Emma Raducanu is gearing up for the US Open with fresh momentum after battling setbacks for the last few years. She kicked off 2025 by reaching the Australian Open’s third round, where Iga Swiatek beat her in straight sets. Early in the year, she faced first-round exits in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. But she bounced back strong, making the Miami Open quarterfinals—her best WTA 1000 showing yet—after joining interim coach Mark Petchey. Raducanu also reached the quarterfinals at Queen’s Club and the third round at Wimbledon, where she pushed world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka hard. Now, with a new team member onboard, she’s hitting her stride.
After Wimbledon, Raducanu entered the American hard-court swing full of promise! At the Citi Open in Washington, she advanced to the semifinals before Anna Kalinskaya stopped her run. This marked clear improvement alongside her new coach, Francis Roig!
Speaking to Sky Sports before the Cincinnati Open, Emma Raducanu sounded upbeat about her new coaching partnership. She said, “It’s going really well. It’s my second day with him here but I did a few days in London before I came out here. He’s obviously got a bank of experience and I’m very excited to continue working with him and to have him on my side.” And with Roig’s resume, that excitement is well deserved!
Roig coached Rafael Nadal from early 2005 until the end of 2022. He was a key part of Nadal’s coaching team, alongside Toni Nadal, Carlos Moya, and Marc Lopez. Roig contributed to all 22 of Nadal’s Grand Slam titles, including 14 French Open crowns. He started as Toni Nadal’s assistant and later worked directly with Rafael after Toni stepped back. Beyond Nadal, Roig coached Matteo Berrettini from December 2023 to October 2024, helping Berrettini claim titles in Marrakech, Gstaad, and Kitzbuhel despite injury struggles. Now, he’s helping Emma chase the glory she showed four years ago at the US Open!
Emma Raducanu explains what it’s like working with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francis Roig pic.twitter.com/jrb9nwazqZ
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) August 7, 2025
But how is she improving? Raducanu explained, “I’m working on the quality of my shots to be better. I think against the very top that’s what it needs, it needs to improve, So I’m hoping that with time – I’m pretty patient, I’m going to try and be pretty patient – that it’ll improve.” Sounds promising, right?
Back in 2021, Emma Raducanu turned a new leaf for British tennis. As a qualifier, she won three matches just to reach the main draw. Then she cruised through without dropping a set, beating Stefanie Vögele, Zhang Shuai, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Shelby Rogers, Belinda Bencic, and Maria Sakkari to reach the final. Raducanu defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 to claim the title, becoming the first qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam.
Though she hasn’t lifted a title since, she’s made steady progress. This year alone, she has switched coaches a few times until landing with one who fits. Before Roig, it was Mark Petchey—known for coaching Andy Murray. Raducanu remains focused on finding the “right fit” to keep climbing.
Emma Raducanu’s word for her coaching shifts
Back in February, right after Nick Cavaday announced his departure from her team due to health concerns, Emma Raducanu was asked about her next coach. She kept things cool and clear: “It’s a decision that I want to take my time with. I think that’s why I haven’t necessarily jumped into something straight away, because I want to make sure it’s a right fit.” Since her magical 2021 US Open run, Cavaday was her sixth coach, following the likes of Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Dmitry Tursunov, Torben Beltz, and Sebastian Sachs.
Since January, without a full-time coach, Emma Raducanu had to navigate the tour with a rotating cast. She partnered with trusted faces Jane O’Donoghue and Mark Petchey during the 2025 Miami Open, describing them as “really good people around me who I trust.” Her comfort with Petchey showed—their La La Land training stint lasted almost 10 days, leading Emma to a strong quarterfinal at Miami, then long runs at the HSBC Championships and the Citi Open (semifinals). Through it all, a fresh name has joined her camp.
Emma explained why she took her time before hiring: “This time period to just figure out what I really value. I’m not too sure yet right now. I haven’t come to any plans or decisions. So yeah, I’m just taking it, using the next couple weeks to see how I feel, and then make a decision.” Now, with someone who coached a legend stepping into her corner, fans are buzzing—could the magic formula be back for Raducanu?
She’s bringing that energy into the Cincinnati Open next, where she’s made the main draw once—reaching the third round in 2022 with a solid 2-1 record. Although her WTA 1000 outings in 2023 and 2024 had their ups and downs, Emma has shown she can dig deep in these top-tier events. Will Emma Raducanu make a serious run this time? The stage is set — share your thoughts below!
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