"They'll have two or three years at the top" - Emma Raducanu's marketability analyzed by sport finance expert

After breaking into the spotlight in 2021, tennis star Emma Raducanu has seen a significant decline on the WTA rankings table. Although the British star is still a household name among tennis fans, sports finance expert Dr. Rob Wilson has issued caution to the former World No.10.

Raducanu shocked the tennis community when she won the 2021 US Open singles title as a qualifier. She would go on to break into the Top 10 the following year, but has since plummeted in rankings due to several battles with injuries over the past two years.

Raducanu has been associated with several sponsors since her maiden Grand Slam triumph, playing the role of brand ambassador. However, her recent form and lack of success on tour has raised the question of how much longer she will be seen as marketable.

"Emma Raducanu is marketable but the level of that will come down to sporting performance, whether that will be in the top echelons of the sport remains to be seen,” said sport finance expert Dr. Rob Wilson in an interview with Genting Casino. "She certainly has the raw talent, but what we also see in female tennis as compared to male tennis is that you don’t get the same longevity as when you look at Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic – with the exception of Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova.
“You tend to find that female athletes come and go with tennis, so they'll have two or three years at the top and then that can change. I’ll be interested to see if we're still talking about Emma Raducanu in seven or eight years' time as an elite tennis player [who is] qualifying routinely for ATP and Grand Slams, even if she doesn't win them."

The World No.61 looked impressive at the 2025 Australian Open. Although she was thrashed 6-1 6-0 by Iga Swiatek in the third round, Wilson believes the 22-year old is still every sponsor's ideal athlete.

“Emma Raducanu will keep hold of sponsors at the moment because she is very marketable and speaks very well, she’s a sponsor's dream," added Wilson. "They can activate that even when she’s not winning tournaments because she is very recognizable and has the right personality."