Emma Raducanu backed to hire Andy Murray as coach by insider despite earlier controversy between pair

Emma Raducanu has received backing from a tennis insider for the potential hiring of Andy Murray as her coach despite their past differences. The former US Open champion has been struggling to regain her form, with her previous season falling short of expectations.

So far in 2025, she has yet to progress beyond the Round of 32, having competed in one Grand Slam, a WTA 250 event, and a WTA 500 tournament.

Given her injury issues, Raducanu needed both a full-time fitness trainer and a coach. While she managed to secure a fitness trainer, Yutaka Nakamura while her coach, Nick Cavaday, stepped down due to a chronic health condition.

Insider Simon Briggs used Aryna Sabalenka’s coaching team as an example and suggested that if Raducanu wanted to achieve more, she should work with big-name coaches instead of relying on her past acquaintances. He said:

“But if she really wants to get her career kick-started, Raducanu should think big. She should take her cue from players like Aryna Sabalenka, the world No1, who has not only a coach (Anton Dubrov) and a fitness trainer (Jason Stacy) in her corner but a biomechanist (Gavin MacMillan) as well.”

He also talked about the Brit’s last match in Abu Dhabi, where she lost to Marketa Vondrousova due to not being physically fit, saying:

“But against Vondrousova on Tuesday, Raducanu was already showing signs of her infamous physical frailty, grabbing her neck at crucial moments in a way that seemed to change the direction of the match.”

Briggs made a bold statement, suggesting that Andy Murray could be the right person to help Emma Raducanu get back on track despite their past controversies, including Raducanu calling Murray's retirement an "old news."

“There is one person in Britain who is better qualified than anybody when it comes to plotting a long-term campaign – and he just finished a stint with the undisputed tennis GOAT, Novak Djokovic, in Melbourne.”

He added:

“Nobody is expecting Andy Murray to spend 40 weeks a year on the road, as he did in his playing heyday. But he could function as a sounding board and a point of reassurance, while helping to build the right team for day-to-day management.”

“Such a move would demonstrate that Raducanu’s controversial withdrawal from last summer’s Wimbledon mixed-doubles event has been definitively smoothed over, and that the two biggest figures in British tennis are back on the same page,” he continued.

After retiring from tennis in August 2024 following the Paris Olympics, Andy Murray surprised the tennis world by joining the coaching team of his long-time rival, Novak Djokovic. His goal was to help Djokovic chase a historic 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

However, Djokovic's campaign came to an unexpected end in the semifinals when he was forced to withdraw against Alexander Zverev due to injury. After the tournament, he didn’t confirm whether his partnership with Murray would continue.

Emma Raducanu’s 2025 season so far

Emma Raducanu at Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open - Day Three - Source: Getty

Emma Raducanu kicked off her 2025 season at the Australian Open with a solid start, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova and advancing past the second round by overcoming Amanda Anisimova. However, the 22-year-old's run came to a halt in the third round, where she was soundly beaten by World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

Later, the Brit competed in the Singapore Tennis Open, a WTA 250 hard court tournament, but was eliminated in the first round after a tough three-set match against Cristina Bucsa.

Raducanu's streak of first-round exits continued on January 4th at the Abu Dhabi Open. She faced Czech player Marketa Vondrousova and was defeated in straight sets.