Despite her abrupt exit from the first round at Indian Wells, British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu is not rushing to conclusions about her newly appointed coach, Vladimir Platenik. The Slovakian trainer, who has a notable history of working with esteemed players such as Dominika Cibulkova and Daria Kasatkina, only recently joined Raducanu’s team, leaving little time for substantial groundwork.
Earlier this week, the British media unveiled the news of Platenik’s trial-based inclusion in the 2021 US Open champion’s team. The following day, Raducanu, ranked 55th in the world, faced a disappointing defeat in her inaugural Indian Wells match, losing 3-6 2-6 to Moyuka Uchijima.
Reacting to her loss, Raducanu was queried about her initial impressions of her new coach and their rapport both on and off the court. Addressing this, she acknowledged that their professional engagement was extremely recent, with Platenik joining her a day before the match. This left little room for any significant changes or strategies. As Raducanu put it, their “proper work” is yet to commence.
She further characterized Platenik as a serious and professional individual who gets on with his responsibilities. However, she emphasized the need to observe how their professional relationship unfolds, saying, “we’ll see how it goes.”
Raducanu’s coaching team saw a significant change when Nick Cavaday, her previous coach, had to step down due to health complications. Following his exit, the 22-year-old Briton expressed her intent to patiently wait for the “right fit” before introducing a replacement. In light of these developments, Platenik’s entry is viewed as a promising step towards stability.
Raducanu expressed positivity about her collaboration with Platenik, appreciating his extensive experience and anticipating their future work together. She said, “It’s good that I have someone who is very experienced here. And we’ll see how the work goes and how we get on as well on and off the court and the methods and everything. So I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes.”
As Raducanu’s journey at Indian Wells ended prematurely, she now has a 10-day respite alongside Platenik to strategize and prepare before she steps back onto the court for the Miami Open.
