“I think the level was really high today. Maya played so aggressively, and any time I dropped the ball a tiny bit short, she was just all over it.” A jubilant Emma Raducanu said after kickstarting her Italian Open campaign on a high note. On Wednesday, the Brit registered her maiden win in Rome after besting Aussie Maya Joint. The latter posed a tough challenge in front of the 2021 US Open winner. However, the 22-year-old fought back and advanced ahead with a score line of 7-5, 6-7, 6-3. Since the Miami Open in March, Raducanu’s underwhelming form has improved drastically. And the credit goes to a familiar face, making her ‘optimistic’ for a resurgence after witnessing constant setbacks this season.
For the uninitiated, Raducanu’s gone through a rollercoaster ride lately. Especially considering her coaching situation. Earlier this year, after her Australian Open exit in third round against Iga Swiatek, former trainer Nick Cavaday opted to split citing personal reasons. Meanwhile, the Brit failed to impress in back-to-back tournaments. She was ousted in early stages of the Singapore Open, Abu Dhabi Open, Qatar Open, and Dubai. She then opted to change her fortunes at the Indian Wells by bringing in Slovakian Vlado Platenik. He was acting as an interim trainer. But guess what? Raducanu crashed out in the first round against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima. Result? The 22-year-old ended the partnership with Platenik after just two weeks. He was her seventh coach in three years since her title triumph at the Flushing Meadows.
She then opted to have familiar faces in her camp. Alongside longtime confidante and coach Jane O’Donoghue, ex-coach of Andy Murray Mark Petchey also joined her team. And since then, the fortunes have really changed – for the good. During her Miami Open run, she appeared in the best form possible in 2025. She made it to the QF round there. This outcome sparked speculations suggesting that the Brit would make Petchey her permanent coach. However, she later clarified that they haven’t “made anything formal. It’s pretty informal for now but is something that’s going really well.”
In her last event, at the Madrid Open, Raducanu went on a losing streak again. After clearing R128, she lost the next one against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Emma fought well and pushed the match into a decider but Kostyuk proved to be too good. Seeing this result, a former British No.1 and ATP pro Dan Evans made a shocking prediction. Raising doubts on the future of Raducanu and Petchey’s partnership, he said, “It can’t last if she starts losing matches and Petchey is in the commentary box. That’s not going to work,” reported BBC on May 6. But it appears Raducanu is hopeful for the ongoing collaboration as she looks to make a deep run in Rome this month.
In an interaction with Sky Sports, dated May 7, Emma revealed she’s feeling “more optimistic, I feel pretty positive about things going forward. I’m just taking it day by day and trying to stay consistent.” While she didn’t name Petchey, the Brit indirectly stressed on her focused approach since starting the tenure with the ex-ATP pro. “It is exciting, it does feel like a bit of a fresh start with the way I am approaching everything, with the people I have around, with my mindset and outlook.”
Raducanu’s last appearance in Rome came back three years ago. During the 2022 edition, she made her tournament debut but met with an unfortunate end. She had to retire in a first-round loss to Canada’s Bianca Andreescu. But guess what? This season, she appears to have turned the tides in her favor at the Italian Open. All thanks to a brilliant start in first round, under the tutelage of Petchey. It seems her training sessions with him are going pretty well. What could be the reason though?
Emma Raducanu Raves About Coach Mark Petchey’s Tactics
In the same interview with Sky Sports, Emma Raducanu also shared details on her experience with the former British pro. She revealed how he’s helped her in making a transition away from technique-based training. “He’s not a super technical coach, there are certain tweaks, as always, but that is something I am going away from,” she said.
Raducanu added, “I have been very technical in the past, there has been a time and a place for that because I needed to make improvements. But from now on, it’s more about doing the right things, taking the ball on more, and just repetition of certain drills and patterns, which he is very good at setting up.”
According to the youngster, that’s a good challenge for her game. “I want to work on doing things differently to try and bridge the gap between where I am now and where I want to be.” More than anything, she’s focusing on getting rid of the pressure this season. Instead, she’s trying to be “more aggressive and play the way I want to more so, so it can help me on the other surfaces.”
After registering her first match win in Rome, she will look to carry the momentum forward. In the next battle, Emma Raducanu will face Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in R64 on Friday. Both players have a won each in their previous two encounters. It will be intriguing to see who will have the last laugh this time. Do you think the Brit will advance ahead and make a deep run at the Italian Open? Let us know in the comments below.
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