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Emma Raducanu wouldn't exactly claim her 2026 has got off to the high-flying start she would've hoped for. The British No. 1 was dumped out of the Australian Open in the second round by Anastasia Potapova, meaning her third-round match in 2025 remains her best effort in Melbourne.

While Raducanu will be disappointed with her early exit, her comments on her current playstyle have rung alarm bells regarding her working relationships. The 2021 US Open winner seemed to aim a very vague dig at her coach Francisco Roig, stating she'd like to play "in a different way" on the court. She said: "I want to be playing a different way.

"I just want to hit the ball to the corners and hard. I feel like I'm doing all this variety, and it's not doing what I want it to do.

"I need to work on playing in a way more similar to how I was playing when I was younger. I always just changed direction, took the ball early, and went for it.

"I think I do have the ability to do many things on the court, but I feel like [even] as I'm learning all those skills, I need to stick to my guns a bit as well."

So, where does Raducanu go from here? She could shrug off the Grand Slam loss and continue to work with Roig, whose experience working with Rafael Nadal proves he is used to teaching winners how to win.

Or, a reunion with Mark Petchey could be on the cards after the pair seemed to work well together in 2025. During his four-month stint as her coach, Raducanu made two runs to the quarter-finals at the Miami Open and Queen's, as well as showcasing a very aggressive and competitive side at Wimbledon.

The relationship between the duo remains amicable, as Petchey told The Big T Podcast that he'd be in the Brit's corner forever. He said: "Emma and I never fell out. It just got to the point where I felt I couldn't be the number one coach.

"I'm happy for her. We still chat, we're still in good communication, she'll still run some stuff past me. I'll help her forever, I'll take a bullet for her."

Grand Slam winner Andy Murray could be another choice in the coaches box after he fiercely defended the 23-year-old from critics. Offering his advice, the former Wimbledon champion said: "If you've got an ex-British No 1 or an ex-world No 1 saying they don't agree with how you hit your forehand or the strategy you use in matches, it can be a bit undermining.

"I know pundits have to do that, but it's really not helpful for young players, in particular, who maybe are not able to block that out and trust their coaches. If any of the younger British players ever want to talk to me privately, I would always do that."

The pair were set to join forces at Wimbledon in 2024 for the mixed doubles but Raducanu pulled out to focus on her women's singles chances. While this caused some tension, Murray insists they are "fine" after clearing the air.

The 38-year-old briefly worked with rival Novak Djokovic and admitted it was "extremely challenging," but hinted that he would return to coaching "at some stage" in the future.

Or, should Raducanu just get rid of any outside influence and solely trust her instincts on the court? Dan Kiernan certainly thinks so, as he urges the Brit to "learn what she needs" to learn on her own time.

Kiernan, who coaches two-time US Open doubles winner Gaby Dabrowski, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "That would tell me that relationship probably doesn't have too much longer to go. If I was to advise her what to do, I would say to go and do six months without a coach.

"I think she needs to go out there and learn what she needs. Go and play the game she wants to play, express herself how she wants to express herself, and make some mistakes herself without everyone over her."

Whatever Raducanu chooses to do, she at least has a full season of tennis ahead of her to fashion a comeback to the pinnacle of the sport. That US Open triumph is feeling very long ago and the 23-year-old will be desperate to prove doubters wrong.