Judy Murray acknowledged that numerous endorsement and sponsorship deals will bring a huge financial reward for Emma Raducanu but also fears it may negatively affect her body. Raducanu, who impressively won the US Open as a qualifier last year, is now one of the most marketable tennis players.
Raducanu has endorsement and sponsorship deals with some of the world’s most renowned brands such as Dior, Tiffany, Porsche, Nike, etc. “Emma Raducanu’s team will be mindful of all the savvy sponsorship deals and marketing campaigns she has astutely tapped into over the past eight months,” Murray wrote for The Telegraph.
“They will no doubt bring her huge financial rewards, but at what cost to her body?”
Murray fears Raducanu might be forced into playing some events
“I say this because as with most young players, it shouldn’t be a case of patching them up and preparing them for the next high-profile event just because a sponsor or a federation wants to ensure their branding is visible,” Murray wrote.
“When athletes are so young, you can’t expect them to make those big decisions. They can get sucked into the short-term picture and of course it can be tempting to play in all these lucrative events.” Raducanu, 19, has been battling various injuries and setbacks throughout the entire 2022 season.
In April, British Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong stated that Raducanu definitely needs to become more robust. However, Murray is not concerned as she feels Raducanu will improve her fitness level once her body adjusts better to the demands of the Tour.
“What’s becoming increasingly clear is that Emma Raducanu’s body needs time to mature,” Murray wrote. “If you strip away the fact she was catapulted into this amazing success following her US Open triumph last September, she is no different to any other young player in the sense that her body needs time to fill out, become more robust and resilient.”
Source: Tennis World USA