Emma Raducanu has once again changed tennis coaches, this time after only one match with Vladimir `Vlado` Platenik.
Their trial period, intended to last three months, began at the Indian Wells Open. However, following her first-round defeat there, the partnership has already concluded.
Platenik was absent from Raducanu`s player box at the Miami Open this week, where she progressed to the second round with a convincing 6-2, 6-1 victory against Sayaka Ishii of Japan.
This win, during which the British No.1 served six aces, was her first since dealing with a stalker incident at the Dubai Tennis Championships the previous month.
For Raducanu, currently ranked No.60 in the world, it also marked her first ever victory at the Miami tournament on her third attempt.
The former US Open champion has been seeking a permanent coach since Nick Cavaday, a childhood friend, stepped down earlier in the year due to health concerns.
Raducanu, aged 22, is now in search of her eighth coach in her relatively short professional career following her split with Platenik.
Adding to the unusual circumstances, Platenik had previously described the potential coaching role with Raducanu as “coaching suicide” in an interview in his native Slovakia. He mentioned turning down approaches from Raducanu’s father in the past three and a half years due to this concern.
Platenik explained that he had been approached by Raducanu previously, even after her major success in 2021, leading him to believe it could be detrimental to his coaching career.
However, he had expressed optimism more recently, stating, “But now she is in a completely different position. She’s already gone through hell, she’s already been through the worst.”
The plan was reportedly to utilize the period leading up to the French Open to develop their coach-player relationship.
However, just two weeks later, Raducanu is once again without a coach as she enters the European clay court season.
Sources indicate that the separation was amicable, with both parties quickly realizing a misalignment in their approaches, despite only working together for a very brief period of competitive play.
In the Miami Open second round, Raducanu is set to face American No.8 seed Emma Navarro as she aims to jumpstart her season.
