Emma Raducanu recently opened up about her coaching journey, revealing her long-standing preference for loyalty and consistency over frequent changes. Despite this, her career has seen a series of coaching shifts—seven changes over four years. Her most recent transition included a brief two-week stint with Vladimir Platenik, who referred to the position as “coaching suicide.” This came just before Nick Cavaday’s departure, after which Raducanu experienced a notable upswing in form during the Miami Open, where she reached the later rounds for the first time since the Korea Open. Her resurgence aligned with training sessions involving Mark Petchey, known for previously coaching Andy Murray.
🗣️ “We haven’t made anything formal, he’s someone I can really trust”
Emma Raducanu says her relationship with coach Mark Petchey is “going really well” ahead of her clay-court season starting today in Madrid 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/ho686AN0nB
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) April 23, 2025
In Madrid, Raducanu has continued her upward trajectory, recently earning her first clay court win since 2022 by defeating Suzan Lamens 7-6(4), 6-4. Following the win, she reflected on her resilience, saying she competed well even when not at her best and expressed pride in her ability to stay mentally strong during key moments. This victory moved her up two spots in the live WTA rankings from No. 49 to No. 47, providing a boost to her confidence after a turbulent period of injuries and transitions.
While there’s speculation that her recent success may be credited to her work with Petchey, Raducanu has clarified that their collaboration remains informal for now. She emphasized the trust and familiarity in their relationship, noting that she’s known Petchey since before her 2021 US Open win. Their conversations, she added, are intellectually stimulating and have contributed positively to her mindset on court.
Since joining forces with Petchey, Raducanu reached her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Miami, defeating prominent players such as Emma Navarro and Amanda Anisimova. Petchey, who helped guide Andy Murray from outside the top 350 into the top 50 within a year, brings a solid coaching background that could prove instrumental in Raducanu’s return to top form.
Her recent interviews, including one during the Miami Open, reveal a sense of “inner calmness” she has been able to access during high-pressure situations. She recounted staying composed even when trailing or facing tight matches, such as her nearly three-hour battle against Navarro, which she won despite a foot injury and falling behind in the final set.
In Madrid, she overcame a challenge from Lamens, particularly in a tense first-set tiebreak and from a deficit in the second set, to secure a straight-sets victory. She now faces Marta Kostyuk in the second round—a player she beat convincingly in 2022, evening their head-to-head record.
As Raducanu continues her clay court campaign, the question remains whether her informal coaching relationship with Petchey can evolve into a stable foundation for long-term success.