EMMA’S ON THE RIGHT DRAC
Raducanu charms fans at the Transylvanian Open and reveals plans to coach herself this week
EMMA RADUCANU declared her love for Romania and its people, and then stated she will be coaching herself at the Transylvanian Open this week.
The US Open champion is playing in her father Ian’s homeland and hopes to visit her grandmother Niculina in Bucharest after the event.
And the 18-year-old even addressed the small crowd in Cluj-Napoca in her third language (she also speaks Mandarin) at the end of her practice session with Elena-Gabriela Ruse yesterday.
Fans, including a mascot in a Dracula costume, gave her groundstrokes and Romanian language skills a great reception. It could be the last applause Raducanu gets with fans set to be barred from today because of rising national Covid levels.
Raducanu said on court that she is “proud to be a Romanian” and later added: “I can understand 80 percent of Romanian but I don’t want to big myself up. I love Romania. I used to come once or twice a year to visit my grandmother, who lives in Bucharest. The welcome I got was really nice and I always love coming back.
“The people here are really friendly, great humour and good food. I have great memories from this country. It is really nice to be back.
“When the tournament is done, I’d love to pop over to Bucharest to visit my grandmother. I haven’t seen her for two-and-a-half years.”
Her father is in the Transylvanian capital this week along with her physio Will Herbert and her agent Chris Helliar. But there is no official coach since her split with Andrew Richardson after that incredible New York triumph. She had a trial with Jo Konta’s former coach Esteban Carril last week but he is not here in Romania.
And, asked who will be coaching her this week, the 18-year-old stated: “Myself.”
Raducanu, who will face world No.123 Polona Hercog in the first round tomorrow as she seeks her first win since the US Open, said: “I had a trial with him (Carril) but I also had trials with others. I am feeling optimistic about trying to have something in place for the off-season and the Australian Open. I haven’t decided on the coach. But things are moving forward.
“Having a coach is great. But you are on your own on the court. I don’t think it is great to be dependent.
“You need to coach yourself. That is something I am learning. Part of the experience I am having is being able to learn to coach myself.
“Sometimes it won’t work, like in Indian Wells, but, in the long term, if I keep doing it I will be better in situations in the future.”