Olympic champion Mónica Puig warns Emma Raducanu against the wrong focus – social media “toxic” for the shooting star

“She still needs time to develop and to find out who she is as a tennis player and as a person,” Puig said in an interview with the “Daily Mail”. “I can sympathize with her because when I won the Olympics, it came out of nowhere,” the Puerto Rican recalled of her triumph over Angeilque Kerber at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

In contrast to Raducanu, however, Puig did not receive such media attention. “I can only imagine how big it is in the UK. It just exploded,” said Puig.

However, since her meteoric rise at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu’s career has stalled.

In 2022 she reached the second round at the Grand Slam tournaments, her mission to defend her title in New York City even failed in round one. At the Australian Open 2023 it was already over in the second round.

Puig warns Raducanu about social media

While Raducanu has lagged behind her form on court, she has attracted attention on social media thanks to deals with big brands like Nike, Porsche or Dior. A circumstance that, according to Puig, could prove dangerous.

“Don’t focus on social media,” explained the 29-year-old. “We all know how great it can be for your brand. But it’s also toxic – especially for a person like Raducanu. She has so many followers, a lot of whom want to see her win. A lot of them don’t.”

“I’m not saying that she should give up social media entirely,” Puig underlined. “It’s also part of being a player that she has to deal with all the advertising contracts that come her way. And she deserves that with her title.”

However, like sporting success, sponsorships are also fleeting. Therefore, consistency on the court is of great importance for Raducanu, especially in these difficult times. “You can make more money off the pitch than on it,” said Puig.

“But on the court it’s important to focus and devote all your time to the craft that got you there. At the end of the day, wins mean money and new contracts.”