Emma Raducanu has been accused of hiring too many “yes men” after setting her sights on a new coaching partnership with Mark Petchey. The British No. 2 has been without a full-time mentor since January, when Nick Cavaday had to step away for health reasons.
Petchey has been helping out on an “informal” basis over the last few weeks and should join Raducanu at the upcoming Italian Open. Former world No. 9 CoCo Vandeweghe has now explained why their partnership could prove fruitful, claiming some of the Brit’s old coaches had been afraid to rock the boat.
Raducanu briefly worked with Petchey before her breakout summer in 2021. When she was left without a coach at last month’s Miami Open, he decided to help out alongside his Tennis Channel commentary duties.
They immediately enjoyed success as the world No. 49 reached her first career WTA 1000 quarter-final. Raducanu and Petchey then had a training block together and the British coach was back in her box at the Madrid Open.
While their partnership remains “informal”, Petchey is already clearly having an impact, and retired star Vandeweghe, who works with him at Tennis Channel, believes he is the perfect fit for Raducanu.
“They’re comfortable together, and that’s something that Emma Raducanu has looked for in a lot of her other coaches,” the two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist said.
“It’s just comfortability, not so much on the tennis court, but off. Someone that understands you, understands your day in, day out, what our life is at home.
“And I think that’s sometimes overlooked on the women’s tour is, how comfortable are you? Are you happy on your off-court life? Then does that translate onto your tennis right there.”
Vandeweghe also thinks Petchey brings the right attitude to Raducanu’s team, something she says has been lacking in past coaches.
She continued: “Petch is such a smart and intelligent tennis player himself, coach, he’s been in those difficult situations, understands what it means for British No. 1.
“He was with Andy Murray before, so he understands what that comes with, the pressure of that, and it’s all about handling those emotions.
“I think Petch is a strong enough individual to be able to do that, I think he can stand on his own two feet, where maybe some of the other coaches she had were too much of a ‘yes man’, to be just happy.”
While Raducanu and Petchey have yet to make anything official, the world No. 49 seems keen to bring him into her team full-time, though they will likely have to work around his punditry duties.
For now, she hopes the British coach can join her at the upcoming WTA 1000 in Rome.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk