Emma Raducanu set to earn £150million as she shelves plan to study law at university

EMMA Raducanu is set to become a £150million athlete after her historic US Open final last night — as she shelved plans to study law at university.

The 18-year-old proudly signed off her two-week fairytale as millions of Brits tuned in on Channel 4 to watch her play Leylah Fernandez, 19.

Emma — dubbed the Teen Titan by the New York Post — had stepped on to the court at Flushing Meadows bidding to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title in 44 years. Prize money of £1.8million awaited last night’s winner.

The A-level student, from Bromley, South London, was guaranteed £900,000 for making the final.

Experts now predict an avalanche of lucrative sponsorship deals and endorsements making her worth £150million. But the youngster’s path could have been in a different court, as a practising lawyer.

She was applying to go to university to study for a law degree but had to delay plans last year — halfway through her A-level studies — as she started bagging serious prize money in tennis, sources say.

A pal said: “She realised her tennis career was taking off much quicker — and the rest is history. She looked at a number of universities to study for a law degree while fancying herself to become a barrister.

"But she realised a year ago that her sports career was taking off far more rapidly than she thought it would. She had started working out which universities she would apply for when she shelved her plans.”

Emma told in an interview with the Lawn Tennis Association how she had ambitions for a career in law. She said: “I like arguing back a lot and talking back a little bit!”

Emma was born in Toronto, Canada, in November 2002, the daughter of a Romanian father and Chinese mother. She moved to London at the age of two.

'I knew she was exceptional'

At 16, Emma turned pro with the support of then-coach Nigel Sears — Andy Murray’s father-in-law. Sears, revealing the moment she embarked on a professional tennis career in 2018, said: “I knew she was exceptional.

“At 16 she’d won a $25,000 tournament and after that she was a runner-up in another $25k event. Knowing how good she is and how smart she is, I said to her, ‘OK, Emma, you’re going to turn professional now.”

Earlier this year, Emma enjoyed a dazzling run to the last 16 at Wimbledon, her first Grand Slam. She started as a wildcard but ­captured the nation’s hearts with three superb victories before pulling out with breathing problems.

The young star faced a wave of criticism at the time, coldly being accused of not being able to handle the pressure in SW19. But she proved her doubters wrong in the US Open.

Last night celebs, royalty and politicians lined up to wish her luck — including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Boris Johnson and the McLaren F1 team.

The only person blocking her path to glory was fellow teen Fernandez. They played each other at Wimbledon’s junior event in 2018, with Emma winning 6-2 6-4. But they had not played each other again until last night.

She could be the biggest female sports star in the world.

Talent agent Jonathan Shalit

The Brit, who stormed her way to the final without dropping a single set, was ranked too low, at 150 in the world, to make the main draw of the US tournament.

It meant she had to slog through three rounds of qualifying in her attempt to end Britain’s wait for a first female Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade’s 1977 Wimbledon triumph.

Experts now believe she could become the highest-earning female sports star of all time. Talent agent Jonathan Shalit — who landed ­lucrative deals for Olympic boxer Nicola Adams and singer Myleene Klass — predicts Emma’s off-court earnings will surpass Japanese tennis ace Naomi Osaka and US superstar Serena Williams.

He revealed: “I already have her down to become the first £150million British female sports star. And she could be the biggest female sports star in the world.”

Emma already has a clothing and shoe deal with Nike, a racquet tie-up with Wilson and she appears in the current issue of Vogue magazine. She also boasts 684,000 Instagram followers and is gaining 8,000 new fans every hour.

Her manager is Max Eisenbud, vice-president of tennis at entertainment giant IMG and one of the most powerful agents in sport. His negotiations for Maria Sharapova, who won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 2004, helped her earn £234million on and off court by the time she retired last year, according to Forbes.

She’s playing these matches with a smile on her face and she’s going out and saying, ‘I’m just going to enjoy the experience’.

LTA coach Matt James

But Emma is focused on winning titles, not cash. LTA coach Matt James, who has worked with her since she was 16, said: “She will inspire a lot of people, especially girls. She has a great attitude.

“She’s playing these matches with a smile on her face and she’s going out and saying, ‘I’m just going to enjoy the experience’. But at the same time she is a fierce competitor who can compose herself under enormous pressure.”

Emma was a 150/1 outsider when the US Open began but last night her odds were cut to 8/15. And she is a frontrunner to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.