Has Emma Raducanu FINALLY settled on a coach? 22-year-old star eyes 'long term link' with respected figure who worked with Andy Murray after burning through SEVEN different trainers

Emma Raducanu is in discussions to appoint Mark Petchey as her new head coach, and eighth in the past four years, according to a report.

The 22-year-old Brit worked with Andy Murray's former trainer - who helped the Scot win his first ATP title - at last month's Miami Open, where she was bounced out in the quarter-finals, enjoying a valiant run until her exit.

During the week in Florida, Raducanu played her best tennis in a long time - and she insisted she had some 'really good people' around her who she trusted.

Among the entourage in her coaching box was Petchey - a former top 100 player - as well as another ex-player, Jane O'Donoghue.

Petchey had also worked with Raducanu during the pandemic in 2020, before her meteoric rise to fame, perhaps strengthening her affinity towards him as a coaching option.

The biggest obstacle in the way of the pair uniting on a permanent basis is Petchey's TV commitments towards the Tennis Channel, according to BBC Sport.

His work with the American network would seemingly restrict his availability for much of the year.

The Tennis Channel does not, however, have the rights to cover Wimbledon, meaning Petchey would be available in the grass-court season - Raducanu's favourite turf.

Raducanu prematurely ended her trial with her previous coach Vlado Platenik, after only 14 days and one match.

The Slovak coach arrived in Indian Wells on March 5, the day before Raducanu's first and only match there. And he departed the team the day before her first match in Miami, a 6-2, 6-1 win over Japanese wildcard Sayaka Ishi.

After a week of training in preparation for the Miami Open the partnership, due to run at least through to the end of the French Open in May, ended suddenly.

A statement from Raducanu's team read: 'Emma and Vlado have parted ways. Emma has utmost respect for Vlado and the work they started but it wasn't quite heading in the right direction. Emma is now focused on doing as well as she can here in Miami after her a solid start today and will continue looking for the right coach.'

Platenik said in an interview with Slovak press during Indian Wells that the trial was through to the end of the French Open. In the same interview he referred back to a previous interview when he described the Raducanu job as 'coaching suicide'.

'Emma also approached me in a similar situation right after a great success (winning the 2021 US Open), which is why I said it could be coaching suicide,' Platenik told Slovakian newspaper Dennik N. 'But now she is in a completely different position.'