Emma Raducanu to start trial with coach Vladimir Platenik at Indian Wells

Emma Raducanu will begin a trial period with Slovakian coach Vladimir Platenik during her first-round match at the Indian Wells Open. The 49-year-old coach previously guided Lulu Sun to a fourth-round victory over Raducanu at Wimbledon last July, adding intrigue to this potential partnership.

Platenik has previously worked with fellow countrywoman Dominika Cibulkova, who reached the semi-finals of the French Open in 2009. He has also coached Russian players Daria Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetova, demonstrating a wide range of experience with top players.

Raducanu has been without a permanent coach since Nick Cavaday left for health reasons after the Australian Open in January. Loughborough Academy coach Tom Welsh has agreed to join Raducanu's team in Indian Wells, but this is seen as a one-off arrangement. Raducanu will face Japanese player Moyuka Uchijima in her first match at Indian Wells.

Raducanu told BBC Sport ahead of the tournament: "I don't want to rush into anything, but I am looking, exploring options and trialling. I think once I have a steady structure I'll feel very settled – but in the Middle East it was quite difficult for me because I didn't really have any direction or (advice on) which tournaments to play, and doing it all alone is quite difficult. I'm just someone that needs a plan and preparation. That's what I'm building and it makes me feel more comfortable."

Raducanu has only won one match since Cavaday's departure, but she has also had to deal with a stalker who attended four of her matches, ultimately leading to a restraining order issued by Dubai police. The 2021 US Open champion has previously worked with a number of coaches, including Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson (who was in charge during her New York triumph), Torben Beltz, Dmitry Tursunov, and Sebastian Sachs.

While the position has not been formally announced, Raducanu outlined what she is looking for when asked about the qualities of an ideal coach. She said: "I would say work ethic, and a genuine passion for what they're doing. I'm someone that trains for long hours, but it doesn't feel like work to me. I would say someone that doesn't necessarily see what they're doing as a job, someone that is really motivated and hungry 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 I'm a very feel-based person."

On the first day of main draw action at Indian Wells, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova lost to French player Varvara Gracheva 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. This loss means the Czech player Kvitova is still looking for her first win since returning from the WTA tour last month, after giving birth to her first child last July. Former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will face Colombian player Camila Osorio later in the evening.