"You’ve chosen to be a professional athlete": Billie Jean King takes cynical view at Raducanu's brutal tour comments

Tennis veteran Billie Jean King took a cynical view of Emma Raducanu's recent comments which described the WTA tour as 'brutal'.

Emma Raducanu soared up the tennis ranks a few years ago, beginning with a strong performance at Wimbledon which was quickly followed up by winning her first Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open. However, it has been a difficult journey for her since she lifted that major trophy at just 19 years old.

From undergoing coaching changes to dealing with injuries, the now 20-year-old British player has had her fair share of struggles. Most recently, the need for surgery on her ankle and wrists has meant she is unable to compete at this year's Wimbledon, and this season has also seen her fall out of the world top 100 rankings.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Raducanu opened up about the physical and emotional challenges she has faced over the last eighteen months under the scrutiny of so many. She drew attention to the 'brutal' WTA tour, saying 'It is a lot harder when you are making mistakes in front of everyone and everyone has something to say about it. The tour is completely brutal.'

However, Raducanu's comments received some criticism from the WTA's first president Billie Jean King. The former World No. 1, who has 39 major titles to her name, agreed that the tour is challenging. However, she also added,

'Being a pro-athlete is hard. What do they expect? It is going to be difficult, but you've chosen to be a professional athlete.'

The American tennis legend went on to talk about mental health on the tour, stating that 'The WTA has been fantastic with mental health for years.' Moreover, whilst athletes may feel the need to 'be tough' whilst on the court, she believes they should 'ask for what [they] want and need' off the court.

Having played in a time when an athlete's mental well-being was still very much a taboo topic, King highlights the efforts of the WTA to offer support to athletes who need it. However, Raducanu's comments shed light on the difficult reality of taking part in a competitive sport at an elite level.