Will Emma Raducanu become the first billionaire sportswoman? The British US Open champ has already inked deals with Tiffany & Co., Nike and Wilson – can she beat Naomi Osaka to the three-comma club?

Oct 18 , 2021

Making bank?
Emma Raducanu, US Open women’s singles champion at the New York Stock Exchange on September 14, 2021. Photo: New York Stock Exchange via AP — Making bank? Emma Raducanu, US Open women’s singles champion at the New York Stock Exchange on September 14, 2021. Photo: New York Stock Exchange via AP

Experts say if she follows Maria Sharapova’s path, she should surpass Naomi Osaka’s yearly earnings and even exceed Serena Williams career earnings in time

Being born in Canada to a Romanian father and Chinese mother gives her huge appeal – already noticed by the likes of Chanel, Uniqlo, Lacoste and Aston Martin

Overnight tennis sensation Emma Raducanu has an estimated net worth of US$6 million after leaping from a world ranking of 365 in April, to No 22 by September, after winning the US Open women’s singles. At the age of 18, she has already landed multimillion-dollar deals with luxury brands including Tiffany & Co.

It’s clearly not going to stop there, but how big can she really get? Here’s why the young Brit is already being tipped to become first female billionaire sportswoman in the world …

Can Emma beat Serena Williams’ on-court career earnings of US$95 million?

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates with the US Open trophy after winning her maiden grand slam title at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre on September 11, 2021. Photo: USA Today

The 18-year-old earned US$2.5 million for winning the US Open and is now set to prove herself elsewhere on the WTA Tour. For comparison, Maria Sharapova – who has a net worth of US$285 million, according to Forbes – shot to fame in her teens like Raducanu and was earning as much as US$500,000 for exhibition matches up until the time she retired, at age 32 in 2020.

Tennis player and US Open champion Emma Raducanu. Photo: @emmaraducanu/Instagram

Former world no 1, Naomi Osaka, earned US$5 million in prize money in the 12 months to August 2021, again according to Forbes. Purely on that measure, she has some way to go to match the top three women tennis players: Sharapova, with more than US$38 million in total prize money under her belt; Venus Williams at US$42 million, and her sister Serena Williams, top prize money earner at US$95 million.

From US$100,000 to US$1 million a year, all from existing brand deals?

Raducanu spotted one of her own Nike advertisements while she was out in New York City. Photo: @emmaraducanu/Instagram

Prize money is far from the only way to pile up cash of course. Raducanu had deals with Nike and Wilson before her surprise win at the US Open, but the one-year rolling contracts are estimated to be worth only US$136,000 combined.