Emma Raducanu enjoyed her best season in tennis since winning the US Open in 2021, but the 22-year-old is already looking ahead to 2026
Emma Raducanu enjoyed her best tennis season since clinching the US Open in 2021. The 22-year-old ended the year ranked 29th globally, a leap of 29 spots from her position at the close of 2024.
Raducanu reached the semi-finals at the Citi DC Open in Washington in July, the quarter-finals at the Miami Open in March, and the last-16 at the Italian Open in May.
However, she found it challenging to progress beyond the third round in any of the Grand Slams this year and suffered defeats in 10 out of her 11 matches against top-10 players.
She also had to deal with a disappointing end to the year in Asia due to illness. Overall, Raducanu participated in 22 tournaments this year. A minor back injury forced her to conclude the season early, giving her 11 weeks to recuperate and gear up for a 2026 season that promises to be as demanding as the last.
Raducanu’s next tournament
Raducanu is poised to kick off 2026 by representing Team GB at the United Cup in Australia. The competition is the only mixed event endorsed by both the ATP and WTA, reports the Express.
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Group stage games comprise one men’s singles tie, one women’s singles match, and a mixed game. It marks a shift in strategy for Raducanu, who has traditionally begun her season in New Zealand at the ASB Classic in Auckland for the past three years. However, she was a late withdrawal from the tournament in January this year.
Raducanu said: “I’m honoured to be able to make my United Cup debut in January. Being able to play for Team GB with my team-mates is a unique opportunity and week to enjoy. It’s great to be able to experience a new format on the tour, represent my country and spend a couple extra weeks in Australia.”
The competition kicks off on January 2 in Perth and Sydney. It takes place just a fortnight before the Australian Open gets underway in Melbourne on January 19. Raducanu might also team up with a recognisable face at The United Cup.
New partner
Raducanu and Britain’s men’s No. 1 Jack Draper could join forces at the United Cup. The duo are understood to be close mates, backing each other throughout the years, and they’ve now committed to Great Britain duties for the beginning of the 2026 campaign.
Whilst it remains uncertain whether they’ll compete alongside each other in the same fixture, the likelihood of the two Brits combining has grown, courtesy of the mixed format being included.
Draper is presently recovering from injury. He hasn’t competed since the US Open in August but is expected to make his comeback at the beginning of December, participating in the Universal Tennis Showdown Exhibition. However, he is raring to go for the United Cup.
He said: “I am excited to get back on court and compete in the United Cup. I’ll be looking out for the draw to see if Team GB will play in Perth or Sydney. I haven’t been to either, so it will be nice to compete in a brand new city in Australia.”
Big payday
The United Cup took over from the ATP Cup in the calendar and showcases elite stars from both the ATP and WTA tours. The overall prize fund for 2025 stood at £8.4million – marking a 17 per cent boost from 2024.
Earnings are split between appearance fees, team victory bonuses and prize money. Every player initially pockets an appearance fee determined by their world ranking.
Raducanu currently sits at No. 29 globally, meaning last year she would have pocketed £53,000 for her fee, assuming she was her nation’s top-ranked player. She would have earned £40,000 as the second player and £12,500 if listed third.
These sums are anticipated to climb for 2026. Stars also collect extra prize money when their nation triumphs in a tie. In 2024, singles competitors could bank £213,000 for claiming the final and even £32,500 simply for securing a match victory.
This represented more than an 11 per cent surge from the prior year’s prize pool, with 2026 set to deliver even greater rewards. Raducanu could pocket £20,000 for capturing the team competition whilst £4,200 is on offer for claiming a group stage encounter in that format.
Should they partner up, Draper and Raducanu could secure £40,000 for triumphing in the mixed doubles. In theory, if Raducanu were to compete in every possible match and maintain an unbeaten streak, she could pocket a whopping £750,000 in prize money and 500 ranking points.
This scenario assumes that all her opponents would be within the top 10, which is improbable but highlights the massive rewards at stake.
