Emma Raducanu, the British tennis sensation who captured the world’s attention with her fairy-tale 2021 US Open victory, has hit a rough patch off the court. The 22-year-old has reportedly lost her lucrative £3 million-a-year partnership with Vodafone, a deal that had been a cornerstone of her endorsement portfolio since her meteoric rise. This development, described as a significant blow, comes with a stark warning from sports finance experts: without consistent on-court success, Raducanu risks further erosion of her sponsorship empire, which has already seen turbulence in recent years.
Raducanu’s journey began with a historic triumph at Flushing Meadows, where, as an 18-year-old qualifier, she became the first player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles title without dropping a set. The victory catapulted her to global stardom, earning her the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and a slew of high-profile endorsements with brands like Nike, Dior, Tiffany & Co., Evian, and British Airways. Vodafone, which signed her in December 2021, positioned her as a grassroots ambassador, with Raducanu appearing in glossy campaigns and even as a 5G hologram coaching young players. “I’m so excited to be working with Vodafone to inspire the next generation of tennis players in the UK,” she said at the time, reflecting her enthusiasm for the partnership’s mission to grow the sport.
However, the telecommunications giant has now parted ways with Raducanu, reportedly due to her “demanding too much money” during negotiations. This decision marks the end of her most lucrative deal, which had been a financial lifeline amid a challenging period marked by injuries and inconsistent form. Since her US Open triumph, Raducanu has yet to secure another title, with triple surgery in 2023 sidelining her for nine months and contributing to her drop to No. 47 in the WTA rankings. Despite a promising resurgence at the 2024 Miami Open, where she reached the quarter-finals and defeated top-10 players, her inability to sustain momentum has raised concerns among sponsors. “I wasn’t necessarily feeling great about my tennis, but this week I have some really good people around me who I trust and who I have fun with off the court,” she reflected after Miami, hinting at a renewed focus on her game and mental well-being.
The loss of Vodafone is not an isolated incident. Last year, Raducanu’s partnership with Porsche came under scrutiny when reports surfaced that the luxury carmaker had reclaimed a £125,000 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet loaned to her. A Porsche spokesperson clarified, “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,” but her decision to skip the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart for a WTA 250 event in Rouen raised eyebrows. Sports finance expert Dr. Rob Wilson has sounded the alarm, warning that Raducanu’s remaining eight sponsorships—including £2 million deals with Dior and Tiffany & Co. and £100,000 agreements with Nike and Wilson—could be at risk if she doesn’t produce results. “She will struggle to keep any of her sponsorship deals if she cannot produce positive results on the court,” Wilson stated, emphasizing the cutthroat nature of sports marketing.
Raducanu’s recent decisions reflect a cautious approach to her career. She withdrew from Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers and the Rouen tournament to “look after her body,” prioritizing a training block ahead of the clay season. She is reportedly in talks with commentator Mark Petchey to become her full-time coach after parting ways with Nick Cavaday and Vladimir Platenik. As she prepares for potential appearances at the Madrid Open or Italian Open, Raducanu remains a polarizing figure—celebrated for her potential yet scrutinized for her off-court challenges, including a stalking incident that left her shaken during the 2025 Dubai Championships. With £9 million in endorsements earned in 2024, ranking her as the seventh-highest-paid female athlete, Raducanu’s financial future hinges on her ability to reclaim her on-court magic and prove her worth to brands watching closely.