An ugly furore has erupted in the wake of Emma Raducanu's retirement from Wimbledon, with tennis legend John McEnroe suggesting she quit due to pressure.
Other high-profile figures, including talking head Piers Morgan and cricket great Kevin Pietersen, backed McEnroe's theory – but were taken to task by former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.
British sensation Raducanu retired in the fourth round against Australia's Alja Tomljanovic while trailing 6-4 3-0. She appeared to be having trouble breathing and that was the condition cited after her retirement.
The 18-year-old was playing just her second WTA Tour tournament and was on a brilliant run, ranked just No.338 in the world. She captured the imagination of British fans and McEnroe suggested she became overwhelmed when things got tough.
"It's a shame. I feel bad for Emma. It appears like it just got too much, which is understandable," he said on BBC commentary, also referring to the mental health battles that caused Naomi Osaka to withdraw from Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
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"It makes you look at the guys and girls who have been around for so long and wonder how they handle it. Hopefully she will learn from this experience.
"Maybe it's not a shame this has happened right now when she is 18. I played this tournament at 18 and in a way I was happy I lost.
"I was able to understand what it would take to make it. Allow her to take some deep breaths and maybe get some wildcards."
Tomljanovic, who said that she was "shocked" by Raducanu ending their match prematurely, nonetheless rejected McEnroe's comments.
"I can't imagine being in her shoes, at 18, playing a fourth round in your home country. It's something I can't even imagine," Tomljanovic said. "For him to say that, it's definitely harsh."
Raducanu responded in a statement, insisting that she had a genuine physical problem.
"I was playing the best tennis of my life in front of an amazing crowd this week and I think the whole experience caught up with me. At the end of the first set, after some super intense rallies, I started to breathe heavily and felt dizzy," she said.
"The medical team advised me not to continue and, although it felt like the hardest thing in the world not to be able to finish my Wimbledon on the court, I was not well enough to carry on."
Murray criticised McEnroe's comments amid a wave of backlash, posting on Twitter: "It was a bit off considering nobody had any clue what her issue was injury/illness/breathing issues etc at the time of his comments."
Yet Morgan – most famous recently for walking off a live television set when challenged over his views on Meghan Markle, then quitting his job – backed McEnroe's take.
"Ms Raducuna's [sic] a talented player but couldn't handle the pressure & quit when she was losing badly. Not 'brave', just a shame," Morgan wrote on Twitter.
"If I were her, I'd tell my fans to stop abusing McEnroe, & seek his advice on how to toughen up & become a champion like he was."
Pietersen wrote, in response to another tweet from Morgan: "Talent is one thing, but mental toughness is what separates the good from the great in sport! Dealing with pressure, bad form, negative media etc is HARD, but that's sport. It's demanding. Deal with it, or someone else will deal with it in your place!"
Murray took Morgan to task, responding: "Think this is a very harsh take on the situation Piers."
He also responded to Pietersen: "No question mental toughness can be what separates the best in sport but surely both of you aren't judging her mental toughness on yesterday's match?!"
Pietersen then insisted that he was speaking generally, replying: "I'm judging no one. I'm merely talking about all sportsmen/women and mental toughness that separates good from great. I was playing golf yesterday, not watching tennis."
The cricket great added later: "Just for clarity, I was merely responding to a single tweet that had no reference to tennis at all. None whatsoever. So I actually had no clue about the context. I was on a golf course yesterday and was celebrating my best ever round of golf last night. So please relax?"
Wimbledon put out a statement of support for Raducanu, who it is hoped will be a regular star at the All England Club.
"She should be commended for the poise and maturity she has shown throughout the Wimbledon fortnight and we very much look forward to welcoming her back to Wimbledon next year and in the years to come," the statement said.
Raducanu said that she had enjoyed her experience despite the difficult ending.
"I want to thank the people who have cheered me on every single match, I wanted to win so badly for you!" her statement said. "I also want to thank the All England Club, my team, the LTA, my parents and friends.
"Last night will go a long way to helping me learn what it takes to perform at the top. I will cherish everything we have achieved together this week and come back stronger. Can't wait to see what's next on my journey."
Morgan then used Raducanu's statement to back McEnroe's claims.
https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1412428632228782080?s=20
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