Emma Raducanu, the reigning US Open champion, has recently partnered with renowned Slovakian coach, Vladimir Platenik, on a trial basis. The young tennis prodigy has been without a permanent coach since Nick Cavaday left her team after the Australian Open. However, Raducanu has continued to receive support from her long-term LTA mentor, Jane O’Donoghue, and youth coach Roman Kelecic, during her Middle East tour.
Now, Raducanu has chosen to collaborate with Platenik, whose impressive coaching resume boasts experience with several WTA Tour players. The veteran coach will be joining Raducanu’s team at the Indian Wells Open. However, whether this alliance will persist beyond the tournament is still uncertain.
Interestingly, Platenik is the seventh coach to work with Raducanu since her career took a meteoric rise in 2021. Others who have previously mentored her include Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov Sebastian Sachs, and Cavaday. Despite receiving criticism for frequently switching coaches, Raducanu remains unfazed, firmly committed to her own approach to the game.
When asked about her ‘ideal coach,’ the 22-year-old tennis star expressed a preference for someone who displays a robust work ethic, genuine passion, and fervor for the game. As someone who doesn’t perceive her long training hours as laborious, Raducanu seeks a coach who shares a similar perspective, someone driven by a hunger to win big titles and achieve the best.
Platenik, aged 49, reached the 392nd spot in the singles rankings and was the Wimbledon boys’ doubles runner-up in 1994. He currently manages his own tennis academy, Platenik Tennis Consulting (PTC). His coaching career took off in 2000 when he trained Ludmila Cervanova and helped her rise from No 130 to No 76. His coaching journey also features successful stints with several other players, including Dominika Cibulkova, Nadia Petrova, Yanina Wickmayer, Polona Hercog, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Daria Kasatkina.
Notably, under Platenik’s tutelage, Kasatkina leaped from No 380 WTA to a career-high of 24, before parting ways in 2018. Platenik also led New Zealand’s Lulu Sun to the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, where she famously bested Raducanu in the fourth round.
In an interview with New Zealand’s The Stuff, Platenik shared his coaching philosophy, emphasizing preparation for high-level tennis and the strategic approach towards participating in both bigger and smaller tournaments.
Platenik’s coaching style contrasts with that of Philippe Dehaes, who focused on opponent analysis and game adaptation. Raducanu, on the other hand, has remained tight-lipped about her strategy towards studying her opponents. This new partnership with Platenik might add a fresh perspective to her coaching regime.
As the Indian Wells Open unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the 2021 US Open champion will continue her coaching journey with Platenik. Regardless of the outcome, Raducanu’s candidness about her ideal coach’s qualities offers an intriguing insight into her approach towards the game.