Emma Raducanu Thrives Under Francis Emma Raducanu says her new coach, Francis Roig, wasted no time delivering brutally honest feedback — and she’s loving it. The British No. 1 eased past Serbia’s Olga Danilovic 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the Cincinnati Open, marking her first match under Roig’s guidance.
Roig, a former long-time coach of 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, has quickly made his mark on Raducanu’s approach. “It’s just, ‘the level needs to be better,’” Raducanu explained with a smile.
“In a good way, not negative. It’s just calling it how it is. I’m very factual, and I don’t like fluff. That’s why we get on so well — we understand each other. The mindset is, ‘We need to improve every shot,’ and that’s exciting because I know I have so much more potential to reach.”
Her win sets up a second-round clash with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who knocked Raducanu out of Wimbledon last month. But this time, the 22-year-old is approaching things with a calmer, more mature outlook. “You always feel some nerves before a first-round match, but I’m approaching everything more calmly and with more trust in the work I’m doing,” she said.
“I’ve been putting in a lot of hours, which takes the pressure off the results. There were four or five points today where I did exactly what we’ve been working on in practice — that’s such a rewarding feeling.
” Raducanu, currently ranked No. 39, will also pair up with Carlos Alcaraz in the revamped mixed doubles event at the US Open later this month, where she’ll aim to reclaim the singles title she won in 2021.
