WTA legend Martina Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, has issued a pointed warning to Emma Raducanu, urging the 22-year-old British star to “commit” to a coach for at least a year to stabilize her career and unlock her potential. Speaking to Sky Sports News ahead of the 2025 US Open, Navratilova emphasized the need for consistency in Raducanu’s coaching setup, stating, “You have to stay together with a coach for at least a year and then take stock. At this stage of her career, Emma needs to find a person who will perfect her game and help her mature in all respects.” This advice comes as Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, navigates a pivotal moment in her career, marked by flashes of brilliance but hampered by injuries and frequent coaching changes.
Raducanu, currently ranked world No. 45, has shown signs of resurgence in 2025, reaching the third round at Wimbledon, where she pushed world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a competitive 7-6(8-6), 6-4 loss, and securing a hard-fought 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over No. 27 Marta Kostyuk at the Washington Open. However, her career since her stunning 2021 US Open triumph as a qualifier has been inconsistent. Injuries, including minor surgeries on both hands and an ankle in 2023, have disrupted her progress, and her ranking has fluctuated, peaking at No. 10 in July 2022 but dropping as low as No. 83 after a first-round exit at the 2022 US Open.
Navratilova’s warning centers on Raducanu’s pattern of short-term coaching relationships. Since her US Open win under Andrew Richardson, Raducanu has worked with coaches like Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs, and Nick Cavaday, who stepped back in 2025 due to health issues. Her current collaboration with Mark Petchey, which began informally in March 2025, has yielded positive results, including a quarter-final run at the Miami Open and wins over top-10 players Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari. However, Petchey’s media commitments rule out a permanent role. Navratilova stressed the importance of long-term commitment, noting, “She needs to stick with somebody longer because when you work with somebody, it takes a while for them to incorporate into their game and then get the results.”
Beyond coaching, Navratilova urged Raducanu to “take charge” of her life, emphasizing discipline in training, fitness, and nutrition. She highlighted Raducanu’s talent but suggested her physical conditioning needs improvement, a point echoed after her 2024 US Open first-round loss to Sofia Kenin, where Navratilova noted Raducanu was “not as fit as she should be.” With the 2025 US Open approaching, Raducanu’s recent form and Navratilova’s advice underscore the need for stability to reclaim her place among the elite.
