Emma Raducanu is reconnecting with a familiar face as she prepares to return to the tour. The 23-year-old former US Open champion has reunited with Andrew Richardson—the coach who guided her to that stunning 2021 title run as an 18-year-old qualifier in New York.

Raducanu recently completed a short training block at the Ferrer Academy near Benidorm, Spain, where Richardson now serves as tennis director. The academy was founded by David Ferrer, the former world number three and French Open finalist. According to her team, Raducanu specifically wanted to practice on European clay ahead of upcoming tournaments, and her long history with Richardson—who also coached her during her junior career—made the academy a natural choice.

For now, there are no firm plans for the two to work together beyond this training stint. But the timing is significant: Raducanu is set to train at the Foro Italico in Rome this Saturday, hoping to be fit for next week's Italian Open. It would mark her first competitive action since early March, when she played at Indian Wells.

Her schedule has been disrupted by a viral illness that forced her to skip the Miami Open, and she also opted out of clay events in Linz and Madrid to focus on recovery. Since parting ways with coach Francisco Roig after the Australian Open, Raducanu has relied on Alexis Canter for regular support. She admitted in Indian Wells that while her mind is "open" to hiring another full-time coach, she's wary of the intense scrutiny that follows every decision she makes.

When Raducanu captured the 2021 US Open without dropping a single set, Richardson was there in the coaching box. He had only joined her team after Wimbledon that summer, replacing Nigel Sears. But following her historic triumph, Raducanu and her family decided they needed a more experienced WTA coach, and Richardson's contract wasn't renewed.

Now, as she eyes a return to clay, Raducanu is scheduled to practice with Germany's Eva Lys in Rome on Saturday afternoon. As a seeded player, she'd receive a first-round bye, meaning she wouldn't need to take the court until Thursday at the earliest. Beyond Rome, there are still WTA tournaments in Strasbourg and Rabat before the French Open kicks off on May 24—giving her valuable opportunities to build momentum on the dirt.