Emma Raducanu tried to make an auspicious start to a new season with the Australian Open. Coming back after a long time away from court because of injuries in 2024, the 2021 US Open winner looked promising down under. However, her hopes to make a deep run in Melbourne were shattered. Former World No.1 Iga Swiatek beat her in the third round. As if the elimination wasn’t enough to break her, a massive update on her trainer, Nick Cavaday, has escalated troubles for the Brit. Amid her struggles, Serena Williams’ childhood coach has now shared a key tip for the former top 10 to find the right person who can guide her to glory.

Raducanu’s ex-coach Nick Cavaday announced his split with the tennis star last week. After the 22-year-old’s exit following a third-round defeat at the hands of Swiatek, he said, “I am very happy to have been able to work with Emma over the last 14 months. At this moment in time, it’s important for me to spend some more time at home and prioritize getting back to full health, which is hard to do with the extensive calendar. I am glad Emma is back to being established on tour now with a ranking inside the top 60, and I look forward to seeing what she does from here,” reported The Guardian on January 24.

For the unversed, Cavaday was Raducanu’s sixth coach in the last three years. On Thursday, Hall of Famer Rick Macci shared a piece of advice for the Brit to solve her coaching dilemma. In a post on X, he wrote, “She needs the right quarterback that understands the the mental game and bulletproof confidence.” Admiring her as a capable player, he added, “She won a Grand Slam. She has been a top 10 player. She does not need a new travel coach/buddy. The right QUARTERBACK calling every play can get RADUCANU BACK. @EmmaRaducanu”

Macci’s reaction on Raducanu’s coaching problem comes at an interesting time. Floating rumors suggest that she may join hands with Andy Murray. It’s because the latter’s future with 24-time Major winner Novak Djokovic looks uncertain at the moment. They joined hands last year for the Australian Open. But Djoker’s campaign in Melbourne ended last week. He retired during the semifinal match, against Alexander Zverev, due to a muscular injury. As of now, there’s been no update from the Serbian on their collaboration’s extension.

As for the possibility of Murray joining Raducanu, he’s expressed his wish to coach her in the past already. In 2022, during an interaction with Tennis Channel, he was asked to pick four names he would like to coach. Murray replied, “Female player–Emma Raducanu. Male player – between (Carlos) Alcaraz, (Stefanos) Tsitsipas and (Jack) Draper.” reported GBNews.

He also showered praising words on her when she lifted her first Major trophy at the Flushing Meadows. “It was incredible what she did there,” said the 37-year-old former ATP pro. “I think for a lot of the people involved in British tennis, we knew she was extremely good.”

Only time will tell whether her new trainer will be Murray or someone else. But one thing is certain. She definitely needs a helping hand right now, given how her 2025 season is turning out so far.

After a disappointing Australian Open exit, Emma Raducanu’s form continues to dwindle

Just when her avid fans were hoping for a positive turnaround, Emma Raducanu faced another setback. Earlier this week, at the Singapore Open, the former World No.10 lost her first-round match. Playing against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, she battled for over three hours. Having won the opening set, it appeared she would move into the next round. But Bucsa fought well and made a strong comeback. She eventually cruised ahead with a score line of 5-7, 7-5, 7-5, eliminating Raducanu.

After ASB Classic and the Australian Open, it’s the third straight event of 2025 where she’s failed to impress. Following the heartbreaking defeat, she said, “I feel OK. I feel like I have certain things we all manage as the year goes on. I think it’s pretty early in the season.” reported Reuters on January 28.

Although she didn’t win, Emma Raducanu petted herself on the back for her efforts. “For me to be playing this kind of match, all I need is time on court and a match-competitive situation, which I got today. I got it in abundance — over three hours of it — so, for me, it’s really valuable because every match I play, I feel like it’s a win.”

Her next event is going to be the Abu Dhabi Open in February. It will be intriguing to see if she makes a strong impact there. Coming back to her coaching vows, who do you think she should bring to her team? Let us know in the comments below.