Emma Raducanu was warned over a potential rules breach during her match against Aryna Sabalenka, after the British star received vocal support from her new coach Francisco Roig.
Raducanu was narrowly beaten 7-6 (6-2), 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) by world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the Cincinnati Open on Monday.
The British star battled impressively as she came close to her biggest victory since her shock US Open triumph back in 2021.
Raducanu had also overcome a bizarre incident when she asked for a crying child to be ejected from the stadium when she was serving in a crucial stage of the second set.
The star discussed the issue with the umpire, marking the second issue between the pair during the match.
Raducanu had early been warned by the chair umpire following a discussion with Roig, who was formerly part of Rafael Nadal’s set-up and was last week confirmed as the eighth coach of her still young career.
Emma Raducanu received advice by her new coach Francisco Roig against Aryna Sabalenka
Raducanu was warned by the umpire that she was not allowed to directly go to her coach
The British star quickly admitted her mistake but claimed she could not heat her new coach
Raducanu had received vocal encouragement and advice from the Spaniard throughout the contest, which peaked during the closing stages of the first set.
The 22-year-old was seen jogging over to Roig when she led 5-4 at a changeover.
As Raducanu sat back down after the conversation, the chair umpire said: ‘Emma, you cannot actively approach him and he cannot leave his position.
‘You know that. You cannot have a conversation.’
Raducanu then responded: ‘I can’t hear anything because the music is really loud.’
‘Then he needs to speak louder but you cannot actively approach him, he cannot leave the position, he needs to stay where he is and you cannot actively go towards him,’ the umpire continued. ‘You cannot actively go at the end of a game especially.’
Raducanu quickly acknowledged her mistake, stating ‘Okay, sorry, I didn’t know that. Can you tell someone to tell him? I can’t say it like now.’
The umpire informed Raducanu she could pass on the information to Roig the next time she was at his end of the court.
Raducanu and Roig’s erred with the discussion not considered discreet under the rules
The Spanish coach had been vocal in encouraging Raducanu and offering tactical advice
Roig, who was formerly part of Rafael Nadal’s team, is the eighth coach of Raducanu’s career
Raducanu showed impressive form but was narrowly beaten by world No1 Aryna Sabalenka
Unlike in previous seasons, players are allowed to receive on-court coaching during matches under new rules introduced at the start of the 2025 season following a successful trial.
Under the rules, coaching is only allowed between points, at the change of ends and breaks between sets.
For coaching between points, communication may be verbal when the coach and player is at the same end of the court or by hand signals. Coaching between points is required to be brief and discreet, with Raducanu’s visible discussion with Roig contravening the rules.
Roig had been vocal throughout, talking to his new charge after almost every point and offering up both encouragement and sharp, specific tactical instruction.
‘You have to be brave and calm,’ Roig said in the early stages. ‘Vamos. Believe’.
‘If you take this set, the match is yours,’ Roig had said at 2-1 in the second set, after the British star lost the opener on a tie break.
The pair learned from their telling off by the umpire, when Raducanu returned to have an in-depth discussion with Roig during the break between the second and third sets.
‘You are better than her,’ Roig said. ‘Now you are more relaxed your serve is better. In the second set your serve was very good.’
Raducanu has recently admitted she has needed to work on her serve as she builds towards the US Open.
Roig and Raducanu also had a tactical discussion about her return position, while the Spaniard also reinforced the message that she needed to be ‘brave’.
Raducanu had complained to the umpire about a child repeatedly crying in the crowd
The umpire asked Raducanu incredulously if she wanted the child to be kicked out
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Raducanu would ultimately suffer an agonising defeat in a third set tie break, the 17th Sabalenka has won out of her past 18.
The tie break had followed the discussion between Raducanu and the umpire over the possible removal of a child, whose cries in the stands had distracted the British star.
‘It’s been, like, 10 minutes,’ Raducanu had said., with the official replying: ‘It’s a child. Do you want me to kick the child out of the stadium?
Raducanu shrugged but some fans shouted up ‘yes’ on her behalf before the Brit indicated her agreement.
‘I can call in, but we need to continue for the moment,’ the umpire explained during a break in play.