Online Reporter
EMMA RADUCANU has axed another tennis coach – this time after just ONE match.
A proposed three-month trial run with Vladimir ‘Vlado’ Platenik began at the Indian Wells Open last week, where she lost in the first round.
And the Slovakian was already out of a job by this week’s event in Miami.
Platenik, 49, was not in Raducanu’s corner as she raced into the second round in Florida with a dominant 6-2 6-1 victory over Japan’s Sayaka Ishii.
The British No.1 — who hit six aces — won her first match since dealing with a stalker at the Dubai Tennis Championships last month.
And for the world No.60, it was her first victory at the tournament on her third attempt.
The former US Open champion has been without a permanent coach since childhood friend Nick Cavaday stepped away for health reasons earlier this year.
And Raducanu, 22, will now be looking for the EIGHTH coach of her young career after Platenik’s exit.
Maybe what did not help was that Vlado gave an interview in his homeland where he revealed he had turned down two approaches in the past three-and-a-half years from Raducanu’s father.
He claimed it was because he considered the job to be “coaching suicide”.
Platenik explained: “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.”
He did however add he was hopeful for the future, saying: “But now she is in a completely different position. She’s already gone through hell, she’s already been through the worst.”
It had been thought they would use the months before the French Open to work on their partnership.
But two weeks on, Raducanu is now without a coach again heading into the European claycourt season.
It is understood the pair parted ways amicably, but quickly realised they were not heading in the same direction — despite just two sets of competitive tennis. —Sun.
