Emma Raducanu’s ex-coach criticised after splitting from fourth player in 18 months
Emma Raducanu’s ex-coach criticised after splitting from fourth player in 18 months
Dmitry Tursunov has been criticised after parting ways with Veronika Kudermetova. The world No 19 is the fourth player to split with Russian coach since June 2022 and she believes his approach is “too direct”. Tursunov’s partnership with Kudermetova followed spells with Belinda Bencic, Emma Raducanu and Anett Kontaveit.
Tursunov has built a name for himself as a well-known tennis coach, working with a string of top players. But the 40-year-old’s methods have often been seen as unconventional, and he previously had a turbulent on-and-off coaching relationship with world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka before their final split in 2019.
Since then, the former ATP world No 20 hasn’t been able to keep a long-term coaching role, with his latest stint serving as an example. Tursunov started working with fellow Russian Kudermetova this summer after being spotted in her box during Wimbledon. But the 26-year-old has already decided to end their partnership as she criticised his approach.
“What happens is that he is too direct a person,” the world No 19 explained. “We players are very emotional, we have to be a little tactful, especially when you tell us what we should do, or when you don’t care at all what we want to do.”
