Emma Raducanu has dismissed another tennis coach, this time after only one match.
A trial period with Vladimir ‘Vlado’ Platenik, intended to last three months, began at the Indian Wells Open last week. Raducanu was defeated in the first round of that tournament.
By this week’s Miami event, the Slovakian coach was no longer employed by Raducanu.
Platenik, 49, was absent from Raducanu’s support team as she advanced to the second round in Florida. She achieved a convincing 6-2, 6-1 victory over Sayaka Ishii of Japan.
The British No.1, who served six aces, secured her first victory since dealing with a stalker at the Dubai Tennis Championships last month.
For Raducanu, ranked No.60 globally, this was her first win at the Miami tournament on her third attempt.
The former US Open champion has been without a consistent coach since Nick Cavaday, a childhood friend, stepped down earlier this year due to health reasons.
Raducanu, 22, is now in search of her eighth coach in her relatively short professional career following Platenik’s departure.
Adding to the situation, Platenik gave an interview in Slovakia where he mentioned turning down approaches from Raducanu’s father twice in the past three and a half years.
He stated that he had previously considered the job to be “coaching suicide”.
Platenik clarified, “Emma also approached me in a similar situation right after a great success [in 2021], which is why I said it could be coaching suicide.”
However, he had expressed optimism for the future, noting, “But now she is in a completely different position. She’s already gone through hell, she’s already been through the worst.”
It was anticipated that they would utilize the months leading up to the French Open to develop their partnership.
However, just two weeks later, Raducanu is again without a coach as she enters the European clay-court season.
Sources indicate that the split was amicable. They quickly realized they were not aligned in their approaches, despite only working together for two sets of competitive tennis.
Meanwhile, Emma Navarro, the American No. 8 seed, awaits Raducanu in the second round as she aims to revitalize her season.
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