Emma Raducanu is set to work with childhood coach Nick Cavaday at the Australian Open this month.
The former US Open champion has employed a series of short-term coaches since her remarkable grand slam triumph in 2021, and announced she had split from Sebastian Sachs after undergoing wrist and ankle surgeries in May.
The 21-year-old, who made her return to the court at the ASB Classic in Auckland last week, has worked with several coaches at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in London during her comeback but a decision has now been made ahead of the opening grand slam of the year.
According to the BBC, Cavaday has flown to Melbourne and is working with Raducanu before the start of the tournament on Sunday. Raducanu has known Cavaday since she was 10, and he coached her when she was a junior.
Raducanu was beaten by Elina Svitolina in the second round of the ASB Classic last week, although the former British No 1 was encouraged by her performance in the three-set defeat. It followed an opening victory over Elena-Gabriela Ruse, in what was Raducanu’s first match since April.
Raducanu will be in the Australian Open draw on Thursday after being granted a late place into the tournament following injury withdrawals. She will warm up in Melbourne with a charity exhibition against Naomi Osaka on Tuesday night.
Raducanu has previously said that her high turnover of coaches during her first two years on the professional circuit was down to her being inquisitive and “asking questions”.
She said in October: “It’s something I’ve always done. I keep provoking and asking questions to coaches and challenging their thinking as well. I’m not someone that you can just tell me what to do and I’ll do it, I need to understand why and then I’ll do it.”
