"Clearly it's worked in the past so why not give it round two?" - Tim Henman and Laura Robson support Emma Raducanu's decision to reinstate former US Open winning coach

There has been a lot of discourse surrounding Emma Raducanu's latest coaching change. The decision to bring back US Open winning coach Andrew Richardson was seen as a positive change by former British talents Tim Henman and Laura Robson as the British number one prepares for an immediate return to action.

Raducanu split with her ninth coach, Francisco Roig, at the end of the Australian Open, citing differences in their approach. The Spaniard departed, leaving Raducanu again hunting for a new coach.

She spent the last few months with hitting partner Alexis Canter by her side. He oversaw Raducanu's first WTA final since the US Open triumph, losing out to Sorana Cirstea in the Transylvania Open final. Since that point, Raducanu has struggled for form. Illness has kicked in with a virus that has stuck around hampering her progress on court. She has not competed since Indian Wells, only now set to make a return to the action.

This will be at the Internationaux Strasbourg where she has been entered as a wildcard. In the midst of this, she has connected back up with Richardson after a few years apart. The 52-year-old Brit will guide her through the rest of the clay swing, including Roland Garros, before overseeing her grass swing which involves a highly anticipated return to Wimbledon.

"Grateful to have reconnected with someone who has known me for over a decade now and looking forward to building together one iteration at a time," Raducanu said, confirming their partnership.

Henman was quick to react to the news surrounding Raducanu's latest change in coaching staff. He noted their incredible run at Flushing Meadows back in 2021 and is now looking ahead to see what they can achieve together in the short term.

"They had an incredible run in America all those years ago and it stopped working after that. She's been through a lot of other coaches between now and then," he said on Sky Sports.

"They obviously have a relationship from the past - Emma obviously trusts Andrew - and I think that consistency and continuity is really important, especially at this time of year. She's got the French Open coming up, but then the grass-court season, where the spotlight is going to be at its most intense - pre-Wimbledon and at Wimbledon."

Robson also favoured the move from a sense that she needs someone that understands her. After missing so much tennis in recent times, the 23-year-old is desperate to get back in the swing of things and a familiar name could speed that process up.

"At this stage she's trying to come back from a long-term illness over the last couple of months, so to come back with a familiar voice, someone who you trust already, someone who you've been through so much with, probably feels quite relaxing in a way. To have the same ideas of what they're trying to do with her game on the court makes a big difference. Clearly it's worked in the past so why not give it round two?"

While Henman and Robson backed the partnership, commentator Jonathan Overend delved deeper into why Raducanu had gone through so many coaches. "I think she has spent a lot of her young career re-evaluating," he analysed. "In one regard, it explains why she has been through so many coaches and why she has been criticised for it. It's typical of Raducanu that she wants to keep re-evaluating and finding out what is best for her on and around a tennis court."

This has continued throughout her whole tennis career while competing on the WTA, trying to get that right blend on court to no avail. "That challenge continues, and to some extent it is a struggle, because finding the right balance is so hard, but I think she is slowly getting [it], not in terms of her Grand Slam results but in terms of that re-evaluation process. What is it she really wants for herself on a tennis court and in tournaments?"