One of Andy Murray’s former coaches, Petchey worked with Raducanu before her 2021 breakthrough, and rejoined the team on an ad hoc basis last year when the Brit was left without a full-time coach. She now finds herself back in the same position after calling it quits with Roig, and the British coach and pundit has stepped in once again for Indian Wells.
As he did last year, Petchey is juggling his informal coaching role with his full-time broadcasting commitments. A commentator and pundit for Tennis Channel, the 55-year-old told the channel’s Big T Podcast that they had no real plan, other than to “figure out” where this iteration of their partnership goes.
“I think it was Oscar Wilde who said, a second marriage is the triumph of optimism over experience. I don’t know what the great Oscar would have said about a third time going back in this situation!” Petchey joked.
“But Emma, listen, we’ve always stayed in touch. I felt like last year we got to a stage where this kind of work, the media work, was just overwhelming. And trying to do the right things, being a coach, I didn’t want anything to fall through the cracks.”
Petchey and Raducanu first reunited at the Miami Open last March, and he continued to help the world No. 24 until she hired Roig in August. Since splitting with Roig in January, Raducanu has been travelling with hitting partner Alexis Canter and physiotherapist Emma Stewart. And Petchey once again answered the call when she was left without a coach again.
He continued: “She found herself in a situation, once again, where she didn’t really have somebody that she could lean into. Didn’t like where her game had been heading, and the flare went up, and I said I’d come to Indian Wells early, and try and help her. And that’s kind of where we are.
“I know everybody feels that there’s this – there isn’t really this big plan at this particular stage. This is the plan, is day by day, we’ll figure out where it goes. I love her to bits and I’ll try and help her, but obviously will have to try and figure out how that works around these other commitments.”
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