Emma Raducanu says she is ‘excited’ to draw on Francisco Roig’s ‘bank of experience’ as the pair begin their collaboration as player-coach at the upcoming Cincinnati Open.
The pair announced the working relationship after a successful post-Wimbledon trial, with the upcoming Cincinnati Open being their first official event.
Roig had previously worked with 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal from 2005 until the end of 2022, whilst also having helped Matteo Berrettini and Sloane Stephens since leaving the Spaniard.
“First impressions are it’s going really well,” analysed Raducanu, during an interview with the Guardian.
“We did a few days after Wimbledon together and I was really happy with how it went. I’m just so excited to have him on board, so much experience. I’m really looking forward to continuing.
“I think I can definitely improve on a lot of my shots, just the quality of them.
“I think I’ve been good at being creative, scrapping, playing the big points well, but I think the overall quality of my game needs to be better.
“And I see that when I play the really top players where I can’t run and scrap, wait on them to miss. I think that’s where I need to improve.
“And yeah, I’m hoping he can help me with that.”
The Brit had, most recently, been working with Mark Petchey since March – a period marked by a return to the world’s top 35 and a maiden WTA 1000 last eight appearance.
However, Raducanu and Petchey admitted that the former needed a full-time mentor and coach going forward.
Petchey is also a long-time tennis commentator, something which forces him to travel around the world and severely constricts his availability – having been unable to attend all of the British No 1’s tournaments.
“I have some other commitments I can’t get out of,” he said, whilst on the Grand Slam Daily podcast in early July.
“Look, we are very aware she needs a second coach to come in on board, and maybe just one coach, not me as well.
“All I am trying to do here is try to facilitate the best possible environment for Emma to produce the tennis that she can, whether that involves me or doesn’t involve me, it’s really not a question I’m worried about.
“It just means we are trying to find something that is going to be really stable and good for her.”
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Going forward, Raducanu believes that Roig’s deep history with the tennis elite will help her continue to rise in the rankings and collect more consistent results, stating to Sky Sports: “He’s obviously got a bank of experience and I’m very excited to continue working with him and to have him on my side.”
The Brit will face either Serbian No 1 Olga Danilovic or fellow countrywoman Katie Boulter in the second round of the Cincinnati Open, with – potentially – world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka awaiting in the third round.
Raducanu hasn’t participated in the Ohio event since 2022, where she reached the third round and lost to seventh seed Jessica Pegula.
The post Emma Raducanu hoping to draw on new coach’s ‘bank of experience’ after 18-year Rafael Nadal collaboration appeared first on Tennis365.
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