In the ever-turbulent world of professional tennis, Emma Raducanu’s journey continues to captivate and confound in equal measure. The 22-year-old British star, whose meteoric rise to fame came with her stunning 2021 US Open triumph, has once again made headlines—not for a dazzling victory, but for parting ways with yet another coach. This time, it’s Vladimir “Vlado” Platenik, a seasoned Slovakian tactician, who lasted a mere two weeks in her camp before the partnership unraveled. As Raducanu storms into the quarterfinals of the Miami Open in March 2025, she’s peeled back the curtain on why this latest collaboration fizzled so fast, offering a glimpse into the pressures and perfectionism that define her career.
The split came as a shock to many, given the promise Platenik brought to the table. At 49, he’s no stranger to the upper echelons of the sport, having guided players like Daria Kasatkina and Dominika Cibulkova to impressive heights. Raducanu announced their trial partnership just before the Indian Wells tournament earlier this month, where Platenik watched her fall in the first round to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima. Yet, by the time she took the court in Miami for a commanding 6-2, 6-1 win over wildcard Sayaka Ishii, Platenik was conspicuously absent from her box. Instead, familiar faces like LTA coach Colin Beecher and long-time advisor Jane O’Donoghue flanked her, signaling the abrupt end of another coaching chapter.
So, what went wrong? Raducanu, speaking after her Miami victory, didn’t shy away from the question. “I think the work that we did before the tournament, I mean, it wasn’t long—maybe two weeks, ten days—but we did some really good work,” she said, her tone a mix of gratitude and pragmatism. She credited Platenik’s expertise for the early dividends she’s reaping on court, particularly in her serve—a notorious trouble spot that plagued her with 24 double faults across three matches at the Australian Open earlier this year. In Miami, she’s dropped just one double fault, a testament to the tweaks they made together. “He’s a great coach. He’s so experienced. He’s worked with so many players and brought them up to the top,” she added, her respect for him clear despite the split.
But beneath the praise lies the crux of the matter: timing and fit. “For me, it just wasn’t right at the time,” Raducanu confessed, hinting at a deeper struggle to find her footing amid the whirlwind of expectations that have swirled since her Grand Slam glory. The decision, she explained, wasn’t about Platenik’s ability but about her own need for comfort and familiarity in a season already fraught with transition. After losing her childhood coach Nick Cavaday to health issues in January, Raducanu has been on a quest for stability—a quest that’s seen her cycle through seven coaches in four years. Platenik, despite his credentials, didn’t mesh with her at this precise moment. “I’m not sure going forward,” she mused, leaving the door ajar for future possibilities while embracing the present with her trusted inner circle.
That inner circle—O’Donoghue, Beecher, and others who’ve known her since before her US Open heroics—has been her rock in Miami. “Having people that I’ve known for a very long time, since before the US Open, just those familiar faces, I think is the most valuable thing for this week at least,” she said. It’s a stark contrast to the intensity Platenik brought, which, while effective, may have amplified the pressure she’s under. The Slovakian himself has spoken out, revealing he was stunned by the split, delivered via a phone call from her team the night before her Miami opener. He’d marveled at her rapid improvement—“I’ve never seen a player improve that fast in one week”—but acknowledged the stress she’s grappling with, a burden he believes stems from the unrelenting spotlight post-2021.
Raducanu’s coaching carousel has long been a talking point, with critics pointing to her perfectionism and high expectations as the driving forces behind these frequent changes. Yet, in Miami, she’s proving that turmoil off the court doesn’t always derail her on it. Her straight-sets dismantling of Ishii and subsequent wins have propelled her to the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time, a milestone that’s lifted her to World No. 60 and counting. Facing eighth seed Emma Navarro next, she’s relishing the challenge. “It’s going to be extremely tough, but I can go out and express myself,” she said, her confidence buoyed by a relaxed yet focused environment.
As the tennis world watches, Raducanu’s story remains one of resilience amid chaos. The Platenik experiment may have been brief, but its echoes linger in her sharper serve and renewed swagger. For now, she’s leaning on the familiar to navigate the unfamiliar, a young star still searching for the perfect guide to match her boundless potential. Whether that guide emerges soon or later, one thing is certain: Raducanu’s journey—flawed, fascinating, and fiercely her own—is far from over.
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