Raducanu to 'tap into a few people' over coaching — and more

British number one Emma Raducanu says she is going to be "tapping into a few people" as she tries to rediscover her natural way of playing.

The 2021 US Open champion says she remains open to the idea of having another full-time coach - as long as they do not dictate the way she should play - but is wary of the scrutiny they will attract.

Raducanu's partnership with Francisco Roig ended after January's Australian Open because of a disagreement over her playing style.

The Spaniard was the seventh full-time coach Raducanu had worked with.

"Right now, it's more about bringing my instincts back out, getting back in touch with myself," Raducanu told BBC Sport after a two-hour practice session before her first match at Indian Wells in California.

"I have had a lot of people telling me what to do, how to play, and it hasn't necessarily fit.

"So I want to come back to my natural way of playing. That takes time to relearn because that's something that has been coached out of me a little bit.

"I don't necessarily want to have one coach in the role because anyone I bring in is straight away going to be scrutinised - even if it's a trial.

"I might feel the pressure to stick with them, even if it's not necessarily the right decision.

"I would love to have a coach that works well, but I don't think it's necessarily going to be easy to find one person and they are going to check every box.

"I definitely have my mind open to it. It's just that I would rather someone not come in and tell me 'let's do this', and I disagree with it but have to listen to them.

"So far Alexis [Canter] has been really good, but I am definitely going to tap into a few people here and there."

Petchey helping in day-to-day role

Mark Petchey is at the top of that list. His day job with the Tennis Channel brings him to Indian Wells anyway, and he has answered the call for assistance.

He has been on court regularly this week and, even though the arrangement with Raducanu is on a day-to-day basis, it is possible that Petchey could resume the ad hoc role he had last spring.

Petchey, who coached Andy Murray at the start of his career, joined Raducanu's team in Miami last March as she reached the quarter-finals.

He was also a regular presence throughout the clay-court season, when Raducanu reached the fourth round in Rome.

Raducanu said she asked for Petchey's help as she felt uncomfortable about her game, and has noticed an improvement over the past few days.

"I work really well when I'm with him," she said.

"I'm really happy to be on the court and just really enjoy it overall. I'm not sure, going forward, what it will look like."

Raducanu aims to bounce back from Middle East swing

Canter has limited coaching experience and very much takes a back seat when Petchey is also on the court.

But Canter was with Raducanu as a hitting partner in Washington last summer when she made the semi-finals, and also in Cluj last month when the world number 24 reached only the second final of her career.

Raducanu did not win a match in Doha or Dubai, where she had a chest infection, but is healthy again for Friday's second-round match - following a first-round bye -against qualifier Anastasia Zakharova.

Raducanu has had a full week of practice to get used to the thin desert air and the Californian sun.

She thinks the best way to climb the rankings is by trusting her natural instincts - irrespective of who is in the coaching box.

What is Raducanu's natural way of playing? - analysis

Remember when Raducanu caused a seismic shock by winning the 2021 US Open as a teenage qualifier who had barely played a professional tournament?

She managed to achieve the unthinkable by playing with a freedom which she has not been able to replicate consistently since.

Almost five years later and having reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam tournament only once since, Raducanu is determined to get back to basics.

That means rediscovering her natural instincts to be an aggressive baseliner. Her early success was built around not being afraid to take returns early in a bid to hustle opponents.

First serves were put back deep in the court to instantly put her rivals on the back foot and second serves were swatted away with impunity.

Raducanu's power off both wings was impressive, although it was clear her forehand needed more work than her solid and stylish backhand.

Over the next year or so, the forehand deteriorated to a place where it lacked any punch and, following the wrist surgery which ruled her almost completely of the 2023 season, is what Roig tried to remodel.

The lack of trust in what Raducanu was being asked to do, though, was clear at the Australian Open.

In a demoralising second-round exit, she made 19 unforced errors off that wing and spoke afterwards about returning to a simple philosophy - "hitting the ball to the corners and hard".

There is another aspect to Raducanu's ambitions of returning to the top 10 and challenging the very best players - her body and mind.

She must continue to build fitness and durability, and have the heart for a scrap in tough moments, to implement the style she wants.

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Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni is reportedly bracing for a hostile reception from the AC Milan faithful ahead of Sunday’s Serie A derby. 

According to Tuttosport via FCInterNews, the 26-year-old is likely to face backlash from fans due to his controversial actions in February’s Derby d’Italia.

Despite being one of Europe’s most highly rated center-backs, Alessandro Bastoni has found himself in the crosshairs of angry supporters.

Indeed, his theatrical dive in last month’s Serie A clash against Juventus has brought him under heavy scrutiny.

Fans all over the county have booed the Azzurri star since his infamous Derby d’Italia antics.

Inter Milan Center-Back Alessandro Bastoni to Face Backlash from AC Milan Fans

BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 16: Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale looks on during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and FC Internazionale at Gewiss Stadium on March 16, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Unfazed by off-field turmoil, Bastoni continues to be the cornerstone of Inter’s defense.

Moreover, nothing will change this weekend, as Cristian Chivu has no intention of benching his defensive stalwart.

However, Bastoni could suffer the same fate as Ronaldo ‘Il Fenomeno,’ whom Inter fans labeled as a ‘traitor’ when he joined Milan in 2007.

Needless to say, the Brazilian legend faced relentless jeers from opposing fans in similar high-stakes showdowns.

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It’s obviously going to case a shadow over tonight’s match so, as a reminder, The Guardian is bringing you live updates on the crisis in the Middle East.

“These women are prisoners,” says Cyrus Jones, a human rights activist who will be attending the match. “Iranian security is up on their floor [of the hotel] at night. They can’t leave their rooms. They can’t use the public bathrooms. They’re monitored when they go for breakfast, when they get on the bus. They’re monitored in a way no other players from other teams are.

Paul Scholes appeared to mock his former teammate Michael Carrick, just minutes after he was handed his first defeat as Manchester United caretaker boss by Newcastle.

Unbeaten streak ends

United suffered a 2-1 loss to Newcastle at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening, ending Carrick’s eight-game unbeaten run since he was named Ruben Amorim’s temporary replacement in December last year.

The Red Devils headed into the meeting with confidence, but they were rocked in first-half stoppage time when the hosts were awarded a penalty after Bruno Fernandes was judged to have fouled Anthony Gordon inside the danger area.

Gordon stepped up to take the spot kick and made no mistake despite Senne Lammens diving the right way.

But United didn’t trail for too long. Fernandes made amends, supplying the assist for Casemiro, moments before the two teams went down the tunnel for half-time.

Jacob Ramsey’s second booking handed United a golden opportunity on a plate, but Carrick’s men inexplicably failed to take it. What followed was a tepid display, completely devoid of the pace and intensity required to break down the opposition.

United were made to pay when William Osula scored a 90th-minute winner to secure the three points for the Magpies. United remain in third place in the table, but they certainly missed a chance to put some distance between them and their top-four rivals.

Scholes’ jab

Almost immediately after the final whistle, Scholes made it very clear how he felt about the loss in Tyneside.

He took to Instagram story and wrote, “Michael has definitely got something special about him… Cos Utd have been CRAP last 4 games… Night! Tonali (with a heart emoji).”

His Tonali reference goes back to when Scholes claimed that the Italian is a much better midfielder than Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

Given Scholes’s long-held and vocal stance that Carrick should not be appointed as United’s permanent manager, it was perhaps predictable that he seemed to take some satisfaction in witnessing his first defeat. The pair played 160 games together for United between 2006 and 2013.

Scholes and Carrick won eight major trophies together including five Premier League titles and one Champions League title.

Featured image George Wood via Getty Images

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