Emma Raducanu said she is “excited” to improve her game with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francis Roig ahead of the US Open, the only grand slam she currently has to her name, having won it in 2021.
Roig worked with Nadal’s uncle Toni between 2005 and 2022 as he helped the Spanish player during each of his 22 grand slam wins.
Raducanu was working with Mark Petchley on an informal basis, but his television commitments meant he was unable to commit to becoming her full-time coach. As such, she has now permanently added Roig to her team in a full-time capacity.
The 22-year-old is now the British number one, taking the title off Katie Boulter earlier this year, but has struggled against the top-ranked players in recent tournaments.
Raducanu lost to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open and Wimbledon respectively this year, while also falling to Amanda Anisimova in the Canadian Open earlier this month. All three defeats were in straight sets, too.
The British player is hoping to improve the quality of her shots as she looks to take her game to the next level with Roig.
“He's obviously got a bank of experience, and I'm very excited to continue working with him and to have him on my side,” Raducanu told Sky Sports.
“It's going really well. It's my second day with [Roig] here, but I did a few days in London before I came out here.
“I'm working on the quality of my shots to be better. I think against the very top, that's what it needs, it needs to improve.
“So I'm hoping with time, I'm pretty patient, I'm going to try and be pretty patient, that it will improve.”
Raducanu is now preparing for the Cincinnati Open, the final tournament ahead of the US Open, where she will face either Boulter or Olga Danilovic in her opening match after receiving a first-round bye.
