Andy Murray tipped for stunning return to tennis working with former slam winner 12 months on from Novak Djokovic split.
SIR Andy Murray has been tipped to become Emma Raducanu’s new coach following the 2021 US Open winner’s split from Francisco Roig.
Raducanu, 23, made the decision to axe Roig off the back her second round exit from the Australian Open.
Her defeat to Austria‘s Anastasia Potapova extended Raducanu’s run of failing to reach the fourth round of a grand slam tournament to almost two years.
The last time she reached the last 16 of a major was in 2024 at Wimbledon and six slams have been contested since then.
Raducanu won the US Open as a qualifier against all odds in 2021 but has since suffered from injury issues and inconsistent form.
She was back in the top 30 prior to the start of the Australian Open and was seeded 28th for the event.
Raducanu beat Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand 6-4, 6-1 in the first round before Potapova inflicted a straight sets loss on the Brit.
Spaniard Roig was Raducanu’s coach for just six months and is remarkably the NINTH person she has hired to that position since her fourth round run at Wimbledon in 2021, a few months before her US Open win.
The Briton has worked with Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, Sebastian Sachs, Vladimir Platenik, Nick Cavaday, Mark Petchey and Roig.
Three-time grand slam champ Murray is now the favourite to take over as her coach, according to Action Network.
Murray, 38, leads the market with odds of 2/1 to step into the role.
The Scot previously had a stint coaching former rival and friend Novak Djokovic.
But since retiring from tennis he has focused a lot more on playing golf and on his fledgling hotel business.
A spokesperson for Action Network said: “Andy Murray is the 7/4 favourite to become Emma Raducanu’s tenth coach of her professional tennis career.
“According to the bookies, Murray leads the way given his close relationship with Raducanu and his coaching ability having recently worked with Novak Djokovic. Alexis Canter, who has been appointed as Raducanu’s temporary coach, follows behind Murray at odds of 2/1.
Outsiders for the market include Great Britain’s Fed Cup captain Anne Keothavong and Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, both at odds of 25/1.
“In terms of the odds for Raducanu to retire in 2026, the 2021 US Open champion is 10/1 to quit tennis altogether.”
Murray and Raducanu were due to play as a mixed doubles pairing during the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, ahead of Murray’s swansong from the sport.
But Raducanu pulled out with an injury on the eve of their match.
