Emma Raducanu predicts the end of her tennis career after pocketing near £10m in one year

Emma Raducanu says she envisages herself being retired by 31. The Briton is still only 21 and only made her Grand Slam debut three years ago, but admits she’s already thinking about the end of her career. Raducanu shot to stardom at Wimbledon in 2021, reaching the fourth round at her first ever Major before retiring on medical advice. Just months later, the then-teenager became the first qualifier – male or female – ever to win a Slam.

She became the first British woman to win a Major since 1977 at the US Open aged just 18. But Raducanu has struggled with form and fitness since, not progressing past the second round of a Slam in six attempts. As it stands the former world No 10, now ranked 212th, will be forced to qualify for the French Open later this month having been overlooked for a wildcard. But although she has only played 163 WTA Tour matches, the young Briton already has an idea when she will hang up the racket.

Now three years out of school, asked if she gets jealous of any of her schoolmates living normal lives, she told The Times: “I do, but the rewards I am getting at this point are a lot greater than the best they can get.

“My career in tennis is probably finished in 10 years, so I have got to maximise. It’s a sacrifice worth making.” While she has not added to her tally of titles since the 2021 US Open, thanks to sponsorships and prize money Raducanu already has a net worth of £12million. She pocketed nearly £10m in 2022 alone.

And in 2023, only Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal earned more in the world of tennis. All of those five raked in significantly more than Raducanu on court with the bulk of her earnings coming through commercial deals.

Raducanu has suggested she could even get into banking when she retires having recently partnered with HSBC. “I met a group of HSBC trainees and it was fun seeing what they were doing,” she explained. “In 15 years it will all be reversed and they will be super high up and I will just be starting. My parents were academic and they always led me down the finance route.

“I am seeing the operations behind the scenes and something I would potentially want to do in the future. A hundred per cent for me – life starts after tennis. I am actually looking forward to the next chapter, which is funny to say at this age.

“But there are so many things I want to do in this life and I just don’t have enough time.” The one-time Grand Slam champion admits she has to be careful with who she associates with, and has to make sure people are not just looking to leech off of her success.

She added: “I don’t think the tennis has really been much of a problem, it’s navigating what comes with it. I feel like I am getting better at it, but I am still finding my feet and it is super important to know the people you can lean on and who just sees a shiny new thing who is very young and tries to leech off them.