Emma Raducanu’s coach reveals they are not committed to long-term partnership yet despite exceeding expectations at Wimbledon: Here’s why
Mark Petchey, Emma Raducanu’s interim coach since March 2025, revealed that their partnership is not set for the long term, despite her exceeding expectations at Wimbledon 2025, where she reached the third round before a 7-6(8-6), 6-4 loss to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on July 4. Speaking on the *Grand Slam Daily* podcast on July 8, Petchey explained, “It’s not a long-term thing because of my commentary commitments with Tennis Channel. We’re very aware she needs a permanent coach to come on board, maybe just one, not me as well,” per *tennis365.com* and *The Independent*. His role, initially a temporary arrangement to guide Raducanu through the grass season, was meant to create a “great environment” and leverage their long-standing trust, per *Jersey Evening Post*.
Raducanu, ranked No. 40, outperformed expectations with a standout 6-3, 6-3 win over 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova and a gritty performance against Sabalenka, earning £152,000 (though losing nearly half to taxes, per *Hull Live*). Petchey’s coaching, including a 10-day Los Angeles training block focusing on serve improvements and off-court fun like spikeball, boosted her confidence, per *BBC Sport*. She praised him, saying, “Mark’s been 11 out of 10… He’s helped me play free and expressive,” per *si.com*. However, Petchey’s broadcasting duties, which limited his availability at tournaments like the Italian Open, make a full-time commitment unfeasible, per *gbnews.com*.
Petchey emphasized finding a long-term solution, noting, “Emma’s working hard, contrary to what some say. My job is to facilitate her finding the right fit,” per *tennis365.com*. Potential options include reuniting with former coach Nick Cavaday, now recovered from health issues, or exploring new candidates, per *The Independent*. Raducanu, preparing for the Washington Open and US Open mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, remains optimistic, with @SkySportsNews on X noting her focus on closing the gap with top players like Sabalenka, who predicted a top-10 return, per (@SkySportsNews, July 5, 2025).
