Jim Courier commented on Emma Raducanu’s performance expectations, particularly on clay courts, during a Tennis Channel broadcast. He noted that “no one’s expecting her to play well on clay, it’s not a natural surface for her,” highlighting her historical struggles on this surface, with a record of nine losses in 20 professional clay matches. Courier emphasized that Raducanu’s current coaching arrangement with Mark Petchey, who has tweaked her service motion for more power and disguise, is a positive step, but the focus is on building toward the grass-court season where she has previously excelled, such as reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2021. He expressed hope that her partnership with Petchey lasts through the grass season, given her stronger track record on that surface, including her breakout performance at Wimbledon before her 2021 US Open victory.
