Emma Raducanu recently slipped outside the world’s top 100 for the first time since winning the US Open back in 2021.
Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci believes that Emma Raducanu could win multiple Grand Slams under his guidance in spite of her lacklustre form and persistent injury struggles over the course of this year. The young Brit has struggled to replicate the success of her breakthrough year since her incredible US Open triumph in 2021 and recently fell outside the world’s top 100 for the first time in nearly two years after withdrawing from the Madrid Open.
Raducanu has also struggled to find a long-term coach since dismissing Andrew Richardson shortly after winning her first Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows, but Macci believes that she would benefit from his expertise in launching the careers of young stars after helping the Williams sisters to flourish in the early 1990s.
“I’ve never met her, I would love to work with this young lady,” Macci, who has also helped several other Grand Slam champions and top-ranked singles players over the course of his coaching career, told i. “I could help her mentally, I know I could get this girl back on track.
“Her life has changed, but that doesn’t mean she has to change. Everything has changed around her, but it’s still her playing tennis. I don’t know her. Is she still that hungry, still that competitive? These are the questions that are going to be asked a lot, because people are always going to assume that’s why she’s not doing as well, because she has other interests, blah, blah, blah.
Serena Williams’ former coach believes that Emma Raducanu could benefit from his assistance
“I can’t answer that question, but it has to be about one thing, anybody, anytime, anywhere: a love to compete, and by the way, if I compete well, there’s candy at the end of that. It can’t be the other way around. If it is, you’re not going to be as hungry.
“I think that she’s been taught very well. She understands the geometry of the court, those things are there, but I’d have to sit down with her or any pro player that was struggling, [because] I’ve got to know what’s in her head. I’ve got to know what’s going on before I get into it because confidence, you can’t buy over the internet. You can’t buy it at the grocery store, it can come and go in the blink of an eye.”
Macci went on to point out the apparent difference in mentality between Raducanu and the Williams sisters, who he claims were destined for tennis stardom thanks to their unparallelled resilience under the weight of pressure during the early stages of their careers.
Rick Macci oversaw the development of the Williams sisters in the early 1990s (Image: GETTY)
“When you’re confident, you take it a little early, cut the court, more adventurous, get up to the ball earlier, volley more,” he added. “That’s what people don’t understand in sports, confidence breeds confidence. Unfortunately, it can go the other way.
“That’s what I saw about Venus and Serena, they were bulletproof. Nothing fazed them, I could see that. I’d love that opportunity [to work with Raducanu] if it ever came, but I just have to get to know her and what’s in her head because the game is there, but it’s a game of inches. I think in the blink of an eye, this can turn around.”
