A champion needs a firm guiding hand, but Emma Raducanu‘s journey has been anything but conventional. With seven interim coaches in four years, she’s struggled to find the right guidance. The latest twist saw her part ways with interim coach Vladimir Platenik after just 14 days. This split followed Nick Cavaday’s departure post-Australian Open, with Platenik initially hesitant to take on the role, famously calling it “coaching suic-de.” Yet, Raducanu has now reached her first WTA 1,000 quarter-final without a full-time coach. Is there a secret to her comeback?

On Monday, Raducanu secured her fourth consecutive win at the Miami Open by defeating Amanda Anisimova. This streak is her longest since the 2021 US Open, where she won as a teenage qualifier. Raducanu attributes her success to being true to herself. “I’d say I’m a bit of a free spirit so I don’t need restrictions or being told what to do,” she said. “I think when I’m being really authentic, that’s when I’m playing my best.” Currently ranked 60th in the world, Raducanu is now set to face US Open finalist Jessica Pegula.

As Raducanu prepares for her quarter-final match, an interesting development emerged from her practice sessions. She was spotted hitting the practice court with Mark Petchey, a temporary coach who had previously worked with her before her US Open win. He also coached Andy Murray from 2005 until April 2006. During this period, Murray significantly improved his ranking, moving from No. 351 to No. 41 in the world and securing his first ATP title in San Jose. However, this collaboration comes after Raducanu’s brief stint with Vlado Platenik, who served as an interim coach for two weeks during the Indian Wells Open.

If you didn’t know, the two parted ways just before the Miami Open. Raducanu praised Platenik, saying, “He is a great coach. He’s so experienced. He’s worked with so many players and brought them up to the top and developed players. I respect him a lot as a coach,” but noted, “It just wasn’t right at the time.” This marked her second split since Nick Cavaday, who stepped down in January 2025 due to health reasons.

But is it normal to go through so many coaches? Well, changing coaches is a common occurrence in professional tennis, but not all players switch as frequently as Emma. While Raducanu has had seven different coaches since her US Open win, other players like Naomi Osaka also experienced multiple coaching changes. Osaka’s career has seen her work with Sascha Bajin, Jermaine Jenkins, Wim Fissette, and now Patrick Mouratoglou, former coach of Serena Williams.

As Raducanu noted in December, “It’s never really been my interest or philosophy to chop and change coaches. I’ve never really wanted that. I’m a very loyal person, whether that’s with my tennis or off the court. Or with what I eat. When I find something I like, I stick to it. I eat the same thing every single day. Same salmon every single day. I like those relationships and I think in the past, unfortunately, it hasn’t always worked like this.” 

For now, it’s unclear if Petchey is officially part of Raducanu’s team; she is also working with her childhood mentor Jane O’Donoghue, and fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura. Whatever her setup, it seems to be working. As she moves forward, Raducanu may continue to face scrutiny, but her recent performances suggest she’s on the right path and she knows it!

Emma expresses an “inner calmness” as she takes the Miami Open by storm!

Emma Raducanu is storming the Miami Open like a breath of fresh air, leaving fans buzzing with excitement! After a couple of years marked by setbacks and early exits, the British No.2 is finally showing the form everyone’s been waiting for. Coming into 2025, with a positive mindset, Raducanu initially faced some tough starts, including an early exit at the Indian Wells Open. However, on March 19, she turned a new leaf by defeating Sayaka Ishii, setting the stage for a thrilling run.

Her resilience was on full display in her epic match against Emma Navarro, dubbed the longest in Miami this year. Despite facing a foot injury and trailing 3-1 in the deciding set, Raducanu dug deep, adopting a more aggressive approach to clinch the win 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-6(3). “I really do relish like a really tight situation or a tight scenario. I have this inner calmness, I think that I tap into in those situations, whereas the other times in the matches, maybe I can be a bit more emotional,” she shared in an interview with Tennis Channel.

Raducanu also noted, “When it gets to like 5 or 6 all, I just find like a coolness within me and I don’t know I try not to think about it because thinking makes things worse.” Now, the Briton is gearing up to face Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals. With their head-to-head record tied at 1-1, Raducanu is ready to break the tie and extend her winning streak.

After defeating McCartney Kessler and Amanda Anisimova, Raducanu is on a roll, and her confidence is soaring. As she prepares to take on Pegula on March 27, the question on everyone’s mind is: Can she keep her momentum going and secure another big win? Share your thoughts in the comments below!