Emma Raducanu saga takes fresh twist as another coach departs
Emma Raducanu is once again on the lookout for a new coach after her relationship with Russian mentor Dmitry Tursunov came to an end.
It's understood the 19-year-old wanted to continue working with Tursunov but he has decided to pursue an opportunity to coach another player.
OUCH: Novak Djokovic's bitter blow in bid to return for Australian Open
'HEARTBREAKING': Tennis fans react to news about Nick Kyrgios
NICE: Novak Djokovic's telling act after Rafa Nadal baby news
It leaves former US Open champion Raducanu searching for a fifth coach in just 16 months.
The 19-year-old enjoyed some promising results under Tursunov, including reaching the semi-final of the Korea Open in Seoul last month.
However, Raducanu has continued to suffer injury setbacks, retiring midway through her last-four clash with Jelena Ostapenko with a glute injury and withdrawing from last week’s Transylvania Open with a wrist problem.
Raducanu has appointed Andy Murray’s former fitness coach Jez Green as she targets a return at the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Glasgow in December.
Already there are changes in Team Raducanu ahead of the new season. Out goes coach Dmitry Tursunov, who has decided to work with another player. In comes Andy Murray's former physical trainer Jez Green to improve her fitness for the rigours of the tour. https://t.co/e79rmVcjDA
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) October 11, 2022
It’s a shame Dmitry Tursunov has opted not to continue working with Emma Raducanu, but Jez Green - who is still with Dominic Thiem - will be guiding her physical training over the next couple of months https://t.co/cGyq1UfRDa
— Russell Fuller (@russellcfuller) October 11, 2022
Emma Raducanu to work with Jez Green, who was instrumental in helping to build the athlete that Andy Murray became.
Surely a good move.
Reports in The Times and Mail say that her relationship with Dmitry Tursunov ends here, also.— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) October 11, 2022
Great to see Emma has hired physical trainer Jez Green 💪
He is one of the best & is best known for his work with Andy Murray between 2006-2015
They are working for the remainder of 2022 with the option to make it permanent in 2023 if all goes well#Raducanu | #EmmaRaducanu— Emma Raducanu Fans (@RaducanuNews) October 11, 2022
Emma Raducanu will have a new coach next season. Dmitry Tursonov walking away from role after weighing up his options.
British No 1 Raducanu is doing some pre-season work with fitness trainer Jez Green, who has previously worked with Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev.— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) October 11, 2022
Emma Raducanu is searching for a fifth coach in 15 months.
Dmitry Tursunov has decided to pursue other opportunities.#BBCTennis— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 11, 2022
Tursunov leaves Raducanu having recently coached Anett Kontaveit and helping the Estonian crack into the world’s top 10.
However, the Russian mentor split with Kontaveit before the grass-court swing after effectively being blocked from entering Britain.
In order to attend Wimbledon or the other lead-up events in the UK, Russian or Belarusian coaches had to denounce the invasion of Ukraine before being allowed to enter the country.
Tursunov became Raducanu's fourth coach in 13 months, with tennis great John McEnroe warning the 19-year-old at the time that she needed to find stability before sustained success can be achieved.
“No one wins a major if they are not a great player and hopefully she has belief, but a lot has changed for her since then.
“I”m not close to her. In fact. As a matter of fact, I’ve never spoken to her. I hope to have the opportunity soon because she is obviously a breath of fresh air. She is a very sweet girl, a beautiful girl and plays great tennis. What’s not to like.
“It has been hard to watch her struggling, but I don’t know if she needs time. She needs the right stability and people around her and I don’t know what’s going on there.
“You don’t go through a tournament where you don’t lose a single set and beat some of the top female players and not be a great player.”
Emma Raducanu struggling to settle on full-time coach
Raducanu shot to stardom in 2021 after becoming the first qualifier ever to win the US Open after a dream run.
Since the British teenager became one of the biggest names in tennis, she has been unable to settle on a long-term mentor to coach her.
Raducanu split with coach Torben Beltz in April, despite the pair spending just five months together.
She then went to Roland Garros without a coach after announcing that she was trying a "new training model" that involved support from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and meetings with consultants.
Raducanu replaced Nigel Sears with Andrew Richardson after her breakthrough run at Wimbledon in 2021, then decided not to renew the latter's contract despite the fact he guided her to a historic victory at the US Open as a qualifier.
with agencies
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.
