In the fast-paced world of professional tennis, where coaching changes can be as frequent as the seasons, Emma Raducanu has once again made headlines—not for her on-court triumphs, but for a swift and surprising split from her latest coach, Vlado Platenik. The Slovakian veteran, who had only been in Raducanu’s corner for a mere 14 days, found himself out of a job just as the 22-year-old British star began her campaign at the Miami Open on March 19, 2025. Despite the brevity of their partnership, Platenik left with glowing praise for the former US Open champion, claiming, “I’ve never had a player improve as fast as Emma.” It’s a statement that underscores the whirlwind nature of their collaboration and adds a layer of intrigue to Raducanu’s ongoing quest for stability in her career.
The story began two weeks earlier at Indian Wells, where Platenik, a 49-year-old coach with an impressive resume, joined Raducanu on a trial basis. Known for guiding players like Daria Kasatkina and Dominika Cibulkova to the upper echelons of the sport, he arrived just a day before Raducanu’s first-round match against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima. That encounter ended in disappointment, with Raducanu falling in straight sets—a shaky start to what was meant to be a promising partnership. With only one training session squeezed in before the match, there was little time to establish a rhythm. “We haven’t actually started proper work,” Raducanu admitted at the time, hinting at the challenges of integrating a new coach so abruptly. Yet, Platenik saw potential beneath the surface, and their eight or nine days of practice together left him optimistic about her trajectory.
Fast forward to Miami, and the plot thickened. Raducanu took to the court against another Japanese player, 19-year-old wildcard Sayaka Ishii, and delivered a commanding 6-2, 6-1 victory. It was her first win since a troubling run of six losses in seven matches, a streak that had cast a shadow over her season. Notably absent from her player’s box, however, was Platenik. The night before, a phone call had ended their collaboration, with Raducanu’s team later explaining, “Emma has utmost respect for Vlado and the work they started, but it wasn’t quite heading in the right direction.” For a player who has cycled through seven coaches in four years, this rapid parting—after just one match together—revived familiar questions about her approach to mentorship and the pressures she faces as a Grand Slam winner navigating her early twenties.
Platenik, for his part, remained gracious despite the sudden exit. Reflecting on their brief time together, he highlighted the strides they made in refining Raducanu’s game. “We worked a bit differently than she was used to,” he said, pointing to specific improvements in her footwork positioning and serve mechanics. The higher toss on her serve and a more aggressive kick on her second delivery were tweaks he believed could elevate her performance. “Now she can use the kick-serve more and be more aggressive even on second serve,” he noted, adding that her match against Ishii was “a very clean match technically and tactically.” In his eyes, Raducanu’s potential is boundless. “If she can keep stabilizing those things we were working on, she can get back into the world’s top 20,” he predicted, drawing a comparison to 17-year-old Russian phenom Mirra Andreeva, who has recently dazzled with titles in Dubai and Indian Wells. “I am always careful about setting limits. If a girl is working, there are no limits.”
The split, though abrupt, wasn’t without context. Raducanu’s career has been a rollercoaster since her fairy-tale US Open victory in 2021, marked by injuries, inconsistent results, and a revolving door of coaches. Her previous long-term coach, Nick Cavaday, stepped down in January 2025 due to health issues after guiding her back into the top 100 in 2024. Platenik’s arrival was meant to fill that void, and he brought a wealth of experience—along with a candid perspective. He’d once described the prospect of coaching Raducanu after her US Open triumph as “coaching suicide,” a remark he revisited in a recent interview, noting her current position was far different from that peak moment. “I understand that she is under a lot of pressure, and it’s not easy for her, so I respect her decision,” he said of their parting, acknowledging the stress she’s endured, including a recent stalking ordeal that rattled her focus.
As Raducanu powered through her Miami opener, supported instead by LTA coach Colin Beecher and childhood mentor Jane O’Donoghue, she expressed relief at the result. “I’m very pleased to have got through that,” she said, calling Ishii a “dangerous” opponent and praising her own competitiveness. “It hasn’t been easy for me coming into this, but I think I put out a really good performance.” Her next challenge looms large: a second-round clash with eighth seed Emma Navarro, a steady American in fine form. “It’s going to be an extremely challenging match,” Raducanu admitted, relishing the chance to “express myself and compete for every point.” She even added a personal touch, noting Navarro’s likability: “She’s someone I warm to and would like to say ‘hello’ to, so it will be a double Emma whenever we play.”
For now, Raducanu’s search for the right coach continues, with no timeline set for her next appointment. Platenik, meanwhile, walks away with no bitterness, only pride in the progress they achieved in their fleeting alliance. “I really like her progress,” he said, leaving the door open for her to climb back toward the elite ranks she once stunned. In a sport where resilience is as crucial as talent, this chapter—however brief—adds another twist to Raducanu’s compelling narrative, one that keeps fans and observers guessing about what’s next for the young star.