After two years and seven interim coaches, Emma Raducanu finally delivered a stellar run. Following struggles with form since the 2025 season began, including disappointing first-round exit at the Indian Wells Open, Raducanu shone at the Miami Open. She outplayed tough opponents like Sayaka Ishii, Emma Navarro, McCartney Kessler, and Amanda Anisimova to reach her first WTA 1000 quarterfinals against Jessica Pegula. This resurgence is partly credited to her partnership with Mark Petchey. Despite not clinching the title, losing against the American, this run still counts as a win, right? But could there be more? Former British pro Tim Henman wants you to hold out hope for it!

It all began when speculations swirled that Petchey, Andy Murray’s former coach, was now Raducanu’s interim coach. The two were spotted training together ahead of the quarterfinal match against Pegula. Speaking about Raducanu’s impressive run at the Miami Open, Tim Henman is confident she’s on the right path. “I think it did work very well in Miami. And obviously, Mark Petchey is someone I’ve known for many, many years, and he’s worked with Emma before. And so it was very much a familiar face and a familiar voice for Emma,” he said TNT Sports.

Raducanu knows Mark Petchey because he had previously coached her. Petchey worked with Raducanu in 2020, before her historic US Open win in 2021, and has been involved with her on several occasions since then. But can he help her come back to the top this season?

For the unversed, Mark Petchey is a dynamic figure in tennis, known for his coaching and broadcasting career. He has coached notable players like Silvija Talaja and Tina Pisnik on the WTA Tour from 1999 to 2000, and Andy Murray from June 2005 to April 2006, helping Murray rise from No. 351 to No. 41.

However, his diverse commitments, including his work as a commentator for networks like Tennis Channel, Sky Sports, ITV, and the BBC, might limit his availability to a full-time coaching role with Raducanu. This is the big question even Tim has on his mind: “And so will he be able to commit time?” 

“What happens going forward, I really don’t know.” However, urging for patience, Henman remains confident.

“So we’ll just have to wait and see from that point of view. I was just so pleased to see Emma really out there competing and I think showing better physical endurance. She played a lot of tournaments this year and hasn’t necessarily had the success after the Australian Open. But the fact that she was just out on the match court, competing against the other best players in the world is a really good sign. And because she’s such a good tennis player, the results will come. Sometimes you have to remain patient and deal with the bumps in the road.”

Following her “double Sunshine campaign” Emma Raducanu’s immediate schedule involves prioritizing her health and training. This has led to another withdrawal from an upcoming event from her.

Emma Raducanu’s strategic decision to withdraw from the Billie Jean King Cup

On March 27, Emma Raducanu fell to Jessica Pegula in a captivating 6-4, 6(3)-7, 6-2 match. Despite the loss, her performance was commendable, especially in the second set where she held a 5-2 lead and had four set points.

However, she needed a medical timeout due to dizziness and faintness, attributing it to the humid conditions and a long wait between games. “I just felt really dizzy [before medical timeout]. I felt faint. It was very humid out there, and we had a long wait, so maybe it was just an accumulation,” she explained in the post-match press conference.

Reflecting on her tournament with pride, she added, “I’m really proud of how I fought, I competed well throughout the match. Jessica played a really good match from start to finish and just showed her class and levels at the end, I think. Despite losing today, I can take some good positives from this week and look forward now.”

Furthermore, she celebrated her Miami moments with a heartfelt post on Instagram, captioned “Thank you, Miami,” highlighting her magical moments from the trip. However, she has now announced yet another withdrawal.

Additionally, as the clay season approaches, Raducanu has pulled out of the GB squad for an upcoming Billie Jean King Cup qualifier. Raducanu’s representatives told the BBC that it was a “difficult decision,” adding that ‘she needs a little space in the calendar to best look after her body.” This move allows her to focus on a training block, aiming to return before the French Open starting on May 25.

Team Great Britain’s Captain Anne Keothavong acknowledged the decision, stating, “I recognise this has been a difficult decision for Emma. You always miss a player of her quality on the team, we’ve seen what she can do in the past representing her country…but I have the utmost belief in the players who are travelling next week and will confirm a fifth player in due course.”

The Brit’s last appearance on clay was at the 2024 Madrid Open, where she faced a first-round exit against Maria Lourdes Carle. As of now, Raducanu is scheduled to begin her 2025 clay-court campaign at the Open Capfinances Rouen Métropole in France, a WTA 250 tournament starting on April 14.