British tennis star Emma Raducanu has secured a significant advantage for the 2026 season by extending her coaching partnership with Francisco Roig, the esteemed Spaniard who helped guide Rafael Nadal to 22 Grand Slam titles.
Stability Breeds Success
Following a period of frequent coaching changes since her stunning 2021 US Open victory, Raducanu's decision to continue with Roig provides the consistent voice that could propel her back to the sport's summit. Former British number one Laura Robson has observed their work firsthand and believes this stability is crucial for the 22-year-old's development.
Robson told Sky Sports: "I think at this point in her career, it helps to have that consistent voice. So just the fact they're getting on really well and have the same kind of ideas for her game is pleasing."
Practice Court Chemistry
The partnership's strength lies in their exceptional communication, something Robson has witnessed during practice sessions. She highlighted the seamless connection between player and coach as a foundation for future success.
"From what I've seen on the practice courts, they're gelling with the communication part," Robson explained. "Then she's going to have hopefully another great year. But again, we just hope that she stays healthy, that's always the key."
This coaching continuity comes after Raducanu successfully achieved her primary goal for the latter part of 2025 - securing a seeding for January's Australian Open. Despite cutting her season short due to fitness issues during tournaments in China, she concluded the campaign ranked 29th in the WTA standings.
Season-Ending Challenges
Raducanu's 2025 season concluded on a disappointing note when she withdrew during her match against Ann Li in Wuhan last month, suffering from dizziness in sweltering conditions. She later shared a social media post from a doctor's surgery.
Though she felt improved enough to compete in the Ningbo Open the following week, she clearly wasn't at full fitness and lost her opening match. Subsequent withdrawals from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo and the Hong Kong Open followed as she prioritised recovery.
Despite these concluding setbacks, 2025 represented an overall improvement in Raducanu's fitness compared to previous years. Robson noted this progress as cause for optimism heading into 2026.
"Raducanu was able to play week in, week out for the most part and lost a few close matches towards the end of the season," Robson said. "But overall, we're ending 2025 just saying that she needs to be able to stay healthy and for the most part, she's done that. That's definitely been a key for her to rise up the rankings because I think we always knew that the level was there."
