Emma Raducanu is on course to face so-called world’s richest tennis star Jessica Pegula ahead of her Wimbledon return. The British tennis ace’s preparation for her home grand slam gets underway at Eastbourne on Monday morning.
Raducanu, currently 165th in the world rankings, will first need to beat Sloane Stephens in the ATP tournament’s round of 32. The 21-year-old is coming off the back of a 7-6 3-6 4-6 defeat to Katie Boulter in the semi-final of the Nottingham Open last week.
Victory against Stephens will put her up against World No.5 Pegula, who is known as much for her formidable skills as her eye-watering net worth of around £5.4billion, which has earned her the tag of ‘world’s richest tennis player’.
That takes into account her father’s net worth, which she stands to inherit. Terry Pegula’s extraordinary wealth stems from his involvement in the oil and gas industries, as well as his sports empire, which includes ownership of NFL side Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
But Raducanu will face a tough test against Stephens on the south coast before she is able to play the 30-year-old Pegula. Stephens has previously sat as high as third in the WTA rankings, though Raducanu came out on top in their only ever meeting in 2022.
Both opponents provide a challenge for the Brit, who was recently granted a wildcard spot at this year’s Wimbledon, which gets underway on July 1. Raducanu has never won in SW19 and it will be her first appearance there in two years, following wrist and ankle surgery last year.
Her only Grand Slam triumph to date came at the US Open in 2021, aged just 18. Victory made her the first British woman in 44 years to win the tournament.
Raducanu also became the first qualifier to ever win a major, all without dropping a single set. She has struggled with injuries and a loss of form since that Grand Slam victory, however.
Raducanu withdrew from the French Open in May, deciding to miss the Paris competition in order to maintain her fitness for the remainder for 2024.