Emma Raducanu made ‘one of the best appointments’ with new coach
Emma Raducanu has appointed a coach who is “very disciplined, detailed and technically minded” Annabel Croft saying the partnership with Francisco Roig could be a perfect match.
The 2021 US Open winner has been without a full-time head coach since Nick Cavaday stepped down after this year’s Australian Open to focus on his health. Former ATP player Mark Petchey – who coached Andy Murray early on in his career – and long-time ally Jane O’Donoghue have teamed up to share the coaching duties since January.
But Raducanu caught everyone by surprise ahead of the Cincinnati Open as she confirmed Roig as her new mentor with the Spaniard filling the position until the end of the 2025 season.
The 57-year-old Roig is one of the most experienced coaches in tennis with most of his years spent with Rafael Nadal as he was part of the tennis legend’s set-up from 2005 until 2022. Nadal won 22 Grand Slams and rose to No 1 during that time.
Roig also coached the Spain ATP Cup team while he also mentored Sloane Stephens and Matteo Berrettini, but has been unemployed since October 2024 when he parted ways with Italian Berrettini.
He started working with Raducanu after her Wimbledon exit, before the big announcement came after the Canadian Open.
Former British No 1 Croft is excited about the partnership between Raducanu and Roig as she told Sky Sports Tennis: “I think he’s a very good appointment, one of the best appointments.
“Anyone who has had that much experience with Rafael Nadal, it’s incredible. I’ve always admired him, I always thought somebody like him might be perfect for her. So I’m excited about the fact she’s chosen him.
“He’s very disciplined and detailed. I think if she likes technical advice, which I think she does, I remember watching him many times with Rafael Nadal discussing the swing path, he’s clearly very technically minded but all Spanish coaches are so good tactically as well.”
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Raducanu failed to set the world alight after her 2021 US Open fairytale run when she became the first qualifier – man or woman – to win a Grand Slam while her injury woes took their toll in 2023 as she underwent surgery on both her wrists and her one ankle and slumped to outside the top 300.
But she has made steady progress in recent years as she has climbed back into the top 40, currently sitting at No 39.
The 22-year-old recently reached the semi-final of the Washington DC Citi Open while she also made it to the quarter-final of the Miami Open in March.
There is no doubt Raducanu is starting to build some momentum with Croft adding: “You look at her and think, ‘what a talent, you’ve got everything’. Moves beautifully, she’s got choices, has variety, creativity.
“I think she’s a beautiful tennis player and it’s all about getting the matches and the momentum going and building up the bank as I call it and this year she’s definitely built up a bigger bank of matches, and match wins, and that counts for something. I think she’s playing really well.”
