Emma Raducanu believes her recent run to the final of the Queen’s Club Championships is the dawn of a new era with former coach Andrew Richardson.
Raducanu was denied a first title since her 2021 US Open triumph after a 6-0 7-6 (8-6) defeat by Donna Vekic in the Queen’s showpiece on Sunday (June 14).
The 23-year-old was forced to play two games on Saturday, beating both Kamilla Rakhimova and Iva Jovic to reach the final, but fell short against her Croatian opponent.
She also finished as runner-up to Sorana Cirstea in Cluj-Napoca in February before missing two-and-a-half months of the season with a post-viral illness.
Raducanu had just one win under her belt since March before reuniting with Richardson, the coach who guided her to that famous victory at Flushing Meadows five years ago.
“It’s great to have him back. I think we have been working on this game style,” Raducanu said.
“The whole week I have been playing really, really good tennis and the brand of tennis that I really want to play.
“I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily the old Emma. I think it’s the new Emma.
“You take all the lessons and experience, all the different ups and downs, and you take everything. You understand a lot more what’s going on and what works for you.”
Given her run to the final at Queen’s, Raducanu elected to withdraw from the Nottingham Open, with her attention now firmly focused on being well-prepared for Wimbledon.
Raducanu has never gone beyond the fourth round in SW19, though she did put on a strong showing against Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s third round.
“Going into Wimbledon you want as many matches on grass as possible. This week was great. I played five matches on grass,” Raducanu added.
“It has to be a positive. You take things that work, take things that didn’t work, and apply it to when I play next.”