Emma Raducanu is, undeniably, one of the most scrutinised figures in the tennis world.
No matter what she does, the Brit is constantly criticised, having been held to an impossible standard ever since she shocked the world by winning the US Open in 2021.
Following on from that unlikely triumph, casual fans have expected constant success, and been furious when she has failed to deliver it.
Few seem able to understand the context that has shaped her last few years on tour, with injuries and health scares plaguing her efforts to improve.
How far do you think Emma Raducanu will go at Wimbledon after watching her at Queen’s?
However, even those who do sympathise with Emma Raducanu‘s faltering fitness have been critical of her policy regarding the hiring and firing of coaches.
Rennae Stubbs, in what feels like a first in the media, has now jumped to her defence on this topic.
Emma Raducanu defended for her decision to fire so many coaches
Speaking on the Rennae Stubbs podcast after the 23-year-old had lost in the Queen’s Club final, the Aussie admitted she could not understand why Raducanu remains such a lightning rod for criticism.
Stubbs admitted: “Having said that, I’m really happy for Emma to get sort of good results in England because the amount of s—- that she takes, the amount of c—- that people write on Twitter or on, you know, any social media about her and the stuff that they say about her.
“We are both big fans of Emma. And I just don’t understand why people feel the need to attack a player that’s trying, you know?”
She then referenced one of the biggest critiques that surrounds Raducanu, but instead of piling on, Stubbs tried to sympathise with her.
She added: “And, OK, she’s changed coaches here and there, and, you know, maybe people judge her on that. But I think it’s a lot of times because she’s such a smart player and such a smart person in general. I think she probably hears some of the stuff that these coaches tell her, and she’s probably like, What? That doesn’t make sense to me.
“And sometimes players are great when they’re dumb because you can just tell them what to do and they’ll just be like, okay. But, you know, the bottom line is that Emma, she’s not going to listen to a coach after a month or two and think… they’re gonna say it to themselves, probably: I don’t agree with half of the stuff you’re saying to me.
“Now, whether that’s the right thing or not, I don’t know. But at the same time, having talked to Emma about her tennis in some ways, it doesn’t surprise me that she sort of flicks her coaches after a couple of months, and she doesn’t put up with the I’m just going to keep paying you, you know, five, ten grand a week or whatever she’s paying her coaches, to tell me nonsense that I don’t believe in.
“So, unless I’m with those coaches 24/7 to know what they’re saying to her, I’m fine with her getting rid of her coaches after a few months if she doesn’t think that they’re doing the right thing.”
Recently, Raducanu re-hired her old coach Andrew Richardson, reuniting with the man who helped lead her to that US Open title all those years ago.
Every coach Emma Raducanu has had since Andrew Richardson in 2021
To truly understand why Raducanu is such a figure of discontent, it’s worth combing through all of the coaches she has hired ever since parting ways with Richardson after her US Open title.
Many have argued that this kickstarted her downfall, and that she should have never done this in the first place.
| Coach | Year hired | Time spent in role |
| Nigel Sears | 2021 | 3 months |
| Andrew Richardson | 2021 | 2 months |
| Torben Beltz | 2021 | 5 months |
| Dmitry Tursunov | 2022 | 3 months (trial period) |
| Sebastian Sachs | 2022 | 6 months |
| Nick Cavaday | 2023 | 14 months |
| Vladimir Platenik | 2025 | 14 days (trial period) |
| Mark Petchey | 2025 | Part-time |
| Francis Roig | 2025 | 6 months |
| Andrew Richardson | 2026 | Ongoing |
Alas, she was seeking proven experience on the WTA Tour, and so took a risk. Unfortunately, it did not pay off.
Torben Beltz represented her first foray into the coaching market, but after just seven months they parted ways.
Raducanu then joined up with Dmitry Tursunov on a trial basis, but they did not form a lasting union.
Sebastian Sachs was brought in for the first half of 2023, but injuries rendered his job impossible. He left in favour of her childhood coach Nick Cavaday, who subsequently had to depart the team due to health reasons.
Do you think Emma Raducanu has made a good decision with this hire?
Could you see her winning another Grand Slam title alongside Andrew Richardson?
Mark Petchey bridged a few gaps during this period, helping Raducanu enjoy a strong run to the quarter-finals of the Miami Open before nearly knocking the world number one Aryna Sabalenka out at Wimbledon.
Francisco Roig, who is now working with Iga Swiatek, represented yet another ill-fated partnership, with his passive style not suitable for Raducanu’s aggressive mindset.
Richardson then re-joined her team earlier this year.
