Emma Raducanu has become accustomed to unexpected twists and turns, but even she could not have anticipated quite how many left-hand drives the closing weeks of the year would bring.
Seven weeks after a wrist problem put paid to an injury-ravaged season, Raducanu posted footage on social media of her return to the practice court – as a southpaw. The 20-year-old, who is shown striking left-handed forehands in the video, is evidently taking no chances with her recovery.
Determined to shore up her physique and get a solid pre-season training block under her belt, something she was denied last year after contracting Covid during the off-season, Raducanu recently started working with Jez Green, Andy Murray’s former strength and conditioning coach.
“It was only my first full year in 2022, and to complete more of the year and remain injury-free as much as possible, that’s my biggest goal,” said Raducanu, who was forced to retire mid-match on four occasions this season and also suffered a litany of other minor injuries and niggles.
“A really good physical foundation will hold me in good stead for the future.”
In addition to building a more robust body, Raducanu has been making the most of her time away from the court by fulfilling sponsorship obligations. Earlier this month, she fronted a promotional event for the French fashion house Christian Dior at Harrods, where she turned on the Christmas lights. The former US Open champion also has deals with Nike, Wilson, Tiffany & Co, Evian, Porsche, HSBC, Vodafone and British Airways.
There have been suggestions in some quarters that Raducanu’s commercial commitments have hampered her progress on court. Yet her agent, Max Eisenbud, has poured cold water on such claims, pointing out that the British world No 75 allocates only 18 days a year to her sponsors, none of which fall before, during or immediately after a tournament. The model was originally devised by Eisenbud for former client Maria Sharapova, who was the world’s highest-earning female athlete for more than a decade, and was later successfully embraced by China’s Li Na, the former French and Australian Open champion.
“People who don’t understand that philosophy could think that it is distracting her, but I think when you see how it’s laid out, it really is not the case,” Eisenbud, senior vice-president for IMG, told the BBC earlier this year.
Raducanu has also followed in Sharapova’s footsteps by becoming a brand ambassador for Porsche, and last week she became the latest addition to Court Supremes, a collaboration between the German car manufacturer and Czech fashion photographer Radka Leitmeritz. That meant a trip to Silverstone for Raducanu, who is a noted motorsports enthusiast, and the chance to experience a different kind of left-hand drive: a vintage Porsche 911.
“To shoot with a 1965 911 was an amazing experience, and even better getting to take it for a few laps afterward,” said Raducanu. “For me, Porsche represents style, and to be a part of a project like this that combines tennis, cars, style and art photography is very cool. Radka has done an amazing job to bring these together.”
Leitmeritz’s work, which applies the principles of fashion photography to the depiction of tennis players, combines a sense of nostalgia for the sport’s heritage with a feel for the power and elegance of its practitioners.
“It was a lot of fun working with Emma,” said Leitmeritz. “I’m so pleased to have got her to be a part of the project. In front of the camera, she showed an incredible charisma and perfection for her young years.
“I just love her fresh energy. We got some exceptional photos in a very short space of time. She has her very own style and a good feel for fashion. It was obviously a big help. And the blue 911 was simply a dream.”
Raducanu’s association with Porsche is rooted in more than just a natural alignment between a brand aiming to be the most recognisable in the world, and a player whose turbo-charged transformation from A-level student to teenage grand slam champion instantly made her one of the most high-profile athletes on the planet. Raducanu’s childhood passion for go-karting and motocross – fuelled by her father Ian, a devoted motorsports fan – is well-documented.
“As a six-year-old girl, going karting made me feel different from other girls, and even boys, in a positive way,” said Raducanu, who has recalled how she used to dream of having a Porsche 911 like the one owned by one of her first coaches.
“I felt cool and had so much fun once I started to get good at it. Motocross was then a step up from go-karting. What kid doesn’t like getting dirty in the mud?”
Raducanu is next scheduled to appear at a three-day exhibition event in Abu Dhabi next month, after which she will travel to Auckland to begin her preparations for the Australian Open at the ASB Classic, a WTA 250 event that begins on 2 January.