Feeling the Heat: Dismissed Coach ‘Taken Aback’ by Harsh One-Match Decision on Raducanu

Coach Vladimir Platenik has disclosed that his collaboration with Emma Raducanu has come to an end, primarily due to the immense stress and pressure the British tennis player is currently facing.

A representative confirmed the split shortly after the 22-year-old secured a straight-sets victory against Japan’s Sayaka Ishii at the Miami Open on Wednesday.

Platenik’s engagement with Raducanu was set as a two-week trial; however, the 49-year-old Slovak was not present for her match against the Japanese teenager.

This trial reportedly commenced at Indian Wells after Raducanu’s first-round defeat to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.

Platenik expressed that he was “absolutely surprised” by Raducanu’s decision to terminate their partnership after such a brief period, but he is “not angry” about her choice.

“I completely understand Emma; she is under a lot of scrutiny,” Platenik told BBC Sport.

“Since her win at the US Open [in 2021], expectations have been high, both from the public and herself, regarding what she will accomplish next.

“It’s entirely reasonable for her to feel this pressure. She confided in me about her stress.

“There are no hard feelings from my side. She ended the partnership fairly, perhaps a bit too swiftly, but that’s the nature of tennis, and we need to honour that.

“She wasn’t feeling quite right, and that was her choice. I didn’t wish to delve deeper into that. Ultimately, a player needs to feel comfortable and empowered to make such decisions. Sometimes they could be right, while at other times they might lead to regret.

“I hope she gained something positive from my support.”

Platenik mentioned that Raducanu’s father, Ian, reached out to him at the end of last month, seeking a recommendation for a coach.

Raducanu has found it challenging to secure a suitable replacement for her long-time mentor Nick Cavaday, who stepped aside for health reasons following the Australian Open this year.

According to her team, the split was amicable, and the relationship “wasn’t quite heading in the right direction”.

“Emma holds Vlado in the highest regard,” a spokesperson stated.

“Emma is currently concentrating on performing her best in Miami after a solid start today and will continue her search for the right coach.”

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Earlier this month, Platenik shared with Slovakian media that he had declined two previous offers to coach Raducanu, perceiving the role as “coaching suicide” at that time.

“Emma approached me shortly after her tremendous success at the 2021 US Open, which is why I viewed it as risky,” Platenik told the Slovak newspaper Dennik N.

“However, her circumstances have changed significantly. She has already endured a lot and come through a challenging period.”

World No. 60 Raducanu, who is set to face America’s Emma Navarro in the second round in Miami, is now on the lookout for her eighth coach.

The young Brit has faced a tumultuous year to date, highlighted by an unsettling incident involving a fan during a match at the Dubai Tennis Championships.