Mark Petchey furious with Emma Raducanu critics: 'Everyone is living in 2021'
Mark Petchey has issued a passionate defence of British tennis star Emma Raducanu and has blasted her critics for still 'living in 2021'.
Petchey, currently working as Raducanu's coach, and has been left angered at certain comments after her French Open defeat to Iga Swiatek.
Swiatek beat Raducanu 6-1 6-2 in the second round at Roland-Garros on Wednesday with the Brit now set to focus on the 2025 grass-court swing.
Raducanu hasn't landed a second title anywhere on the WTA Tour since her historic Grand Slam triumph at the US Open in 2021 – but she has endured terrible luck with injuries – and required triple surgery in 2023.
Petchey has been working with Raducanu since the Miami Open in March this year – where the 22-year-old enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals – and the tennis coach is 'tired' of people questioning her work ethic.
Raducanu, ranked inside the world top 10 in 2022, was accused of lacking 'heart' last year. The British No.2 is currently ranked world No.41.
'Since Miami when we improvised and I started helping Emma, I said she needs to start closing the gap between the best players,' Petchey told TNT Sports.
'She doesn't need me to sit between 20-50 in the world and if I'm not the best choice, she needs to find the best choice.
'On this court, Iga is 23 straight wins – you don't put those streaks together at a major [tournament] if your game isn't so difficult to play against. It was clearly going to be the ultimate test for Emma yesterday.
'From my point of view, it's tough on Emma as I still feel everyone is living in 2021. 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 into all sorts of trouble.
'If anyone has watched Iga's losses over the European clay court season, the players that have beaten her have played absolutely lights out tennis.
'Although everyone says 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 against Iga, 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'. More Trending
'I'm a little tired of hearing people say that she doesn't work hard. I spent 10 months with her in 2020, and I've spent every day that I can with her since Miami, and not once has she not put in a full day shift.
'Whether there are areas that together, we can help her be crystalise more gains in the fitness or the tennis or whatever, but in terms of turning up every day and putting in a good shift, she's done it every single time.
'So, I'd like to bury that myth where it belongs.'
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