Emma Raducanu's coaching trade-off in court of British tennis royalty

For years, tennis fans have shown where their hearts lie at Wimbledon by how they refer to the sloping patch of grass next to the courts – Henman Hill or Murray Mound.

Now it appears that the country's new golden girl Emma Raducanu may also have split loyalties between the two British tennis legends.

Tonight's US Open final marks the culmination of the 18-year-old's weeks of training under new coach Andrew Richardson.

Despite Miss Raducanu's stunning run to the last 16 of Wimbledon this summer, she replaced her previous coach of three years Nigel Sears – Sir Andy Murray's father-in-law – with Mr Richardson shortly afterwards.

Mr Richardson was a contemporary of Tim Henman and even served as best man at his wedding to Lucy Heald in 1999.

After her semi-final win in the early hours of yesterday, Miss Raducanu praised Mr Henman for providing support and inspiration.

Mr Sears, meanwhile, is the father of Sir Andy's wife Kim, 33, with whom the three-time Grand Slam winner has four children.

But Sir Andy has long tipped Miss Raducanu for the top, having previously said: 'I have a lot of belief in her game and her potential.'

His mother Judy tweeted after the semi-final: 'Teen Queen. Incredible achievement.'

 

Miss Raducanu will become a millionaire when she walks out on court in New York tonight – regardless of whether she wins against Leylah Fernandez, 19. Her soaring popularity could see her earning potential surpass £100million, making her one of the 'hottest properties' in British sports, say marketing experts.

The teen from Bromley, south-east London, is the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final since Virginia Wade in 1977.

But until this summer she was ranked outside the world's top 300 players, and had earned only around £30,000 before her run at Wimbledon made her £185,000. Miss Raducanu will take home £1.8million if she wins – and is guaranteed £900,000 even if she loses.

But experts said her winnings would be eclipsed by sponsorship deals. She is managed by Max Eisenbud, who previously represented former world No 1 Maria Sharapova. The Russian, who won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old, had earned an estimated £234million on and off court by the time she retired last year, according to Forbes magazine.

Miss Raducanu's extraordinary success will see her crowned as the new British women's No 1 and has won her numerous supporters including the Duchess of Cambridge.

Keen tennis fan Kate tweeted yesterday: 'What an incredible achievement. We will all be rooting for you. Wishing you the best of luck!'

How Britain served up a smash hit superstar: Emma Raducanu's recipe for glory was iron will, modesty and a family who believed Emma Raducanu's parents have remained surprisingly incognito in the crowds But Ian and Renee Raducanu have been influential in their daughter's journey There is a rumour Ian spoke of wanting Emma to have a new coach for each shot Emma, 18, credits her parents' 'high expectations' with shaping her work ethic 

Beth Hale looks at Emma Raducanu's incredible journey to the top...

HER PARENTS' PIVOTAL ROLE

While the likes of Judy Murray and Richard Williams have become almost as well-known as their champion offspring, Emma's parents have remained surprisingly incognito.

Discreetly sitting in the crowd (rather than with the coaching team) at SW19 earlier this year, they weren't able to travel to the US to attend the tournament because of Covid-19.

But make no mistake, Ian and Renee Raducanu have been hugely influential in their daughter's remarkable journey.

Romanian Ian and Renee, who is Chinese, were living in Toronto, Canada, when only child Emma was born, and the family moved to the UK when she was two.

Both work in finance and home is in a cul-de-sac in Bromley, south-east London, where Emma and her dad would hit tennis balls together in the street during the Covid lockdowns.

Ian has been particularly devoted to the intricacies of raising a tennis star. There is a rumour on the circuit that he once spoke of wanting his daughter to have a different coach for each shot.

Former GB player and commentator Mark Petchey told the Mail this week: '[Ian's] outlook on tennis is wide-ranging and he is happy to think outside the box.

'As a coach, he challenges you – his view is the coach does not necessarily know everything.' 

Harry Bushnell, who coached Emma from the age of six to 11 at the Parklangley Club in Beckenham, London, says: 'It really is a well-grounded machine. It's a great combination of Ian, the dad, who is the driving force behind the tennis and the mum who is there saying, 'you've still got to study'.'

But far from pushing tennis, Harry says Ian wanted Emma to make her own choices. 

'He definitely gave her some autonomy,' he says. 'Her father was the first person to ever say to me 'we are cutting her tennis programme so she can do some other things.'

Emma also credits her parents with shaping her work ethic.

In an interview last year, she said: 'My parents definitely have high expectations. In anything, not even just tennis. I have to be the best, do the best I can.

'They both came from very academic families and in pretty tough countries growing up – my dad in Romania and mum in China – so they probably have a lot of that remaining... They want me to have options, they think my education is very important for my future.'

AN EDUCATIONAL SPRINGBOARD

Only a few weeks ago, Emma was anxiously awaiting her A-level results – an A* in maths and an A in economics.

It all began at Bickley Primary School in Bromley. Earlier this week, teacher Rebecca Rodger said Emma had always been sporty.

'She was very shy, too, but we had some tennis coaching in the summer of her reception year, and with most kids at that age, you're lucky if they're even making contact [with the ball],' she says. 

'But there was Emma having a rally with the coaches. We couldn't quite believe it. Even then I remember thinking that we were going to see her at Wimbledon.'

Emma went on to Newstead Wood, a selective girls' grammar school in Orpington, whose alumni include sprinter Dina Asher-Smith. 

The school shares a site with the only purpose-built tennis centre in south-east London. Emma's day would regularly begin and end with a session in the tennis centre.

LET'S GET PHYSICAL

Long-limbed but muscular, Emma, pictured with physio Will Herbert, appears far taller than her 5ft 8in.

'You do have to be very strong, they [the women players] hit the ball very hard but because of that you have to cover the court even more,' says Jo Durie.

'Through her strength she has a lovely flowing movement, she could be a ballet dancer almost, but she has strength within it.'

And that's quite some strength.

The slender teenager can do chin-ups with a set of rings that would make bodybuilders proud, squat thrust more than most men (175lb) and – according to British teammate Heather Watson – hip thrust 440lb. 

As Heather said: 'Most of the guys can't do that.'

A WINNING MINDSET

Even when she has a momentary blip, 'Radders', as she's known by her British teammates, composes herself and smiles.

It's as if the crashing

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