Mark Petchey ‘tired of hearing’ one thing about Emma Raducanu after French Open hammering
Mark Petchey has spoken candidly about Emma Raducanu after the Brit’s heavy defeat to Iga Swiatek at the 2025 French Open.
The former British No 1 has coached Raducanu since the Miami Open in March, helping the 22-year-old build a 10-5 record at her last five tournaments.
Raducanu was crushed 6-1, 6-2 by Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, in the second round of the clay-court major.
Petchey, who coached a young Andy Murray, outlined his goals for Raducanu as he reacted to her Roland Garros exit in his role as a TNT Sports pundit.
“Since Miami when we improvised and I started helping Emma, I said she needs to start closing the gap between the best players,” said the former world No 80.
“She doesn’t need me to sit between 20-50 in the world and if I’m not the best choice, she needs to find the best choice.
“On this court, Iga is 23 straight wins – you don’t put those streaks together at a major if your game isn’t so difficult to play against. It was clearly going to be the ultimate test for Emma yesterday.
“From my point of view, it’s tough on Emma as I still feel everyone is living in 2021. The games have changed massively, the balls are four times heavier than back in 2021 and Emma isn’t the biggest hitter out there.
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“If you can’t put the ball through the court on a windy, heavy clay court day against someone like Iga, you’re going to get into all sorts of trouble.
“If anyone has watched Iga’s losses over the European clay court season, the players that have beaten her have played absolutely lights out tennis. Although everyone says Iga’s form is bad, I didn’t actually think that and she proved it yesterday.
“On hard courts and grass is a lot closer compared to where Emma was in Australia against Iga, but against Iga and Coco [Gauff], she knows what she has to do and it will take a long time.”
Petchey also had a message for Raducanu’s critics as he buried a “myth” about the 2021 US Open champion.
“My mantra to her has been ‘You are starting your career now. Everyone is judging you on what happened in 2021 but the reality is, I want to see you building a career here where people judge you in two years’,” the Brit continued.
“I’m a little tired of hearing people say that she doesn’t work hard, but I spent ten months with her in 2020, and I’ve spent every day that I can with her since Miami, and not once has she not put in a full day shift.
“Whether there are areas that together, we can help her crystalise more gains in the fitness or the tennis or whatever… but in terms of turning up every day and putting in a good shift, she’s done it every single time. So, I’d like to bury that myth where it belongs.”
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