Emma Raducanu’s Sponsors Accused of Hindering Career Despite Net Worth Surge
Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, has faced criticism that her extensive sponsorship deals are derailing her tennis career, even as they’ve boosted her net worth to an estimated £10-15 million. The 22-year-old Brit, who captured global attention as the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam at 18, has secured lucrative endorsements with brands like Nike, Wilson, Dior, Tiffany & Co., British Airways, Evian, and HSBC, with some deals reportedly worth £2 million annually. However, tennis legend Chris Evert and other critics argue these commercial commitments have disrupted her development, drawing parallels to the intense pressure faced by young stars like Anna Kournikova.
Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam champion, told Tennis365 that Raducanu was “thrown into the deep end” post-US Open, with endorsements flooding in due to her marketability and charm. “Emma is a beautiful girl, and that probably didn’t help. The endorsements came in, the coaches were coming in and out, and still her expectations are right up there now,” Evert said, suggesting the off-court distractions have hindered her ability to build consistency. Raducanu’s 2025 French Open second-round exit to Iga Swiatek (6-1, 6-2) and a 13-11 season record reflect her struggles, compounded by injuries and frequent coaching changes—she’s had six coaches since 2021, recently parting with Vladimir Platenik.
Despite earning just £4.7 million in prize money, Raducanu’s off-court deals, including a reported £10.2 million profit in 2023 from her company Harbour 6 Limited, have made her one of Britain’s richest young athletes. Critics like Andy Roddick, on his *Served* podcast, questioned her decision to skip clay-court events after a strong Miami Open quarter-final, suggesting her focus on sponsorships over tournaments stalls momentum. Social media sentiment on X echoes this, with posts like @DExpress_Sport noting her “sponsorship overload” as a career threat.
Raducanu defends her work ethic, stating she trains “five, six hours a day” and limits sponsor days to “three, four days every quarter.” With her ranking at No. 41 and a grass-court season looming, she aims to silence critics by recapturing her 2021 form, balancing her commercial success with on-court progress.
