Emma Raducanu has made another change to her coaching team in the lead-up to the 2025 US Open.
Having enjoyed success with part-time coach Mark Petchey for several months, the 22-year-old has now decided to hire someone full-time.
At least until the end of the season, Raducanu will work with Francisco Roig, an experienced Spanish coach who has previously trained Rafael Nadal and Matteo Berrettini.
The pair will begin their coaching relationship at the Cincinnati Open, the final WTA 1000 event before the US Open.
Unfortunately for Raducanu, not for the first time this year, she has been handed a nightmare draw in Ohio, as she could be set to face off against a multiple-time Grand Slam winner in the third round.
Emma Raducanu could play Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the Cincinnati Open
Seeded 30th in Cincinnati, Raducanu will receive a bye into the second round, where she will play either Olga Danilovic or her Queen’s Club Championships doubles partner, Katie Boulter.
Should she advance past Danilovic or Boulter, she’d likely meet three-time Grand Slam winner and world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
The Belarusian, like Raducanu, will begin her tournament in round two, where she will play the winner of Marketa Vondrousova and Jaqueline Cristian.
Sabalenka and Raducanu have met twice before, at Indian Wells in 2024 and at Wimbledon earlier this year.
- 2024 Indian Wells 3R – Aryna Sabalenka defeated Emma Raducanu, 6-3, 7-5
- 2025 Wimbledon 3R – Aryna Sabalenka defeated Emma Raducanu, 7-6, 6-4
Their most recent encounter was a thriller, as Sabalenka edged past Raducanu to book her place in the fourth round of Wimbledon.
The British star had chances in both sets but couldn’t take advantage as she fell to the world number one on Centre Court.
Statistically, there was very little to separate the pair, as Raducanu would no doubt love another crack at the Belarusian in Cincinnati.
| Player | Aces | Service points won | Receiving points won | Break points won | Total points won |
| Aryna Sabalenka | 4 | 47 | 38 | 4/15 | 85 |
| Emma Raducanu | 4 | 47 | 31 | 3/8 | 78 |
However, whilst Raducanu will be eager to secure her first win over Sabalenka in Cincinnati, she must be wondering what she has to do to avoid a nightmare draw.
Now a seeded player, the Brit is still meeting the top players in the early rounds of WTA 1000 and Grand Slam tournaments.
Eight of her ten defeats at ‘big’ events in 2025 have come against seeded players, many of whom have won major titles.
Emma Raducanu’s defeats at ‘big’ tournaments in 2025
- 2025 Australian Open 3R – Lost to [3] Iga Swiatek (Six-time Grand Slam champion)
- 2025 Qatar Open 1R – Lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova
- 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships 2R – Lost to [14] Karolina Muchova (Former Grand Slam finalist)
- 2025 Indian Wells 1R – Lost to Moyuka Uchijima
- 2025 Miami Open QF – Lost to [4] Jessica Pegula (Former Grand Slam finalist)
- 2025 Madrid Open QF – Lost to [24] Marta Kostyuk
- 2025 Italian Open QF – Lost to [4] Coco Gauff (Two-time Grand Slam champion)
- 2025 French Open 2R – Lost to [5] Iga Swiatek (Six-time Grand Slam champion)
- 2025 Wimbledon 3R – Lost to [1] Aryna Sabalenka (Three-time Grand Slam champion)
- 2025 Canadian Open 3R – Lost to [5] Amanda Anisimova (Former Grand Slam finalist)
She certainly hasn’t had an easy time of things in 2025, but Raducanu will know that if she wants to return to the WTA top ten and compete for the ‘big’ titles on tour, she will need to start beating the very best players in the women’s game.
How many top-ten players has Emma Raducanu beaten in her tennis career?
The British star has been ranked as high as number ten in the world and is a former Grand Slam champion, but hasn’t enjoyed too much success against the top players.
Remarkably, Raducanu hadn’t beaten a top-ten opponent before 2024, when she defeated the world number five and number nine on the grass.
- 2024 Eastbourne International 2R – Emma Raducanu defeated [5] Jessica Pegula
- 2024 Wimbledon 3R – Emma Raducanu defeated [9] Maria Sakkari
She added a third top-ten win to her resume in Miami earlier this year, when Raducanu defeated [10] Emma Navarro en route to the quarterfinals.
The 22-year-old will certainly hope to add to her tally if she plays Sabalenka in Cincinnati, as she looks to secure her first win over a world number one.
She won’t want to get too far ahead of herself, however, as Raducanu first prepares to take on either Danilovic or Boulter in the second round of the Cincinnati Open.
The 2025 Cincinnati Open is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 11.
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