Emma Raducanu's new partner, next tournament and mega payday on the horizon

Emma Raducanu has had her best season in tennis since winning the US Open in 2021. The 22-year-old wrapped up the year ranked 29th in the world, a jump of 29 places from her ranking at the end of 2024.

Raducanu made the semi-final in Washington at the Citi DC Open in July, a quarter-final at the Miami Open in March, and the last-16 at the Italian Open in May. However, she struggled to advance past the third round in any of the Grand Slams this year and lost 10 of her 11 matches against top-10 players. She also contended with a frustrating conclusion to the year in Asia due to illness. All in all, Raducanu played in 22 tournaments this year. A minor injury to her back has seen her end the season early, meaning she now has 11 weeks to recover and prepare for a 2026 season that's set to be just as gruelling as the last.

Raducanu's next tournament

Raducanu is set to begin 2026 by representing Team GB at the United Cup in Australia. The competition is the only mixed event that is approved by the ATP and WTA.

Games in the group stage consist of one men's singles tie and one women's singles match, as well as a mixed game. It is a change of tact from Raducanu as she has chosen to kickstart her season in New Zealand for the past three years, at the ASB Classic in Auckland. Although she was a last-minute withdrawal at the tournament in January this year.

Raducanu said: "I'm honoured to be able to make my United Cup debut in January. Being able to play for Team GB with my team-mates is a unique opportunity and week to enjoy. It's great to be able to experience a new format on the tour, represent my country and spend a couple extra weeks in Australia."

The tournament will get underway on January 2 in Perth and Sydney. It will take place just two weeks before the Australian Open in Melbourne, which starts on January 19. Raducanu could also be set to team up with a familiar face at the at The United Cup.

New partner

Raducanu and British men's No. 1 Jack Draper could play together at the United Cup. The pair are known to be good friends, supporting each other over the years, and they have now signed on for Great Britain duty for the start of the 2026 season.

While it's unclear whether they will play together in the same match, the chances of the two Brits teaming up have increased, thanks to the inclusion of the mixed game.

To be the first to receive the latest tennis news, join our WhatsApp community or tennis newsletter

Draper is currently on the treatment table. He hasn't played since the US Open in August but is set to return to action at the start of December, taking part in the Universal Tennis Showdown Exhibition.

However, he is raring to go for the United Cup. He said: "I am excited to get back on court and compete in the United Cup. I'll be looking out for the draw to see if Team GB will play in Perth or Sydney. I haven't been to either, so it will be nice to compete in a brand new city in Australia."

Raducanu's mega payday

The United Cup replaced the ATP Cup on the calendar and features the top players from the ATP and WTA. The total prize money pool for 2025 was £8.4million, which was a 17 per cent increase from 2024.

Payment is broken down into a participation fee, per team wins and prize money. All players first receive a participation fee based on their ranking.

Raducanu is currently ranked No. 29 in the world, meaning last year she would have bagged £53,000 for her fee, if she was her team's number one player. She would have made £40,000 if she was number two and £12,500 if she was listed as number three. These figures are expected to rise for 2026.

Players also win additional prize money if their team wins a tie. In 2024, players in the singles could receive £213,000 for winning the final and even £32,500 for just winning a game.

This was over an 11 per cent jump from the previous year's prize money, with 2026 set to offer even more. Raducanu could take home £20,000 for winning the team event while £4,200 is available for winning a group game in that event. Should they play together, Draper and Raducanu could win £40,000 for winning the mixed doubles.

Hypothetically, and based on the previous figures, if Raducanu played in every possible match and remained unbeaten, then she would receive £750,000 in prize money and 500 ranking points. This is assuming every opponent was ranked in the top 10, which is unlikely to occur but demonstrates the huge sums on offer.