'Emma Raducanu can be #one of the best in the world' - says Mats Wilander
WTA
Despite her recent struggles and divisive career choices, Mats Wilander firmly believes that Emma Raducanu can become one of the best players in the world.
Raducanu has had several coaches since stunning the sporting world by winning the 2021 US Open. She was just 18 years old and a qualifier at the time, but she stormed to the title without dropping a set at Flushing Meadows.
Andrew Richardson was Raducanu's coach at that incredible moment. He had only joined a few weeks before for the North American hard court season, meaning his record with her could not have been better.
That is why many were stunned when Raducanu split with him two weeks after triumphing at the US Open. The Briton explained at the time that she wanted to hire someone with more experience of the WTA Tour.
Raducanu had a brief spell with Angelique Kerber's former coach Torben Beltz before hiring Dimtry Tursunov after last year's Wimbledon. He previously helped Anett Kontaveit reach No. 2 in the world and win the WTA Finals.
Tursunov left in October, saying he identified red flags that made him believe forming a sustainable partnership would not be possible. This continued the instability in Raducanu's team, which probably contributed to her inconsistency in winning the US Open.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Wilander still believes in her, though. The Swede thinks Raducanu can become one of the best players in the world if she finds a coach she trusts and sticks with them for a period of time.
"Emma can be one of the best in the world, but she has to find her identity. You need the right trainer for that. Finding that out isn't a matter of two weeks, it's a matter of years."
"She has to find someone she trusts so that she can find her identity as a player."- Wilander on her coaching carousel
