MELBOURNE — The turbulent coaching carousel surrounding British tennis star Emma Raducanu has taken another dramatic turn. Following her second-round exit at the Australian Open, the 2021 US Open champion has parted ways with her coach, Francis Roig, marking her ninth coaching separation in just over five years as a professional.
The split, confirmed by Raducanu's team, comes after a brief but intense partnership with the seasoned Spaniard, who joined her pre-season training block in late 2023. Roig, a former long-time collaborator with Rafael Nadal, was brought in to provide stability and a proven technical foundation. However, their work together lasted only a handful of tournaments, culminating in Raducanu's 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 loss to China's Wang Yafan in Melbourne.
A Search for Stability Amidst Constant Change
Since her fairytale run in New York as an 18-year-old qualifier, Raducanu's career has been defined as much by her frequent coaching changes as by her undeniable talent. The list of departed mentors reads like a who's who of tennis instruction: from Andrew Richardson, who was with her for the US Open triumph, to high-profile figures like Nigel Sears, Torben Beltz, and Dmitry Tursunov. This relentless churn has led to intense scrutiny, with pundits and fans alike questioning the impact on her development.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Raducanu offered a nuanced perspective on her approach, suggesting her decisions are driven by a desire for a specific, holistic environment. "I ask my coaches a lot of questions," she said. "On certain occasions they haven't been able to keep up with the questions I've asked, so maybe that's why it ended." She has consistently framed her search not as indecision, but as a proactive quest for the right fit.
The Brief Tenure of Francis Roig
The collaboration with Francis Roig, 54, was viewed by many as a potential turning point. His credentials were impeccable, having spent 18 years working with Rafael Nadal, contributing to 22 of the Spaniard's Grand Slam titles. The pairing aimed to instill a stronger tactical identity and more consistent patterns of play into Raducanu's game, which, while explosive, has sometimes appeared unstructured.
Their work showed flashes of promise. At the ASB Classic in Auckland just before the Australian Open, Raducanu secured her first top-20 win since 2022, defeating Marie Bouzková and displaying aggressive intent. However, her Melbourne campaign ended in a physically demanding three-set battle where unforced errors crept in at critical moments. The decision to part ways so soon after suggests the partnership did not evolve as either party had hoped.
A source close to the situation indicated the split was amicable, describing it as a mutual agreement that the working relationship had run its natural course. Roig's commitments, including his role at the Rafael Nadal Academy, also played a factor, limiting the time he could dedicate to a full-time touring schedule.
The Broader Team Dynamic
Notably, Raducanu has maintained continuity in other areas of her support team. She continues to work with fitness coach Jez Green, who is renowned for building the physical resilience of players like Andy Murray. This suggests a strategic shift in her management: potentially building a more modular team with specialists, rather than relying on a single, all-encompassing "head coach" figure.
This model is not uncommon in modern tennis, but it requires clear leadership and integration, which has been a challenge during Raducanu's stop-start career, heavily interrupted by injuries. Since her US Open win, she has undergone surgeries on both wrists and one ankle, sidelining her for eight months and forcing her to miss the entirety of the 2023 Grand Slam season.
The Coaching Carousel: A Timeline
To understand the scale of the instability, consider the rapid turnover since her breakthrough:
- Nigel Sears (2021): Brief stint leading into Wimbledon.
- Andrew Richardson (2021): The coach for her historic US Open win.
- Jeremy Bates (2021, interim): Stepped in temporarily after the US Open.
- Torben Beltz (2021-2022): Lasted five months.
- Dmitry Tursunov (2022): A two-month trial that ended reportedly over "red flags."
- Sebastian Sachs (2022-2023): Lasted the longest post-US Open (6 months).
- Francis Roig (2023-2024): The latest, lasting approximately three months.
This revolving door stands in stark contrast to the long-term partnerships that have defined the careers of most top players, such as Nadal with his uncle Toni, or Roger Federer with Severin Lüthi for over a decade.
Looking Ahead: An Uncertain Road
For now, Raducanu is expected to train with her existing team, led by Green, as she plots her next steps. The immediate focus is on building match fitness and climbing back up the rankings from her current position of World No. 296. Her protected ranking of 103 will help with entry into bigger events, but she will need results to regain a seeding.
The tennis world watches with a mix of fascination and concern. There is a widespread belief that Raducanu's extraordinary talent remains intact, but that it requires a period of sustained, uninterrupted coaching to fully flourish. Former British No. 1 Tim Henman, speaking to Tennis365, encapsulated the prevailing sentiment: "The most important thing for Emma is continuity. She's had another change and it's not ideal."
The question that now looms larger than ever is not just who will coach Emma Raducanu next, but whether the next partnership can break the cycle and provide the stable foundation her game so clearly needs. Her next tournament appearances will be under a familiar cloud of uncertainty, as the search for coaching stability—the missing piece in her remarkable puzzle—begins anew.