British tennis star Emma Raducanu has turned to a trusted former coach from her junior career to help gear the US Open champion up for Wimbledon next week, according to reports.
Raducanu, who has endured a tough time of late, burst onto the scene at SW19 in 2021 as she went from home sweetheart wildcard to fourth round fairytale, becoming the first British woman since Elena Baltacha in 2002 to reach at least the third round. In her fourth round contest against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, she was forced to retire due to breathing difficulties.
However, the US Open would prove to be the teenager’s crowning moment - quite literally - as she stunned the world to claim her maiden Grand Slam title in just her second major tournament. The teenager won the Flushing Meadows tournament just months after making her professional tournament, and she claimed the record for the fewest majors played prior to winning a title in the Open Era while she became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon at 1977 - and the first Brit since Andy Murray's 2016 triumph.
She also became the first qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title, and she did it without dropping a set as she defeated Leylah Fernandez in the final. As a result, Raducanu flew up the WTA rankings to land at World No. 23 and she entered Wimbledon ranked 11th - the highest ranking she has achieved in her career to date.
As she prepares to play in her home Grand Slam, Raducanu - according to the Daily Mail - was on the All England Club practice courts on Tuesday with Jane O’Donoghue, who spent time with the Lawn Tennis Association before leaving before the pandemic struck in 2020 to pursue a career in banking. O’Donoghue was a player herself during her playing days and made the world’s top 200 while she qualified for the second round at Wimbledon twice, in 2004 and 2005.
She is close to the Raducanu family and reportedly used to take the 19-year-old away on trips in her earlier teenage years. The duo have since remained close and even watched the men’s Wimbledon final together last year.
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Raducanu was also seen with O’Donoghue a couple of weeks ago as she practiced at SW19, and as the US Open champion is currently without a full-time coach, the 39-year-old is someone Raducanu can clearly rely on ahead of a tournament where she will be placed firmly under the spotlight of an adoring and expectant public. Raducanu has also worked with the LTA’s Iain Bates and Louis Cayer in the last few months.
On Tuesday, O’Donoghue was seen on court with Raducanu at the Aorangi Park practice complex and appeared to be offering pointers and exchanging technical information. Wimbledon will prove to be a big test for the young Brit, as she plays in front of a British crowd at a Grand Slam for the first time since she broke down in the fourth round 12 months ago before going on to become the darling of the nation thanks to her stateside heroics.
However, there is an air of caution around Raducanu, who will be seeded 10th at the Championships. She has played only half a set since the French Open after she retired from the Nottingham Open two weeks ago with a side strain that she is being cautious with in the hope of being properly fit for the upcoming grass-court extravaganza.
