Emma Raducanu has expressed optimism about her new coaching partnership with Francisco Roig, hoping it will elevate her game as she climbs the rankings. The British No 1, currently ranked 33rd in the world, described her first impressions as 'really good' after a trial period following Wimbledon. 'I'm just so excited to have him on board, so much experience,' she told the Guardian.
Roig, a former player with a career-high singles ranking of No 60, is best known for his 18-year stint as part of Rafael Nadal's coaching team. He ended that partnership in 2022 and later briefly coached Matteo Berrettini. Raducanu's hiring comes at a time of renewed confidence, having put together a consistent run of quality tennis in recent months.
The 22-year-old has agreed a contract with Roig until the end of the year. She believes his experience can help her improve the overall quality of her shots, particularly against top players. '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,' she said.
Raducanu and Roig began their partnership with intensive training sessions in Cincinnati, where she has a first-round bye as the 30th seed. A strong performance there could see her seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time since her US Open points fell off. Off the court, Roig has also taken over driving duties after Raducanu found the hire car—a large Cadillac Escalade—challenging on US roads. 'So far so good,' she said of his driving.
