Retired tennis great weighs in on latest addition to Emma Raducanu’s team – ‘A net positive for her’
Four-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier has defined Mark Petchey’s addition to Emma Raducanu’s team as a ‘net positive’, amid the Brit’s preparation for Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Raducanu ‘added’ Petchey, who is a consistent tennis commentator and former world No 80, to her team at the Miami Open on an informal basis – where she reached the quarterfinals.
Petchey has previously coached former world No 1 Andy Murray into the world’s top 50, splitting in 2006 after less than 12 months together, and briefly worked with Greek Maria Sakarri.
Courier, who has won four Grand Slam titles and is a well-renowned tennis analyst, weighed in on the collaboration’s future.
“When COVID-19 hit, they went to work together, in private in the UK, so he knew her before she became a star,” the American said to the Tennis Channel.
“That’s obviously important for her in a time when she’s not been able to find a regular relationship with coaches.
“Relying on someone that she knew before it happened is really important so I don’t know how long it can last, but frankly the fact that they’re spending time together right now is really important. What I do hope is that it’s able to last at least through the grass-court season.”
The addition comes at a particularly interesting time, with Raducanu not known for her clay-court prowess – having lost nine of the 20 professional matches in which she has played on the surface.
“No one’s expecting her to play well on clay, it’s not a natural surface for her,” Courier added.
“Grass is a surface where she first surfaced, she made the round 16 before she won the US Open at Wimbledon so for me, it’s about the building blocks for the grass-court season.
“What I do know already is he’s already changed her service motion by adding more shoulder turn there which is the idea is to try and give her a little bit more disguise and a little more power. But I think overall this is a net positive for her on so many levels, we’ll see where it goes.”
Latest WTA News
Iga Swiatek says WTA is ‘forcing us to play more events’
Emma Raducanu makes ‘uncomfortable’ admission after Madrid Open defeat
Raducanu first worked with Petchey in 2020, and has gone through a slew of coaches in recent years, most recently splitting with Vladimir Platenik after an unsuccessful 14-day trial period.
“We haven’t made anything formal. It’s pretty informal for now but is something that’s going really well,” the former US Open champion clarified.
“He’s [Petchey] someone I feel I can trust because I’ve known him so long. For now it’s working really well and it’s nice to be with someone that I feel comfortable with.
“I’m still figuring things out: what works for me, what doesn’t. What gets the best out of me. For now, I’m not getting as technical as I used to maybe.
“It wasn’t the best start to the season for me, and it was just nice to rest the body. At the same time, I needed time to get used to a new surface, because it is very different and it isn’t a surface I’ve spent a lot of time on.
“I was just working on movement and adapting and getting used to the court surface. I feel like in the future, and I’ve always said this, it can be a good surface for me I just need to keep spending some more time on it.
“I did some great work with Mark out there, it was nice to be around him, not just on the court. He’s someone I get on really well with and we always have very thought-provoking, interesting conversations.
“It was a perfect balance of work and being relaxed off the court.”
After her loss to Marta Kostyuk in the second-round of the Madrid Masters, Raducanu will return to the tour at the WTA 1000 event in Rome.
