Emma Raducanu names one key difference to her game as she eyes Wimbledon upset
Emma Raducanu credited her coach Mark Petchey for helping inspire her stunning win over Marketa Vondrousova at Wimbledon. Raducanu triumphed 6-3, 6-3 over the former champion on Wednesday to reach the third round at Wimbledon.
The British No.1 will face an extremely difficult task in the next round, with world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka awaiting her on Friday. But her performance against 2023 champion Vondrousova showed signs that the former US Open champion is getting back to her best.
She needed just 82 minutes to defeat the Czech player and credits Petchey with helping to unlock her potential. 'I think I had a lot more clarity with what I was trying to do today. I think also I'm more confident in my own game,' Raducanu told reporters, before reflecting on the time when she didn't have a coach earlier in the year.
'I think that was a really difficult patch for me at the start of the area when I didn't have a coach. I was very low in confidence. As a player, I guess you go through dips in the season when you're lacking a little bit.
READ MORE: Taylor Fritz angry at Wimbledon rules after another suspension – 'I would've absolutely lost it'
'I backed myself a lot more compared to earlier in the year. I think having the direction over the last few months built over consistency really helped.' Petchey has stepped away from his role in the media to guide the 22-year-old, who has previously gone through a vast array of coaches.
Raducanu has previously worked with Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs and Vladimir Platenik, but feels comfortable with Petchey. "I'd give him 11 out of 10," she said after beating Mimi Xu in the first round.
"He's been everything the last few months for me. I've really enjoyed being around him. He's helped me so much on all fronts, tennis, off court. I think the most memorable moment... We've had quite a few. There was one hike we did in L.A. We walked for two and a half hours. We spoke.
"It was one of those really, I guess, deep conversations where I was like, okay, certain things I need to do better. It was just one that I could take away and really reflect on."
Although she has started strongly at Wimbledon, Raducanu knows she will have to step up her game even more to beat Sabalanka. 'She is number one in the world right now, so dominant on the tour and has won literally everything, so it is going to be a really difficult match,' she said.
"I'm just so happy with how I performed and all I can do is control my side of the court as best as possible. When you play an opponent like her, you know you have to play well, so I guess there is no pressure on me at all in the next round."
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