Emma Raducanu was making steady progress under the guidance of former player and commentator Mark Petchey, but that was in an informal capacity. Now, days ahead of the US Open, the Brit has officially brought on board Rafael Nadal’s former coach, Francisco Roig. He becomes the eighth coach of Raducanu’s career so far.
When Will Emma Raducanu Start Her Stint With Rafael Nadal’s Former Coach?
After several coaching changes in recent years, Raducanu finally saw signs of progress during her part-time stint with Petchey, which started from the eve of the Miami Open.
Raducanu turned heads early in her time with Petchey, kicking off with a strong quarterfinal showing at the WTA 1000 event in Miami.
Her momentum continued with a last-16 finish at the Italian Open, followed by a quarterfinal appearance in the debut women’s draw at Queen’s Club. Following his full-time involvement with the former US Open champion during the grass-court swing, Petchey once again found himself balancing coaching duties with his broadcasting commitments during the hard-court swing.
Emma Raducanu has a new coach! She has agreed a deal to work with Spaniard Francisco Roig until the end of the year.
The 57-year-old spent 18 years with Rafa Nadal as No2 coach to Uncle Toni. He most recently coached Berrettini for a year from 2022-2023 …cont— Matthew Lambwell (@matthewrlambert) August 4, 2025
Thus, Raducanu needed to get someone on board. Raducanu had reportedly been in talks with Roig since the grass-court swing and completed a successful trial with him after Wimbledon. The 57-year-old will travel to Cincinnati and begin working with the Brit on Tuesday, August 5.
Roig is flying out to Cincinnati tonight and he and Raducanu will begin work tomorrow. They had been in discussion over the grass season and had a successful trial together after Wimbledon …
— Matthew Lambwell (@matthewrlambert) August 4, 2025
Roig will coach Raducanu till the end of 2025, while Petchey remains a ‘close confidant.’ The former World No. 60 is widely known for his technical acumen, having worked alongside the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s uncle, Toni Nadal, for most of the latter’s Grand Slam-winning run.
That was nearly two decades between 2005 and 2022, during which time he led Rafael Nadal toward all 22 Major titles before they parted ways at the end of 2022. After that, he worked with former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini from 2023 to 2024.
Who Are the Other Coaches That Raducanu Has Worked With in the Past?
Notably, Raducanu reunited with her former coach Nick Cavaday to work alongside Mark Petchey during her campaign at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. Cavaday, one of her early mentors, started working with her ahead of the 2024 season and remained by her side for 14 months, marking the longest coaching partnership of her professional career.
Cavaday helped Raducanu find some rhythm last year as she reached the Nottingham semis, four WTA quarter-finals, and the fourth round at Wimbledon. However, Cavaday only left her team this year in January to spend more time with his family due to chronic health issues.
Prior to this, the 22-year-old had brief stints with Sebastian Sachs in 2023 before an injury hiatus, Dmitry Tursunov in late 2022, Torben Beltz in 2021, and Andrew Richardson, who coached her to a landmark US Open title. She also worked with Nigel Sears when she began her professional career.
Raducanu has impressed so far on the North American swing with a semifinal run in Washington and a third-round finish in Montreal, building confidence ahead of Cincinnati. With Roig now in her corner, whether she can truly turn the tide remains to be seen.
