Emma Raducanu has enlisted a familiar face to help fill the coaching gap at the Abu Dhabi Open.
The world No. 56 will work with Croatian coach Roman Kelecic at the WTA 500 event, following the departure of Nick Cavaday, who had been her coach for 14 months.
Kelecic is someone Raducanu has worked with before and who has publicly supported the Grand Slam champion’s potential.
Previous Relationship
Kelecic, 38, is a former professional player who achieved a high of world No. 1200 in singles and No. 585 in doubles in the ATP rankings. After struggling to make a mark as a player, the Croatian transitioned to coaching, where he worked with Raducanu during her early years as a junior.
He coached Raducanu from ages 14 to 16, a crucial period in her development when she was emerging as one of the sport’s leading young talents. Despite their professional parting, Kelecic revealed in a 2021 interview with Blic Sport that he remained in contact with Raducanu’s family, noting that he was still hearing from her father.
“They [Raducanu’s parents] never interfered in the work of the coach with their daughter. Very correct people, I still hear from Emma’s dad,” Kelecic shared. “We stayed in a great relationship, even though I worked with his daughter from the age of 14 to 16.”
Now based in the United Arab Emirates with his young family, Kelecic is a natural choice for Raducanu to seek guidance from during her Abu Dhabi campaign. It remains unclear if he will continue to work with her throughout the rest of the Middle East swing.
Can Kelecic Help Raducanu Rediscover Her ‘Superstar’ Potential?
It’s impossible to forget Raducanu’s meteoric rise to fame after her stunning US Open victory over three years ago. The Brit captured the tennis world’s attention by becoming the first qualifier ever to win a major title, soaring from No. 150 to inside the top 25 of the WTA rankings.
At the time, Kelecic was one of many who recognized her potential. In the aftermath of her breakthrough, he said, “She has the potential to be a superstar. I think that now the strength of her upbringing will come to the fore.”
He highlighted her strong psychological makeup, noting, “Her father is Romanian, her mother is Chinese, there was no relaxation in her growing up. The rules are known and the rules are followed. She has hardened, she is extremely strong psychologically.”
Kelecic was confident that Raducanu’s success would continue, saying, “I don’t think she will have that fate of players who shine, and then are nowhere to be found. She is simply destined for success. Her time is yet to come, and as her greatest virtue, I single out a strong head.”
Since that magical US Open run, Raducanu has faced challenges with her form, fitness, and the instability of her coaching relationships. However, just as her renewed partnership with Cavaday earlier this year brought improved results, Raducanu will hope that her time with Kelecic will help her rediscover her best tennis.
