Emma Raducanu has been told she needs to consistently play tennis matches if she wants to make it back to the top of the tennis tree.
Raducanu reached just the second final of her WTA career earlier this month but was handily beaten by Sorana Cirstea before pulling out of the next tournament, the Qatar Open, due to illness.
When assessing Raducanu’s final defeat, former Laura Robson and Andy Murray coach Miles Maclagan suggested Raducanu needed to find a consistency in her career.
“There have been so many injuries, so much chopping and changing of coaches, a little bit of consistency and belief,” he told Sky Sports. “You need to put those matches in the bank to start to trust your body, to trust your decision-making in tougher circumstances so when the dust settles, there will be positives.”
As for the final defeat, Maclagan said Raducanu missed opportunity to put pressure on her rival.
“It was a combination of issues. It was the perfect start from Sorana Cirstea,” he said. “She came out full of purpose, full of aggression and it worked for her. There were some moments there when Raducanu could have just worked her way into the match and created a little more stress for Cirstea, but even with the way those first eight games just flashed by, she got it back to 2-2 in the second but that fifth game was significant.
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Raducanu is still searching for her next coach after a six-month stint with Francisco Roig, but in the meantime, she is being assisted by LTA coach Alexis Canter.
“He’s been helping me, hitting with me, and he’s been around me through various different stages, very different game styles, and trying to just bring me back to myself – my game identity – playing in the way I want to,” Raducanu said of Canter.
“I think this week was a good step in that direction. I’m really happy with how the week’s gone. I don’t know what I’ll be doing moving forward, but for now, this is working.
“I think it’s mainly about finding my style on the court, putting my imprint on it, and just letting it come from within.
“I would say that I’m happier, but there’s still a long way to go – definitely steps in the right direction. I can’t go from zero to 100 straight away.”
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