"If people are bullying you, stop looking at it" - Billie Jean King urges Emma Raducanu not to listen to criticism as Brit's comeback awaits
While Emma Raducanu prepares to make her comeback on tour, tennis legend Billie Jean King has offered the Brit some much needed advice, urging her not to take criticism personally.
Raducanu was last seen in action at the Stuttgart Open back in April, where she lost to Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets in her opener. The former US Open champion then opted to have surgery on her wrists and ankle after that to fix her repeated run-ins with injury and has remained on the sidelines since.
Having missed both the French Open and Wimbledon, the 20-year-old has taken a huge drop in the rankings. Currently sitting World No. 131, Emma Raducanu also surrendered her British No. 1 spot to Katie Boulter as a result.
With the US Open looming large, word is not clear whether the former World No. 10 will recover in time for Flushing Meadows. However, the Brit has been spotted in training the past few days, giving postiive signs to her fans around the globe.
Speaking to Sky Sports in the meantime, Billie Jean King was sympathetic to the youngster, remarking that it must be tough for her because of the constant barrage of criticism coming her way from the media.
The American hoped Raducanu will be alright and also advised her not to look at social media if the "bullying" was getting to her.
"I just know it's gotten tough for her, I just hope that she'll be alright because it's tough. If you want to be a professional athlete, it's tough. And you've got to learn not to listen to criticism, you got to learn all these things and that's why I say don't take anything personally because once you learn that, you're okay," King said.
"And if people are bullying you on social media you've got to stop looking at it or get some way to finish up, it's really important," she added.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion further hoped that Emma Raducanu does well in tennis in the coming days, especially at the US Open, where she stunned the world in 2021 by winning the tournament as a qualifier -- the first in history to do so.
"But I hope she continues to play, I hope she gets over injuries and comes back and really does well in tennis and particularly in the US Open because she's won that one now, and the way she won it is still amazing, so I hope she keeps playing," King said.
I hope Emma Raducanu appreciates winning the US Open, I don't think she probably does yet: Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King also spoke about the manner in which Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open, winning all 10 of her matches in straight sets. Proclaiming that it is near impossible for anyone to come close to the achivement again, King hoped Raducanu appreciates her own accomplishment, which she did not think was the case as of now.
"When Emma Raducanu won [the US Open] it was fantastic. I think Emma has done so well. Just think about this, she won 10 matches in a row, she did not lose a set. She won every single one of those 10 matches in straight sets. I don't think anyone comes close to that. I hope she appreciates [it], I don't think she probably does yet," King said.
"As she gets older, no matter what happens to her life she'll always have this US Open title - always and forever. And the way she did it: Wow! It's amazing," she added.
In the main draw of the New York Major, Emma Raducanu defeated the likes of Shelby Rogers, Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari before taking down Leylah Fernandez in the final. Since that title run, however, the 20-year-old is yet to win a trophy on the WTA Tour.