Mark Petchey reveals why he stopped working with Emma Raducanu after successful partnership

Mark Petchey has opened up about the end of his coaching collaboration with Emma Raducanu and also weighed in on the Brit hiring Francisco Roig.

Having lost six of her first nine matches in 2025, Raducanu started working with Petchey at the Miami Open in March, having previously been coached by the former British No 1 in 2020.

At the WTA 1000 event in Miami, Raducanu won four matches to reach the quarter-finals — arguably her most impressive run since winning the 2021 US Open.

The 22-year-old compiled a 20-10 record across the 10 events she played while working with Petchey — the last of which was the WTA 1000 in Montreal.

Having been ranked 60th in March, Raducanu climbed to 33rd place last month — her highest ranking since the points from winning the US Open dropped in September 2022. She is currently ranked 35th.

Raducanu appointed Francisco Roig, a renowned Spanish coach who worked with tennis icon Rafael Nadal for 17 years, ahead of the Cincinnati Open.

Petchey, a former world No 80 who coached Andy Murray at the start of his career, has reflected on his time working with Raducanu.

“Coaching Emma [Raducanu] was awesome,” Petchey told OLBG.

“Everybody knows it was a very roundabout way that we got involved with each other in Miami. She was obviously in a slightly difficult spot, and I was there commentating, so I ended up being able to help her out.

“That was kind of going to be it. Then obviously she had a great week, and I was able to figure out a way to try and do both for the past three or four months.

“From my perspective, I hope people can really understand how much she loves tennis. She’s totally invested in it. She watches it all the time.

“She practises as hard as anyone I know and has spent more time on the court, or as much time on the court, as everybody else. And obviously she’s living a very different life.

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“She’s living a lot of her career in reverse and that’s not been easy. Having set the bar so high so early on in your career every week you are measured not just by other people’s expectations but also your own expectations. That is a good thing because it drives you to be as good as you can be.

“But on the other hand, it’s difficult, because at times it can feel like you’re not hitting the standard you want to because that’s where your bar is at.

“From that perspective, her work ethic and her desire to be able to do what she did back in 2021 is as great as I remember it in 2020 when I first had a chance to work with her.”

The Brit, who works as a commentator and analyst for Tennis Channel, has given his backing to Raducanu’s partnership with Roig.

“The way we stopped working together was totally amicable,” Petchey continued.

“My job at the start with her was going to be just Miami. Then obviously it became longer through to Wimbledon, and then obviously she had three days with Francis Roig, Rafael Nadal’s former coach, after Wimbledon and that went well.

“But he couldn’t start due to other commitments until Cincinnati. So, around the work stuff that I have, we stayed in contact, and I helped her up in Montreal as best I could. But eventually my commitments were going to be too much to be a lead person for her in that environment.

“I think it’s really a great opportunity for her to work with somebody like Francisco, who has worked with one of the best players of all time.

“To have time alone with Francisco, to work on the stuff is a golden opportunity for her and him to try to take her game to the next level where she’s going to be able to win Grand Slams.

“My only ever goal in coming back was to make sure that I could help her; but when a better opportunity looks like it’s presented itself, which it has, it’s like, ‘Well this is it. Grab it with both hands. Get stuck in.’

“I think they’ll be great, I think they’ll be a great partnership. I’m super happy for her and I’m super excited about her potential.”

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