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IMG’s Max Eisenbud revealed that Emma Raducanu’s rotation of coaches is an intentional and deliberate approach. She and her father have cycled through a variety of trainers such as Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov and Sebastian Sachs.
This unconventional approach to training has sparked conversation among tennis aficionados with her father and her controlling all coaching situations, According to Eisenbud, it’s a pattern of coaching that the US Open champion is familiar with and it appears that it is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
‘Normal’ to change coaches
Eisenbud, appearing on the Tennis Podcast, shared that Raducanu’s tennis journey has often been unconventional, especially when it comes to coaching. They have never had the same coach for a long time and have favoured a changeable approach over settling into one long-term relationship, describing it as “calm waters”
This philosophy is not the norm but has still seen Raducanu claim the US Open after not continuing with Nigel Sears after reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon. On the women’s tour, in particular, it has become more common to switch coaches frequently.
“The coaching situation, right or wrong, and this is something that her dad and Emma pretty much control on all the coaching stuff, that has been their philosophy all the way up through the juniors,” Eisenbud told the Tennis Podcast.
“They never had coaches for a long time. You’ve probably heard of that. For them, that is calm waters, having a coach for five months and going on to someone else.
“That is not traditional and not the norm for most to win a Grand Slam and change your coach.
“I think you see players changing coaches all the time, particularly on the women’s tour. I think people have a hard time understanding how you can get to the fourth round of Wimbledon and then how you don’t keep working with Nigel Sears, who is a great coach and a great guy.
Emma Raducanu-“Wow How About That”. pic.twitter.com/Ib3082ub0X
— gary h (@garyh31887083) July 20, 2023
Raducanu’s approach defies critics
Many had been critical of Raducanu’s decision to part ways with her previous coach, Nigel Sears, but Evert believed it had paid dividends when she went on to win her first Grand Slam title at the US Open. Evert acknowledged Andrew Richardson and Tim Henman’s input into Raducanu’s victory, insisting they were both instrumental in her success.
“All the people when she stopped working with Nigel were killing her… then she won the US Open.
“You were killing her for not staying with Nigel then she won the US Open. Then she changes coaches again.
“Andrew Richardson was a great guy and a great coach and definitely part of that success, but so was Tim Henman, who was really helping her a lot.”
“Quite frankly, her dad was the one putting in a lot of the game plans for the matches,” Eisenbud added.
“Perspective, it doesn’t look great for people who want it to be wrapped up in a perfect bow. I understand that and I see that, but for the family that’s the way they have done it.
“People need to get over the fact that that’s what they need to do. It’s probably going to be like that for the rest of her career.”
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