Hiring Richardson again seems to have been a masterstroke.
Under his tuition she has played in four tournaments – including the 2021 US Open and this year’s Queen’s – and has won 14 of her 17 matches.
Richardson is an old-school coach who brings volume to create good habits – basically, hitting a lot of balls and putting up hard yards.
Known as the ‘gentle giant’, Raducanu says Richardson also has a fiery side which ignites the competitive spark in him.
His messaging may sometimes be sparse, but the targeted input has an impact on a player who loves to be challenged by her coaches.
During the second set against Vekic, Richardson could be heard asking Raducanu to drive a return into the middle of the court – drawing his opponent into a long duel which he did not like.
This was a strategy that changed the course of the match.
“It’s great to have him back. I think we’ve been working on this playing style. All week I’ve been playing really good tennis and the brand of tennis that I really want to play,” Raducanu said.
“I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily the old Emma. I think it’s the new Emma.
“You take all the lessons and experiences, all the different ups and downs, and you take everything in. You understand a lot more about what’s going on and what works for you.”
Raducanu has shown that she plays better when she is surrounded by long-time confidants whom she trusts completely.
On home turf, with plenty of support from friends and fans, it’s surprising how comfortable she looks – and it has enabled her to play with the freedom she craves.
This has also been evident at Wimbledon, where apart from her fairytale in New York, she has produced the best Slam result of her career.
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