After two years and seven interim coaches, Emma Raducanu finally delivered a stellar run. Following a disappointing first-round exit at the Indian Wells Open and struggles with form since the 2025 season began, Raducanu shone at the Miami Open. She outplayed tough opponents like Sayaka Ishii, Emma Navarro, McCartney Kessler, and Amanda Anisimova to reach her first WTA 1000 quarterfinals against Jessica Pegula. This resurgence is partly credited to her partnership with Mark Petchey. Despite not clinching the title, this is a win, right? But could there be more? Former British pro Tim Henman wants you to hold out hope for it!
Speaking about Raducanu’s impressive run at the Miami Open, Tim Henman is confident she’s on the right path. It began when speculations swirled that Petchey, Andy Murray’s former coach, was now Raducanu’s interim coach. The two were spotted training together ahead of the quarterfinal match against Pegula. “I think it did work very well in Miami. And obviously, Mark Petchey is someone I’ve known for many, many years, and he’s worked with Emma before. And so it was very much a familiar face and a familiar voice for Emma,” he told TNT Sports.
Raducanu knows Mark Petchey because he previously coached her. Petchey worked with Raducanu in 2020, before her historic US Open win in 2021, and has been involved with her on several occasions since then. But can he help her come back to the top this season? The former World No.4 urges patience. He added, “What happens going forward, I really don’t know. I’m as intrigued as everybody else because Mark has his responsibilities with the Tennis Channel in America.”
For the unversed, Mark Petchey is a dynamic figure in tennis, known for his coaching and broadcasting career. He has coached notable players like Silvija Talaja and Tina Pisnik on the WTA Tour from 1999 to 2000, and Andy Murray from June 2005 to April 2006, helping Murray rise from No. 351 to No. 41.
However, his diverse commitments, including his work as a commentator for networks like Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, ITV, and the BBC, might limit his availability for a full-time coaching role with Raducanu. This is the big question even Tim has on his mind: “So will he be able to commit time? I don’t know. So we’ll just have to wait and see from that point of view.”
Now that Emma has wrapped up her double Sunshine campaign, what’s next for her? Her defeat against Pegula was perhaps due more to her health than her capability. As she said in her post-match press conference