Emma Raducanu tipped to abruptly retire and she has already hinted at future career after tennis

Former British tennis player and broadcaster Andrew Castle would not be shocked if Emma Raducanu retired from tennis ‘out of the blue’.

Since climbing to the top of the sport with her historic US Open victory in 2021, Raducanu has struggled for consistency.

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Excluding her win in Flushing Meadows, Raducanu has failed to progress beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

And in the Grand Slams following the 2021 US Open, Raducanu has made it past the second round just four times from 14 attempts.

Adding to Raducanu’s on-court struggles is a constant chopping and changes of coaches as well as injury woes.

Raducanu’s physical struggles took centre stage as recently as June, with the 23-year-old forced to withdraw from Wimbledon the day before the tournament began due to a stress fracture in her shin.

Andrew Castle’s verdict on Emma Raducanu’s future in tennis

Given the injuries Raducanu has already had to come back from at such a young age coupled with the harshness of the spotlight the spotlight, veteran former BBC presenter Castle feels the Bromley native could very easily pack it all in.

“Well, put it this way,” Castle said.

“I’ve got no access to that camp whatsoever, but it wouldn’t surprise me if one day, out of the blue, she just said, you know, ‘I’ve had enough of all this.’

“I mean, don’t we all say that? She doesn’t have an obligation to anybody but herself and her family. That’s it. There is nothing else.

“All the sponsors and everybody else, they’re not the ones whose career this is. It’s her choice, but I mean, I hope she carries on.”

Should Raducanu elect to step away from the court for good, she may already have a post-tennis career in mind.

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What post-playing career could Emma Raducanu pursue?

Less than 12 months after she won the US Open, Raducanu landed HSBC as a sponsor on a four-year deal.

Upon confirmation of the partnership being announced, Raducanu revealed she’d have pursued a career in finance had she not gone down the professional tennis player route.

“To partner with HSBC is so natural for me having grown up playing in the HSBC Road to Wimbledon and having been a customer for many years,” Raducanu said.

“If I wasn’t a tennis player, I would definitely want to work in finance so I’m excited to learn more about the industry in the years to come.

“We are working on some really cool ideas and I’m particularly looking forward to working on initiatives that help young people, such as financial education, but watch this space.”

Raducanu has not played a competitive match since she lost in the final at Queen’s in June.

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Her on-court absence looks set to continue, with reports claiming she will not compete in this year’s US Open.

The first round of the 2026 US Open gets underway on August 30.