Martina Navratilova Shares Concern Over Emma Raducanu’s Coaching Situation
Tennis legend advises Raducanu to commit to a coach for stability
Martina Navratilova has urged Emma Raducanu to establish stability in her coaching team, believing that “the sky’s the limit” for the British No.2.
Raducanu, 22, reached the Miami Open quarter-finals—her best run since winning the 2021 US Open—despite being without an official coach. She parted ways with Slovakian Vladimir Platenik before the tournament, and commentator Mark Petchey temporarily joined her team alongside mentor Jane O’Donaghue.
However, Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, stressed the importance of consistency:
“Hopefully she can sort out her coaching situation because she’s been in a state of flux. I think she needs to commit to somebody and stay with them for a while to see how that works. If she played like she did against [Jessica] Pegula, then the sky’s the limit.”
Pegula, the No.4 seed, has since reached the Miami Open final against world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. Meanwhile, Raducanu put up a strong fight against Pegula, forcing a deciding set despite needing a medical timeout in humid conditions.
Navratilova praised Raducanu’s resilience:
“It was amazing. She looked exhausted at the end of the second set, yet she still won the tie-break and competed in the third despite not feeling well. If she stays healthy and plays like this, she’ll be seeded at Roland Garros and could break into the top 30. The biggest question mark is her health.”
Raducanu, who has climbed back into the world’s top 50, plans to reassess her strategy before the clay-court season. Former British No.1 Annabel Croft pointed out that some top players operate without a full-time coach, citing Nick Kyrgios as an example.
“She’s joked about needing stability but also wants to be authentic and true to her free-spirited nature. Some players work with consultants rather than permanent coaches, but she likely wants a stable team moving forward.”
Tim Henman also expressed optimism:
“If she keeps showing this level of tennis, movement, and fighting spirit, she’s heading back into the top 20 or 30—and that’s what we all want to see.”
With a promising Miami Open campaign behind her, Raducanu now faces key decisions about her coaching setup and future tournaments.
