Emma Raducanu targets ‘more aggressive style’ of play after latest coach split

Emma Raducanu has revealed she is not looking for a new coach following her split from Francisco Roig.

The Spaniard became the latest departure from Raducanu’s team last month after six months working together. The pair reportedly gelled well on a personal level but did not align on her style of play.

The former US Open champion was outspoken after a second-round loss to Anastasia Potapova at the Australian Open, saying she wanted to be playing “in a way more similar to when I was younger”.

Her next tournament in Romania saw her reach her first final since her victory in New York in 2021. She insisted she was happy working only with hitting partner Alexis Canter, a 27-year-old former British player who reached a career-high ranking of 779 last year.

Raducanu told The Guardian: “Right now I wouldn’t say I’m actively looking for a coach. I have Alexis in my corner. He knows me as a person. He knows me as a player and I’ve actually had some success with him in the past year. So it’s going well.

“I know the drills that I need to be doing… just repetition of doing those key fundamentals. I think I want to go back to that and a more aggressive style of playing.”

Making the final in Cluj-Napoca – where she won just two games against Sorana Cirstea – came at a cost, with Raducanu picking up a virus that she has struggled to shake off.

She subsequently lost in the first round of two tournaments in the Middle East, calling the doctor on court both times, but is hopeful that the illness is now behind her.

Raducanu was speaking in Japan after being unveiled as a global brand ambassador for clothes retailer Uniqlo.

The deal, which sees her join a very select group including Roger Federer, is a sign of her enduring commercial appeal and will involve her playing an active role in designing her on-court kit.

Raducanu, who had previously worn Nike, said of her illness: “I had really long effects for the last three weeks. I’ve been trying to clear them. So the Middle East trip was very difficult for me. I’m getting ready for Indian Wells and just trying to get back to full health. And I still have a bit of time, so I’m just looking forward to doing my best to be ready for that.”

The 23-year-old remains in a good position at 25 in the rankings and will hope for a strong showing at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which begins on March 4.