Emma Raducanu's coach reveals his tough message for the former US Open winner after crushing defeat at Roland-Garros to defending champion Iga Swiatek

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

Emma Raducanu 's coach Mark Petchey has revealed the message he shared with the player at the start of their partnership in the wake of her French Open second-round defeat to Iga Swiatek.
The former British No1 was crushed by the defending champion and four-time Roland-Garros winner on Court Philippe-Chatrier, falling 6-1, 6-2 on the Paris tournament's showcourt.
Until her defeat to Swiatek, who is looking to secure a fourth consecutive French Open title next week, Raducanu had been enjoying an improved showing on clay under Petchey.
The 22-year-old appointed Andy Murray 's former coach at the Miami Open, after calling time on her budding partnership with then-coach Vlado Platenik after just 14 days.
Raducanu then trained with Petchey in Los Angeles, then competing in clay events in Madrid, Rome, and Strasbourg before travelling to the French capital.
Speaking after the loss, Petchey - who manages his punditry commitments with TNT Sport and the Tennis channel alongside working with the world No41 - was bullish about his player's prospects as he called out those who have failed to move on from her historic US Open win nearly four years ago.
The 22-year-old finished her clay season with a whimper as she lost in straight sets to Iga Swiatek in Paris
But Petchey has been bullish about his player's prospects, targeting a return to the top 20
'From my point of view, it's tough on Emma as I still feel everyone is living in 2021,' Petchey said on TNT Sport. 'The games have changed massively, the balls are four times heavier than back in 2021 and Emma isn't the biggest hitter out there.
'If you can't put the ball through the court on a windy, heavy clay court day against someone like Iga, you're going to get in all sorts of trouble.
'If anyone has watched Iga's losses over the clay court season, the players that have beaten her have played absolutely lights-out tennis. Although everyone's saying Iga's form is bad, I didn't actually think that, and she proved it yesterday.
'On hard courts and grass is a lot closer compared to where Emma was in Australia (where she lost to Swiatek 6-1, 6-0) but against Iga and Coco (Gauff), she knows what she has to do and it will take a long time.
'My mantra to her has been: "You are starting your career now. Everyone is judging you on what happened in 2021, but the reality is, I want to see you building a career here where people judge you in two years."'
Petchey added he was 'tired' of hearing complaints from those who believe Raducanu does not work hard, sharing that based on his experience working with her in 2020 and to date, 'not once has she not put in a full day shift'.
'Whether there are areas that together, we can help her crystalise more gains in the fitness, or the tennis, or whatever - in terms of turning up every day and putting in a good shift, she's done that every single time.
'So I'd like to bury that myth where it belongs.'
Andy Murray's former coach also highlighted how much the game has changed in four year
Petchey also shed light on the high standards he has set himself for working with the player, revealing that he has called upon his employer to sack him if she feels their partnership isn't yielding the necessary results.
'Since Miami when we improvised and I started helping Emma, I said she needs to start closing the gap between the best players,' Petchey continued.
'She doesn't need me to sit between 20 and 50 in the world, and if I'm not the best choice, she needs to find the best choice.
Raducanu, who does not have a natural game on clay, may decide that her progress on grass is the ultimate benchmark for her work with Petchey.
The player made the fourth round at last year's Wimbledon Championships for the second time in her career before defeat to qualifier Lulu Sun in SW19, and will look to improve on the result after improving her fitness over the last season.