"Everybody wants a piece of her; when you win, everyone's calling"- Martina Navratilova on Emma Raducanu

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has advised US Open champion Emma Raducanu to keep things simple if she is to become a top player in the future.

The 19-year-old made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon 2021 and reached the fourth round before retiring against Ajla Tomjlanovic. Raducanu then entered the qualifying rounds of the US Open and made it to the main draw.

After moving past four unseeded players, the Brit defeated 11th seed Belinda Bencic to reach the semifinals of the competition. She then defeated Maria Sakkari before triumphing over Leylah Fernandez to win her maiden Grand Slam title.

Raducanu became the first-ever qualifier to win a major in the Open Era and her ranking rose from 150 to 23. She finished the year ranked 19 in the world.

Following Raducanu's exploits at the US Open, expectations are high for her in 2022.

Navratilova has opined that in order to become a top player in the future, the teenager must maintain consistency and confidence while also keeping things simple.

Speaking to WTA, the former World No.1 said:

"You need to have consistency and confidence and, with a new coach, that could take a few months. Think long term. What’s your best chance of winning? You don’t want 20 different voices telling you 20 different things. Everybody wants a piece of her; when you win, everyone’s calling. Keep it simple; so many people overcook that. Keep that team small and give it time to come together."

Raducanu pulls out of Australian Open warm-up event

Raducanu practicing in Melbourne

The Brit's amazing journey at the US Open saw her win the WTA Newcomer of the Year award along with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Raducanu was scheduled to end 2021 at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi. However, she withdrew from the event after testing positive for COVID-19.

The teenager was on the official entry list for the Melbourne Summer Set. However, she pulled out of the competition, having just returned from isolation following her recovery from COVID-19.

Raducanu is still on the official entry list for the Australian Open and she is already in Melbourne. While the Brit is not participating in the Melbourne Summer Set, it is very likely that she will compete in the first Grand Slam of the year.

Raducanu may not be among the favorites to win the Australian Open but she is someone who could cause an upset or two in the tournament.