Martina Navratilova Advises Emma Raducanu on What She Must Do to Become a Top Player Again

Emma Raducanu holds an 18-14 win-loss record this season and she's currently ranked World No.45 in the WTA rankings.

Martina Navratilova Advises Emma Raducanu on What She Must Do to Become a Top Player Again

Emma Raducanu and Martina Navratilova (via X/Wimbledon/Getty images)

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Emma Raducanu has struggled with fitness problems in her career and has found it hard to produce consistent results on the court. However, since the temporary partnership with Andy Murray’s ex-coach Mark Petchey, she has been gradually finding her game rhythm. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova believes she has to stick to a coach for at least a year to get to the top of her game.

Raducanu has never reached the heights she gained after lifting the 2021 US Open at just 18. In fact, she has not been to a Grand Slam quarter-final since then. This season, she has won 18 of her 32 matches on tour but has failed to reach a semi-final, having reached the quarter-finals only twice.

However, one of the factors that has led to Raducanu’s struggle on the court is her lack of a consistent coach. She has had seven coaches since the start of her professional career in 2021. At Indian Wells in March, her partnership with Vladimir Platenik lasted for just days before she hired Mark Petchey to be her temporary coach.

The collaboration had an instant success as Raducanu went on to reach the quarter-finals of the Miami Open. She also had an amazing run at the Italian Open, reaching the fourth round of the competition for the first time in her career. Also, she featured in four clay-court tournaments, the most in a single year in her entire career.

However, Petchey will soon step down from his temporary coaching role as he plans to focus on his job as a tennis commentator at Tennis Channel. During a conversation on Sky Sports, Martina Navratilova revealed that Raducanu needs to commit to a coach for at least one year before reaching the heights she intends to get to:

Commit to a year, if you like the person, if you know them and what they can bring to your game, then you need to really buy in and stick with it and make sure you’re doing your part as far as training, fitness, eating all of that. She’s got the talent and she did play better tennis against Sabalenka. She’s going in the right direction now.

Raducanu’s last match ended in a straight-sets defeat against Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the Wimbledon Championships. The British star fared a good account of herself despite the defeat as she pushed the World No.1 hard in the match, nearly rolling the years back to her 2021 US Open triumph.

Martina Navratilova gives reasons why Emma Raducanu needs to stick to a coach

Emma Raducanu has formed a strong relationship with Nick Cavaday, but the British coach has not been consistent as he had to step back due to health issues. Raducanu has trusted Mark Petchey to lead her but the Andy Murray’s ex-coach revealed after the Wimbledon Championships that he will part ways with her before the US Open.

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu (Image via X/British Tennis Players)

During the aforementioned conversation, Martina Navratilova revealed that the need for Raducanu to stick with a coach longer is because it takes time to incorporate new ideas into her game and get better results:

She needs to stick with somebody longer because when you work with somebody, it takes a while for them to incorporate into their game and get the results. When you start a new training regime, you don’t immediately go faster or get stronger. I just think she needs to really take charge of her life, make sure that she’s the one that’s making all the decisions for herself, and then stick with somebody.

Raducanu is set to compete at the DC Open, which begins on July 21. The British star is currently ranked World No.45 after failing to defend her round of 16 points at the Wimbledon Championship. Last year, she reached the quarter-finals of the DC Open and had a significant opportunity to earn more ranking points by getting past the last eight stage of the tournament.

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