Emma Raducanu back training with Andrew Richardson ahead of 2026 Italian Open return
Emma Raducanu has been putting in some time on the courts with Andrew Richardson ahead of the 2026 Italian Open. She’s chosen to get ready for her first clay-court tournament of the season by spending time at the Ferrer Academy in Spain, hoping to turn things around after a slow start to her WTA season.
Photo by Flaviu Buboi/NurPhoto via Getty Images Emma Raducanu has been putting in some time on the courts with Andrew Richardson ahead of the 2026 Italian Open. She’s chosen to get ready for her first clay-court tournament of the season by spending time at the Ferrer Academy in Spain, hoping to turn things around after a slow start to her WTA season. Richardson, now tennis director at the academy, was also Raducanu’s coach during her remarkable run to the 2021 US Open title.
However, their time working together didn’t last long beyond that tournament. This latest training block with Richardson is only a short-term arrangement. There are no plans for an extended coaching stint through the clay-court season this year.
It’s more of a focused session rather than a return to their previous partnership. Rennae Stubbs says Emma Raducanu working with Andrew Richardson is a ‘good move’ Photo by Flaviu Buboi/NurPhoto via Getty Images Stubbs shared her thoughts on the move, speaking about Raducanu’s approach to coaching and the potential benefits of reconnecting with Richardson. “I think the most difficult job in the world is coaching Emma Raducanu, because she has a very short rope,” Stubbs said on The Rennae Stubbs Podcast.
“So we’ll see. I clearly think it’s a good idea. He did wonders for her to win the US Open.