Bold statement: A life of financial security and professional prestige doesn’t have to come at the cost of joy, balance, or privacy—and Emma Raducanu embodies that tension with a practical, stubborn optimism. And this is the part most people miss: she doesn’t complain about the tennis calendar; she explains how she makes it work while staying true to herself.
Emma Raducanu has secured numerous endorsement deals early in her career, yet there’s one sponsorship that would likely mean the most to the British No. 1: becoming the ambassador for the London Borough of Bromley.
During a roundtable with tennis journalists after a grueling but rewarding season, Raducanu tries to describe a quiet off-season spent at her family home and ends up pitching the benefits of Bromley. “I’m just so settled,” she shares. “I’ve hardly been in the UK this year because I’ve been competing so much, but spending quality time with my parents has been wonderful. Being in Bromley reminds me of my younger days—the same bedroom, the same everything.”
She notes Bromley’s rising kindnesses, like its new specialty coffee shops, which she’s sampled with enthusiasm. The greenery is refreshing, and commuting by train has become a small, enjoyable ritual—her version of a switch-off. “As soon as I hop on the South Western to Waterloo, the day is done.”
Raducanu’s inner peace comes after a year that was positive yet modest in terms of results. At 23, she climbed from just outside the top 60 to No. 29 in 2025, her best ranking since 2022, and she played more often with relatively steady outcomes.
Behind the scenes, she has been stabilizing her team, addressing a longtime area of concern in her career. She has found a productive coaching partnership with Francisco Roig, the Spaniard who spent years with Rafael Nadal. She’ll begin 2026 with a combined physiotherapist and strength-and-conditioning coach, Emma Stewart, a seasoned professional who has worked in tennis and most recently contributed to British Rowing’s Olympic medal-winning setup.
In recent weeks, the priority has been not to think about tennis too much. After ending her season early in Asia due to illness, Raducanu has dedicated substantial time to language study—improving her Chinese while visiting family in her mother’s homeland, refining Spanish per Roig’s encouragement, and practicing French. “I’m trying to do everything,” she says with a smile. “Rest days from rest days are a thing—I’m realizing how consuming it all can.”
As the 2021 US Open champion describes her language-learning journey, a team member notes that she now texts in French even though the recipient doesn’t speak it. “It’s funny because I’ll end up mixing languages,” she admits. “I’ll form sentences with three languages and not even be sure what I’m saying. Still, it’s been great to give the mind a new focus and keep busy—feeding my brain. It’s the best thing I can do for myself, and I’m in a pretty content place, striving to become a better version off the court.”
Beyond this growth, 2025 brought its fair share of hardships. The most notable involved a persistent fan—a situation that drew global attention after a February incident. Those episodes understandably affected her confidence, and she previously described neck pain from looking down to avoid recognizing reporters in public. “Now I don’t. My neck doesn’t hurt as much. I’m not looking down as much. Better posture,” she jokes. “But I wonder: will they see me on the Tube? It’s not a bad thing.”
Her comfort moving around London during the off-season signals that she has largely moved past the troubling episode. “Honestly, I’ve gotten over it,” she says. “What did creep me out was seeing a photo of me in London with paparazzi and a false story about a new boyfriend. I was with my best friend’s brother on the way to the rugby. The tabloid article cropped out my friend and made it seem otherwise. It’s creepy, but I know someone’s got my back.”
Off the court, 2025 has been a year of debate in tennis, particularly regarding the length of the season. While many peers critique the grind, Raducanu offers a pragmatic counterpoint, contrasting with critics like Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and fellow Brit Jack Draper.
“I think that’s a challenge,” she says. “It’s not something to complain about because it’s what we’re given, and we’re making a great living. It isn’t always glamorous, and there are moments when everything hurts and the mind flags. But what can be done? Some people have tougher bosses; sports is a job too. If the top players continuously complain about the calendar, that isn’t inspiring for aspiring players. A steady, constructive stance is more powerful than constant griping.”
Her next competition will see her teaming with Draper in the United Cup, the mixed-team event that opens the season in Australia. In the meantime, she’s launching a rigorous pre-season with Roig in Barcelona, aiming to sharpen her shot-making and close the gap to the world’s elite.
“I went through very challenging times early in the year,” she reflects. “That period taught me a lot about my own strength and what’s needed to avoid slipping again. A lot of it is education—learning, nurturing the brain, and staying curious about myself. It’s been a valuable journey, and I feel content knowing I’m building a better version of myself off the court.”
