Emma Raducanu peeled back the curtain on her fresh gig with trial coach Vlado Platenik after a rocky Indian Wells debut. The British No. 2 revealed Wednesday that the Slovakian would join her on a test run—just 24 hours before her first-round flop.
The 22-year-old crashed out in her earliest-ever Indian Wells exit, falling 6-3, 6-2 to Moyuka Uchijima. Post-match, she admitted Platenik—spotted in her box—hadn’t even had time to dig in. “We’ve barely started,” she said. “He got here right before the match—no big tweaks yet.”
Since ditching Nick Cavaday in January, the world No. 55 has juggled childhood coaches and LTA staff for one-off stints. Still hunting a long-term fit, she tapped Platenik for Indian Wells, but their desert dance ended fast with Thursday’s loss.
“It’s super early with him,” Raducanu said. “He’s serious, pro, all business. We’ll see where it goes.” Cavaday, her first steady coach since her 2021 US Open breakout, bailed for health reasons, leaving her adrift. “Lots went down since Australia,” she noted. “Having someone seasoned like Vlado’s good—I’m excited to test it out, step by step, no looking back.”
Their work’s on hold, but Raducanu’s clear on her gaps. “Starting points—I’ve got to sharpen that. It’s huge in tennis,” she said. “More aggression, better shots, pushing forward.” Grinning, she added, “Honestly, after today, every damn thing needs work.”
Next up: Miami Open later this month—Platenik’s trial still in play.
