Emma Raducanu remains a sought-after ambassador for major brands even as she works to re-establish herself on tour. After the breakthrough at the US Open in 2021, Dior, Porsche, Tiffany, British Airways, Vodafone and Evian were among the marquee names linked to her. The on-court results that followed did not match that early surge.

Injuries and a dip in form saw Raducanu slide down the WTA Rankings and it took her almost four years to find her feet on the senior tour after her initial breakthrough. Her current trajectory shows signs of recovery and a more measured view of what is realistic on court.

The commercial interest has not waned. She remains attached to some of the partners who added her as an ambassador in 2021 and continues to attract new clients. Her 2.9m followers on Instagram make her a big tennis influencer and she used her time in New York around the US Open to film an advert for her latest sponsor, sustainable personal care brand Wild. The brand unveiled Raducanu as their new brand ambassador with a glossy new advert, which was filmed at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York.

Raducanu has acknowledged that the early phase of her career involved too much off-court activity and says she has altered her approach. “Especially straight after I did really well, for the next few years it was very much like there was so much communication about things off the court,” said Raducanu.

“And I would always, always give my 100 per cent on the court. I was always working really hard, but I just think that I wasn’t prepared as well for the other things that inevitably do take some energy out of you.

“I think now I’m a lot more structured. I’ll be like: ‘OK, I have this time where one hour we will talk about business. And now I’m going to go train for the rest of the week’.

“Also I think I’ve learned how to say no a bit more. Initially, I felt really bad for letting people down. I’d always want to do extra for whatever partner or magazine or whatever I’m shooting for.”

On-court earnings currently stand at a little over $5.5m, while sponsorship income across the last four years is believed to exceed that figure. Raducanu suffered a disappointing exit at the US Open when she was well beaten by Elena Rybakina in the third round, but her commercial profile and public appeal remain strong.

Coco Gauff left the 2025 US Open with mixed emotions: bruised after a loss to Naomi Osaka but upbeat about the work she has started on her serve. Observers had noted a sombre demeanour during parts of her run in New York, yet Gauff framed the week as part of a broader process.

The changes began after a difficult 2024 North American hard-court swing. She parted ways with Brad Gilbert and joined Matt Daly last September, a partnership that produced immediate results: she won the China Open and finished the year with the season-ending WTA Finals trophy. Her form carried into 2025 with a second major at Roland Garros and runner-up finishes at the Madrid Open and Italian Open, but she acknowledged a persistent weakness in her serve.

When Gavin MacMillan became available after the Cincinnati Open, Gauff made another significant switch. She and MacMillan focused on biomechanics and decided to change her entire service motion. That overhaul left the build-up to the US Open difficult; she described shoulder pain after practice but accepted the short-term discomfort.

A testing three-set win over Ajla Tomljanovic opened her campaign. There were tears during and after a two-set victory over Donna Vekic, and she dropped only four games against Magdalena Fręch in the third round before the defeat to Osaka. After the Fręch match she admitted she “broke down.”

She detailed the emotional swing: “I think that trying to be more positive after the match, I was really disappointed,” she admitted. “Kind of broke down to my team and then hearing their perspectives and everything, it definitely is a lot of positive things.

“If I think if I kept the way I was going in Cincinnati to here, I would have been out the first round. And so I think that where my serve started from the start of the tournament to today was a big improvement. And I feel like now I just have to get everything to work together. But, yeah, I knew going in it was going to be a tough tournament for me.”

Statistically there are signs of progress: she served 320 double faults before the US Open, added 23 in her first three matches in New York and five more against Osaka. “My goal going into the tournament this year was not to lose the same way that I lost last year. And I don’t remember how many doubles I hit in my match against Emma, but it was definitely in the double digits, so I didn’t do that today,” she said.

At 21 she already owns 10 WTA Tour singles titles, including two Grand Slams, a WTA Finals trophy and two WTA 1000 titles, and she has peaked at No 2. With older rivals such as Aryna Sabalenka, 27, and Iga Swiatek, 24, she sees room to grow: “So I think for me, it just gets me excited to realise if I have, like, four more years of just working as hard as I am right now and actually doing the right things, like where my game could be.”

Novak Djokovic’s progress to the US Open quarter-finals has come with trade-offs. The 38-year-old skipped pre‑US Open tournaments to spend time with his family, a decision that left him short of match rhythm, yet he nonetheless overcame niggles and rust to reach another Grand Slam last eight.

That run carries a personal cost. Djokovic will face Taylor Fritz on Tuesday and the match falls on the same day his daughter Tara celebrates her birthday. When asked about missing the family occasion, the 24‑time Grand Slam champion acknowledged his disappointment.

“It is what it is,” began Djokovic. “We predicted that might happen. She was not very happy about it, me being absent from the birthday party. So, don’t remind me of that, please.

“Those are types of things that I really don’t want to be missing anymore. So, it’s just on a personal level for me important to be there, to show up, you know, for the people that have been showing up for me for all these years playing tennis.”

He also promised to make his absence felt in other ways, combining a pursuit of victory with birthday gifts. “At least I’m going to try to win and give her that kind of present, as I’m going to send some nice presents for her birthday party.

“Hopefully, the win can be something she can be happy with. But again, yeah, daddy away and daddy present is a big difference. And I know that I, but it is what it is this year.”

Djokovic has been explicit about shifting priorities as his career continues. He explained his decision before the tournament: “I decided not to play (US Open warm-up tournaments) because I wanted to spend more time with my family,” and added: “And to be honest, you know, I think I earned my right and have the luxury of kind of choosing, picking and choosing where I want to go and what I want to play.

“It’s just not any more prioritizing the heavy schedule as I used to. I’m not chasing the rankings or building up my points or defending, et cetera. I just don’t think about it anymore.

“For me, it’s really about where do I find motivation and joy? Where will I be inspired to play the best tennis? And where do I care to be, really, and play? And Slams are obviously the four main tournaments where I always feel the most motivation.”

He has said he does not know when or where he will call time on his career, but his choices at this US Open underline that family considerations are playing an increasing role.