John McEnroe backs Emma Raducanu after overturning ‘nonsensical’ coaching decision
John McEnroe has backed Emma Raducanu’s decision to rehire Andrew Richardson, branding her previous decision to part ways with him as “nonsensical”.
Last week, just days before beginning her French Open campaign, the Brit confirmed that Richardson would be returning to her coaching team.
The pair famously enjoyed remarkable success together in 2021, when Richardson guided Raducanu to the US Open title after less than two months of working together.
That triumph saw Raducanu become the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam singles title, completing one of the most extraordinary runs tennis has ever witnessed.
“I feel like at this stage in my career, and playing the top players in the world, I realised I really need someone right now that has had that WTA Tour experience at the high levels, which means that I’m looking for someone who has been at that level and knows what it takes,” she stated just one week after her stunning New York victory.
“And especially right now because I’m so new to it, I really need someone to guide me who’s already been through.”
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Since then, Raducanu has continued searching for a long-term coaching setup capable of helping her rediscover that level of success and consistency.
The former US Open champion has worked with nine different coaches since turning professional, including a short spell with former Rafael Nadal coach Francisco Roig at the beginning of the 2026 season.
Her original split from Richardson surprised many within the tennis world, particularly given the success they achieved together in New York.
McEnroe, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, recently shared his thoughts on Raducanu’s decision to reunite with the coach.
“I was amazed that she got rid of the coach in the first place,” McEnroe told TNT Sports.
“I’m like: ‘Why the hell would you get rid of your coach a couple of weeks or a month after you won the US Open?’ I never understood that.
“I was surprised because athletes are very superstitious, you don’t change the winning formula. You came from nowhere and you won this US Open the way she did, it would seem like it would be nonsensical to me to do what she did.”
McEnroe also questioned whether clay is currently the surface best suited to Raducanu’s game, while suggesting Wimbledon may offer her the strongest opportunity to make a deep run this summer.
“To me, grass would clearly be her more comfortable opportunity against the top players,” said the American.
“I don’t see her as nearly as comfortable on clay. I think that’s her least-comfortable surface.
“Is it too little, too late? She’s still young. I don’t know physically where she’s at, mentally, there’s a lot of issues that I’m not familiar enough with.
“But I would certainly think that the hope would be to have her, even though there’s a lot more pressure on her in Wimbledon, that she would have a much better chance of doing something big there.”
Raducanu will next compete at the French Open, which takes place from May 24 to June 6, opening her campaign against world No 67 Solana Sierra, with Jasmine Paolini potentially awaiting in the second round