Emma Raducanu loses first match since coaching split – and the brutal stats explain why

Emma Raducanu saw leads slip away in a painful three-set defeat at the Singapore Open in her first match since parting ways with coach Nick Cavaday.
The 2021 US Open winner fell 7-5, 5-7, 5-7 to world No 101 Cristina Bucsa in the opening round of the WTA 250 tournament in a contest lasting over three hours.
Raducanu recovered to win the first set after being a break down at 4-5, before her 27-year-old Spanish opponent levelled the match by edging an equally tight second set.
In the decider, Raducanu was up a break at 2-0 and 3-1, but she failed to consolidate her advantage as she was immediately broken back both times.
The 22-year-old Brit found herself with a 5-4 lead after Bucsa had been up a break at 4-3, but the Spaniard won the final three games to seal her passage to the second round.
Raducanu’s performance was plagued by serving issues — and the numbers illustrate her struggles.
While she served seven aces, landed 73% of her first serves and won a solid 64% of the points when she did, it was her second serve that was a liability.
The world No 56 won only eight of the 33 points she played on her second serve, which equates to an incredibly low rate of 24%.
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In the third set, Raducanu was broken four times as she hit five of her seven double faults and won a brutal 8% of her second serve points (one of 13).
While Raducanu broke Bucsa eight times in the match, she lost her own serve on nine occasions — the last of which proved fatal.
It was a missed opportunity for Raducanu, who would have faced 132nd-ranked qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the second round.
Raducanu’s loss comes after surprise coaching split
Last week, it was announced that Nick Cavaday had left his role as Raducanu’s coach.
The pair worked together when Raducanu was a child and renewed their collaboration last season, with the Brit returning to the top 100 of the WTA Rankings after missing much of 2023 due to injuries that required surgery.
The former world No 10 had suggested she was hoping the partnership with Cavaday would be long-term, but the coach confirmed that it was his decision to step down.
“I am very happy to have been able to work with Emma over the last 14 months,” said Cavaday.
“At this moment in time, it’s important for me to spend some more time at home and prioritise getting back to full health, which is hard to do with the extensive calendar.
“I am glad Emma is back to being established on tour now with a ranking inside the top 60, and I look forward to seeing what she does from here.”
Raducanu also gave her thoughts: “I’d like to thank Nick for a great partnership over the last year and a bit.
“Especially being post-surgeries, he helped get me back inside the world’s top 60. I wish him all the best in his next chapter and no doubt we’ll stay in touch.”
Raducanu was dismantled by world No 2 Iga Swiatek in the third round of the Australian Open in her final match with Cavaday in her coaching box.
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