By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, May 9, 2025
Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Emma Raducanu knows how to push the right buttons when watching tennis on TV.
These days, Raducanu eagerly tunes into the insights of commentator-coach Mark Petchey.
Currently ranked World No. 49, Raducanu displayed her skills by sweeping Swiss lucky loser Jil Teichmann 6-2, 6-2 to move into the third round of the Rome tournament.
Her next opponent is Veronika Kudermetova, and the winner could potentially face WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff in the round of 16.
Although Petchey isn’t officially listed as Raducanu’s coach, he’s been informally guiding her since the Miami Open and collaborated with her in training before this clay season.
With the combined assistance of Petchey and Jane O’Donoghue, the rejuvenated Raducanu has achieved a solid 7-2 record in her last three tournaments, marking her return to the Top 50 for the first time in three years.
What stands out is Raducanu’s newfound relaxation and joy, bringing clarity to her competitive spirit.
During their first outing together at the Miami Open in March, Raducanu fended off three formidable American competitors: Emma Navarro, McCartney Kessler, and Amanda Anisimova, before narrowly losing to US Open finalist Jessica Pegula in three sets.
Admitting she sometimes hits the mute button on tennis analysts, Raducanu shared that she listens closely to Petchey, who was formerly Andy Murray’s coach.
“I’m not biased, but I genuinely enjoy listening to him commentate. I think he excels at it,” Raducanu told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj. “There are times I have to mute other commentators, but with him, I love tuning into his thoughts.”
Having made history as the first player, male or female, to navigate through qualifying and clinch a Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu attributes her recent success to the training block she had with Petchey in Los Angeles.
“He’s fascinating,” Raducanu remarked. “He’s significantly aided me—not just in tennis, but off the court as well. Our work in L.A. while he was with Tennis Channel was highly productive, and I’m thrilled with how things are progressing.”
Although red clay has been Raducanu’s least preferred surface, her supporters eagerly anticipate her performance on grass, expecting that Petchey’s guidance on point construction and all-court skills will shine.
Yet, as Raducanu embraces this message, a looming question remains: what happens to the messenger if she encounters setbacks on her journey back to the Top 25?
Daniel Evans believes that any partnership between Raducanu and Petchey may be more fragile than it appears.
The former world No. 21 Evans suggests that a breakup in this coaching dynamic could become unavoidable, especially if Raducanu’s performance falters.
“It can’t last if she starts losing matches while Petchey is in the commentary booth,” Evans shared on BBC Radio 5 Live, as reported by British media. “I suspect Emma will seek a new coach quickly if her performance dips on grass leading into the US swing.”
“I’m not sure how this arrangement can endure.”
Evans’ comments underscore Raducanu’s history of changing coaches with remarkable frequency, suggesting that life as a WTA Tour coach can be unpredictably short-lived. Even if Petchey isn’t directly commentating on Raducanu’s matches, his presence as a coach carries the power to both enhance her strengths and reveal her weaknesses.
In tennis, do the collaborations between coach-commentators and star players lead to clearer perspectives or mixed signals?
The Raducanu-Petchey narrative isn’t the first instance where elite athletes join forces with analysts who have previously coached them. For example, Hall of Famer Boris Becker has narrated matches involving his former protégé, Novak Djokovic. Becker has also mentored world No. 2 Alexander Zverev and commented on his matches.
Additionally, Olympic gold medalists like Lindsay Davenport have served as lead analysts for many matches involving Madison Keys, whom she once coached, while Chrissie Evert has historically supported Keys, often predicting her future Grand Slam success during commentary.
Patrick Mouratoglou offered insights as an ESPN analyst while coaching Serena Williams, famously admitting to attempting coaching from the stands during the controversial 2018 US Open final.
Many other former players, including Mary Joe Fernandez and Patrick McEnroe, have provided commentary on matches featuring players they’ve coached.
This multifaceted relationship between coaches, analysts, and superstar players extends back to tennis’s golden era in the 1970s.
Considering how the Raducanu-Petchey storyline unfolds as she approaches the British grass courts next month will undoubtedly be fascinating.
Like any riveting drama, we’ll all have to stay tuned to see how it plays out.
