Emma Raducanu is reportedly in discussions with Mark Petchey regarding the possibility of appointing him as her new coach.
Sources suggest that the Briton is keen to bring Andy Murray’s former coach on board, although no final agreement has been reached.
Petchey, a former top-100 player, was present in Raducanu’s coaching box alongside Jane O’Donoghue at the Miami Open in March, where she reached the quarter-finals and delivered her best performance of the year.
Speaking at the time, Raducanu expressed confidence in her team, saying, “I had some really good people around me who I trust.”
Petchey has a longstanding connection with Raducanu, having trained alongside her during the pandemic summer of 2020 at the National Tennis Centre in London. Their mutual respect and rapport have strengthened the prospect of a coaching partnership.
However, the biggest obstacle appears to be Petchey’s commentary commitments with the Tennis Channel, with both sides needing to agree on how to balance his schedule.
Raducanu has been without a full-time coach since Nick Cavaday stepped down in January due to health issues.
She previously worked with a variety of coaches, including Nigel Sears, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Andrew Richardson—who guided her to the US Open title—and Sebastian Sachs.
The 22-year-old pulled out of the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers this week to focus on training and recovery. While her participation in the Madrid Open remains undecided, she is expected to compete at next month’s Italian Open in Rome, followed by the French Open in May.
