Emma Raducanu Reunites with Former Coach for Abu Dhabi Open Amid Search for New Mentor
Emma Raducanu will have a familiar face in her player box at the Abu Dhabi Open, as she teams up with one of her former coaches in the absence of a permanent mentor.
Following Nick Cavaday’s departure due to health reasons after the Australian Open, Raducanu has been searching for a new coach. Last week, she competed at the WTA 250 event in Singapore alongside her mother and fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, but suffered a first-round exit.
Ahead of her trip to the United Arab Emirates, Raducanu reached out to Roman Kelecic, a coach from her junior tennis days, for what was initially meant to be a friendly catch-up—but the meeting quickly evolved into a professional partnership.
A Reunion with Roman Kelecic
Kelecic, a Croatian coach based in Dubai, worked with Raducanu when she was 14 and 15 years old, guiding her through ITF junior tournaments. Now, he will support her in Abu Dhabi as she continues to navigate her return to form.
“He traveled with me when I was 14, 15, in the junior ITFs; we went to all the glamorous places together when we were younger,” Raducanu told The National.
“We haven’t honestly seen each other in so many years. But he’s based out of Dubai, and I wanted to see him anyway, just to catch up. So I texted him, and now he’s on court with me, so he’s going to help me out this week.”
A Coaching Carousel and Cavaday’s Departure
Since her breakthrough US Open victory in 2021, Raducanu has worked with several different coaches, including Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Dmitry Tursunov, Torben Beltz, Sebastian Sachs, and most recently, Nick Cavaday.
Cavaday, who joined Raducanu’s team in late 2023, helped her climb back into the WTA Top 60 after injuries and form struggles had seen her ranking plummet outside the Top 300. His departure was a difficult moment for the young Brit, but she expressed her full support for his decision.
“Nick is a great person. He’s someone I’ve known since I was a young girl, and he coached me before. We were working really well together,” Raducanu said.
“Unfortunately, he had to prioritize his health, which I completely understand, and I support him. I just wish him the speediest of recoveries.”
No Rush to Find a Permanent Coach
Despite needing a long-term coaching solution, Raducanu is in no hurry to make a rushed decision. Instead, she plans to use the coming weeks to assess what she truly values in a coach.
“I think that’s why I haven’t necessarily jumped into something straight away—because I want to make sure it’s the right fit,” she explained.
“This period where I don’t necessarily have someone is going to tell me a lot. It’s going to teach me what I want and what I don’t want to look for in the next person. I’m using this time to figure things out.”
For now, Kelecic will step in as a temporary figure in Raducanu’s camp, but the search for a permanent coaching partnership remains an open-ended process. As she competes in Abu Dhabi, the tennis world will be watching to see if this latest reunion can help reignite her form.
