Emma Raducanu makes sly dig after claims sponsor ‘took away huge benefit’ | Tennis | Sport
Emma Raducanu appeared to take a dig after seeing claims that one of her sponsors “took away” a major benefit of their deal.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Porsche had taken back a car worth £125,000 that they had loaned to the Brit as part of her global brand ambassador role.
But Raducanu seemingly hit back as she shared a selfie taken inside one of their vehicles.
The 21-year-old signed a deal with Porsche shortly after her historic feat at the 2021 US Open, when she became the first qualifier ever to lift a Grand Slam trophy.
The sponsorships quickly poured in for Raducanu, who also penned brand deals with the likes of Dior and Tiffany & Co. But working with the German car manufacturer was a dream for the Brit, who used to watch her childhood coach pull up to practice in a Porsche and wanted one of her own.
After becoming one of their ambassadors, the world No. 57 was spotted driving a 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet to her own training sessions. But, according to the Daily Mail, Raducanu “no longer” has a Porsche after “they took it back”.
However, the 21-year-old has seemingly addressed the reports with a cryptic Instagram post. Earlier this week, Raducanu posted two photos. One showed herself inside a Porsche with GTS embroidered on the headrest.
The second was a snap of a quote. “Like I Vanished and Reappeared,” it read, potentially hinting at having the car again.
It’s not known when the photo was taken or if the Porsche in the photo is the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet Raducanu was loaned.
The German brand has also confirmed that the former world No. 10 is still an ambassador after speculation that their deal could be in trouble.
“Emma Raducanu is a global brand ambassador for Porsche and there have not been any changes within our successful partnership since it started in 2022. We are very happy with our partnership,” a spokesperson said.
“We do on occasion loan Emma a car, but this is very much on an ad hoc, short-term basis.”
Raducanu has also been spotted driving her second-hand Dacia Sandero since it was reported that her Porsche was “taken away”. The 21-year-old bought the motor for £5,000 shortly before the Covid lockdown began in 2020.
It remains to be seen whether the British No. 2 will directly address the claims. For now, her focus is on recovering from a foot injury. Raducanu has withdrawn from her next two tournaments in Asia but is hoping to return to action at the Hong Kong Open at the end of the month.
