Emma Raducanu has re‑established her working relationship with Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to the 2021 US Open triumph, as she prepares to launch her clay‑court campaign at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome. The British No.1 had attracted considerable criticism after parting ways with Richardson following her sensational victory in New York, but recent reports indicate that the pair have been training together again, this time at the Ferrer Tennis Academy near Alicante, Spain, where Richardson is based. The reunion appears to be a short‑term, informal arrangement rather than a full‑time coaching contract. Sources close to the player say there are no immediate plans for Richardson to accompany Raducanu throughout the entire clay season or beyond the upcoming Italian Open, which kicks off on Tuesday, May 5.
Nonetheless, the mere fact that the two have spent time on court together is being hailed as a positive sign for the 23‑year‑old, who has been struggling to regain her pre‑illness form. Raducanu's last competitive appearance came at Indian Wells, where she lasted just 52 minutes and managed to win only two games before succumbing to Amanda Anisimova. After that loss she withdrew from the WTA events in Miami and Linz, opting to focus on rehabilitation after a bout of post‑viral fatigue that followed an illness she contracted while training in Romania in early February.
The health setback also forced her to sit out Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Australia and to miss the Madrid Open, further extending her time away from tournament play. In the wake of her Australian Open second‑round defeat, Raducanu split from her most recent coach, Francisco Roig, and has since been working on a more informal basis with former British player Mark Petchey. She also retained hitting partner Alexis Canter, a 27‑year‑old Brit who reached a career‑high ranking of 779 last season, as a regular part of her training routine.
The combination of Petchey’s tactical input and Canter’s on‑court practice has helped her stay match‑ready while she rebuilds her physical conditioning. The decision to bring Richardson back into the fold reflects a strategic move to tap into the familiarity and confidence that the coach helped instill during her historic US Open run, where she became the first qualifier ever to capture a Grand Slam title. Richardson, who also coached Raducanu during her junior years, had expressed in a 2023 interview with the Daily Mail that he was eager to continue the partnership after New York, but Raducanu chose to hire Torben Beltz, a more experienced tour coach, instead.
That choice marked the beginning of a series of brief coaching stints that have characterized much of her professional career. While it remains uncertain whether Raducanu will actually compete in the Italian Open, she has returned to training at the Foro Italico and was seen practicing alongside coach Jane O'Donoghue on Saturday. Her presence on the courts in Rome is being welcomed by British tennis fans, especially as fellow compatriot Jack Draper will miss the remainder of the clay season due to a knee injury.
Analysts have weighed in on the merits of Raducanu’s ever‑changing coaching landscape. Former world No. 4 and Sky Sports analyst Tim Henman suggested in February that the British star might benefit more from focusing on her physical development rather than seeking a permanent coach. He compared her current fitness level unfavorably with that of Grand Slam champions such as Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff, emphasizing the need for greater strength, resilience and power in her game.
Henman noted that while Richardson and Petchey bring valuable tactical insight, the cornerstone of Raducanu’s future success will likely be a sustained commitment to conditioning and injury prevention. Raducanu’s coaching carousel includes a litany of notable names: Nigel Sears, who helped her reach the Wimbledon fourth round in 2021; Torben Beltz, former coach of Angelique Kerber, whose tenure lasted only five months; Dmitry Tursunov, who left after a brief trial in the summer of 2022 citing red‑flag concerns; Sebastian Sachs, whose partnership ended when multiple surgeries forced a split; Nick Cavaday, her longest‑standing coach who guided her back into the top 60 before departing in early 2025 for health reasons; Vlado Platenik, a trial appointment that lasted just two weeks; and Francisco Roig, Rafael Nadal’s former mentor, who was dismissed after Raducanu’s Australian Open exit in January 2026. This revolving door of mentors underscores the challenge of finding a stable, long‑term support structure.
Sky Sports’ lead commentator Jonathan Overend summed up the situation by pointing out that Raducanu’s constant re‑evaluation of her coaching needs is both a symptom of her quest for the optimal setup and a source of external criticism. He argued that the key question she must answer is what she truly wants from her tennis career—whether she seeks a consistent coaching presence or prefers a more flexible, self‑directed approach that allows her to fine‑tune her game and physicality on her own terms. As the Italian Open approaches, the tennis world will be watching to see if the renewed partnership with Richardson can provide the spark Raducanu needs to transition from a promising talent to a consistent contender on the WTA Tour.
With her health gradually improving, a renewed focus on strength and endurance, and the backing of familiar faces from her past successes, Emma Raducanu may yet find the balance that has eluded her since her meteoric rise in 2021. The upcoming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the brief reunion with her US Open coach translates into tangible results on the red clay of Rome, and whether she can finally break the cycle of short‑lived coaching relationships that have hampered her progress for too long.