Boris Becker Under Fire For Mocking Emma Raducanu’s Transylvania Open Run: “Leave Her Alone”

Imagine finally finding rhythm after a difficult couple of months, putting together three strong wins in a row, and reaching a semi-final for the first time in ages. Confidence is back, the fans are buzzing, and everything feels like it is heading in the right direction. Then a legend of the sport jumps on social media and posts two dismissive words, instantly threatening to puncture the momentum.

That is exactly the scenario Emma Raducanu found herself in this week. While the British tennis star was busy battling her way into the final four of the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, tennis icon Boris Becker was apparently unimpressed. His social media reaction to her reaching her fifth career tour-level semi-final? A blunt, stinging question. Raducanu wrote on X:

That’s it?

Context is everything in sports, and that is perhaps what Becker missed here. If you look at Emma Raducanu’s start to 2026, it hasn’t been a highlight reel. The season kicked off with frustrating early exits at the Hobart International and the Australian Open. The pressure cooker was already on high.

That’s it? https://t.co/BlElNRLD8a

— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) February 5, 2026

To make matters more complicated, she recently split with her coach, Francis Roig, after just six months. For a young athlete, that kind of instability can be a career killer. So, arriving in Romania and stringing together wins against Greet Minnen, Kaja Juvan, and Maja Chwalinska wasn’t just “another tournament.” It was proof that she is recapturing her 2021 US Open form.

Tennis fans Blast Boris Becker for his comments

It didn’t take long for the internet to react. Boris Becker might have thought he was just being a tough critic, but for fans watching Emma Raducanu rebuild her game brick by brick, the comment felt less like analysis and more like a cheap shot.

Fans immediately jumped to Raducanu’s defense, calling out Becker for what they saw as unnecessary disrespect. The sentiment was clear: not every week is a Grand Slam final, and progress should be recognized, not mocked. Here are some of the reactions:

Boris going down the path of monetising through rudeness and division, because being positive and insightful is beyond his limits. Shame on you, Emma has fought anxiety and a huge level of expectation to get where she is today.

— Danny Clare 🇪🇺🇮🇪💪🏼 🔨 (@DeeClared) February 6, 2026

Leave her alone – she’s done an amazing thing in US 2021 and is trying to build a career – form is intermittent but she’s doing it in her way. There’s seems to be a lot of ill founded jealousy in some other professionals – pathetic

— Dave G (@gosdave1) February 6, 2026

Really? Casually denigrating the achievements of a young tennis player? I'm disappointed in you.

— Oliver (@OWS1892) February 6, 2026

That's it on court. Marketing and promotions seem easier than top level tennis and pay well. Football pundits are doing the same with TV and podcasts.

— Graham Kirk (@cook11245) February 6, 2026

Raducanu is a Company Director with an A-level in economics. And a guy who went bankrupt, was £42m in debt, and was deported back to Germany is dissing her LOL.

— МеlоnТwisteг (@coffeesmuggling) February 6, 2026

Unnecessary comment from a legend

— Prerana K (@Prey_bhatt) February 6, 2026

Yeah… but I'm pretty sure she's never been to prison, or resorted to shagging in a closet.

— Ruth…Running on Empty (@BroughtToBook) February 6, 2026

Rude af

— HISS Story (@FISTSBrown) February 6, 2026

It’s crazy how despite all you’ve accomplished, you’re basically still a loser

— jom 🌿🌳 (@ivebeenleo) February 6, 2026

If Raducanu saw Becker’s comment, she didn’t let it show on the court. And she’s right to do that because at just 23 years old, reaching five tour-level semi-finals is a solid statistic, particularly when the viewers factor in the injury layoffs and media scrutiny she has faced since her teenage years.

She created one of the most iconic stories at the 2021 US Open, capturing her first Grand Slam title. However, that has increased expectations of her, as every performance by the British star is examined and magnified.

What comes next for Emma Raducanu

Noise aside, the achievements aren’t over. Emma Raducanu faced Oleksandra Oliynykova in the semi-finals, and a three-set win meant that she is in her first final since the 2021 US Open.

A win here doesn’t just silence the critics; it means she was right to split with her recent coach. The thing is that Boris Becker isn’t her only critic at the moment. Kim Clijsters also publicly called out the British star’s behind-the-scenes decisions.

Now, she is on the right path. There were a few signs of spark in the 2025 season. Unfortunately for her, tough draws in Grand Slams meant that she would run into the likes of Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka in the first week of those tournaments.

However, despite the early exit at the Australian Open, Raducanu is better equipped to handle these situations and has started to put together winning runs. The title win in Transylvania would be the first step toward becoming a seed again in Grand Slams, which would help her avoid top-tier players in the first week of top events.

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