Former four-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier has advised Emma Raducanu to continue working with coach Mark Petchey—at least through the grass-court season, where her game naturally shines.
In March, Petchey — who previously guided Raducanu during the COVID-19 period before her professional breakthrough — reunited with the Brit at the Miami Open. The partnership paid off, as Raducanu reached her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal, showing promising signs of resurgence.
Upon her arrival at the Madrid Open, the 2021 US Open champion confirmed that she was again working with the 54-year-old coach, though she described the relationship as “informal” rather than an official arrangement.
Starting her clay season in Madrid, Raducanu defeated Suzan Lamens in her opener but fell to Marta Kostyuk in the following round. Afterward, she candidly admitted that adjusting to clay courts remains a challenge for her.
Jim Courier’s Message: Stick with Petchey Through the Grass Season
Speaking on Tennis Channel, Courier emphasized the importance of giving the partnership time to grow:
“What I do hope is that it’s able to last at least through the grass-court season. No one’s expecting her to play well on clay — it’s not a natural surface for her. Grass is where she first made headlines, reaching the Round of 16 at Wimbledon before winning the US Open. For me, it’s about building blocks for the grass season,” Courier said.
Courier also pointed out some technical improvements Petchey has already introduced:
“He’s modified her service motion, adding more shoulder rotation to create better disguise and more power. I think overall this is a net positive for her on many levels — we’ll see how it develops.”
Raducanu’s Coaching Journey Continues
After several coaching changes early in her career, Raducanu spent all of 2024 working with Nick Cavaday, a collaboration that ended following the 2025 Australian Open.
Before reuniting with Petchey, Raducanu also had a short trial period with coach Vladimir Platenik
