The British woman’s response, lucid, demonstrates a form of acceptance. “Yes, I think if someone had said that to me at 18, no one would have expected it. After such an accomplishment, there are bound to be lows. It was too high to continue like that at such a young age. I accepted that and all the challenges encountered since then, learning from my mistakes and my experiences. All this had to happen after winning a Grand Slam at 18 coming out of qualifying, when I was 350th in the world two months earlier. Since then, there has been a lot testing and adjustments. I’m gradually understanding what works for me, and I’m doing better in the Grand Slams. I also had difficult draws last year. On a daily basis, I continue to improve as a player.
Emma Raducanu is going through a difficult time: “I would have preferred to never win the US Open”
I remain convinced that she has the potential to rise very high.
There have actually been a lot of tests. Probably too much.
Hired in January 2019 by the British federation to supervise a Raducanu who was still a minor, Philippe Dehaes only stayed at her side for three months. Enough to understand the player’s skills. “I remain convinced that she has the potential to rise very high. Physically, tactically and mentally, she has it all. She is capable of beautiful things. The question is why she can’t do it.”
Eight coaches since its debut
Part of the answer – in addition to physical glitches which have sometimes slowed it down like 2023 – lies in the instability which surrounds the current 29th in the world. According to English media, the one who has been working with the Spaniard Francis Roig since August 2025 is already on his eighth coach.
“It’s a recurring problem in this professionnotes the Brabant technician. Building takes time, as does setting up automation. And above all, you need a stable relationship. But Emma is constantly changing. I took care of her before Covid, and the pandemic put an end to our collaboration. But even without that, I think it would have stopped. Since she’s been on the circuit, everything has been constantly moving around her.”
A phenomenon that Philippe Dehaes is observing more and more. “Many players, and players now, find problems where there are nonehe emphasizes. There are a lot of different ways of teaching tennis, different visions and cultures. A South American and a European do not train in the same way. And even if these coaches are as competent as each other, the athlete will need time to assimilate a speech, apply it, make it natural. If everything is constantly changing, how can we find stability?”
An omnipresent dad
The success stories speak for themselves. “Everyone who wins has installed continuity. Djokovic stayed with Marian Vajda for a long time (Editor’s note: with whom he won 20 of his 24 Majors)Alcaraz grew up with Juan Carlos Ferrero and Sinner has worked with Darren Cahill for a long time.”
For Dehaes, these players have agreed to question themselves, where others judge that their career is too short to lose a year or two. “But it is precisely this time that allows us to build something. A season is around twenty tournaments and around fifty matches: too few to establish a real playing philosophy on all surfaces and in all circumstances.”
May Emma Raducanu — and her dad Ian — hear it. He, who is said to be very involved in his daughter’s career, notably in the choice (and departure) of several coaches. The patriarch’s expectations would also be very high. Another well-known trap of high-level sport…
This player is protected by a former US secret service agent who worked for President Bill Clinton: “I have to forget this pervert”
Worth a look
