Emma Raducanu Bolsters Team with Rafael Nadal’s Former Coach Ahead of US Open
Emma Raducanu has enlisted Rafael Nadal’s longtime coach Francis Roig as her full-time coach ahead of this month’s US Open, a source confirmed to ESPN on Sunday.
The 22-year-old British star, fresh off a third-round exit at the National Bank Open in Montreal on Saturday, will begin working with Roig in Cincinnati this week under a contract running through the end of 2025.
Raducanu has collaborated informally with British coach Mark Petchey since March, enjoying a resurgence that included a WTA 1000 quarterfinal at the Miami Open, a round-of-16 finish at the Italian Open, and a last-eight run at Queen’s Club’s inaugural women’s event.
However, Petchey’s TV commitments prevented a permanent role, leading Raducanu to trial Roig post-Wimbledon. After a promising assessment, the 2021 US Open champion secured the Spanish coach, who spent much of Nadal’s 22-Grand Slam career alongside Toni Nadal and later worked with Matteo Berrettini.
Despite a straight-sets loss to Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon, Raducanu reached the semifinals at the Citi Open, reinforcing her goal to earn a seeding at Flushing Meadows.
Petchey, who once coached Andy Murray, had hinted in July that a full-time coach was essential, paving the way for Roig’s appointment. This move signals Raducanu’s intent to build on her recent form and stabilize her coaching setup after years of turnover.
Follow us @Sportscliffs on Twitter and Instagram and also like our facebook page
