In an attempt to help Emma Raducanu become invincible before her comeback in 2024, Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, has offered to oversee the young Brit’s career. After undergoing surgery on both her ankle and double wrist in April, Raducanu has been sidelined. She has gradually resumed her tennis court training.
However, the 21-year-old is still searching for a new mentor following his split from Sebastian Sachs in June. She’s currently looking for her sixth coach in the last two years, and she recently acknowledged that some of the high turnover can be attributed to their inability to keep up with her demanding questions.
Furthermore, the 68-year-old coach has revealed that he has contacted Raducanu’s team to be added to the coaching staff because he thinks the British player can succeed in the same way as Carlos Alcaraz.
He expressed her thoughts about Raducanu in a recent interview: “I spoke to her agent, but he said her parents deal with coaching appointments. I’m not a travel coach; people come to me. I can help her mentally and strategically like no one else. I don’t know where her head is or whether there is hunger and belief there to be the best.”
He further added: “If you look at Carlos Alcaraz, everything changed for him with success at an early age, but he was ready and loaded. I don’t know Emma or what’s in her head, but you don’t lose talent and ability. Yes, you might lose a little confidence and fitness, but technically, she’s very good; you don’t win a Grand Slam otherwise. If she really wants to be one of the best in the world, and she has the ability, then you need to cope with the pressure that comes with that.”
Macci concluded his discussion and said: “To say she sometimes wishes she didn’t win the US Open because of the mental and physical strain it has brought cuts both ways; if she’s going to listen to every little thing that is said about her, then that doesn’t work; you’ve got to be bulletproof and I can help her with that. You need the ability to forget just as importantly as the ability to remember and she must learn from the adversity she’s faced.”
Emma Raducanu in 2023
At the moment ranked no.289, the Brit played her last match on the 18th of April when she capitulated to world no.13 Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-1 in the 1st round in Stuttgart (draw).
This season Raducanu has achieved a composed 5-5 match record.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2023
Now the world no.2, Alcaraz played his last match on the 18th of November when he surrendered to world no.1 Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-2 in the semifinal in the Nitto ATP Finals (draw).
At present, during this year Alcaraz achieved a compiled 65-12 match record. The Spaniard conquered 6 titles in 2023 in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, London and Wimbledon. The Spaniard reached the final in Rio de Janeiro and Cincinnati.