Emma Raducanu appeared to be set to take a break from social media platforms when her Instagram account was taken down, but it didn’t take long for it to reappear.
The 22-year-old has endured a challenging three years since she shot to global fame by winning the US Open, as her life was transformed by her big win in New York proving to be challenging on and off the court.
Raducanu’s lack of success on the court and constant battles with injuries dominated her story over the last three years and those difficulties have impacted her sponsorship opportunities, with some of the deals she signed after her US Open win either expired or likely to do so soon.
Her appeal to sponsors has undoubtedly dipped since her value as a brand ambassador reached a peak immediately after her US Open win, but the prospect of her walking away from social media platforms entirely is not viable so long as she still has some sponsorship deals in place.
Yet the harsh reality of the modern world is that Raducanu needs to have a social media presence as that is one of the biggest appeals for sponsors.
Raducanu’s 2.6m followers on Instagram and her profile as an athlete combine to make Raducanu a potent influencer with a youthful audience who look up to her as more than just a tennis player.
If Raducanu did not fall into the bracket of an ‘influencer’ in the eyes of her sponsors, it would impact here commercial appeal and that may explain why her Instagram account that was shut down last week is now live once again.
The benefits of social media are often contrasted by the negative that flows the way of glamorous stars and Raducanu has felt the force of that more than most.
Her iconic US Open win was an inspirational moment for young girls around the world, as she came through qualifying and won a Grand Slam title, but the fall out from that win is a sad reflection of how the modern world operates.
Bizarrely, several X accounts have been set up just to abuse Raducanu and mock her when she loses a match or picks up another injury.
She also gets criticism on Instagram, with recent posts greeted with comments from those eager to criticise her weak points on the court and fitness concerns, which may have been a reason why her life would be easier without social media accounts.
That would be understandable, especially after the recent incident in Dubai, where she was confronted by a fan displaying what was described as ‘fixated behaviour’ and she spoke about the incident and how much it affected her.
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“I was obviously very distraught,” said Raducanu as she reflected on the incident in Dubai. “I saw him in the first game of the match and I was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to finish’. I literally couldn’t see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe. I was like, ‘I need to just take a breather here’.
“It was a very emotional time. After the match I did break down in tears, but not necessarily because I lost.”
Respected tennis broadcaster Marcus Buckland told Tennis365 is among those questioning whether Raducanu will consider a career away from tennis, as the level of scrutiny she has to put up with is too intense.
“I think it’s really tough for her and I hope she doesn’t come to the conclusion that she doesn’t need tennis,” Buckland told Tennis365.
“Of course, if she gave up tennis tomorrow, she has earned enough from the sport not to worry about money and she could pursue other areas she is interested in. She has mentioned a banking career.
“One of my best friends in tennis is Annabel Croft and she retired from tennis at an even younger age than Raducanu at 21. She had a wonderful junior career, she got into the top 20 on the main tour and she decided the lifestyle just did not suit her.
“She said to me that playing tennis felt like having a very public argument in the office every day and she has never regretted walking away from the sport.
“So it’s perfectly possible that Raducanu could do the same, but you are retired for a very long time.
“She needs to find that consistency on court and build some momentum. I think the key for her is to establish a strong team off the court to give her the strength to deal with everything else that comes her way.
“There is a lot of mental scarring from everything that has happened to her since she won the US Open.
“It’s been such a roller-coaster ride, but she has a wonderful game. She can mix it with the best, but does she really believe that?
“Until she starts getting some big wins against the top players, those doubts are going to persist and that’s why she might start to ask why she is putting herself through this.”
Raducanu is destined to always be an influencer after her stunning breakthrough at the top of global sport and that means she may need to sustain social media accounts, even if they are a threat to her mental health.
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