Emma Raducanu’s ‘crazy’ decisions questioned by former world No 1 as coaching appointment looms

Emma Raducanu’s choice to step away from competition following a strong run at the Miami Open has drawn criticism from former World No. 1 Andy Roddick, who expressed confusion over her decision to pause just as she appeared to regain top form.

The 2021 US Open champion impressed with a resurgent performance in Miami, defeating top-10 player Emma Navarro and WTA 1000 winner Amanda Anisimova before narrowly losing to Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals.

However, instead of building on that momentum, Raducanu chose to skip Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie and withdraw from this week’s WTA 250 event in Rouen. While she remains on the entry list for the upcoming Madrid Open and Rome WTA 1000, it’s unclear whether she’ll compete.

Roddick, speaking on his Served podcast, expressed his frustration:

“She just found her form… why is she recalibrating? What does that mean?”
“She looked like a top-10 player in Miami. Why stop now? Why put a speed bump in the middle of your season?”

The American legend, a longtime supporter of Raducanu, voiced concerns over her lack of consistency in building a solid foundation through regular play—particularly with the grass court season approaching.

Raducanu’s coaching carousel also remains a hot topic. Reports suggest she is in talks with Mark Petchey, a former British Davis Cup player and current Tennis Channel commentator, after he had a positive influence during her Miami run.

Petchey would be Raducanu’s latest in a long list of coaches, following short stints with Vladimir Platenik, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs, and Nick Cavaday. Roddick believes this frequent turnover may make top coaches hesitant to commit.

“You are narrowing the coaching pool with this quick-trigger approach,” said Roddick. “You can’t evaluate a coach in just a few days. I hope it works with Petchey. She’s too talented not to get it right eventually.”

Raducanu’s decision to rest could pay off in the long run, especially as she targets the grass season, where she has traditionally performed well. But questions remain about whether her strategic breaks—and frequent coaching changes—will ultimately help or hinder her progress.