EMMA RADUCANU could join the ranks of the big stars of tennis after her success at the US Open.
The 18-year-old Briton received a check worth £ 1.8million after her victory in New York, but that is expected to increase significantly thanks to sponsorship deals and endorsements.
12
Agent Jonathan Shalit, President of InterTalent, predicted great things for Raducanu.
He said: “Emma is a phenomenon. She will be the highest paid British sports star of all time.
“If Emma’s trajectory continues, she will earn well over £ 100million.
“Leisure, sports, health, fitness and lifestyle brands are going to knock on her door. For brands, she is unique. There is no one like her.”
Raducanu is led by Max Eisenbud, the man partly responsible for Maria Sharapova who earned £ 234million on and off the pitch when she retired last year.
It helped the Russian to enter the list of the ten richest tennis players – and she is accompanied by only one other woman, Serena Williams.
12
FREE BETS: GET OVER £ 2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Here are the ten richest tennis stars of all time.
10. John McEnroe – £ 72million
The former world number one won seven Grand Slam tournaments as a player, mostly in the 1980s.
His antics and personality at court also led to infamy and his wealth increased as a result.
Since his retirement, McEnroe has worked as an expert for ESPN and also covers Wimbledon every year for the BBC.
But his media work was not without controversy and he received a major reaction after suggesting that Raducanu could not cope with the pressure when she left the round of 16 at Wimbledon.
12
9. Andy Murray – £ 72million
Andy Murray ended Britain’s long wait for a men’s Grand Slam title by winning the US Open in 2012.
And after winning his first title, he frantically searched for his Rado watch in order to meet the demands of a sponsorship deal worth millions.
He continued that victory by winning Wimbledon in 2013 and later in 2016.
Murray has three Grand Slam titles to his name and two Olympic gold medals.
12
8. Maria Sharapova – £ 97million
After becoming the Wimbledon champion at 17, Sharapova was catapulted into fame, and riches quickly followed after Max Eisenbud became her agent.
Sharapova has won every Grand Slam title, including the French Open twice to cement herself as one of the highest paid tennis players of all time.
12
7. Pete Sampras – £ 108million
Sampras was the best male player with 14 Grand Slam titles to his name before that record was broken in 2009.
He was notably champion of SW19 with seven titles at Wimbledon.
Also, his 14 victories in 18 finals represent the best percentage in final history, with 78%.
12
6. André Agassi – £ 126million
Another former American number one, Agassi has earned over £ 22million on his own.
Like Sampras, Agassi has won each of the four majors and has 60 career singles titles.
He has also won the Davis Cup with the United States three times.
12
5. Serena Williams – £ 129million
Unsurprisingly, Williams is the highest paid women’s tennis star of all time.
Much of his net worth has been accumulated through cash prizes, earning around £ 68million to date.
Williams has won Wimbledon seven times, the Australian Open seven times and the US Open six times.
She has 23 Grand Slam titles, one short of Margaret Court’s record 24.
12
4. Rafael Nadal – £ 129million
Nadal tied Federer’s Grand Slam record when he won Roland Garros for the 13th time in 2020.
In 2020 alone, the Spaniard won over £ 28million, including just under £ 20million from the cash prizes.
Nadal has been sponsored by Kia Motors since 2006 and has been outfitted by Nike for most of his career.
Additionally, he replaced Cristiano Ronaldo as the new face of Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans in 2011.
12
3. Novak Djokovic – £ 144million
The Serb missed the chance to make history when he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final on Sunday.
A victory would have seen Djokovic win the title of most successful male tennis player of all time, with 21 Grand Slam titles.
And he would also have become the first player in the modern era to win every Grand Slam in the same year, following his victories at Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open.
12
2. Roger Federer – £ 324million
Federer was a master on the pitch and pretty much holds the record for most Grand Slam titles, with 20 – shared with Nadal and Djokovic.
And his entrepreneurial spirit proved to be just as astute, with clothing brand RF having partnered with retailer Uniqlo.
His other sponsors include Gillette, Wilson, Barilla and Moët & Chandon, and the Swiss has previously worked with Nike and Mercedes Benz China.
12
1. Ionic Tiriac – £ 4 billion
Tiriac isn’t a very well-known name in tennis, with his best achievement in men’s singles reaching the quarter-finals of the 1968 French Open.
He was more successful in doubles and placed 19th in 1979.
But without a doubt, his greatest triumph was away from court, founding Banca Tiriac in 1990 and accumulating a net worth of over £ 1 billion over the next 30 years.
He was the first Romanian to become a billionaire.
12
