Emma Raducanu, the young and talented British tennis player, has hired a new coach in Francisco Roig. The 57-year-old Spaniard is no stranger to coaching at the highest level, having worked with Rafael Nadal for many years and helping him win an impressive 22 Grand Slam titles.
Raducanu's decision to bring in Roig comes as she looks to continue her upward trajectory on the tennis world stage. The 22-year-old British player emerged from nowhere to win the US Open title as a teenage qualifier in 2021, and has steadily rebuilt her career since then.
Roig is known for his technical knowledge and ability to identify areas where players need improvement. He uses unique coaching drills that are both practical and specific, which have been praised by former Spanish number two Feliciano Lopez, who was guided by Roig for several years.
"Lopez says the same thing early in the conversation – that his technical knowledge is unparalleled," wrote Jonathan Jurejko of BBC Sport. "Soon after he stopped working with Lopez, Roig linked up with Nadal in 2005 as a second coach behind his uncle Toni and helped the swashbuckling left-hander become an all-time great."
Raducanu has already shown signs of improvement under Roig's guidance, reaching a WTA semi-final in Washington, plus the Miami and Queen's quarter-finals. With Roig on board, she hopes to add another layer to complement her increasing resilience this year.
"I can definitely improve on the quality of a lot of my shots," Raducanu said. "I've been good at being creative, scrapping, playing the big points well, but the overall quality of my game needs to be better."
Roig achieves that by using unique coaching drills, which are both practical and specific, with his players. He is also known for his ability to identify technical issues by observation rather than relying on forensic video analysis.
"His eyes are special," said Jordi Vilaro, who has known Roig for more than 40 years and co-owns the BTT Academy in Barcelona with him. "He can see things other coaches can't see in a 1000th of a second – they maybe need video or slow motion."
The partnership between Raducanu and Roig is already showing signs of being successful, with both the player and coach appearing relaxed and happy together. However, it remains to be seen how long Roig will last as Raducanu's coach.
In the early part of her career, Raducanu became infamous for hiring and firing a string of full-time coaches. But now she has found someone who is not only technically sound but also someone with a good understanding of what makes a player tick – both on and off the court.
"Francis is a very good person, he is a man who you can be relaxed with and he is funny," Toni Nadal said. "It is important when you are with someone with a good character, I think that is much better."
But to change someone who used to do one thing is difficult. What I explain to the players – I explain simple – is that if you are happy with your level and ranking don't change anything.
"Francis has got all these qualities," Lopez added. "He's patient but also demanding. He will push you until whatever he thinks needs fixing is fixed."
With Roig on board, Raducanu is now looking forward to the US Open, where she hopes to continue her upward trajectory and make a deep run in the tournament.
As for how long Roig will last as Raducanu's coach, only time will tell. But one thing is certain – with Roig's guidance, Raducanu has never been more confident about her abilities on the tennis court.
Raducanu's decision to bring in Roig comes as she looks to continue her upward trajectory on the tennis world stage. The 22-year-old British player emerged from nowhere to win the US Open title as a teenage qualifier in 2021, and has steadily rebuilt her career since then.
Roig is known for his technical knowledge and ability to identify areas where players need improvement. He uses unique coaching drills that are both practical and specific, which have been praised by former Spanish number two Feliciano Lopez, who was guided by Roig for several years.
"Lopez says the same thing early in the conversation – that his technical knowledge is unparalleled," wrote Jonathan Jurejko of BBC Sport. "Soon after he stopped working with Lopez, Roig linked up with Nadal in 2005 as a second coach behind his uncle Toni and helped the swashbuckling left-hander become an all-time great."
Raducanu has already shown signs of improvement under Roig's guidance, reaching a WTA semi-final in Washington, plus the Miami and Queen's quarter-finals. With Roig on board, she hopes to add another layer to complement her increasing resilience this year.
"I can definitely improve on the quality of a lot of my shots," Raducanu said. "I've been good at being creative, scrapping, playing the big points well, but the overall quality of my game needs to be better."
Roig achieves that by using unique coaching drills, which are both practical and specific, with his players. He is also known for his ability to identify technical issues by observation rather than relying on forensic video analysis.
"His eyes are special," said Jordi Vilaro, who has known Roig for more than 40 years and co-owns the BTT Academy in Barcelona with him. "He can see things other coaches can't see in a 1000th of a second – they maybe need video or slow motion."
The partnership between Raducanu and Roig is already showing signs of being successful, with both the player and coach appearing relaxed and happy together. However, it remains to be seen how long Roig will last as Raducanu's coach.
In the early part of her career, Raducanu became infamous for hiring and firing a string of full-time coaches. But now she has found someone who is not only technically sound but also someone with a good understanding of what makes a player tick – both on and off the court.
"Francis is a very good person, he is a man who you can be relaxed with and he is funny," Toni Nadal said. "It is important when you are with someone with a good character, I think that is much better."
But to change someone who used to do one thing is difficult. What I explain to the players – I explain simple – is that if you are happy with your level and ranking don't change anything.
"Francis has got all these qualities," Lopez added. "He's patient but also demanding. He will push you until whatever he thinks needs fixing is fixed."
With Roig on board, Raducanu is now looking forward to the US Open, where she hopes to continue her upward trajectory and make a deep run in the tournament.
As for how long Roig will last as Raducanu's coach, only time will tell. But one thing is certain – with Roig's guidance, Raducanu has never been more confident about her abilities on the tennis court.
! I mean, the guy's got serious credentials - working with Rafael Nadal for years and all those Grand Slam titles? That's some serious expertise right there 
. And what really impresses me is how he connects with players like Feliciano Lopez and Toni Nadal, getting them to open up about their issues in a way that actually helps them improve. It's not just about throwing some drills at 'em and hoping for the best, you know? Roig seems like a coach who genuinely cares about his players' growth both on and off the court 
.
. I've got no doubt she'll be looking sharp at the US Open now, too.
. And hey, if it means Raducanu gets another shot at proving herself, then I say bring it on! 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to work with someone who's helped Rafael Nadal win 22 Grand Slam titles? 
That's some serious tennis cred. Plus, it sounds like Roig's coaching style is all about identifying areas for improvement and using unique drills to help players reach their full potential 
.
. It's not just about technical knowledge – it's also about being able to connect with your player on a personal level 
. And from what I've read, Roig seems like the perfect guy for the job 
.
. Bring it on! 
. This is something we can all learn from, as it shows that true happiness comes from within.
. It's easy to get discouraged when things don't go our way, but having the right support system and being willing to put in the work can make all the difference.
his methods are so effective, i mean feliciano lopez used to play with him and now he's like a former spanish number two 
anyway raducanu needs this kinda guidance ASAP she was doing alright but not where she wants to be 
But what makes you think this will work for Raducanu? Is it the unique coaching drills that Roig uses or the fact that he's just a great coach in general? 
!
! He's got an impressive track record working with top players like Rafael Nadal, so I think he'll be able to help Raducanu take her game to the next level #TeamRaducanu #TennisCoachingGoals 
he's got some impressive credentials under his belt, working with rafael nadal and feliciano lopez, but can he bring out the best in emma? 
we've seen players like raducanu come and go before, so it's interesting to see how long roig lasts as her coach 
hope she can capitalize on their partnership and make a deep run at the US open this year 
but its great 2 hear dat Emma Raducanu's found someone who's gonna help her take it 2 the next level, coach Francisco Roig sounds like a total genius 
and feliciano lopez loves working with him too