What Emma Raducanu’s Meteoric Ascent Means For Luxury Brands In Asia?

Emma Raducanu’s fairytale rise to sporting stardom is poised to make her one of the most marketable athletes in the world. 

The precocious 18-year-old British tennis player who made history as the first qualifier to win a grand slam, by clinching the US Open on September 11, has quickly become a global fan favourite. Emma Raducanu’s exploits in the Flushing Meadows has already seen her ascend the ATP Rankings to an impressive 22 from a lowly 345.

Apart from her on-court prowess, the talented teenager has also dazzled off the court with her mediagenic poise at high-profile events such as the Met Gala, and has already secured lucrative endorsement deals with Tiffany & Co. and Nike.          

However, the biggest X-factor for brands— similar to her predecessor’s Naomi Osaka appeal in Japan— is her clout in China thanks to her Chinese heritage and fluent Mandarin. 

Prior to Emma Raducanu creating her personal Weibo account, her maiden grand slam victory had already been trending on the social media platform with over 200m reads in 24 hours after the landmark win.  

With global luxury brands struggling with celebrity scandals, blacklisting and government clampdowns in recent years as they try to grow in the competitive Chinese market, the wholesome and cheerful Emma Raducanu seems a breath of fresh air and is well on the path to be the industry’s most bankable star in China and across the world. Talk is rife that her commercial reach would even surpass Naomi Osaka’s as brands could flock towards traditional sports and pull away from the rather sedentary esports industry, as government regulations push for a fitter Chinese population. 

While China’s state media has been celebrating Emma Raducanu’s Chinese heritage and parallels with the ruling party espoused values, it can be a double-edged sword as the association with the political regime might seem unpalatable to certain Western brands. Likewise, she also needs to be very careful of not running foul with the Chinese Communist Party, which will no doubt see her presence in China soon, as a global PR opportunity.