Sue Barker has defended Emma Raducanu ’s decision to stick with coach Dmitry Tursunov. She initially hired the former tennis star on a trial basis and, while she is yet to confirm whether or not their partnership is now permanent, it appears to be a given as the pair enter their third month of working together.
The British number one has been through several trainers since lifting the US Open title last year. Stability is paramount for any young athlete and throughout her first full year on the WTA Tour, it has been tough going for the teenager both on and off the court. She has since split with Andrew Richardson - the coach who guided her to victory at Flushing Meadows - and Torben Beltz, a seasoned WTA mentor that she took on at the end of 2021 to help her adjust to life on tour.
After using some LTA coaches in the interim, she hired former ATP world No 20 Dmitry Tursunov this summer. Barker stressed the need for the Raducanu to have one consistent coach and welcomed the decision to have the Russian in her ranks for the long term.
