Russian-state TV delights in Emma Raducanu's new Russian coach

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RIA Novosti’s Vladimir Kornilov admitted that Russia would use Emma Raducanu’s decision to hire a Russian tennis coach as propaganda. The remarks came as Russian pundits on state-run TV channel Russia-1 ridiculed British “paranoia” after Labour MP Chris Bryant encouraged the 19-year-old to reconsider her decision to link up with Dmitry Tursunov. Mr Kornilov picked up on Mr Bryant’s remarks, as he accused British politicians of “harassing their athlete of the year”.

He said: “Do you know what terrible headlines British papers came out with today?

“That their crowd favourite, the tennis player Raducanu, who was their athlete of the year last year, has got herself, think about it, a Russian coach!”

He ridiculed the reaction, remarking tongue-in-cheek: “It’s just betrayal! Betrayal!”

The pundit added: “One of their top politicians, named Bryant, called for Raducanu to change her mind because her decision will be used by Russian propaganda, by Putin’s propaganda.”

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One guest then responded: “Well here we are, using it!”

Mr Kornilov continued: “If it weren’t for him saying that, we wouldn’t be using it!

“And now it turns out if she doesn’t change her mind, at the very least she’ll have to condemn publicly ‘Putin’s barbaric war’.

“They are harassing her and she’ll have to get rid of him.

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“Do you understand the extent of their paranoia and outright Russophobia in the West?”

The BBC’s Francis Scarr who monitors Russia TV posted the clip on social media, adding: “It didn’t take long for state TV to react to Labour’s @RhonddaBryant warning that Emma Raducanu’s decision to hire a Russia coach would be used as propaganda.

“RIA Novosti’s Vladimir Kornilov links the MP’s ‘Russophobia’ to the blame levelled against Moscow for today’s Olenivka attack.”

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Mr Bryant, who heads the all Parliamentary Group on Russia, had told the Telegraph: “The Kremlin will portray this as a PR coup and an indication that the UK doesn’t really care about the war in Ukraine, so it’ll be a real shame if Emma goes ahead with this.

“I urge her to think again and at the very least to condemn Putin’s barbaric war.”

However, Mr Tursunov has an impressive coaching record after having worked with world No 2 Anett Kontaveit, helping her initial rise through the world rankings.

The US Open champion has been without a coach for several months.

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