Emma Raducanu has gone back to the future with her latest choice of coach, choosing to re-group with the mentor who helped her to a US Open title five long years ago.

The Briton whose career has been a patchwork of changing coaches and near-constant injuries and illness since her 2021 big day in New York, revealed she has re-employed Andrew Richardson, her OG coach.

The pair split not long after then-teenaged Raducanu won the Open title from an unprecedented qualifying start.

She has since struggled and wil head to Roland Garros from next Sunday with only one clay tournament, a late wild-card entry into Strasbourg.

“Grateful to have reconnected with someone who has known me for over a decade now and looking forward to building together one iteration at a time,” she posted on social media.

The WTA no. 30 has played just 15 matches this season – none on clay – with her last one more than two months ago.

Main photo:- Emma Raducanu with her coach, Andrew Richardson at the 2021 US Open

Elena Rybakina left it late, with the last woman to qualify into the field for the WTA Finals in Saudi, toppling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (0) on Saturday to lift the year-end title.   

Former Wimbledon winner Rybakina only booked the eighth and final spot in the showpiece at the last second, reaching a Tokyo semi-final last month to help her on the road to Riyadh.

Rybakina’s trophy – her third of the season – was worth in excess of UDS 5 million as the Saudis continue to move into tennis through the power of prize money and perks.

The Kazakh also lifted trophies in Strasbourg and Ningbo before becoming the 10th consecutive first-time WTA Finals champion. 

She wrapped up the season with a 58–19 record, a personal best. 

Rybakina took a 4-2 lead to win the opening set against the world’s top player and swept the second -set tiebreaker to lift the trophy.

Sabalenka ended the season with four titles including the US Open.

With her WTA career consistently derailed by an on-again, off-again back injury, Paula Badosa can never be sure of her chances at any event.

But the 10th-ranked Spaniard who once cracked the ranking top 10 is clinging to the belief that she can make an impression when the French Open starts on Sunday.

“I have to be realistic. Of course, if I’m delusional and I want to dream, I’m approaching this tournament the same as the Australian Open (semi-final last January),” the 27-year-old said.

“But that’s not the reality. I’ve (only) played one full match in the last two months and a half. The reality here is to play as many matches as possible. 

“Every minute on court now is very valuable. So it’s just that and no expectations.”

The Spaniard will start her Roland Garros quest with actual expectations in check.

“If I can play one match, good. If I can play three, great. For now the goal in French Open is not what it should be, but because I’m coming from an injury.”

Badosa faces a tough ask against another former elite player, facing four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the first round.

Badosa’s best Paris showing was a 2021 quarter-final while Osaka has never passed the third round.

The Spaniard arrives in Paris after a quarter-final this week in Strasbourg.

“The conditions here, I always like them. I love to play in

Paris. Yeah, I’m playing Monday, so I have one more day tomorrow.

‘As you all know, she’s (Osaka) a great, great player, I respect her so much. Not for things she did on court, but especially also off court. 

“I know she likes to play the big matches. It’s where she plays her best game, so I’m expecting her best level on Monday.”

Main photo:- Paula Badosa played Miami Open 2025