"Having people who I know before I got famous": Emma Raducanu sees having coach she 'trusts' in Nick Cavaday as vital

Thursday, 18 April 2024 at 13:30

Emma Raducanu thrashed Angelique Kerber 6-1, 6-2 to reach the second round at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart with Linda Noskova next up for the Brit in her clay court quest. One that has seen her star at the Billie Jean King Cup last week and really emerge on clay.

Part of that revival could be accounted to her coaching system not changing, Raducanu went through a myriad of coaching changes during his rise since winning the US Open as a teenager with Andrew Richardson by her side. Some in particular did not fall that well on the Brit. But having Nick Cavaday now as her coach, it is looking up and for Raducanu, it is pivotal to have somebody there who also knew her before fame.

“I feel very comfortable working with him. I have known him since I was a young age, so he’s someone who I feel like I can trust, and that’s a big thing for me,” she said, following her opening win to Talking Tennis. "Just having people who I know before I got famous or I got any of the big whatever [was] coming my way, it was just good to have someone who’s known me before that.

“You know that their intentions are good, and they didn’t just come after the win and when everything is easy to just come and join. It’s a nice feeling. He knows pretty well how I operate. I would say I haven’t changed at all since I was eight or nine. But everything around me has changed, but it’s mentally I feel like I’m the exact same person.”

Read also

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

See author's posts

claps 0visitors 0

Novak Djokovic is ‘never’ vulnerable, says Carlos Alcaraz

A sense of finality: Rafael Nadal bids farewell to Barcelona Open for final time after De Minaur loss with emotional message