© Getty Images Sport – Julian Finney
Forbes’ 2023 list has revealed that Emma Raducanu is the active WTA player with the highest sponsorship earnings over the last year – the second highest-paid WTA player in women’s tennis – also the seventh highest-paid tennis player.
According to Forbes, 20-year-old Raducanu has earned $15.3 million over the last 12 months – $15 million has come from her rich sponsorship and endorsement deals, while just $0.3 million came from prize money in tennis. Meanwhile, the highest-paid active women’s tennis player is Iga Swiatek, who netted $22.4 million over the last year – $14 million through sponsorship deals and $8.4 million through prize money.
Cori Gauff and Naomi Osaka also earned a notable sum from sponsorship deals as each earned $12 million over the last year.
Raducanu defended by her agent over rich sponsorship deals
Shortly after Raducanu’s stunning 2021 US Open win, the Briton started signing sponsorship deals with some of the world’s most prestigious and luxurious brands.
Since then, Raducanu has built one of the richest sponsorship portfolios in the entire tennis world. But Raducanu hasn’t won any titles since the 2021 US Open and some have been blaming her sponsorship deals for her lack of success.
Recently, Raducanu’s agent Max Eisenbud explained why there was no reason to blame the 20-year-old’s sponsorship deals for her results.“If you are looking at the Emma Raducanu situation or any of those players who have been thrust into the thing.
Our job is to educate them on what is available to them. In Emma’s situation we could have done 100 deals. She could be doing deals and deals and deals. They left millions and millions on the table. They strategically took the best brands with the most limited time, who understood it would be a rocky road.
None of her sponsors have ever rung up and said ‘oh my god, I can’t believe she’s not winning’. No one. I know people want to say ‘oh she’s got the pressure’. The pressure she has is she won a great tournament and she wants that feeling again and wants to keep winning.
I don’t think she’s waking up and thinking ‘HSBC is mad’. Sponsors are supportive through injury. I know people want the narrative that the ‘big, bad IMG’ are bringing in all this money. We are a pretty well established company and we’re not living and dying on a commission for Emma Raducanu,” Eisenbud said on The Tennis Podcast.
