"I value the time with him": Emma Raducanu praises 'competent' coach Nick Cavaday after winnings start in Korea Open

Britain’s young tennis star Emma Raducanu has been full of praise for her new coach, Nick Cavaday, after an impressive beginning in the Korea Open. The 21-year-old defeated America’s Peyton Stearns in a nail-biting encounter in the competition in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 7-6.

Talking after the match, Raducanu was full of praise for her coach, who according to her is not only a competent coach but also a ‘very good’ person. She also stated that she ‘value’ spending time with her current coach.

“The relationship with the coach is very good,” she said. “It’s really good to be together. Nick is a competent coach but, more importantly, he is a very good person. I think being with a friend I’ve known for a long time in a familiar environment is the best environment for me right now, and I value the time with him.”

Raducanu will be hoping that she will be able to build on her current result and go far in the ongoing Korea Open. She is set to face China’s Yue Yuan in the second-round of the competition who booked her spot in the round of 16 after beating Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse with a score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. It will be the first meeting between the two in professional tennis.

For Raducanu, the tournament is an ideal opportunity to recover some of the lost ground after having a turbulent season. The former world number 10 was once regarded as the next big thing when she lifted the US Open at the age of just 18 back in 2021. The most impressive aspect of that triumph was the fact that she started the campaign through the qualifying round and still managed to go all the way and lift the title after beating Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-3.