Emma Raducanu is known for constantly changing her coaches. In the span of just two years, the Brit has worked with not one, not two, but five different coaches! Agent Max Eisenbud reveals the enigmatic reason behind this behavior of the 2021 US Open champion.
During a discussion on The Tennis Podcast, IMG senior vice-president Eisenbud spilled the beans about Raducanu’s coaching situation. It turns out that both Emma and her father Ian are very comfortable with the idea of short-term coaching relationships, and it looks like they will stick with this approach indefinitely.
“It’s probably going to be like that for the rest of her career. That’s what’s comfortable for them,” Eisenbud explained the situation that perplexes tennis fans.
“I’m not saying it is right or wrong, but that is the way they have done it, and I think it is fine to do things differently.”
Initially, Raducanu began her career under the guidance of Nigel Sears, who decided to step down shortly after her reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon 2021. Subsequently, Andrew Richardson took the reins and played a pivotal role in guiding her to the iconic victory at Flushing Meadows. Right after becoming a Grand Slam champion, Raducanu noted that she needed a coach that was more experienced at a high WTA level.
In November 2021, Torben Beltz was appointed as her coach, but his tenure was short-lived, as he departed in April 2022. Following Beltz’s departure, Dimitry Tursunov took over the coaching role, but he noticed “some red flags that just couldn’t be ignored.”
Recently, Raducanu made another coaching change, parting ways with Sebastian Sachs.
As she navigates her career, Raducanu faced additional challenges when she had to undergo surgery on both her wrists and an ankle in May. This medical setback has put her on hiatus, and her return to the court is expected later this year. Meanwhile, her love life is booming, as she’s enjoying her time with Carlo Agostinelli. (via BBC)
I think tennis is all about carving your own path- Venus and Serena were always criticised for not playing a full schedule, not junior tournaments etc. Everyone needs to find a unique approach that works for them. In this instance however i don’t think a short term coaching option is the way to go. I just cant see any benefit from it. Maybe Raducanu will prove us all wrong, but i don’t see it happening.
Karo, from my perspective, when you find someone that suits you, you wouldn’t want to change them. I don’t see how changing a coach every few months shows that you were satisfied with any of them. While it’s natural to evolve and take different paths in life, frequent and rapid changes may indicate underlying issues.