Emma Raducanu says she does not play tennis for the money and that financial gain is not what drives her.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the new WTA 500 event at Queen’s Club in west London, the 22-year-old British star told Sky News that she prefers to focus on playing rather than financial matters. Raducanu, who is reportedly worth around £10 million, said, “I don’t feel like I’m really playing for money. Of course, I need to sustain my team, which is extremely expensive, but it’s not my main motivator.”
The HSBC Women’s Championships marks the return of top-level women’s tennis to Queen’s Club for the first time since 1973. Among those competing are 2025 Australian Open winner Madison Keys, former Wimbledon champions Elena Rybakina and Barbora Krejcikova, British number one Katie Boulter, and 2021 US Open champion Raducanu.
The event is part of the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) efforts to boost the visibility of women’s tennis and increase investment in the women’s game. Queen’s will host both men’s and women’s events this year, reversing a 1974 decision to move the women’s tournament to Eastbourne due to capacity limits.
Despite a total prize pool of $1.415 million for the women’s event—the highest for a WTA 500 of its size this year—it still falls short of the men’s event the following week. The ATP 500 tournament at Queen’s, featuring world number two Carlos Alcaraz, offers more than double the women’s prize money.
When asked about the prize money gap, Raducanu said, “There is obviously a big difference. I prefer not to get involved. I just roll with it and I’m never really going to take a stand either way.”
The LTA has pledged to achieve equal prize money at Queen’s and the Eastbourne tournament by 2029. Chief Executive Scott Lloyd said, “We are making significant increases to women’s prize money and want to reach parity as soon as possible. The LTA is committed to growing women’s tennis at all levels.”
Raducanu, who is managing a back issue, said she is entering the tournament with low expectations. “I played points for the first time today,” she explained. “I’ve only had two or three days on grass, so I’ll just take it as it comes.”
The Queen’s Club, named after Queen Victoria, is one of the world’s most prestigious tennis venues. Its return to hosting women’s competition is seen as a major step toward equality and visibility in the sport.
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