Mark Petchey Interview with OLBG

Emma Raducanu’s former coach Mark Petchey has revealed what his experiences of working with the British number one in women’s tennis was like as the two parted ways earlier in August. 

Speaking to OLBG, Petchey has said his broadcasting commitments meant he wouldn’t be the lead person to coach Raducanu, who has now appointed Rafael Nadal’s former coach, Francis Roig, heading into the US Open. 

Petchey also discusses the pressure that is on Raducanu among other major talking points in the world of tennis as we build-up to the final major of the year at Flushing Meadows. 

What was it like working with Emma? It's lovely to see that she's got her joie de vivre back. What was it like being part of the team?

It was awesome. Everybody knows it was a very roundabout way that we got involved with each other in Miami. She was obviously in a slightly difficult spot, and I was there commentating, so I ended up being able to help her out.

That was kind of going to be it. Then obviously she had a great week, and I was able to figure out a way to try and do both for the past three or four months.

From my perspective, I hope people can really understand how much she loves tennis. She's totally invested in it. She watches it all the time. She practices as hard as anyone I know and has spent more time on the court, or as much time on the court, as everybody else. And obviously she's living a very different life.

She's living a lot of her career in reverse and that's not been easy. Having set the bar so high so early on in your career every week you are measured not just by other people's expectations but also your own expectations. That is a good thing because it drives you to be as good as you can be.

But on the other hand, it's difficult, because at times it can feel like you're not hitting the standard you want to because that's where your bar is at. From that perspective, her work ethic and her desire to be able to do what she did back in 2021 is as great as I remember it in 2020 when I first had a chance to work with her.

What was your role? You coached her but was there more to it because you were a familiar face?

From the start that was a bonus for both of us. We didn't need to take time to get to know each other. We knew each other, I knew her before she was famous. So therefore, that was probably a little easier for her.

I wasn't trying to gain anything. I don't need to gain because I have a career of my own. So, those things made the fit a lot easier. I'd obviously been tracking her career because that's my job.

I also knew that there were things that I wanted to try when she asked me to work with her. There were things that I felt I could help her with in the short term very quickly, like weighting the racket properly and changing the string.

There were a lot of fortunate sliding door moments that meant I could suggest things for her that I thought were going to help.

We were in a good situation early on. She was fortunate that there were some friends free to come over to LA at that time. Jane O’Donoghue, as did a good mate of hers, Ben Heynold, who was at Queen's.

We had a nice jumpstart to the whole thing, which obviously was super helpful in that regard.

She spoke quite openly recently about stalking, therapy, romance, and just living in a goldfish bowl. Do you think we actually realise the pressure she's under?

I can't even imagine what it's like to be like Emma. I obviously see a small fraction of it from the time that I've spent with her. But it's incredibly intense, and surprisingly judgmental from the outside.

I think that was something that I was probably more hit by because I was a bit more involved at that time. You pick up on it.

There's a lot more interest in everything about her than other people. There's a mystique about her that I think intrigues people and I think it polarises people; unfairly if I'm being honest. Very unfairly in fact.

My job was obviously to make her come from a place where she wasn't feeling great about tennis. In my own mind my job was also to get her joie de vivre back and her love of being around the tennis tour back, making her feel like she belonged, and that she didn’t feel too far away from regaining what she needs to, in order to win a major.

That’s the bridge that she's obviously going to have to cross as she keeps going. But every week she's getting closer, every week she's getting better and dealing with the overwhelming attention. I think she does an incredible job of it.

It's obviously been a choppy few years for her. And people are much more forgiving when you're successful, even though I don't believe that that should be the case for somebody that's 19, 20, 21, who is in that world.

I think they should be far more understanding of what comes with that. She makes the best of everything that she can with it. As time goes by it gets a little bit easier to realise what works and what doesn't work and she's obviously figuring that out.

You mentioned it was quite a dark moment in Miami when she was feeling a bit down. Do you think she's ever contemplated giving up, turning her back on tennis to lead a ‘normal’ life?

I don't think so. I don't think it ever got to that stage because I think she's too tough to be honest.

I just think she would always fight that thought process, if it was there, because I think all of these champions have a different kind of DNA. Yes, things can get pretty tough, and things can get like it feels like you're a long way from where you want to be but ultimately, I always think they figure out a way to find their way back.

As difficult as that period had been, not just the tennis but the off-court stuff, I think she never contemplated quitting.

I remember Danielle Collins who cited stalking as one reason why she retired last year. It's a pretty tough place to be sometimes on the women's tour, a lonely place, isn’t it. Do people realise what an issue it is?

Tennis is an incredibly brutal life. It's easy to get very myopic about Emma because we're British, but tennis in general is just a super difficult life.

As much as you can talk about your team and as much as you can have a team, you feel responsible when you're out there. You feel responsible for your wins, and you feel responsible for your losses. And yes, the team is a big part of that.

But there's an underlying feeling always as a competitor in an individual sport, that you either failed or you succeeded.

The tennis world is incredibly hostile and it's incredibly individual and everyone's trying to steal your dream. People get on, but they're not going to get on to the extent that you want to go out for dinner.

So, when you're going through a particularly difficult time and I'm not just speaking about Emma, it's tough to get out of that sense that you feel like you're a bit of an imposter on the tour.

You're not enjoying it because you're not winning, but you're putting the work in and it's tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel because you're not winning.

And then you're like, ‘Well, I'm not winning. What do people think about me because I'm walking around, and I've lost the last three out of four first rounds?’

It's a lot harder for Emma because the magnifying glass is that much greater on Emma; on every single movement that she makes, every single decision that she makes, every single loss that she has.

The thing that I found also quite interesting was when she did win, it would propel people to predict stuff that’s a huge jump from barely being able to win a match, to suddenly being semi-finals on her worst surface of a massive tournament.

In that world, it's tough to completely isolate yourself from all the noise that goes on, but she does the best job she can.

And as we've seen and as we talked about you think you really helped to get her back on track. Are you disappointed not to be working with her again or was it just a finite period because of your broadcasting commitments? How did it end?

Totally amicable. My job at the start with her was going to be just Miami. Then obviously it became longer through to Wimbledon, and then obviously she had three days with Francisco Roig, Nadal’s former coach, after Wimbledon and that went well.

But he couldn't start due to other commitments until Cincinnati. So, around the work stuff that I have, we stayed in contact, and I helped her up in Montreal as best I could.

But eventually my commitments were going to be too much to be a lead person for her in that environment.

I think it's really a great opportunity for her to work with somebody like Francisco who has worked with one of the best players of all time.

To have time alone with Francisco, to work on the stuff is a golden opportunity for her and him to try to take her game to the next level where she's going to be able to win Grand Slams.

My only ever goal in coming back was to make sure that I could help her; but when a better opportunity looks like it's presented itself, which it has, it's like, ‘Well this is it. Grab it with both hands. Get stuck in.’

I think they’ll be great, I think they’ll be a great partnership. I’m super happy for her and I’m super excited about the potential.

Did she ever dangle the prospect of a full-time role for you?

We never got to the stage where we discussed whether it would be a full-time role.

But she knows where I am. She's always known where I am. Even since 2021, she's always known where I am. I'm not planning to change my number!

I've always wanted the best for her, which I think I've proved in the last four months in many ways and not just from what you've seen with results. So, I trust that she knows that my heart's in the right place.

As I said, I hope that the thing with Francisco goes unbelievably well, and I'm convinced it will. And if she ever needs me around that, then obviously she can always call me.

Would you have any advice for Francis Roig?

I wouldn't be arrogant enough to tell him what to do! He’s got a pretty good track record.

What about the mixed doubles which starts tomorrow with Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz?

It's exciting for us as fans and I think it's actually very exciting for the players that are involved in it as well. Obviously, I know there's suggestions that they are going out. That's not the case. They're just good friends.

The reality is they're only there to play tennis. But they're excited to play and all the players that I spoke to at Montreal and Cincinnati are all excited to play. They're all thrilled with the opportunity. I think they're all pretty jacked to go and show how much it means to them to try and win this event but also to go and put on a great show for tennis.

I’m a big fan of the event, I'm a big fan of what they've tried to create, and there may be a bit of tweaking here and there as we go forward.

The thing about tennis is if you don't try it, you'll never know, and you can go back if it doesn't work. But I think it's going to be a massive success.

The media love to speculate about the possibility that Emma and Carlos could be an item. It’s too good to be true I suppose?

They are just good friends. She's good friends with a lot of people out there on the tour. The media's going to be the media.

How far are we away from seeing Emma back to her real best? Is it not too far by the way?

She's close, I genuinely think she's close. I really do. She's got something that you can't teach, which is complete courage. She's an unbelievable athlete. I’d back her in nearly every situation if she can get sets to four all to beat most players.

And she loves the big stage. And not everybody does love the big stage. Not everybody goes out there and embraces it.

I honestly say this, and I'm not saying this for effect, I honestly think she could win the US Open. I really do.

A few things may have to go a certain way for her in terms of certain opponents who, at the moment, don't match up well for her in game style.

But if the draw fell in a kind way - and I don't think the draw needs to fall in a kind way for her to make quarters or semis - I'm talking about fall in a kind way to actually win.

Who are Raducanu’s big rivals in terms of the ones you mentioned?

I would say number one is Iga Swiatek. Iga’s a massive rival. Iga’s ground strokes have caused Emma a lot of problems.

I also think Coco Gauff, in those conditions, can be a big handful.

I think Elena Rybakina is back close to playing near her best and I think she's somebody again that can take the racket completely out of your hand at times when she's playing unbelievable tennis. Those big hitters and those players with serves that get enough free points are dangerous.

I do think if the conditions are similar to Cincinnati that will be very beneficial for Emma. I think that that will be a great leveller for her and a big advantage for her.

Another part of the British dream team is Jack Draper who got to the semis last year. What do you make of his recent form and what are his chances you think at Flushing Meadow?

I am not that worried about someone like Jack who hasn't played much going into the tournament. The fact that he's had to look after his body is a good thing. I think he'll feel so fresh.

You've got that unknown quantity having not played any matches. We saw that it was a bit of a struggle down in Australia. You end up getting in a few dogfights early on and then suddenly you’re pulling out a four or five setter in 35 degrees.

A lot depends on how cleanly Jack can get through the first week. If he can, by dropping only one or two sets at best, then I love his chances.

Anyone that thinks he can't win it now is wrong. Jannik and Carlos have somewhat separated themselves from the field, but I give Jack in those conditions more than a puncher's chance to go on and beat them.

You never know, if you get through to that end part of the second week you may not have to beat them both.

It's not an ideal situation that he's going in without playing in any of the recent tournaments, but, at the same time, when you're as good as Jack, you can build confidence, you can build belief.

It's not that he's going to have a lack of belief, but you can build belief in your match tennis very quickly.

Being fresh ultimately could actually be his USP.

And having stepped back briefly into coaching, has that whetted your appetite to try again at some stage?

I'm going to see how things unfold over the next month or two. My life's been pretty set for a while but I've loved it, I’ve loved being back coaching again. It’s always been a passion of mine.

I've taken the career path to go down the commentary room and everything else but if there's something then I wouldn't say no. I'm not planning to at the moment, but I wouldn't say no.

And you talked about Sinner and Alcaraz moving just slightly ahead of the rest of the field. One of those chasing at their heels is Alex de Minaur. How far is he away from bridging that gap?

Alex is one of those guys that's going to walk away from tennis with zero regrets in terms of what he's put in.

Every day he gives it 100 per cent. Unfortunately, he is not blessed with a serve that's going to give him that many free points consistently. In men’s tennis that is incredibly difficult.

I was doing a bit of research the other day. I was looking back to 1991 when the ATP started stats and there was one guy, Goran Ivanisevic, that had like 10 aces per match for the season. Last year there were nine!

The bigger change was something like 19 players back in the early 90s held serve 80% of the time. Last year it was 45. So, holding serve has become just meat and potatoes for these top players.

So, for somebody like Alex, it just becomes a lot tougher. If you're not holding serve as comfortably, you're just having to work that much harder to consistently break against guys that are holding serve a lot more frequently.

So, his game style, not his work ethic, not anything else, is probably going to be the one thing that sort of makes a speed bump. Can he make a semi? Absolutely. Can he win one?

Yes, he can but he's probably going to need either Sinner or Alcaraz to lose at some point because I'm not sure he's going to be able to get past both of them. Certainly, in his previous meetings with Jannik, it's been pretty tough going for him.

We've had this fantastic era of Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and to an extent Murray. Who are the others who can join Sinner and Alcaraz over the next year or two to sort of create that environment once again?

I'm buying the Dane, Holger Rune’s stock every single time. He’s another guy who burst onto the scene, then had a couple of tough years through injury, or decision making or just having to figure it all out. He will figure it out and find out what he has to do to be part of that conversation at the top of the game. I am very excited to see that happen.

He’s got that kind of personality that we had with the big three with Novak and Rafa and Roger where I feel people are going to either love him or hate him and it's going to create a lovely little sort of divide in the fan bases. I think he’ll muscle in on it.

Whether he gets overly popular because he does that or not, is going to be another interesting dynamic to it.

If you were to ask me one player, it’s Holger, especially when you watch him play and I watch and see what he has at his disposal. If he can put that all together, he’ll be there.

I don't think Andre Agassi would have gone to Washington for two or three days and be on court with Holger, if he didn’t see something pretty special about the kid.

He’s the one guy that I'm really excited to see because I think his peak can get close to those two.