Raducanu ditches Nike after eight years to sign £2.6m deal with rival
Emma Raducanu has ended an eight-year relationship with Nike to become the first female tennis player on the roster of Uniqlo.
The 23-year-old former US Open champion has signed a multi-million pound deal with the Japanese casualwear brand and follows the likes of Roger Federer in ditching the “Just Do It”- famed sportswear brand for Uniqlo.
Brit Raducanu is expected to debut her new kit at Indian Wells next week after Uniqlo teased her announcement on Monday. The deal is reportedly worth £2.6m, up from the £100,000-per-year her deal with Nike was reportedly worth.
Since shocking the tennis world to win the 2021 US Open, Raducanu has had a turbulent time on the court in finding momentum through injuries and continued coaching changes.
Raducanu making moves
But her victory at Flushing Meadows in New York saw the likes of Wilson, Tiffany & Co, Dior, British Airways and Porsche flock to the Brit, who has Romanian and Chinese heritage.
Uniqlo’s tennis roster has included the likes of Federer, Novak Djokovic and Japan’s Kei Nishikori, with a 10-year deal with the Swiss member of tennis’ “Big Three” worth £226m over a decade. But Raducanu is not the first British tennis player to be part of the Japanese brand’s roster, with wheelchair player Gordon Reid already donning the firm’s logo.
“Introducing Emma Raducanu,” the brand said in a statement, “our newest global brand ambassador and Britain’s top-ranked female tennis player.
“Emma will champion Uniqlo’s Lifewear philosophy, which is committed to pursuing excellence, making meaningful contributions to society, and empowering the next generation.”
There had been reports in 2025 that major Raducanu backer Vodafone – to a rumoured tone of £3m per year – had ditched the Brit.
Raducanu has played 12 matches this year, winning six and losing six.
Nike’s major tennis athletes include Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka.