Emma Raducanu has said she tries to avoid reading comments about her on social media but that anything she does hear about is almost always inaccurate.
Raducanu attracts disproportionate attention online and in the wider media after her remarkable run to the US Open title as an 18-year-old qualifier last year, when she did not drop a set in any of her matches.
That stunning success meant Raducanu's year was never going to be easy. Many were expecting her to regularly challenge for Grand Slams immediately after her US Open triumph, but that was never realistic.
Raducanu has faced some difficulties this season, most recently a second-round exit at Wimbledon to Caroline Garcia. She will hope to find inspiration during the upcoming North American hard court season, during which she had so much success last year.
The 19-year-old recently gave an interview to the Evening Standard. One topic that came up was dealing with social media abuse, which female players especially have to deal with.
Raducanu takes the sensible approach of usually not reading what is written about her, but the comments she is aware of tend to be inaccurate.
"To be honest, a lot of the time, I don’t read anything, but whenever I hear of anything, it’s 98 per cent not true."
It must be tough for players to be aware of comments about them from accounts that say things that are obviously not true, but that is the world these top athletes live in.
Raducanu also spoke about her goals for the season. Rather than aiming for any specific titles, the 19-year-old is hoping to become consistent and enjoy her tennis.
"My goal would be towards consistency. But equally, I’m going to try and cut myself some slack. I’m young, and I have achieved something great. I think I should step back and enjoy it."
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