What is rare Emma Radukanu in tennis: a unicorn

How big is this victory? I ask Michele Maskelier, former president of IMG Media, part of the global sports management giant. “It’s about as good as it gets,” he says. “Tennis is a truly international sport, but it’s also an individual sport, so anyone who shines on that stage is instantly recognizable. You see an athlete’s face more than football, Formula 1 or golf.”

Along with his championship title, Radukanu has other force multipliers to fuel celebrity and commercial success. She has an international reputation: Born to a Chinese mother and a Romanian father, she grew up in Britain and shot to fame in America through her youth and the vastness of the records she broke: she is the first player, Win a Grand Slam by qualifying round anytime, male or female. He did this without breaking a set.

Then there was the spectacular final performance; parents who could not be there; The side-story of Tim Henman, a former British star-turned-commentator whose endorsement inspired him. And don’t forget her instinctual choice, the attitude that says “bring it on.”

All this makes Emma Radukanu rare even in elite sport – a unicorn. These figures are different not just because they dominate their game, but because they change the landscape around them. But as unicorns in the tech world know, it’s no easy ride. The potential is so huge, such rapid growth and fervent enthusiasm can be difficult to maintain and manage.

It’s hard to overestimate his influence in Britain, a country with a fierce sporting culture that craves and craves a champion. Amazon Prime held the licensing rights to the US Open, but Channel 4 (state-owned, but largely commercially funded) pulled out of Prime Video late Friday to secure last-minute sub-licensing rights. It ran for 9.2 million viewers. match. This was 48 per cent of the country’s 16- to 34-year-old TV watchers.

With global sponsorship spend of approximately $65.8 billion a year, apparel sales, TV deals and more, the opportunities for monetization will be enormous, especially if Radukanu lives up to its promise of attracting more viewers and players to the world of women’s tennis. This is a huge opportunity for the Women’s Tennis Association.

“In 35 years in the industry, I have to go back to the days of Tiger Woods to think of something similar,” says Muskellier, who has just published a motivational book based on his experiences. Woods was also a unicorn, not only because of his brilliant golf strokes, but because of his chivalry, personality, and multi-ethnic background that brought new spectators, sponsorships and players to golf.

Already, it’s hard to imagine a women’s tour without Radukanu. The season-ending WTA Finals will take place in Guadalajara, Mexico in November. Only the top eight players in the world qualify. Radukanu is now ranked 23 (an increase of 127 places from a few weeks ago). If she doesn’t manage to make it to the top eight, how much attention will it attract? How many non-tennis fans would tune in?

Radukanu, and others of his generation (including another star, 19-year-old finalist Leyla Fernandez), may be with us sometime, provided they can avoid injury. Serena Williams won her 22nd Grand Slam title at Wimbledon at the age of 34; Martina Navratilova won the Wimbledon title at age 33 and doubles title in her mid-40s. With good health, Radukanu can count on at least 15 years of high-level Tour competition ahead of him. There are potentially 60 shots at Grand Slam titles and many other events.

Unicorns, however, can never stop innovating. Once she has processed the magnitude of her achievement, Radukanu will aim to increase her market share (ie more big wins and higher rankings) and continue working on her game. And yet, like any tech unicorn, the challenge is to drive this growth while controlling expenditure. In Radukanu’s case, this means controlling the time and energy she has to devote to the many off-court demands that are already underway. He will need to learn the power of the word “no”.

The inevitable questions have already begun. How long will it take him to reach the top of the world rankings? Where will she play next? What sponsorship deals will she agree to? Which magazine covers? Which interview shows?

Until now, Radukanu seemed impervious to pressure – but he is human. The history of tennis, like the world of start-ups, is full of dazzling young stars who have lost their sheen. 23-year-old Naomi Osaka’s public wrestling with mental health concerns, following her dramatic 2018 US Open win, serves as the latest cautionary tale. Radukanu has to become an adult as he sees the world.

There are bound to be bumps in the way. And yet she exudes a certain self-assurance that makes many think she’s got it. (Like no 18-year-old does, she dropped her phone during tournaments.) Finally freed from an endless string of media obligations to go sightseeing in New York on Monday, she saw a giant billboard featuring her own soulful The expression was that he had won. There is a halo around his profile; The words “Just Do It” hang above the familiar swoop. She shared it on social media, clearly pleased.

Therese Raphael is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. She was the editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe.