Andy Murray advisor's stark Emma Raducanu 'back to basics' verdict after brutal Iga Swiatek defeat

Andy Murray's past mentor is voicing some constructive criticism for Emma Raducanu as she gears up for her wildcard venture in Abu Dhabi following her less-than-stellar performance at the Australian Open, where she bowed out in the third round. In Abu Dhabi, the 22-year-old will have to bite the bullet and go through qualifiers for the first time since her stellar run at the US Open in 2021.

Before this fresh challenge, Mark Petchey, once an advisor to Murray, has weighed in, pinpointing Raducanu's serve as an area requiring significant improvement for future triumphs. His for Raducanu hasn't wavered, even though he admitted to some concern post-her US Open victory.

"I've always been super positive with Emma," Petchey told JeffBet. "I was worried when she first won the US Open for the stuff that did happen afterwards but let bygones be bygones. For the first time, I would say that when I watched her in Australia and she got through to the third round, I didn't really like her tennis and that's the first time I could honestly say that.

"I think that all the other times, it's been more about the physical side. She hasn't had enough reps, she hasn't played enough matches. So I've always erred on the fact that once she gets a full season and then it still may be the case, that that's what happens. I don't particularly like how a serve looks technically."

Petchey has come to the defence of Raducanu's fitness, dismissing it as an unwarranted criticism and suggesting that refining her technique is key to her return to peak performance.

"You can't neglect the other stuff, of course that's important, but if you look at some of the bigger improvements that we've had, Maddison Keys didn't suddenly get stronger, her racquet made her feel like she was playing better," he added. "Emma's serve from round one looked a little awkward and I've never thought that about her game ever. That would be my biggest concern. I'm not ever concerned about her athleticism.

"I know she's a great athlete. I'm actually still in the camp that she's incredibly mentally tough. I know there's a lot of people out there that would say what have you been looking at for the last three years? I totally disagree."