Emma Raducanu is set to return to action at the Italian Open next week – and has been working again with the coach who helped her to the US Open title.
The British number one was heavily criticised for parting ways with Andrew Richardson following her incredible success in New York in 2021, where she became the first qualifier to win a grand slam title.
And Raducanu’s camp confirmed she spent time training last week in Spain with Richardson at the Ferrer Tennis Academy near Alicante, where he is based.
Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2023, Richardson, who also coached Raducanu as a junior, revealed he had been keen to continue their short-term partnership after the US Open, but she chose to hire a more experienced tour coach in Torben Beltz.
That proved to be one of a succession of brief coaching appointments Raducanu has made during her career, the most recent of which ended after the Australian Open when she parted ways with Francisco Roig.
The Press Association understands there are currently no plans for Richardson to have a role going forward, with Raducanu having worked mainly with hitting partner Alexis Canter since the split from Roig, although she did briefly turn again to Mark Petchey in Indian Wells in March.
Petchey, another former junior mentor, coached Raducanu alongside his TV commitments last spring and summer but was not able to take on the role full-time.
Raducanu has been absent from the tour since a second-round thumping by Amanda Anisimova in Indian Wells, pulling out of tournaments in Miami, Linz and Madrid citing the ongoing effects of a virus she picked up at the beginning of February.
It was unclear whether she would make the Italian Open in Rome, which begins on Tuesday, but, having returned to training, Raducanu is hopeful of playing and will practise at the Foro Italico on Saturday.
The news is a boost for British tennis, with Jack Draper missing the rest of the clay-court season because of a knee injury.
