U.S. Open champ Emma Raducanu splits with coach Torben Beltz after five months together

Perhaps all-time tennis great John McEnroe had a point in January when he openly questioned 19-year-old Emma Raducanu parting ways with coach Andrew Richardson following her shocking U.S. Open triumph so that she could work with a coach more experienced with the largest events on the WTA Tour. 

Raducanu ultimately selected Torben Beltz, who previously coached three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber, but ESPN's Tom Hamilton and Sky Sports noted Tuesday that she has split from Beltz ahead of this week's Madrid Open after just five months of working together. Per Hamilton, Lawn Tennis Association coach Iain Bates will work with Raducanu in Madrid and may continue to do so through the French Open that gets underway on May 22. 

"I want to thank Torben for his coaching, professionalism and dedication over last half a year," Raducanu said in a statement shared by media outlets. "He has a huge heart and I have enjoyed our strong chemistry during the time together.

"I feel the best direction for my development is to transition to a new training model with the LTA supporting in the interim."

Raducanu recently notched two consecutive victories at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix before she fell to Iga Swiatek, but her performance in that tournament helped her climb to a career-best world No. 11 in the WTA rankings. According to Sky Sports, Raducanu will now be looking for her fourth full-time coach in less than a year.

"I don't know why she then decided to change coaches," McEnroe said of Raducanu in January. "You would think if a coach took her to the U.S. Open Championship that you wouldn't say that I need a new coach."