Emma Raducanu just made a strong comeback at the Hana Bank Korea Open, shocking spectators after showing a rather challenging season that was filled with injuries and inconsistent performances. The 2021 US Open champion seems to be rediscovering her form and confidence on the court. And who does she have to thank for this? Her coach, Nick Cavaday, of course.

Reflecting on her performances so far, she noted, “If you watch my serve over the past few months since the clay season, it’s gone through a lot of iterations in terms of swing.” Since firing nearly five coaches in the past, Raducanu has been working with coach Cavaday. Bringing out some risky new moves that are said to significantly change her serving technique.

During an interview after the Korea Open, “Me and my coach decided we were going to take a risk and we were going to tweak things.” She said, “We’ve been working hard the last week looking at the swing and which swing suits me best. It’s been pretty big changes; it’s not like we’re just changing the ball placement.”

But Emma Raducanu and Cavaday are not in this for the immediate results. Right now, it seems like they have their sights set on long-term success. As Raducanu explained, “We know it might not pay off short-term. But one thing I do back myself on is I pick things up pretty quickly.” While the changes to her serving technique didn’t immediately translate to success in her first match against Peyton Stearns, Raducanu’s confidence in her ability to adapt quickly proved well-founded. “In the first match it didn’t transfer yet, but today it definitely did,” she said after her quarterfinal victory over Yuan Yue.

Despite facing some hiccups along the way, like dropping serve in both sets. Raducanu maintained control for most of the match. Only breaking twice in the first set and racing to a 3-0 lead in the second. Ultimately finishing the match with a score of 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

Raducanu’s journey through the tournament underscores the challenges that frequent competition can pose for players. She also made a note of how disruptive multiple tournaments can be to a player’s technique, saying, “In general, if you play a lot of tournaments, things move out of place without you really realizing, and then it’s harder to get the natural feeling back.”

In the end, following her victory, Raducanu climbed 16 places in the WTA rankings. Moving from No. 70 to No. 54. With this new achievement in her bag, she’s aiming for the stars, saying, “My goals are finishing this season strong but inevitably to set myself up in the best way possible for next year, because next year I really want to hit the ground running.” Now the bigger question is:

Has Cavaday helped Emma Raducanu do what others could not?

Since her stunning US Open victory in 2021, Raducanu seems to have finally found stability and familiarity with Cavaday. After struggling with injuries and inconsistent performances throughout the past season, she is rediscovering her form on the court. The duo’s collaboration has already shown promising results.

In an interview, Raducanu described Cavaday as “a very good person” and emphasized the importance of their connection: “I think being with a friend I’ve known for a long time in a familiar environment is the best environment for me right now, and I value the time with him.” She noted that since the clay season, her serve has undergone “a lot of iterations in terms of swing,” underscoring the significant adjustments they have made together.

Going forward, their long-standing relationship and Cavaday’s understanding of Raducanu as a person may just provide the stability she needs to focus on her game. As she continues her journey, everyone’s eager to see how far this partnership will take her in her quest for more success on the court.