Just months after her very own ‘fairytale of New York’, Raducanu signed a lucrative deal with Porsche after agreeing to become an ambassador for the famous sports car manufacture. As a result she was handed a 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet to drive around, a vehicle she claimed she had ‘always dreamed’ of owning.
It was undoubtedly an upgrade on her previous motor, a £5,000 Dacia Sandero. But after Raducanu was recently spotted behind the wheel of her first car again, speculation was rife that Porsche had ended the partnership and ordered her to give back her luxury gift.
But on on Monday, Raducanu posted a picture on her Instagram story of her Porsche safely parked up for the night. She simply captioned the image ‘Good day’.
It’s not the first time the Bromley-based player has taken to social media to hit back at those doubting her deal with Porsche. Last week, she posted a snap of herself sat inside one of their cars with the words “Like I vanished and reappeared.”
The German company has a reputation for being ruthless when it comes to recalling cars from sportspeople they deem to be underperforming. However, in the aftermath of the Raducanu rumours, they released a statement reaffirming their commitment to the former world No.10.
“Emma Radicanu is a global brand ambassador for Porsche and there have not been any changes within our successful partnership since it started in 2022,” they said. “We are very happy with our partnership.”
Despite struggling to replicate the form she showed in her breakthrough season three years ago, Raducanu remains one of the most marketable female players in tennis. She also has endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, British Airways, Evian, HSBC and Vodafone.
And despite her latest injury woe, Raducanu’s 2024 season is not yet over. She’s been selected to represent Team GB in the Billie Jean King Cup this month, and has posted videos of herself back on the practice courts and moving freely ahead of the tournament in Spain.
