Raducanu set-up ‘working well’ but jigsaw not complete

Britain’s Emma Raducanu believes her current coaching arrangement is working well but knows she will soon need to “figure another solution out”.

The 22-year-old still has a desire to develop a longer-term partnership with Mark Petchey, even if the pair were unable to agree a more exclusive arrangement.

But Jane O’Donoghue, a friend and former Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) national women’s coach who is alongside Petchey at this week’s Italian Open, is only on a sabbatical from her current full-time job in finance.

“It’s been working pretty well,” Raducanu told BBC Sport in Rome.

“Mark is doing his commentary work and around that he is going to help me as much as he can and hopefully the times align that he can be there with me in the matches.

“That’s why Jane is here for when he’s not able to make it to the session.

The aim is to find someone who can act in a support role to Petchey, who has significant broadcast commitments throughout the year.

“I just need to work on who that person is,” Raducanu added.

However, former Great Britain number one Dan Evans cast doubt on the feasibility of Raducanu’s arrangement with Petchey.

“It can’t last if she starts losing matches and Petchey is in the commentary box. That’s not going to work,” Evans, 34, told 5 Live Tennis.

“I think Emma will be looking for a new coach again pretty soon if she starts to lose some matches on the grass into the US swing. I’m not sure how that can last as it is.”

Petchey will be able to devote more time to Raducanu during the grass-court season, and the work they have been doing on the practice court is not purely targeted at clay courts.

Raducanu lost to Marta Kostyuk in the Madrid Open second round in April and says she does not “necessarily feel very comfortable” on the surface.

“I feel slightly better than I did in Madrid,” she said.

“I want to use this period of the clay season to try and work on certain things in my game that I think are going to help me bridge the gap to the next level.

“I want to take more balls on, I want to be more aggressive in certain points – I want to structure the points more on my terms.

“I know I may make more errors doing that, but I’m willing to go through that.”

Raducanu also addressed how “nervous” she feels about the risk of ingesting contaminated medicine, or even being deliberately targeted when eating in a restaurant.

Jannik Sinner returned to the ATP Tour this week after a three-month doping ban, having been inadvertently contaminated by a steroid cream his physiotherapist had applied to his own hands before treating the world number one.

Women’s world number two Iga Swiatek also served a one-month ban after testing positive after taking contaminated melatonin tablets.

“I don’t want to take anything even if the doctors are saying you should take this – just out of risk of contamination,” Raducanu added.

“Even if it’s not prohibited on the anti-doping list, you don’t know if it’s contaminated by another product.

“It can show a green tick, but if it’s contaminated you will still get screwed over.

“We could go to a restaurant [and someone could put something in our drink]. It’s really hard, especially if you are noticeable and the waiter recognises you.