Emma Raducanu appears to be back at square one again – Shutterstock/Javier Garcia
A tearful Emma Raducanu admitted she had mismanaged her schedule after her opening round loss to Sofia Kenin at the US Open.
Raducanu, who is yet to win a match at Flushing Meadows since her stunning triumph there three years ago, took a three-and-a-half week break from competitive tenns after her quarter-final loss to Paula Badosa at the Washington Open on Aug 4.
She decided to skip Masters events in Toronto and Cincinnati, where she would have had to go through qualifying, and instead trained at the National Tennis Centre in south London – a “collective” decision that she said was made by her team.
So who is in Raducanu’s inner circle? And who is ultimately responsible for managing her schedule?
Nick Cavaday – coach
One of the most trusted figures in her entourage, Cavaday, her childhood coach, played an influential role in Raducanu’s development as a junior, guiding her at Bromley Tennis Centre, in Kent, between the ages of 10 and 12.
A former head coach of the LTA’s Loughborough Academy, the 38-year-old has kept in contact with Raducanu since her US Open success, helping her out with practice at the National Tennis Centre last year before the pair struck a more formal agreement ahead of this year’s Australian Open.
Nick Cavaday has worked with Emma Raducanu since her junior days – Getty Images/Robert Prange
He has been a valued member of her entourage ever since and is known to pride himself on developing young talent. He counts British players Aljaz Bedene (who later reverted to Slovenian nationality) and Dom Inglot among his alumni.
Will Herbert – physio
Raducanu has had a carousel of coaches since her fairytale in New York but Herbert is one of the few remaining members of her US Open-winning team.
A former player who never made it to the professional ranks, Herbert played a crucial role in Raducanu’s Flushing Meadows success – even featuring in the photos she published on Instagram – and is often seen cheering her on. The pair’s relaxed relationship has been clear to see, with Raducanu previously calling him the “mechanic”.
Ian and Renee – parents
Raducanu’s parents are the main driving force behind their daughter’s work ethic. Both work in the finance sector, but are said to be strikingly different.
Ian is said to take a particular interest in his daughter’s coaches and has a more hands-on approach – at one time he apparently wanted her to have a different coach for each shot.
The winner returns: Emma Raducanu celebrates with her father, Ian, after her 2021 US Open vicotry – David Rose/David Rose
Meanwhile, his Chinese wife, Renee, is the no-nonsense one and a nervous spectator. Raducanu has previously singled her out as her role model. “Her work ethic is something that she’s instilled in me from a young age; I definitely got that from her,” she said in an interview with Tatler. “She’s very strong and she is great at reading people, which I’ve also picked from her.”
Benjamin Heynold – best friend
Raducanu counts former tennis protege, Heynold among her closest friends. The pair have known each other since they were six and grew up representing Great Britain on the junior circuit.
Little is known about their friendship, although Heynold was studying in New York at the time of Raducanu’s US Open success. He allegedly offered to be her post-tournament tour guide and sent the rumour mill whirring when the pair were snapped below a Manhattan billboard with Raducanu’s face projected onto it.
The duo, though, are said to be good friends and Raducanu valued his presence in New York as her parents were unable to travel to support her because of Covid travel restrictions.
Iain Bates – head of women’s tennis at LTA
Raducanu has consistently credited the LTA for its pivotal role in her career and has often tapped into its resources. Bates oversaw her development at the National Tennis Centre during her early years and, along with Herbert, was with her in New York for her US Open triumph.
Iain Bates oversaw Emma Raducanu’s development as a young player at the National Tennis Centre – Getty Images/Alex Pantling
More recently, he was highly supportive of Raducanu’s decision not to play at the Paris Olympics, saying he was “very comfortable” with the situation.
Jane O’Donoghue – mentor
One of Raducanu’s most trusted confidantes. O’Donoghue was the LTA’s national coach for women between 2009 and 2019 and during that time was heavily involved in Raducanu’s junior career.
She now works for a subsection of the Credit Agricole/Santander banking empire but pops back to the tennis court to offer support when she can. Raducanu called on O’Donoghue to help her prepare for this year’s Nottingham Open after Cavaday became unwell and before that spent a week with her in Auckland at the start of the year.
She also guided her Wimbledon campaign in 2022, when she was beaten in the second round by Caroline Garcia.
Max Eisenbud – agent
IMG super agent Eisenbud, the vice-president of tennis at entertainment giant IMG, is the mastermind behind Raducanu’s impressive portfolio of sponsorship deals, which include Tiffany & Co, Dior, Wilson, Evian, Porsche, HSBC, Vodafone and British Airways.
In the aftermath of her Flushing Meadows success, Eidenbud revealed he had started tapping up high-brow partners long before Raducanu was crowned an unlikely champion.
Max Eisenbud (left) has been the driving force behind the litany of endorsement opportunities Raducanu has benefitted from – Getty Images/Julian Finney
“We were just enjoying the ride until, like, the quarters,” he told Andy Roddick’s Serve podcast. “And once she got to the quarters I said to my team, this is happening. This is, like, happening.” He is best known for helping Maria Sharapova earn up to £20 million a year in sponsorships before the pair’s relationship broke down in 2016 over the Russian’s drugs ban.
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