Tennis icon Boris Becker has faced widespread criticism for a brief yet harsh remark about Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner. The 23-year-old British player has struggled in the early 2026 season, most recently losing to unseeded Taylah Preston at the Hobart International tournament, which served as a warm-up for the upcoming Australian Open.
Raducanu’s appearance in Melbourne saw her defeat Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the opening round before she was eliminated in straight sets by Anastasia Potapova. Shortly after her early exit at the Australian Open, Raducanu announced her split from coach Francis Roig, ending a coaching partnership that lasted six months.
Raducanu Acknowledges Coach Francis Roig’s Contribution
Raducanu expressed gratitude towards Roig for their time together despite the decision to part ways. She said,
“Francis, thank you for our time together. You have been more than a coach to me and I will cherish the many good times we spent together on the court. While we have come to the conclusion together that we ought not to move forward, please know that I am very grateful for all you have taught me and fond of our time shared.”
Positive Signs at the Transylvania Open
Following recent setbacks, Raducanu has shown promising form at the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She reached the semi-finals by defeating players including Greet Minnen, Kaja Juvan, and Maja Chwalinska. Raducanu is scheduled to face Oleksandra Oliynykova in the semi-final match on Friday afternoon.
Tennis journalist Jose Morgado highlighted Raducanu’s milestone, noting that the semi-final appearance marks her fifth career semi-final at the tour level. After her 6-0, 6-4 win over Chwalinska, Becker responded to this achievement with a dismissive comment, writing simply: “That’s it?”
Public Reacts Strongly to Becker’s Remarks
Becker’s short comment sparked outrage among tennis fans on social media. One fan responded,
“Everyone has a different path in tennis, Boris.”
Another supporter pointed out Raducanu’s unusual success, posting,
“She won a slam before she won her first WTA tour-level match. If that’s not mind-blowing enough.”
Others expressed disapproval of Becker’s tone, describing it as harsh and uncalled for. Comments included: “That‘s brutal.” and
“Leave her alone – she’s done an amazing thing in US 2021 and is trying to build a career.”
One fan added, “Such an unnecessary tweet.”
Raducanu Reflects on Recent Victory and Outlook
Following her latest win, Raducanu was optimistic about her performance. She said,
“I’m very happy with my performance today. I played a great match from the beginning. As always there’s some moments of adversity you have to overcome and I did that well in the second set, so I am really proud of that.”
Despite facing criticism from past champions like Becker, Raducanu’s persistence and resilience continue to fuel her efforts as she looks to rebuild her career after a challenging season start. The upcoming matches, especially at the Transylvania Open, will be a crucial test of her ongoing development and potential return to top form.
Top seed Emma Raducanu easily beats Maja Chwalinska 6-0, 6-4 to reach the semifinals in Cluj-Napoca. She is looking GOOD this week.
That's her 5th career semifinal in tour-level events:
US Open 2021 W
Seoul 2022 SF
Nottingham 2024 SF
Washington 2025 SF
Cluj 2026 SF* pic.twitter.com/8SxBNn0eeO— José Morgado (@josemorgado) February 5, 2026
That’s it? https://t.co/BlElNRLD8a
— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) February 5, 2026
