How ‘free spirit’ Raducanu is thriving without coach

Emma Raducanu has, by her own admission, never been afraid to do things “a little bit differently”.

So it feels on brand that the British number two has reached the first WTA 1,000 quarter-final of her career without a full-time coach.

Raducanu secured her fourth win in a row at the Miami Open by beating American 17th seed Amanda Anisimova on Monday.

It is the first time the 22-year-old has strung together that many victories in one tournament since the 2021 US Open – when she sealed a fairytale triumph as a teenage qualifier.

“I’d say I’m a bit of a free spirit so I don’t need restrictions or being told what to do,” Raducanu, ranked 60th in the world, said.

“I think when I’m being really authentic, that’s when I’m playing my best.”

As she prepares to play US Open finalist Jessica Pegula in Wednesday’s quarter-final, BBC Sport analyses how Raducanu is thriving without a full-time coach

Raducanu has played with a freedom and confidence only seen sporadically since her stunning US Open success.

“I feel when I am boxed into a regimented way then I am not able to express myself in the same way,” Raducanu told Sky Sports.

In Florida she has been guided by Mark Petchey – a well-known figure in British tennis circles who worked with her as a teenager.

Petchey, who used to coach Andy Murray in his salad days on the ATP Tour, has been giving pointers on the practice courts and offering coaching advice from Raducanu’s box.

Petchey has been working alongside Raducanu’s long-time ally Jane O’Donoghue and fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura.

What Raducanu describes as a “different approach” has brought an emphasis on having fun at the right times, with shorter, less intense practice and warm-up sessions.

“This week has been a great eye-opener to just when I’m happy and expressive and myself,” Raducanu said.

“Having people that I’ve known for a very long time, since before the US Open, is the most valuable thing for this week at least.”

Does she need a full-time coach?

Raducanu’s chopping and changing of coaches has been well documented – and the reasons behind their departures have varied.

In 2023, after splitting with a fifth coach in two years, Raducanu believed her “provoking” and “challenging” questions went some way to explaining the high turnover.

When she came back from wrist and ankle surgeries in 2024, the Briton turned to a trusted figure in childhood coach Nick Cavaday.

Raducanu’s father Ian secured the services of Platenik, but her results in Miami without him have left some wondering if she even needs a full-time coach.

Examples of players competing for long periods of time without a coach are rare. A recent one is Nick Kyrgios, who reached the 2022 Wimbledon final. 

Never one to miss an opportunity to be provocative, the controversial Australian responded to Raducanu’s run by calling coaches “overrated”.

“People awfully quiet that Raducanu is winning now – where all the experts at now?” Kyrgios posted on X.

Raducanu seems committed to finding a new full-time coach – but the availability of suitable candidates is limited with a third of the season gone.