Emma Raducanu's Uniqlo Deal is Nike's Latest Loss in Tennis

Emma Raducanu's Uniqlo Win

Raducanu issued the statement, "I am very pleased to join UNIQLO and to work closely with its amazing team of Global Brand Ambassadors. Uniqlo and I share many values and perspectives on life, culture, and society. I am excited to inspire and engage young people everywhere."

In addition to representing Uniqlo on the tennis court, Raducanu will promote LifeWear internationally. She will play an active role in designing her on-court apparel and will participate in community-engagement activities.

Those initiatives include the UNIQLO Next Generation Development Program, which offers coaching events for skilled young tennis players and young players from underserved areas, and support for communities in need through UNIQLO Peace for All and The Heart of LifeWear initiatives.

Craig Shapiro was the first reporter to break this news and provided an estimate on Raducanu's contract. Shapiro said the deal would be worth "$3.5 million dollar upfront annual cash deal, not including performance bonuses." He assumed it was a 4-year deal and was unsure about the footwear part of the contract.

Nike's Latest Loss in Tennis

Raducanu's Nike departure is the latest loss for the iconic American brand. Last August, top-ranked men's British star Jack Draper left for Vuori . Before that, American star Frances Tiafoe left for lululemon, and Taylor Fritz went to BOSS.

In the wake of Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams' retirements, Nike has not paid much attention to tennis. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and three WTA stars have had a few t-shirts drop. However, Naomi Osaka is the only current player with a signature collection.

Nike has the top-ranked WTA player (Aryna Sabalenka) as well as Alcaraz and Sinner signed to its roster, so fans want to see more from the iconic American brand. Currently, every other brand is running circles around Nike when it comes to on-court apparel, marketing, and social media strategy.