Emma Raducanu has made another bold career move — but this time, it feels different. The 22-year-old Brit, who stunned the tennis world with her 2021 US Open victory, has brought on board a seasoned name in world tennis — Francisco Roig, the man who helped Rafael Nadal win all 22 of his Grand Slam titles.
Heading into next week’s US Open, the partnership between Raducanu and Roig is already turning heads. For Raducanu, currently ranked 35th in the world, this collaboration signals a serious, long-term push back to the elite.
Those who’ve worked with Roig, including former Spanish No.2 Feliciano López, describe him as a perfectionist with rare technical insight. “He’s patient but demanding,” said López. “If something needs fixing, he’ll make sure it’s fixed.”
Roig’s deep technical eye was key to Nadal’s evolution from raw power to precision dominance. Even Nadal’s uncle and longtime coach, Toni Nadal, believes Roig can bring out Raducanu’s best. “He can help her improve technically,” Toni told the BBC. “Tennis today is about power and control — and Francis understands that balance perfectly.”
After surgeries on her wrist and ankle sidelined her for much of 2023, Raducanu has steadily rebuilt both her game and her confidence. Her results this year — including a semi-final in Washington and quarter-finals in Miami and Queen’s — reflect a return to form and maturity.
Now, with Roig in her corner, Raducanu hopes to add polish and precision. “I’ve always been creative on court,” she said recently. “But the overall quality of my shots needs to be better — that’s what we’re working on.”
Friends and peers say Roig’s genius lies in his unique drills and sharp observational skills — no reliance on endless video analysis. “He sees what others can’t in a split second,” said Jordi Vilaro, Roig’s longtime friend and academy co-owner in Barcelona. “Every player he trains hits cleaner and plays smarter.”
Their partnership began quietly after Wimbledon, with a trial phase that convinced both sides they had chemistry. By the Cincinnati Open, where Raducanu pushed world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka to the brink, Roig’s influence was already visible — calmer, more composed, more complete.
“Francis loves players who live for the court,” said Vilaro. “He’s passionate, curious, and doesn’t care about paperwork or titles — only the game.”
Raducanu, long known for frequently changing coaches, now seems ready to build something stable. As Toni Nadal summed it up:
“If you’re not happy with your level, you must change something. But you must also give it time. And Raducanu should give time to Francis.”
From the look of their early chemistry — and the easy smiles on court — this could finally be the steady partnership Raducanu has been searching for.
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