Emma Raducanu's consistent changes to her coaching team have received much attention, but the Briton insists that is not something she planned or wanted.
Raducanu stunned tennis fans by winning the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier. It remains one of the most extraordinary achievements in tennis history and made her a worldwide star.
Andrew Richardson was Raducanu's coach during the US Open. He had been hired before the North American hardcourt season and could not have done a better job after witnessing his player pull off one of the most incredible runs ever.
Raducanu worked with Andy Murray's coach, Mark Petchey, for 10 months before hiring Richardson. Petchey recently praised Raducanu, saying she was excellent to work with and that he only wished her the best for the future.
Most would have expected Raducanu to build a strong partnership with the man with whom she won the US Open. However, the young star caused much surprise after parting ways with Richardson a few weeks later, explaining that she wanted to hire a more experienced coach.
Raducanu did that by hiring Torben Beltz, who helped Angelique Kerber win two Grand Slams and an Olympic silver medal during her outstanding 2016 season, but his partnership with Raducanu only lasted a few months.
The Briton then hired Dimitry Tursunov after Wimbledon. He seemed like a great appointment because he helped Anett Kontaveit reach No. 2 in the world and finish as the runner-up at the 2021 WTA Finals to Garbine Muguruza.
However, Raducanu and Tursunov's relationship only lasted three months. Tursunov later commented that the 22-year-old's setup did not seem serious, which made him feel insecure while negotiating a deal for the future.
Sebastian Sachs was hired as Tursunov's replacement, but he left soon after Raducanu sustained severe injuries to her wrist and ankle that sidelined her for the final nine months of the 2023 season.
Raducanu has worked with her childhood coach, Nick Cavaday, since returning to tennis at the start of 2024. She also recently hired Naomi Osaka and Maria Sharapova's former strength and conditioning coach, Yutaka Nakamura, to try to become one of the best athletes.
The former US Open champion's track record indicates she naturally wants to chop and change coaches. However, Raducanu told PA she is a loyal person and did not set out to change her coaches regularly.
"It’s never really been my interest or philosophy to chop and change coaches. I’ve never really wanted that. I’m a very loyal person, whether that’s with my tennis or off the court. Or with what I eat."
"When I find something I like, I stick to it. I eat the same thing every single day. Same salmon every single day. I like those relationships and I think in the past, unfortunately, it hasn’t always worked like this."
Raducanu's staying with Cavaday for a longer period and hiring a full-time strength and conditioning coach might indicate that she is trying to build a team for the long term after undergoing so many changes before 2024 that seemed to hinder her.
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