In the realm of professional tennis, the most recent coach to part ways with their player is Emma Raducanu His camp has received nothing but a dismissive glance.

The renowned British celebrity’s tendency to work without assistance is well-known, and when 49-year-old Slovakian coach Vladimir Platenik took up his new position just two weeks ago, he was fully aware of what he was getting into. Having coached previous top-tier athletes like Dominika Cibulkova and Daria Kastakina, Platenik entered this role knowing exactly what challenges lay ahead.

It was evident when, shortly after joining, he granted an unwise interview to a local daily paper in Bratislava, where he disclosed that he had two times pondered collaborating with Raducanu but ultimately decided it would be ‘professional suicide’.

Platenik's remarks sparked surprise among many circles, particularly due to how they highlighted the significant influence that tennis player Raducanu's father, Ian, had in selecting her coaching staff.

I reached out to Ian asking if they had any candidates, since I was aware of their longer-term interest in me," explained Platenik about taking over from his predecessor, Nick Cavaday. "In response, her father mentioned that they did not have anyone else and were interested in giving me a chance.

He told me he was searching for a coach capable of developing shots. While there are numerous high-caliber coaches active in the circuit, many lack development experience.

Indeed, I notice that they frequently replace their coaches. Nonetheless, my aim is to assist Emma. If both sides acknowledge my success, I think the relationship will endure for a greater length of time.

Rather than continue, Platenik quickly left the revolving door of the Raducanu team, with the trial initially scheduled to last until this summer’s conclusion. French Open coming to a stop after only 14 days. If the Slovak can find comfort, it is in knowing that he is not alone among the many coaches whose careers have ended up discarded, following in the footsteps of the former US Open champion who has amassed numerous failed coaching attempts.

Nigel Sears (from April through July 2021)

Nigel Sears, who is Andy Murray's father-in-law, was present in Raducanu's box when she took her initial significant steps on the global tennis scene during Wimbledon in 2021.

Given his past experience coaching high-ranking athletes such as Ana Ivanovic, Anett Kontaveit, and Amanda Coetzer—all former top-three players—the seasoned British mentor was unlikely to be intimidated by Raducanu's remarkable progression into the round of 16.

Barely out of the exam hall where she had sat her A-levels only two months earlier, the 18-year-old's victims in SW19 included Marketa Vondrousova, a future Wimbledon champion, and the gifted if unpredictable Romanian Sorana Cirstea.

She possesses all the required traits and is driven as well as keen to acquire knowledge," Sears stated about Raducanu following her second victory. "She has clear ambitions and is determined to achieve them. I believe that with suitable chances and increased match practice, she will advance considerably.

'It all depends on her as to how far she progresses. To be honest, I believe there are no limits for her.'

Actually, round four marked the end: Raducanu withdrew due to respiratory issues when she was behind Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 3-0, and just two weeks later, Sears departed as well.

Andrew Richardson (From July to September 2021)

Given his tenure as the former head coach at the Bromley Tennis Centre, where he played a crucial part in shaping Raducanu's early career, Andrew Richardson naturally stepped into the position left open by Sears.

As a former player standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall, Richardson achieved his highest global ranking of 133. He is most renowned for reaching the third round of Wimbledon in 1997 after receiving a wildcard entry. Later, he would go on to achieve far more significant accomplishments when coaching Raducanu. fairytale run From US Open qualifier to US Open winner.

Considering his success – as well as his personal acquaintance with Raducanu and her playing style – it was widely expected that Richardson’s nine-week trial contract would be extended permanently. However, two weeks later, he got a call from Raducanu's agent notifying him that he had been dismissed.

I was eager to renegotiate the contract," Richardson subsequently disclosed. "I wished to continue, and I had a strategy that I intended to implement for Emma.

Torben Beltz (from November 2021 to April 2022)

A seasoned veteran in coaching, German mentor Torben Beltz led his compatriot Angelique Kerber, a previous world No. 1, to victory at both the Australian and US Opens.

Raducanu welcomed Beltz's credentials and accomplishments upon his appointment, stating it was "a tremendous honor to collaborate with someone so seasoned."

"He can assist me in navigating this, and I am quite confident about it, plus he is an incredibly upbeat and cheerful person," she mentioned.

He likely appeared somewhat less enthusiastic upon entering the room five months later, after witnessing Raducanu secure only five victories out of their twelve joint efforts.

The partnership had begun inauspiciously when Raducanu contracted Covid ahead of a planned pre-season training block, and she was frequently injured in the months that followed.

Yet Raducanu had spoken positively of their work together, and the departure of a third coach in less than a year caught many by surprise, particularly straight after an encouraging run to the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Open, her first clay-court event as a professional.

Dmitry Tursunov (From July to October 2022)

When Beltz left to train Kontaveit, another ex-coach from Estonia was brought onboard: Dmitry Tursunov, the previous Russian tennis star who claimed seven ATP titles and attained a peak ranking of No. 20.

The omens were positive. Following their partnership prior to the last year's US Open, Tursunov helped Kontaveit secure her first championship in four years, igniting an impressive streak of achievements. This led Kontaveit to climb from World No. 30 to reach number 2 globally, claiming five titles and earning her maiden berth in the concluding WTA Finals during this period.

Unfortunately, the Russian was unable to assist Raducanu in the same way. After Beltz left, she reached out to several coaches for guidance, including Iain Bates, who heads up women’s tennis at the LTA, Louis Cayer, the British governing body’s senior performance advisor, and her long-time mentor Jane O’Donoghue.

Raducanu's attempt to defend her US Open title concluded in the first round after losing to Alizé Cornet from France. By October, Tursunov had departed as well. However, what made this exit distinct was that he chose to leave voluntarily, hinting vaguely about certain red flags that were impossible to disregard.

Sebastian Sachs (from December 2022 to June 2023)

As Tursunov left after discussing the necessity for Raducanu "to adopt a single approach and stick with it," Sebastian Sachs, a 30-year-old German coach who has formerly collaborated with Victoria Azarenka and Belinda Bencic, joined on an interim basis.

Although his professional journey didn't advance past the Futures circuit, Sachs brought along an impressively quiet yet significant collection of coaching achievements, particularly notable for steering Bencic toward claiming a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Raducanu initially praised his soothing presence, yet despite reaching the fourth round at Indian Wells, a rift inevitably emerged when he opted for surgeries on both hands and an ankle to address recurring injuries.

"I've truly appreciated Seb’s coaching and collaborating with him; however, unforeseen circumstances have made it impractical for either of us to proceed at this time, so we’ve chosen to go our separate ways," she posted on X.

Nick Cavaday (From January 2024 to January 2025)

Should Richardson be considered the most successful coach to have worked with Raducanu, she faces competition from 38-year-old Nick Cavaday, who was also one of her early coaches during childhood.

Over a span of 14 months, it seemed like the British player ranked second had at last found someone with whom she could build a successful and enduring collaboration. Expressing excitement about this partnership, Raducanu saw her persistent injury issues start to improve, allowing her ranking to rise again. She then put together a series of consistent performances, which helped her regain a spot within the top 100 players.

This streak of successes encompassed quarterfinal appearances on various surfaces—in Stuttgart, Eastbourne, Washington, and South Korea—along with a semifinal run in Nottingham and yet another round-of-16 showing at Wimbledon.

However, unseen health problems led Cavaday to terminate the collaboration in January.

I'm extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Emma these past 14 months," stated Cavaday. "Currently, it's essential for me to dedicate additional time to my family and focus on achieving complete wellness, which can be challenging due to our busy schedule.

'I am glad Emma is back to being established on tour now with a ranking inside the top 60, and I look forward to seeing what she does from here.'

(Vladimir Platenik from March 6 to March 19, 2025)

As we now understand, after her initial actions, Raducanu decided to hire and soon release Platenik from her team. had been surviving on borrowed time ever since he gave that unfortunate interview.

Not for the first time, the parting of the ways was sudden, with Platenik failing to appear in Raducanu's box for her 6-2, 6-1 victory over Sayaka Ishii, the world No 188, at the Miami Open. The pair had earlier been seen in intense conversation.

Emma and Vlado have gone their separate ways," stated Raducanu’s management team. "Emma greatly respects Vlado and acknowledges the efforts made so far, yet feels the relationship isn’t progressing as intended.

'Emma is currently concentrating on performing to the best of her ability in Miami following a strong start today, and plans to keep searching for an appropriate coach.'

It was ever thus.

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