EMMA RADUCANU’s ex-coach says they parted ways because “there were some red flags that just couldn’t be ignored”.
Dmitry Tursunov joined up with the 2021 US Open champion on a trial period after her exit from the Wimbledon second round in the summer.
Emma Raducanu has split from coach Dmitry Tursunov
Tursunov (pictured) said there were red flags he could not ignore
Yet the pair separated this month as the Russian and Raducanu’s team failed to agree new terms.
The 39-year-old – who has since taken over the coaching responsibilities for Olympic champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland – has refused to specify what were the exact worrying signs.
Yet he was aware that she has a reputation for hiring-and-firing coaches since winning the New York slam last year.
He told TennisMajors.com: “I was walking away from Emma regardless of whether there was another (player) available or not.
“We didn’t agree on the terms and there were some red flags that just couldn’t be ignored. I wasn’t hopping from one player to another, I wouldn’t do that.”
Tursunov, who used to coach Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, says world No.76 Raducanu is such a “raw” player that she is a “two-and-a-half year project” for a new mentor.
He added: “Our trial period was over at the US Open but I stuck around, trying to see if there was going to be a way to impress the team. I really wanted to make it work.
“She’s absolutely great, she’s a hard worker and she doesn’t think or act like she’s a superstar.
“She is hungry to improve and is obsessed with tennis. I think it’s quite a rare combination.
“So, I really loved working with her, and I really wanted to make it work. It was a very difficult decision for me to walk away from a player that I like and respect.
“Of course, I would rather stick around and work with one player but again I don’t always make that decision.
“With Emma, I walked away, yes. That was my choice. I could have stuck around, I could have agreed on everything that her team proposed.
“But, deep down, I felt like that wasn’t the right thing to do.
“Emotionally, I wanted to stay, but logically, I felt like I needed to leave.
“I felt like there were going to be problems later and I wanted to avoid them for my own peace of mind.”
