WTA

Raducanu in no rush to appoint new coach

By Sports Desk June 06, 2022

Emma Raducanu will not rush a decision on the appointment of her next permanent coach, as she seeks a fourth mentor in the space of a year.

The reigning US Open champion is on the hunt for a successor to Torben Beltz after parting ways in April following a five-month tenure together.

The 19-year-old is set to start her grass-court preparations at the Nottingham Open this week, a year after she made her WTA debut at the same event.

But the world number 11 says she will not be hasty in making a call on who will take over as her next coach.

"I want to take my time with this decision," Raducanu said. "Nothing has changed.

"I still have the same people, good people, around me. I don't want to rush into anything.

"Personally, I think I know what I'm doing. I'm trusting what I'm doing and the work I'm doing.

"I'm still 19 and I've already won a grand slam so I can take my time and put things in place because I know my motivation isn't any less."

When Raducanu made her WTA debut at Nottingham a year ago, Nigel Sears was the teenager's coach, before Andrew Richardson succeeded him after Wimbledon.

The latter was not renewed following success in New York, however, with Beltz brought on board in November.

After a whirlwind first season on the tour, Raducanu admits she is merely trying to enjoy her progress, adding: "I'm quite proud of what I've achieved in the past 12 months

"I'm not being so hard on myself, I'm really enjoying my time right now and also just really believing in the work I'm doing.

"I don't think anyone would say, 'I wish I didn't wish a grand slam at 18' because that is what I set out to do when I started playing tennis - and I did that.

"For that to happen very soon definitely comes with a lot of challenges but managing, learning and growing through the adversities that I have faced – I would much rather have that, learn from those experiences and keep building and progressing."

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