Boris Becker knows what it’s like to win a Grand Slam as a teenager and the German has now offered some words of wisdom to US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Becker, who won six Slams in total, claimed his first major title at Wimbledon in 1985, aged just 17.
The German tennis icon has previously admitted to struggling with early success and fame and it seems he is reluctant to let the new British number one fall down the same path.
Indeed, Raducanu has been subject to widespread media attention since winning at Flushing Meadows and has already signed lucrative endorsement deals with the likes of Tiffany and Dior.
But so far, the 18-year-old has been unable to rediscover the same form she showed in New York. At Indian Wells, the Brit was knocked out in the second round, while at the Transylvania Open, Raducanu was thrashed in the quarter-finals by Marta Kostyuk.
The teenager admitted to feeling “burnout” and has promised to complete a rigorous training programme during the off-season.
For Becker, however, the key for Racuanu right now is finding a full-time coach.
“It’s all very bizarre when it comes to looking for a coach,” he said on Eurosport’s Das Gelbe vom Ball podcast
“It’s hard enough to win a Grand Slam as a teenager, almost impossible… but it is much harder to keep this form if there is a constant tournament to be won every year.”
The six-time major winner explained that he fully understood why the Brit parted ways with former mentor Andrew Richardson but emphasised that a permanent coach would help her become more consistent on tour.
“I have had some experience there too, so I can fully understand Raducanu’s stomach ache.
“Maybe she should focus on finding a real coach. It would be really important for her to have an experienced coach who has already trained with other world-class players.
“For me this is the next step that she needs to achieve consistency in her performance.”
Becker lauded the British star for her unprecedented achievement but stressed that a coach could also help deflect any criticism of her performances.
“In May, she graduated from high school, the US Open was her second Grand Slam tournament, then she became the winner –– that is an incredible achievement.
“The most important question now is: ‘Who is my mentor, who is my protection.’”
Raducanu’s season will end next week after she competes in the Upper Austria Ladies Linz competition. A decent showing in this tournament could see her rise into the world’s top 20 by the end of the year.