Emma Raducanu has reunited with Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to a stunning US Open triumph in 2021. The partnership begins immediately, with Richardson joining Raducanu in Strasbourg, where she will make her return to action next week after a two-month absence due to illness.
A Long-Awaited Reunion
Raducanu was heavily criticised for parting ways with Richardson shortly after her historic victory in New York. At the time, the now 23-year-old stated she needed a coach with WTA Tour experience. However, nearly five years and a series of short-term appointments later, Raducanu has turned back to Richardson.
“Grateful to have reconnected with someone who has known me for over a decade now and looking forward to building together one iteration at a time,” said the British No 1.
Pattern of Trusted Coaches
This reunion continues a trend of Raducanu favouring coaches she worked with before her rapid rise to stardom. Richardson follows in the footsteps of Nick Cavaday and Mark Petchey, while she has also frequently sought advice from former coach Jane O’Donoghue.
Speculation about a permanent reunion arose last month when Raducanu spent a week practising with Richardson at the Ferrer Tennis Academy in Spain. At the time, she downplayed the talk, stating she was not actively seeking a replacement for her most recent coach, Francisco Roig, whom she split from after the Australian Open.
Recent Struggles and Comeback
Raducanu has played only four tournaments since then. She reached her first final since the US Open in Romania in early February but subsequently picked up a virus that affected her performances in the Middle East and Indian Wells, leading her to step away from the tour. She withdrew from events in Miami, Linz, Madrid, and Rome, but has accepted a wild card into Strasbourg to gain clay-court preparation ahead of the French Open, which begins on 24 May.
The 23-year-old is set to drop to 37th in the rankings next week, meaning she will not be seeded at Roland Garros.
