Emma Raducanu’s coach Mark Petchey has warned her that tennis has moved on since she won the US Open four years ago.
British No 2 Raducanu was dismantled 6-1 6-2 by reigning champion Iga Swiatek in the second round of the French Open on Wednesday.
It was a slight improvement on her 6-1 6-0 thrashing by Swiatek at the Australian Open, but the 22-year-old has won just one of her nine career matches against top-five players and was also trounced 6-1 6-2 by world No 2 Coco Gauff in Rome earlier this month.
Petchey, who is also working as a pundit for TNT Sports’ coverage of Roland Garros, has told Raducanu – currently ranked 41 – that she cannot afford to live in the past if she wants to climb back into the top 20.
“Since I started helping Emma, I said she needs to start closing the gap between the best players,” said Petchey, who started working with Raducanu on an informal basis in March.
“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 has 23 straight wins – you don’t put those streaks together at a major 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.
“On hard courts and grass is a lot closer compared to where Emma was in Australia against Iga, but against Iga and Coco, 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’.”
Raducanu arrived in Paris with more concerns about her fitness, but Petchey has hit back at those who doubt her work ethic.
“I’m a little tired of hearing people say that she doesn’t work hard, but 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,” he added.
“(Maybe) there are areas that, together, we can help her crystallise more gains in fitness, or 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.”
PA
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