For much of the last few months, like emma raducanu he traveled the world without a permanent coach and assured all who asked him that he could succeed while in full control of his destiny, his decisions the subject of intense and constant attention. He may now have addressed those concerns, but there will be no end to his inspection of his options.
This week, Raducanu enlisted the coaching talents of former ATP top 20 player Dmitry Tursunov in a trial period ahead of the North American hard-court tour and his US Open title defense. Tursunov’s hiring has drawn significant criticism of his decision to work alongside a Russian as the invasion of Ukraine continues.
It’s another example of the extreme scrutiny that has surrounded Raducanu’s every move since his US Open victory. If he wants to have a chance to follow his lead and maintain a successful career, he will have to block everything.
Raducanu counts politicians among those who watch her. Chris Bryant, a Labor MP, told the Telegraph: “The Kremlin will present this as a public relations coup and an indication that the UK doesn’t really care about the war in Ukraine, so it will be a real shame if Emma continues. ahead. with this.”
Three weeks ago, despite Wimbledon’s efforts to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in its event, a decision that has resulted in significant fines from the WTA and legal appeals in response, the tournament ended with a Russian-born player residing in Moscow winning the women’s singles title.
Although The success of Elena Rybakina While representing Kazakhstan is a damning indictment of the Russian tennis system that failed him, Wimbledon found himself at the mercy of the Russian propaganda he had worked hard to avoid. “Well done Rybakina. We have won the Wimbledon tournament,” said Shamil Tarpischev, the disgraced president of the Russian Tennis Federation.
It should have been a lesson for everyone. There are few things that Russia’s propaganda cannot twist to fit its narrative. In this case, that a private citizen hires the private services of an independent contractor who is Russian, with the simple hope of improving his career, should not be a cause for such indignation or controversy.
What is clear is that Raducanu has endured a brutal first full season on the WTA tour, with a series of injuries, including a lateral strain that ruined most of her grass-court season. She has won nine and lost 12 matches this year, and now faces the pressure and difficulty of a Grand Slam defense.
As he heads to the US, Raducanu has picked a trainer with a proven track record for a test. Tursunov has enjoyed remarkable success in his short time as coach. In his first high-profile partnership, with Aryna Sabalenka in 2018, he guided the Belarusian from No. 45 to No. 9 in the world rankings before splitting at the end of the following year.
Last season, Tursunov pulled off an even more impressive feat with Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit, taking her from No. 29 to a career-high No. 2 at the time of their split after the French Open last month. Her partnership began with an astonishing 28-2 losing streak late last year, including four titles.
The reason for their separation should be of much more interest to Raducanu: Tursunov was frequently unable to travel with Kontaveit during their final months together due to visa problems.
As a player, Tursunov was popular and known for being outspoken in interviews. Last November he gave his own blunt take about Raducanu’s coaching situation. “If someone from her team called me right now and asked if I wanted to train her, I would be shaking with fear because you don’t know when you’re going to get fired,” she said. In the end, she took the call.