Emma Raducanu: Former coach Mark Petchy believes British No 1 can improve again under Andrew Richardson | tennis news

Former coach Mark Petchy believes Emma Radukanu can win more Grand Slam titles if she chases happiness rather than ranking points and stops worrying about her critics.

A year ago, Petchey was in the middle of a successful short-term spell guiding the 23-year-old, but his broadcasting commitments meant it could not last.

Radukanu is now back with Andrew Richardson, who helped him win the US Open title in 2021 that launched him into superstardom but has made the intervening five years a wild and challenging journey.

“I love to beat Emma,” Petchi, who first coached Radukanu as a teenager, said.

“I’ll take a bullet for him. I think his situation is very unique. I don’t envy his life, judging every week based on the results that happened five years ago, it was an amazing story, an absolute fairytale.

“He’s a tennis player. But it’s challenging because, if you don’t win another one, it’s considered a sub-optimal result.

“And I think, for him, as an 18-year-old, it was a very difficult process growing up in the spotlight, with what came — everybody was doing the same thing, but they said they weren’t doing the same thing. That’s the thing that I find really difficult, the cognitive dissonance from people.

“He can definitely win another one, I’ve always believed about him. If he finds a way to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way every day, and not look for shortcuts to get back to where he was at ’21,’ he’ll be fine.”

Petchy helped Radukanu again this spring but isn’t ready to give up his other roles to move to the position permanently, but said he’s glad to see him and Richardson reunited.

“There’s a lot I like about it. We obviously had a conversation because my situation is never really going to change and he needs to find someone.

“And I think it’s perfect to go back to what she remembers as an amazing time in her life, and I think it’s going to be very positive for her. I think they’re going to have a great relationship.

“I also think it was almost necessary for both of them, to do it again this time, because there are so many people who said she should never have gotten rid of Andrew. Even if it doesn’t work, at least you can cross it off the list.”

‘Grass at its best’

Petchey had a close-up view of the goldfish bowl in which Raducanu works and the scrutiny that accompanies his every move.

“I thought I knew a lot about what to expect,” he said. “There’s a mystique about Emma that really fascinates people. And it’s like, ‘Oh, well, these people are borderline obsessed about everything’.”

Radukanu has not gone beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam since his New York win and it has been a stop-start season again after a post-viral illness sidelined him for two-and-a-half months, but a run to the final at Queen’s Club tipped the balance towards optimism.

“Everyone knows that things could have been handled differently — but not by him,” Petchi said.

“She was 18. It’s not on her, but there are a lot of adults in the room who obviously need to look after themselves.

“The lucky thing for him is that he won it so young, he had this time to figure things out, and he’s only 23 now and there’s still a lot of runway in tennis if he decides to use it. Especially on grass, because there’s no question in my mind it’s his best surface.

“I think he needs to survive and build his career on his terms from here. You get a zero pointer? Who cares? Don’t play tournaments. Just do what’s going to make you happy.

“Give yourself a chance in the four majors, because I’ll back you against anybody.

“Don’t worry so much about rankings and worry more about being in the right position to make a run at the tournament every time, because you’re not like everyone else and don’t think that’s a negative.

“If you decide to do this, you can have the longest career ever. If you’re doing it like everyone else is telling you to do it and everyone else is doing it, you’re probably going to have a short career. People are going to criticize anyway, no matter what you do.”

The door will always be open

The 55-year-old will leave the door open as to whether Petchy could have a role again in the future.

“If he needs me,” he added. “The best thing is probably when my phone doesn’t beep, because then I know she’s happy.”

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