Emma Raducanu (Image: (Image: Getty))
Emma Raducanu has reportedly lost one of her seven-figure sponsorship deals after the partner decided not to renew the agreement due to the Brit demanding ‘too much money’
Emma Raducanu has reportedly seen the end of one of her big-ticket endorsements, with a deal worth £3million annually coming to a halt. The 22-year-old tennis star inked several high-value deals following her remarkable triumph at the 2021 US Open.
However, it appears that one sponsor has decided to part ways with the British athlete.
After her Grand Slam win over three years ago, maintaining form has proven difficult for Raducanu, who’s been impeded by recurring injuries. Now ranked as the world No. 47, she’s been dropped by telecom heavyweight Vodafone.
The Daily Mail suggests that the reason behind the non-renewal of Raducanu’s £3m-a-year agreement with Vodafone was because her financial expectations were too high, reports the Express.
Raducanu teamed up with Vodafone towards the end of 2021 and became the face of their tennis campaigns.
She featured in various promotional activities, including an innovative stint as a 5G hologram, providing lucky youngsters with virtual tennis coaching experiences.
However, her commitments to the brand were reduced in 2023 after she ended her tennis season ahead of schedule to undergo a series of three surgeries. Due to her inability to compete, Raducanu did not front Vodafone’s Wimbledon activities that year.
Instead, wheelchair tennis champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid graced billboards nationwide, and rising star Jack Draper joined the endorsement efforts.
Vodafone clarified at the time: “Emma is still one of Vodafone’s valued ambassadors. She will continue to play a key role in our Wimbledon campaign alongside Alfie, Gordon and Jack Draper.”
Raducanu still boasts endorsements with Dior, Tiffany and Co., Evian, British Airways and her kit sponsor, Nike. However, it’s her deal with Vodafone that’s rumoured to be the most profitable.
Last year, Sportico placed the 22-year-old as the seventh-highest-earning female athlete, with total earnings of £11.2m ($14.7m) from both her tennis career and endorsements, with brand deals contributing £10m ($14m).
Questions have also been raised about Raducanu’s arrangement with Porsche. Reports last October claimed that the car manufacturer “took her £125k car away”.
A spokesperson for Porsche later clarified that Raducanu was provided cars on a short term, as-needed basis, stating: “Emma Raducanu is a global brand ambassador for Porsche and there have not been any changes within our successful partnership since it started in 2022. We are very happy with our partnership.”
Under her agreement, the world No. 47 received wildcards to play at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, a WTA 500 clay tournament in Stuttgart.
Yet this year, she opted for the WTA 250 event in Rouen during the same period. Porsche explained that the choice of Rouen “complimented her schedule better”. Nevertheless, Raducanu subsequently withdrew from Britain’s BJK Cup qualifier matches and the Rouen tournament to “protect her body”, deciding on a training block instead.
