It would be an understatement to say that eighteen-year-old Emma Radacanu from Bromley, London has achieved something spectacular. With the majority of the United Kingdom tuning into Channel 4 last night to watch her epic Grand Slam win; Radacanu has made history.
Radacanu is the youngest British woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in 46 years since Virginia Wade won the singles title in 1977 and the first woman to reach a US Open semi-final since Jo Durie in 1983.
However, more miracuously, she has claimed the hearts of the British public. Sportsmen such as Marcus Rashford posted on social media their support and admiration for the teenage tennis star after her win. Even the Queen has commented that her performance was ”outstanding” and ”will inspire the next generation of tennis players”.
Not only is her nationality important to the British public, but her sense of character and poise she continues to show on and off the court. Radacanu has already made her debut in British Vogue with an interview in the recent October 2021 issue, where she has been termed as having an ”enviable, self confidece” and ”the most exciting tennis player in a decade” by Vogue interviewer Olivia Marks.
It seems inevitable that everyone will be wanting a piece of Radacanu’s success. Marketing experts such as Simon Chadwick from the Emlyon Business School believe she is set to make millions with many sponsorships in the near future. Radacanu already has a shoe and clothing sponsorship with Nike and Chadwick believes “there’s so much potential on where Emma could go commercially.”
“Emma’s age, she’s Generation Z, her dual heritage, her growing profile and the global platform she’s on means big things are ahead for her, ” Chadwick added.
It seems Radacanu is a marketing dream, and with big players such as Serena Williams coming to the end of their careers, Radacanu’s time for success is NOW.
