Emma Raducanu: Thomas Enqvist explains changing coaches is just business for former US Open champion
Thomas Enqvist believes Emma Raducanu needs some stability in her team; "If you get asked from a talented player to work with you, it's important to have that period of trying to get to know each other and also try and find a way to pull in the right direction"
Friday 9 June 2023 12:27, UK
Former world No 4 Thomas Enqvist says Emma Raducanu needs some stability in her team but admits "changing coaches is all part and parcel of the business we're in".
Raducanu recently split with German coach Sebastian Sachs, her fifth coach in less than two years, as she recovers from minor surgeries on her ankle and hands.
Going under the knife has forced her to miss the French Open and Wimbledon, with the 20-year-old having played only 10 WTA Tour matches in 2023.
She has now dropped out of the top 100 with her British ranking also likely to fall in the coming weeks.
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If you get asked from a talented player to work with you, it's important to have that period of trying to get to know each other and also try and find a way to pull in the right direction.
Raducanu's fairytale US Open win in 2021 is a distant memory with her injury setbacks and revolving door of coaching staff now making the headlines.
"Emma is an unbelievable player who is super talented and has won a Grand Slam so we all know how good she can play and the potential she has," said former Australian Open finalist and Wimbledon quarter-finalist Enqvist.
"It's important for Emma to stay healthy because she's been very unfortunate with injuries and she needs to be able to stay as healthy as possible so she can play a full season and work on the things she needs to work on.
"I think stability is very important for any player because you have to make a solid developing plan and like all players, there will be ups and downs.
"It's typical even if you have an unbelievable tournament like she had winning the US Open, it shows the potential she has, but like any young player you can sometimes struggle with the consistency and you still have lots of things to improve on, but that's normal.
"I do believe it's difficult for her to do that when she has missed a lot of tournaments. She gets injured and then has to focus on her rehab.
"Hopefully she'll be back 100 per cent healthy soon and then it's important for her to stay healthy because she needs a full season on tour."
Who would want to take on the job of coaching Raducanu?
Asked whether anybody would want to take on the job of coaching Raducanu, Swede Enqvist replied: "That's the risk for any coach. It's the way it works.
"If you look at the football coaches, they don't get too many chances and I've been a player myself so you also need the chance to try.
"The best thing to do is to find someone you really like and you can get the stability, which is important, but I also do believe what you find, what you look for, you also have to try. It's the business that we're in.
"If you get asked from a talented player to work with you, it's important to have that period of trying to get to know each other and also try and find a way to pull in the right direction."
Philippoussis backs Raducanu to 'find her game again'
Mark Philippoussis, who recently stepped down from coaching world No 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, believes Raducanu must make the "right decisions" on and off the court.
"Her focus should be taking care of the body, getting it as strong as possible after surgery," said the Australian tennis legend.
"She should start from there and build up her confidence moving wise - starting with the gym and then move to the court.
"From there she needs to start playing matches and grinding at the tournaments. She's a Grand Slam champion - she'll find her game again, without a doubt.
"Her [US Open] win was not a fluke and what she did was unbelievable, it was crazy. It might be a blessing for her, but she's got to make the right decisions and have the right person [as her coach]."
Thomas Enqvist & Mark Philippoussis will be playing at the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at The Hurlingham Club. The event is taking place June 27 to July 1.
