Emma Raducanu’s candid comments about ideal qualities in a coach
Emma Raducanu has teamed up with Vladimir Platenik as the Slovakian has joined her on a trial basis, but she has made some interesting remarks about her ideal coach ahead of their first tournament.
The 2021 US Open champion has been without a full-time coach since Nick Cavaday’s departure after the Australian Open with her long-term LTA mentor Jane O’Donoghue and youth coach Roman Kelecic offering temporary support during the Middle East swing.
But Raducanu has now turned to Platenik – who comes with an extensive coaching CV as he has worked with several players on the WTA Tour – as he will be part of her staff at the Indian Wells Open, but it remains to be seen if it will be a long-term appointment.
The Slovak is the seventh different coach that Raducanu has worked with since she made her breakthrough in 2021 as Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov Sebastian Sachs and Cavaday are the other men to have mentored her.
Despite criticism of her constant chopping and changing of coaches, Raducanu has always stuck to her guns as she is determined to do things her way.
Raducanu’s Ideal Coach
So what exactly does the 22-year-old want in a coach?
“I would say work ethic, and a genuine passion and enthusiasm for what they do,” she told BBC Sport ahead of the Indian Wells Open. “I’m the kind of person who does have very long training days but it does not feel like work to me.
“I’d say someone who doesn’t necessarily view what they do as work, someone who genuinely has that drive and hunger to achieve the best and win big titles.
“I think that’s something that a lot of people say they have, but don’t necessarily have. You can feel it, and I think with me I am a very feelings-based person.”
What About Platenik’s Approach?
The 49-year-old, who peaked at No 392 in the singles rankings and finished runner-up in the Wimbledon boys’ doubles event in 1994, has his own tennis academy called Platenik Tennis Consulting (PTC).
According to his website, Ludmila Cervanova was the first player he coached from 2000-2001 and he helped her to rise from No 130 to No 76.
He coached two more Slovakian players before teaming up with another compatriot in Dominika Cibulkova in 2007 and under his guidance she jumped from No 158 to No 12 and also reached the 2009 French Open semi-final.
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They parted ways later in 2009 and Platenik then had stints with Nadia Petrova, Yanina Wickmayer, Polona Hercog and Ajla Tomljanovic, among others, before he was appointed Daria Kasatkina’s full-time coach in 2015.
The Russian started out at No 380 WTA and reached a high of 24 while under his tutelage, but they went their separate ways in 2018.
He has since worked with Anhelina Kalinina, Belinda Bencic, Veronika Kudermetova and Lulu Sun.
Platenik, of course, guided Sun to the quarter-final at Wimbledon last year as the New Zealand wildcard famously beat Raducanu in the fourth round.
Having started the year outside the top 200, Sun peaked at No 39 as she also finished runner-up at the Monterrey Open later in the campaign.
Platenik gave some insight into his coaching methods during an interview with New Zealand’s The Stuff after Wimbledon.
“My goal and my job is to prepare Lulu for what’s coming, not only when we’re on the court,” he said. “We’re discussing all of these things and I’m telling her what can happen.
“I believe in her a lot and I’ve said to her that if she does a good job the progress can be fast.
“I don’t take it for granted, but I prepare my players when I see they’re coming close to a very high level of tennis, to be ready to play bigger tournaments.
“But then if it’s not working, move back to smaller tournaments. So I’m trying to do a good strategy, with a good tournament plan.”
Raducanu, of course, has a higher profile than Sun as she is often a recipient of wildcards for the big events while she has in the past also opted not to drop to lower-tier events when results have not gone her way.
Philippe Dehaes replaced Platenik as Kasatkina’s coach and he also gave insight into the Slovak’s philosophy.
“She was working before with a coach who was really focused on the opponent and on adapting the game to the opponent. I don’t watch the opponent,” the Belgian said of his predecessor.
Raducanu, herself, has given very little away about scouting her opponents so maybe Platenik will add a new dimension to her coaching set-up.
But for now it is a case of wait and see if the 2021 US Open will stick with Platenik after the Indian Wells Open.
