Emma Raducanu not ‘actively looking for a coach’ as health update issued after Middle East swing
Emma Raducanu issued an update on her health and on her search for a new coach during her unveiling as a UNIQLO ambassador in Japan.
World No 25 Raducanu’s move to UNIQLO was confirmed on Tuesday following weeks of rumours, with the star leaving long-time sponsor Nike to form a new partnership with the Japanese brand.
The 23-year-old’s move is a significant reminder of her commercial viability as one of the most recognisable names in tennis, though comes after what has been a topsy-turvy start to 2026.
Raducanu reached her first final since her 2021 US Open triumph at the Transylvania Open in Cluj earlier in February, though she then suffered back-to-back defeats in the Middle East swing.
The Brit had also called time on her coaching partnership with Francisco Roig ahead of her run in Cluj, the split coming after her disappointing second-round exit at the Australian Open.
Raducanu has been working with Alexis Canter in the aftermath of her split with Roig, with no sign of a new permanent coach yet.
And, in quotes reported by The Guardian, she revealed during her UNIQLO unveiling that a new coach was not her priority.
“Right now I wouldn’t say I’m actively looking for a coach,” said Raducanu.
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“I think I had a great experience with Francis in terms of how we got on so well — the rapport was great. I think in the end, we just weren’t aligning on certain key aspects. But we still maintain a really good relationship.”
A well-respected figure in British tennis and a player in his own right, Canter has a longstanding relationship with Raducanu.
It was Canter who guided Raducanu during her run to the final in Cluj, while he was also in the 23-year-old box when she reached the semi-final of the WTA 500 Washington Open last summer.
The world No 25’s stability with Canter is one reason why she has not automatically jumped into her search for a new permanent coach.
She added: “Right now, I have Alexis in my corner. He knows me as a person. He knows me as a player.
“And, I’ve actually had some success with him in the past year in Washington and Cluj, so it’s going well.
“I know the drills that I need to be doing right now in this moment in time, just repetition of doing those key fundamentals. I think I want to go back to that and [develop] a more aggressive style of playing.”
Raducanu is set to return to action at the WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells next week, where she will look to return to strong form after a three-match losing streak.
The Brit was beaten by Sorana Cirstea in the Cluj final and was then forced to retire in the third set of her opening match versus Camila Osorio at the Qatar Open.
Raducanu was then beaten by Antonia Ruzic in the opening round of the Dubai Tennis Championships, having required medical treatment in all three of those defeats.
She has now revealed that she picked up an illness during her Transylvania Open campaign, though is optimistic that she will be back fit for her Indian Wells campaign.
“In Cluj, I picked up like a virus, I think, at the start of the tournament. So I was dealing with that and the after-effects — I had really long effects for the last three weeks.
“I’ve been trying to clear them. So the Middle East trip was very difficult for me.
“I’m getting ready for Indian Wells and just trying to get back to full health. And I still have a bit of time, so I’m just looking forward to doing my best to be ready for that.”
Raducanu was beaten by Moyuka Uchijima in the opening round of Indian Wells in 2025, though has had some comparative success at the tournament in the past.
She reached the fourth round of the tournament in 2023, alongside progressing to the third round in 2022 and 2024.
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