for Third Time
Emma Raducanu keeps returning to Mark Petchey for answers about coaching. She dismissed Francisco Roig in January after a string of poor performances, marking her ninth head coach split in the last five years.
Earlier in March, she rehired Mark Petchey, but in a unique setup. Because Petchey has broadcasting commitments, he may not be able to join Raducanu at every tournament on the tour. He will be there for important tournaments, though.
This is the third time the duo has reunited. Petchey was Raducanu’s coach before her breakthrough year in 2021, when she won the US Open. He rejoined her team last year, in March, on an ad hoc basis. Raducanu later hired Roig in August, ending her association with Petchey for the second time.
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