Emma Raducanu has announced yet another short-term coach appointment, brining in Sebastian Sachs to snub advice from British legend Andy Murray.
Sachs’ arrival means Raducanu is now working with her fifth coach in 18 months having already parted ways with Andrew Richardson, Jeremy Bates, Torben Beltz and Dmitry Tursunov.
Raducanu, 20, stunned the tennis world by winning the US Open in 2021 – becoming the first singles qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title and the first British woman to lift a major trophy since Virginia Wade in 1977.
But she has failed to replicate any success since then – falling from world No.10 to No.76 – with struggles over form and injury hampering her 2022 campaign.
The British star had been working with Murray’s former trainer Jez Green to address her ongoing injury problems but has now brought in German coach Sachs on a trial basis ahead of the 2023 Australian Open next month.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion and former world No.1, warned Raducanu near the end of October to stop changing her coaches so frequently.
‘I think with any relationship, whether it’s strength and conditioning or tennis, it’s making sure you’re spending enough time with that person to really make a difference,’ Murray told the Daily Mail.
Murray, 35, said in July that was open to the idea of one day coaching British compatriot Raducanu himself.
But until the end of 2022 at least, Raducanu will now work with Sachs, who guided Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic to an Olympic gold medal last year.
‘We are trialling until the end of the year,’ Raducanu said about the decision to bring in her new coach.
‘Just seeing how it goes really. It has been going really well so far. I have only done a week with him.
‘He’s a really calm influence. He is on it, switched on and excited to see how it goes.’
Raducanu’s former coach Tursunov was also appointed on a trial basis before they parted ways after less than three months earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Raducanu has revealed she is injury free and feeling good ahead of 2023 – with her first event at the ASB Classic in Auckland on January 2.
‘Physically, body, injury-wise I’m good now, I’m clear,’ she said. ‘Touch wood it stays like that. I really worked on my fitness the last two months, less on the tennis court. So I’m just trying to get my feeling on the court.’
Raducanu lost to Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
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