Emma Raducanu says her tennis results after her fairytale US Open victory were affected by off-field business activities.
When she incredibly became the Queen of New York in September 2021 at the age of 18, Raducanu became an overnight millionaire – and a marketing person’s dream.
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Brands like British Airways, Dior, HSBC, Porsche, Tiffany & Co. and Vodafone raked in huge amounts of cash under his direction.
But in return, all they wanted was her time in front of the camera, so they could put her image on billboards and TV commercials.
Three years later, Raducanu – one of the top 10 highest-earning female athletes – now realizes how much it has disrupted her ability to balance training and matches.
Raducanu, 22, said: “I’m obviously very grateful and fortunate to have had some experiences and opportunities but I wasn’t prepared for it.
“You know, in my mind it was: ‘Okay, I get up, I play tennis. I go to the gym. I go home and I have nothing else to do.’
“Especially when I performed really well, for the next few years, it felt like there was a lot more communication about things off the court. And I will always give my 100 percent on the court.
“I was always working hard but I think I was also not prepared for other things that inevitably take away some of your energy.
“I think I’m a lot more structured now. I’ll say: ‘Okay, I have this time where we’ll talk about business for an hour. And now I’m going to train for the rest of the week. Also, I think I’ve learned to say no a little more.
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“In the beginning I felt really bad about disappointing people. I’m always looking to do extra work for whatever partner or magazine or whatever I’m shooting for.
Djokovic to pair up with Kyrgios in doubles in Brisbane“If they want to do an extra half day I’m always willing to do extra. I will do this and include it in my schedule. I used to do my practice early and then in the afternoon.
“Look, even if it’s a last minute thing, I always try to give extra to the brands I’m working with.
“Especially when I took almost a year off due to injuries. But at the same time, it is also important to put yourself first a little more.
This Friday, Raducanu will fly to New Zealand with new fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura to begin his preparations for the 2025 season, which he hopes will be free of injuries and setbacks.
Christmas Day will be spent on an Auckland beach rather than the freezing cold of London, but that’s the life of a top tennis player.
Raducanu, ranked 57th in the world, said: “My best friend lives in Auckland.
“For the past two years I have lived with him and his family, and we move an hour north.
different christmas
He has a small hut on the beach. This is different. It’s like a warm Christmas with a barbecue on the beach.
“It’s completely different for someone who grew up in London. December is my favorite time of year in London.
“But I think I’ll just make peace for the next 10 or 15 years and then I’ll come back and have a cool Christmas.”
Raducanu recently faced some hurdles as his beloved Porsche was “taken back” by luxury car manufacturers.
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The Bromley star had a £125,000 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, which had a top speed of 192mph, which was his pride and joy.
And Raducanu was warned that unless she started winning again she risked losing all her £9m sponsorship deals.
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