Emma Raducanu reunites with former coach Andrew Richardson ahead of Rome return

Emma Raducanu has reunited with Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to a historic US Open triumph in 2021, as she steps up preparations for her return to competitive tennis at the Italian Open in Rome next week.

The 23-year-old spent a brief training block at the Ferrer Academy near Benidorm in Spain, where Richardson serves as tennis director.

The academy, founded by former world number three and French Open finalist David Ferrer, provided Raducanu with an opportunity to adjust to European clay conditions ahead of the key stretch of the season.

Raducanu’s camp indicated that the decision was driven by her desire to gain valuable practice on clay courts, with her longstanding professional relationship with Richardson making the arrangement a natural fit.

However, there are currently no plans for the pair to continue working together beyond this short spell or into the remainder of the clay-court season.

Her preparations come after a disrupted start to the year. Raducanu missed the Miami Open in March due to a viral illness and subsequently withdrew from clay events in Linz and Madrid to focus on recovery. Her last competitive appearance came at Indian Wells earlier that month.

Since parting ways with Francisco Roig after the Australian Open, she has been receiving regular support from Alexis Canter while considering her long-term coaching setup.

She had previously stated she remains open to appointing a full-time coach, though she has expressed concerns over external scrutiny.

Raducanu is expected to train at the Foro Italico in Rome on Saturday and will also practise with Germany’s Eva Lys.

It is pertinent to mention that other clay-court events in Strasbourg and Rabat are also on her calendar ahead of the French Open later this month.