A former coach of the Williams sisters has offered to come to the aid of slumping Emma Raducanu, with the Brit now laid up for the coming months due to several pre-planned wrist and ankle surgeries.
Florida-based Rick Macci couldn’t stop himself from making a public job pitch to the 2021 US open winner who has failed to follow up on her biggest career moment achived as a teenaged qualifier in New York
She has also shed more than a few coaches since her September, 2021, triumph.
“I’d love that opportunity [to work with Raducanu] if it ever came,” he told local media.
“I just have to get to know her and what’s in her head because the game is there, but it’s a game of inches. I think in the blink of an eye, this can turn around.”
The 68-year-old said he’s bullish on Raducanu’s future once she gets her game sorted.
“She will come all the way back! Emma can beat anybody anytime anywhere and will win a few Grand Slams.
“You do not lose the talent. You cannot buy confidence over the internet.”
The coach who worked in the past with former No. 1 players Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, said that confidence on court is key.
“When you’re confident, you take it a little early, cut the court, be more adventurous, get up to the ball earlier, volley more.
“That’s what people don’t understand in sports, confidence breeds confidence. Unfortunately, it can go the other way.
“That’s what I saw about Venus and Serena, they were bulletproof. Nothing fazed them.”
Macci insists he could engineer a turnaround in the Raducanu game.
“I’ve never met her, I would love to work with this young lady. I could help her mentally, I know I could get this girl back on track.”
“Her life has changed, but that doesn’t mean she has to change. Everything has changed around her, but it’s still her playing tennis.
“I don’t know her. Is she still that hungry, still that competitive?
“I can’t answer that question, but it has to be about one thing, anybody, anytime, anywhere: a love to compete, and by the way, if I compete well, there’s candy at the end of that.
It can’t be the other way around. If it is, you’re not going to be as hungry.”
