Emma Raducanu has been told to stick to one coach if she wants to build on her incredible US Open win. In September, the 18-year-old became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows, beating fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez in the final.
However, in a somewhat ruthless move, she then duly parted ways with coach Andrew Richardson, claiming she needed a mentor with more ATP Tour experience. It was the second time this year the British star has split with a coach straight after a Grand Slam, breaking with Nigel Sears after her run to the last 16 of Wimbledon in July.
Raducanu is currently in Romania preparing for the Transylvania Open, her second tournament since winning in New York. In the build-up she has been working on a trial basis with Spaniard Esteban Carril, the ex-coach of Jo Konta.
Now Greg Rusedski, who was part of the Amazon Prime team that covered Raducanu’s extraordinary US Open feat, has warned that the youngster needs to stick with a coach long-term to maximise her potential.
He was quoted in The Sun as saying “Esteban did a great job with Jo Konta when she had her big breakthrough and got into the top 10 in the world.
Cowan added that for any tennis player, having a series of short-term coaches would only “come back to bite you.”
Raducanu worked with Jeremy Bates on a short term basis as she returned to action at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this month.
However, in her first match since beating Fernandez, she went out in straight sets to Belarussian player Aliaksandra Sasnovich, and will be looking to bounce back in Romania – the birth place of father Ian.
Carril, 44, has been unable to travel to the tournament with her, but a good display at the tournament will only serve to heighten the chances of his association with Raducanu becoming a lengthy one.
