In a surprising development for British tennis, Emma Raducanu has terminated her coaching arrangement with Francis Roig, merely one month after both parties had agreed to continue their partnership for an additional year. This decision follows Raducanu's underwhelming performance at the Australian Open, where she suffered a second-round defeat to Anastasia Potapova.
Disconnect Evident After Australian Open Exit
The writing appeared to be on the wall following Raducanu's tame and muddled exit from the tournament. After her loss to Potapova, the British number one expressed clear frustration with her current playing style, stating: 'I want to be playing a different way. I just want to hit the ball to the corners and hard. I feel like I'm doing all this variety, and it's not doing what I want it to do. I need to work on playing in a way more similar to how I was playing when I was younger.'
These comments highlighted a significant disconnect between player and coach, making this subsequent announcement feel almost inevitable. Raducanu officially confirmed the split via a message posted on her Instagram account, bringing their collaboration to an abrupt end.
Brief Partnership with Impressive Pedigree
Raducanu initially linked up with Roig in August last year, following Mark Petchey's interim coaching stint which concluded after Wimbledon. The Spanish coach brought an impressive resume to the partnership, having spent eighteen years working with tennis legend Rafael Nadal and also collaborating with former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.
Initially, the pairing appeared to be working superbly, with observers noting cautious optimism about Raducanu's performances during their early months together. However, as the partnership progressed into the pre-season period, clear differences emerged regarding technical adjustments Roig wished to implement in Raducanu's game.
Raducanu's Coaching Search Continues
This separation means Raducanu must now seek the tenth different coach of her still-young professional career. According to reports from Daily Mail Sport, 27-year-old British former professional player Alexis Canter is expected to join Raducanu at her next competitive appearance, the Transylvania Open in Cluj.
The swift dissolution of this coaching relationship underscores the challenges elite athletes face in finding compatible technical guidance that aligns with their natural playing instincts and competitive ambitions. As Raducanu prepares for her next tournament, the tennis world will be watching closely to see how this latest coaching change impacts her development and performance on the international stage.
