Emma Raducanu to train with Johanna Konta’s former coach this week: Report

Emma Raducanu, the US Open winner has scheduled a brief session with Esteban Carril, who she considers is most suited to lead her through the next phase of her career. Raducanu had parted ways with coach Nigel Sears after Wimbledon in favour of her youth coach Richardson. Raducanu was guided to the title in New York by Andrew Richardson, but his short-term contract was not renewed. Carril was instrumental in Konta’s ascent into the top ten from outside the top 100. When they parted ways at the end of 2016, Konta had reached her first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open and won her first WTA championship in California. Carril also helped Konta become the first British woman in 32 years to be ranked in the world’s top 10.

Carril’s ties to British tennis have remained strong since then. He worked for a short time in Stirling at one of the LTA’s National Academies, and most recently was with British player Katie Swan. Carril, has worked for the Lawn Tennis Association and other organizations after 2016. Raducanu’s next tournament is the Transylvania Open, which starts a week from Monday in Romania. Her lone match after the US Open came at Indian Wells, where she lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich in her maiden match as a Grand Slam champion.

For a few days, Jeremy Bates stepped in as her coach, although he has a long-term deal with Katie Boulter, another British athlete. It’s possible that further trial periods will follow the one with Carril, as Raducanu and her family look for the perfect coach to guide Raducanu  to the Australian Open in January.