Emma Raducanu surpasses Naomi Osaka in 2021 earnings, Ashleigh Barty highest earner on the WTA Tour
According to a report in the Daily Express, US Open champion Emma Raducanu pocketed more in earnings in 2021 than four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
Raducanu rose to prominence when she became the first player to win a Grand Slam tournament as a qualifier at the 2021 US Open earlier this year. The Brit defeated Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari en route to the final, where she overcame Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez.
Wow…that was some year🤯 2 pics to sum up my 2021 season🩸💧I want to say thank you & that I'm extremely grateful for your generous support. I’ve learnt many things at a fast pace on this incredible journey but all I can say is that I'm very excited & motivated for my next steps https://t.co/SYgGccOx89
Osaka, meanwhile, began the year in spectacular fashion by winning the Australian Open. But the Japanese went on to miss a large chunk of the season due to mental health issues. Osaka amassed $1.7 million in prize money in 2021, putting her two spots behind Emma Raducanu, who pocketed $2.1 million.
The highest earner on the women's side was year-end No. 1 Ashleigh Barty with £3 million in prize money. The Australian finished the year at the top of the women's rankings for a third year running after she won titles at the Yarra Valley Classic, Miami Open, Stuttgart Open, and Wimbledon.
Emma Raducanu looking to bounce back in 2022
Following her remarkable breakthrough at the US Open, Emma Raducanu has gone through a bit of a sticky patch on the WTA Tour. The Brit has won just two of five tour-level matches she has played since the US Open.
The 19-year-old lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round at Indian Wells, and was beaten by Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals in Cluj-Napoca. She then lost her first-round encounter in Linz against Wang Xinyu.
The Brit also parted ways with her coach Andrew Richardson after the US Open, and will now be working with Angelique Kerber's former coach Torben Beltz.
Raducanu is scheduled to play in the Champions Tennis exhibition in London this month, and the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi at the end of this year. She will then shift her focus to the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne.
So excited to be playing in front of a home crowd this weekend @ChampionsTennis, an event I would go to watch as a young kid. Also to see some legends go head-to-head at the @RoyalAlbertHall: championstennis.co.uk
#atpchampionstour #championstennis https://t.co/jVlV7jVCqx