As the 2025 US Open draws near, Emma Raducanu, the 2021 champion, has made a bold move to strengthen her coaching team, signaling her ambition to reclaim her place among tennis’s elite. The 22-year-old British star, who has been navigating a challenging yet promising season, has appointed Francisco Roig, a seasoned coach who spent 18 years as Rafael Nadal’s deputy, to lead her team through the end of the year. This surprising addition, confirmed on August 4, 2025, comes as Mark Petchey, her coach since March, transitions to an advisory role due to his broadcasting commitments. The shift marks a pivotal moment for Raducanu as she prepares for the hard-court swing, starting with the Cincinnati Open and culminating at Flushing Meadows, where she hopes to recapture the magic of her historic title run.
Raducanu’s 2025 season has been a tale of resilience and resurgence. After parting ways with Nick Cavaday in January due to his health issues and a brief, unsuccessful trial with Vladimir Platenik, she reunited with Petchey at the Miami Open. The collaboration proved fruitful, with Raducanu reaching the quarterfinals—her first at a WTA 1000 event—defeating top-10 player Emma Navarro and Qatar Open champion Amanda Anisimova. “I have some really good people around me who I trust,” Raducanu said of her team, which included Petchey and longtime friend Jane O’Donoghue. Their “informal” arrangement fostered a relaxed environment, with off-court activities like spikeball and hiking helping her stay loose. A 10-day training block in Los Angeles with Petchey further honed her game, leading to quarterfinal runs at Queen’s Club and the Citi Open, and a third-round showing at Wimbledon, where she pushed world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to a 7-6(8-6), 6-4 thriller.
Despite these successes, Petchey’s dual role as a Tennis Channel commentator created scheduling conflicts. He missed Raducanu’s first-round French Open win over Wang Xinyu, with his daughter Myah stepping in as a “Mini-Mark” to offer courtside support. “I actually think having her there really helped,” Raducanu laughed, appreciating Myah’s three-hour vigil. Petchey acknowledged the arrangement’s limitations, stating, “We are very aware she needs a second coach to come on board and maybe just one coach, not me. All I am trying to do is facilitate the best possible environment for Emma to produce the best tennis she can.” His candor about his inability to commit full-time, especially during the North American swing with the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, prompted Raducanu to seek a permanent solution.
Enter Francisco Roig, whose experience with Nadal from 2005 to 2022, alongside Toni Nadal, brings a wealth of expertise. Roig, who also coached Matteo Berrettini in 2022–23, trialed with Raducanu post-Wimbledon and impressed with his technical insights. Petchey’s shift to an advisory role ensures continuity, as he remains a trusted confidant. “I’m happy with the set-up going forward right now—it’s been working well,” Raducanu said earlier in the season, a sentiment that carries into this new chapter. Her work with fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura has bolstered her physicality, addressing past injury concerns, while O’Donoghue and occasional input from Loughborough coach Tom Welsh round out her support system.
Raducanu’s decision comes at a critical juncture. Ranked No. 38 after a third-round loss to Anisimova at the Canadian Open, she faces pressure to secure a top-32 seed for the US Open, where she’s also set to play mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz. Petchey, optimistic about her future, noted, “It was a great tennis match,” reflecting on her Sabalenka clash, and sought feedback from coaches like Jannik Sinner’s Darren Cahill to refine her game. Roig’s appointment, with his pedigree of guiding Nadal to 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles, could help Raducanu close the gap against top players like Iga Swiatek, who dismantled her 6-1, 6-2 at the French Open.
As Raducanu heads to Cincinnati, her new-look team signals a fresh start. With Roig’s strategic acumen and Petchey’s continued guidance, she’s poised to tackle the US Open’s challenges, aiming to prove that her 2021 triumph was no fluke. Fans eagerly await whether this coaching shake-up will propel her back to the sport’s pinnacle.
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