Emma Raducanu Unveils Serve Overhaul as Mark Petchey Partnership Fuels Queen’s Club Success*
Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, credited a revamped serve—her “new secret weapon”—and her collaboration with coach Mark Petchey for her stellar run to the quarter-finals at the Queen’s Club Championships on June 12, 2025, per www.express.co.uk. The world No. 37, who reclaimed the British No. 1 ranking after a 6-4, 6-1 thrashing of Rebecca Sramkova, revealed that a 10-day training block with Petchey in Miami in March transformed her service motion, making it a potent asset on grass, per www.express.co.uk. Raducanu’s dominant performances, dropping just eight games across her first two matches, including a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Cristina Bucsa, signal a resurgence ahead of Wimbledon (June 30-July 13), per www.express.co.uk.
Raducanu, speaking post-match, detailed the serve adjustments: “I changed my action from a shorter one earlier this year. It’s a lot longer now… I’m still finding the rhythm and timing, balancing the ball toss,” per www.express.co.uk. The longer motion, though challenging, has boosted her power and consistency, evident in her 20 winners against Sramkova, per www.theguardian.com. Petchey, a former British No. 1 and Andy Murray’s ex-coach, joined Raducanu’s team on an informal basis at the Miami Open, where she reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final, per www.bbc.com. Their partnership, extended through the grass season, has fostered a relaxed yet focused environment, with Raducanu noting, “It’s nice to have familiar faces I trust,” per www.independent.co.uk.
The Queen’s event, the first women’s tournament there in 52 years, also saw Raducanu benefit from doubles with Katie Boulter, enhancing her volleying instincts. “The doubles helped my first round… I picked off great volleys instinctively,” she said, per www.express.co.uk. Despite a 6-2, 7-5 doubles loss to top seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe, her singles form has fans buzzing, with X posts like @RaducanuNews calling her “unstoppable,” per @RaducanuNews. Petchey’s guidance, alongside Nick Cavaday’s return for the grass season, positions Raducanu for a deep Wimbledon run, per @SkySportsNews.tml)
