Jennifer Capriati, the new american tennis sensation at 14 years old.
In 1990, social networks didn't exist, yet it is a safe bet to say that never
before in the history of tennis has a player been subjected to such an intense media treatment.
It is undeniable that Young Jennifer Capriati had indeed everything it takes to please the TV cameras. At 14, the American of Italian descent from her father was not only a radiant, joking and smiling youngster, she was above all the most precocious player in the history of tennis.
Winner of the Rio Olympics at just 16 and comfortably installed at the top of the WTA rankings, Capriati unleashed the crowds, signed a string of sports contracts and even appeared in anti-wrinkle commercials.
Pressured by the incessant demands and pressure of the media, the young American quickly became the object of sporting criticism, blaming her for failing to confirm the extent of her potential and to meet the expectations of an increasingly demanding public.
Wishing to escape a life reminiscent of a TV show, Capriati gradually moved away from the tennis courts in search of a normal life.
Arrested a few months later in possession of marijuana, Jennifer made the headlines and definitively shattered her image of a reckless young girl, giving way to a brand-new face of a rebellious teenager.
Capriati exposed as the "Bad Kid" after her arrest in 1994
After several seasons away from the media spotlight now focusing on the Williams sisters, Jennifer Capriati finally revealed the full extent of her potential.
In a wildly successful 2001 season, the former American idol won the Australian Open to everyone's surprise, before going on to win Roland Garros a few months later, thus becoming the new world number one in October.
To this day, the Capriati case remains a reference point for parents wishing to keep their promising children away from the media that can often damage promising careers.
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