Mats Wilander highlights concern over Emma Raducanu’s new coach

Former world No.1 Mats Wilander has questioned whether Emma Raducanu has made the right decision appointing an experienced coach like Torben Beltz at such a young age.

The 19-year-old confirmed earlier this month she’d be linking up with Angelique Kerber’s former coach having been without a permanent mentor since splitting with Andrew Richardson shortly after her historic US Open triumph.

Raducanu will be embarking on her first full season on the WTA Tour next year with Beltz in her box but Wilander feels the Brit should still be allowed to find her feet and develop her game herself before having to follow an experienced coach’s methods.

‘We mustn’t forget that it wasn’t like we didn’t know who she was. We knew she had a huge game,’ the seven-time Grand Slam champion told Eurosport.

‘They [young players] need to play the way they want to play, and they need to find out how good they are, and they need to ride the wave of youth and confidence for as far as they can before you start hiring coaches that have helped players to win Grand Slams.

‘She knows how to win a Grand Slam. She won one. She needs to have fun, she needs to be allowed to do what she wants to do off and on the tennis court, and she needs to develop in her own time and not to force coaches on her.

‘I’m not saying that Torben Beltz is not… he’s a great coach, he obviously coached Angie Kerber for a long time. I believe it helped her win Grand Slam tournaments, but Angie Kerber knew how to do that anyway.’

Wilander has encouraged Raducanu not to follow in the path of Alexander Zverev, who worked with former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero for a short time before turning to experienced coach Ivan Lendl at an early age which also didn’t last long.

He…