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Emma Raducanu hires new coach Sebastian Sachs on trial until end of year

  • Sachs, who guided Belinda Bencic to Olympic gold last year, steps in as the young tennis star’s fifth coach in 18 months
  • ‘I think he’s a really calm influence’ Raducanu says – ‘he’s on it, switched on, and yeah, I’m excited to see how it goes’

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Emma Raducanu of Britain serves against Ons Jabeur during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi. Photo: AP

Emma Raducanu says her new coach Sebastian Sachs has been appointed on a trial basis until the end of the year.

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Last year’s US Open champion Raducanu was watched by Sachs, her fifth coach in 18 months, on Friday as she lost to world No 2 Ons Jabeur on her injury return in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi.

Sachs, 30, guided Belinda Bencic to Olympic gold last year and was earlier part of the coaching team of Victoria Azarenka, a former world No 1.

Raducanu’s former coach Dmitry Tursunov ended their partnership following the US Open this year. Photo: USA TODAY Sports
Raducanu’s former coach Dmitry Tursunov ended their partnership following the US Open this year. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

He has teamed up with Raducanu after Dmitry Tursunov decided not to continue his partnership with the 20-year-old Briton following the US Open this year.

“We are trialling until the end of the year and just seeing how it goes really,” Raducanu, who is ranked 76th in the world, told the BBC.

“It’s been going well. I’ve done a week with him so far and I think he’s a really calm influence. He’s on it, switched on, and yeah, I’m excited to see how it goes.”

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Raducanu pulled out of Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team in October due to a wrist injury, but now says she is injury free.

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