Emma Raducanu: Former coach Vladimir Platenik says ‘stress’ and ‘pressure’ was behind split after just two weeks
Coach Vladimir Platenik Understands Emma Raducanu’s Decision to Part Ways
Vladimir Platenik has expressed his understanding of Emma Raducanu’s decision to end their coaching trial, acknowledging the British star has been feeling stressed under the weight of expectations.
Raducanu, who worked with Platenik for just two weeks, is once again in search of a new coach following their brief partnership. The split came shortly after her first-round defeat to Moyuka Uchijima at Indian Wells.
Platenik: “Emma Is Under a Lot of Pressure”
Speaking to BBC Sport, Platenik recognized the challenges Raducanu faces in the spotlight after her 2021 US Open triumph.
“I totally understand Emma. She’s not in an easy position. The world is watching her after the US Open, and everyone—including herself—is expecting big things,” he said.
“For me, it’s completely understandable that she’s under a lot of pressure. She told me she was feeling stressed.”
Despite their short-lived partnership, Platenik holds no hard feelings over the decision.
“She ended things in a fair way, maybe too quickly, but that’s tennis. That’s sport. We have to respect it.”
“She wasn’t feeling okay, and that was her decision. I didn’t want to push the conversation further. The player needs to feel good, and they need to make their own choices. Sometimes they’re good, sometimes they’re bad.”
Raducanu’s Coaching Carousel Continues
Frequent coaching changes have become a recurring theme in Raducanu’s career. Though she appeared to find stability with Nick Cavaday after appointing him ahead of the 2024 Australian Open, he stepped aside for health reasons at the start of 2025. Since then, she has not had a permanent coach.
Despite the setback at Indian Wells, Raducanu bounced back this week with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Japanese wild card Sayaka Ishii in the Miami Open first round. She now faces eighth seed Emma Navarro in the second round on Friday, live on Sky Sports Tennis.
Platenik Previously Warned of Coaching Challenges
In an earlier interview with Slovak newspaper Dennik N, Platenik revealed that Raducanu had approached him following her US Open victory, though he described working with her as “coaching suicide.”
“Emma is stressed about the article as well, so her agent commented that it was unfortunate. But I’m not angry,” he said.
“I always tell the truth because tennis is an honest sport. Maybe I was too honest, and not everyone likes that. But at the end of the day, honesty is important in tennis.”
