Emma Raducanu could clash with the so-called world's richest tennis player Jessica Pegula ahead of her Wimbledon return.
The British starlet's preparations for her home grand slam will begin at Eastbourne on Monday morning. Raducanu, who currently sits at 165th in the global rankings, will face Sloane Stephens in the ATP tournament's round of 32.
The fan-favourite 21-year-old is coming off the back of a 7-6 3-6 4-6 defeat to Katie Boulter in last week's Nottingham Open semi-final. And a win against Stephens would pit her against World No.5 Pegula, whose enormous wealth has seen her dubbed the 'world's richest tennis player'.
Pegula, 30, stands to inherit her father Terry’s gargantuan £5.4billion net worth. The American business mogul’s riches stem from his ventures in the oil and gas sectors, as well as his sports empire, which includes ownership of NFL team Buffalo Bills and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres.
But before Raducanu can set her sights on the talented Pegula, she will need to get past a difficult opponent in Stephens on the south coast. Stephens has previously ranked as high as third in the WTA rankings, although Raducanu came out the victor in their sole encounter back in 2022.
Raducanu was recently granted a wildcard spot for this year's Wimbledon - which will begin on July 1. The Brit has never triumphed in SW19 and will be making her first appearance there in two years, following wrist and ankle surgery last year.
Her only Grand Slam success so far came at the US Open in 2021 when she was just 18. The win made her the first British woman to clinch the tournament in 44 years.
She also became the first qualifier ever to win a major, and she did it without losing a single set. However, since that historic victory, Raducanu has been battling injuries and a dip in form.
Raducanu pulled out of the French Open in May, choosing to skip the Paris competition to preserve her fitness for the rest of 2024.
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