French Open: Raducanu & Heavier Balls – Impact Explained
- Emma Raducanu's attempt to rejoin the world's elite tennis players faces challenges, including the use of heavier tennis balls, according to her coach Mark Petchey.
- 41, recently exited the French Open after a second-round defeat by Iga Swiatek, the five-time grand slam champion.
- 1 who previously coached Andy Murray and Raducanu, emphasized the need for Raducanu to focus on her current career trajectory rather than past achievements.
Emma Raducanu’s coach, Mark Petchey, reveals teh meaningful impact of heavier tennis balls on her game, a key factor in her recent French Open loss to Iga Swiatek. The shift in equipment poses a challenge for the British No.2, who’s striving to return to the top tier of tennis. Petchey, now in an informal coaching role, emphasizes the need for Raducanu to adapt to these changes, especially as her 2021 US Open win, where the game was different. News Directory 3 readers are now aware of the adjustments required for Raducanu to build a career focused on present performance. Discover what’s next for Raducanu as she aims to bridge the gap wiht the world’s best players.
Raducanu’s Coach: Heavy Balls Impacting Her Tennis Role
Updated May 30, 2025
Emma Raducanu’s attempt to rejoin the world’s elite tennis players faces challenges, including the use of heavier tennis balls, according to her coach Mark Petchey. Petchey, who began an informal coaching role with Raducanu in March, highlighted the changes in the game since her 2021 U.S. Open victory.
Raducanu, currently ranked no. 41, recently exited the French Open after a second-round defeat by Iga Swiatek, the five-time grand slam champion. The British No. 2 has a career record of 1-8 against top-five players.
Petchey, a former British No. 1 who previously coached Andy Murray and Raducanu, emphasized the need for Raducanu to focus on her current career trajectory rather than past achievements. He balances his coaching with his punditry for TNT Sports.
Petchey believes the changes in equipment affect Raducanu’s game.
“The balls are four times heavier than back in 2021 and Emma isn’t the biggest hitter out there. If you can’t put the ball through the court on a windy, heavy clay court day against someone like Iga, you’re going to get into all sorts of trouble,” Petchey said.
Raducanu has been without a full-time coach as Nick cavaday stepped down in January. She has worked with several coaches,including Nigel sears,Andrew Richardson,Torben Beltz,Dmitry tursunov,and Sebastian Sachs.
What’s next
Petchey hopes Raducanu will close the gap between herself and the top players. He wants her to build a career where she is judged on her current performance, not just her past success.