The off-court deals keep rolling on for Emma Raducanu, who has just signed a $4m deal with UK mobile phone giant Vodafone.
Raducanu, 19, has seen her value jump to an estimated $12m since her US Open triumph in September, is managed by Max Esienbud at IMG, the man who masterminded Maria Sharapova.
Eisenbud recently told the New York Times that ‘if the iron’s hot, we’re striking’.
He added: “The difference between Maria winning Wimbledon and Emma winning the US Open really comes down to social media.
“There was no social media in 2004, but it made things move so fast this time. It’s just in warp speed.”
But Raducanu, who recently became an ambassador for British Airways, has been warned she needs to start winning on the court again – or the deals will be shortlived.
Andy Murray’s mother, Judy, said last week she faced a steep learning curve on and off the court in 2022.
“She is, quite rightly, tennis and marketing gold dust right now. At the start, that may be exciting but over time, it’s likely to be very draining,” Mrs Murray said.
‘It’s not so easy for a teenager to fit into the corporate world but sponsorship and endorsements come with obligations and personal appearances.”
