Emma Raducanu adds Rafael Nadal’s former coach to her team

Overview

• Emma Raducanu is preparing for the upcoming US Open.

• She has brought in Francis Roig, the former coach of tennis legend Rafael Nadal, as her full-time coach.

• Roig worked closely with Nadal’s uncle Toni Nadal between 2005 and 2022.

Emma Raducanu is preparing for the upcoming US Open and has made a key addition to her coaching team. She has brought in Francis Roig, the former coach of tennis legend Rafael Nadal, as her full-time coach.

Roig worked closely with Nadal’s uncle Toni Nadal between 2005 and 2022. He played a big role in helping Nadal win all 22 of his Grand Slam titles. Speaking to Sky Sports, Raducanu expressed her excitement about working with someone of Roig’s experience.

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“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,” she said.

Before the US Open begins, Raducanu is now set to play in the Cincinnati Open for the first time since 2022. Roig has already joined her in Ohio as she gets ready for the WTA 1000 event.

“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,” she added.

Emma Raducanu lost in the Round of 32 of the Canadian Open

Raducanu’s recent results have been below her expectations. She lost to Anna Kalinskaya in the semi-final of the Washington Open, going down 6-4, 6-3. After that, she suffered another straight-sets loss in the Canadian Open, where Amanda Anisimova beat her 6-2, 6-1 in the Round of 32.

With Roig now part of her coaching setup, the focus has shifted to fixing the issues in her game. Raducanu hopes to improve her shot quality and overall consistency.

"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," she said.

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In 2022, Raducanu had a decent run at the Cincinnati Open, reaching the Round of 16. This time, with Roig by her side, she will aim to go deeper in the tournament. The event in Ohio is an important part of her build-up to the US Open.