Emma Raducanu has shown a strong performance, reaching the second round of the Miami Open for the first time with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Sayaka Ishii. She will face No.8 seed Emma Navarro. Raducanu’s win comes after she fired her new coach Vladimir Platenik following an unsuccessful two-week trial and dismal performance at Indian Wells.
However, a report says that there is more to Platenik’s termination. The Slovakian coach gave an awkward interview to the media, claiming that he rejected two offers from Raducanu earlier in her career. He said it would have been a coaching suicide. Platenik later clarified that Emma had approached him in a similar situation right after great success in late 2021. “Which is why I said it could be coaching suicide to work with her, but now she is in a completely different position.”
The Briton’s partnership with Platenik had been a disappointment from the start. She lost to Uchijima. Raducanu has gained support from LTA coach Colin Beecher, former player and family friend Jane O’Donoghue, and her fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura.
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Emma Raducanu Wants to Bring Competitiveness
In a post-match interview, Emma Raducanu, 22, said she is focused on every point and trying to compete. “I am trying my best at every point and bringing some energy, bringing some competitiveness. I think that’s maybe been missing in the past couple of months.”
About Sayaka Ishii, she said it’s not easy to play someone in the first round who’s younger, dangerous and in good form. “I’m really proud of how I competed today, it hasn’t been easy for me coming into this but I think I put out a really good performance.”
