Emma Raducanu has been spotted driving a new Porsche just days after the luxury car manufacturer took back another £100,000 model it lended her as a freebie.
The British tennis superstar, who hasn’t won a grand slam since her 2021 US Open victory amid a spate of injuries, was thought to have lost her deal with the sportscar brand earlier this month.
Porsche, who pay Emma as an ambassador, revealed it ‘took back’ a 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet supercar they had let her borrow, sparking fears that the relationship was ‘headed for the scrapyard’.
Speculation grew last week when the 21-year-old was seen ditching her usual motor and instead resorting to catching a bus at the weekend.
But, Emma has since put any rumours to bed after she was seen back behind the wheel of a Porsche on Monday – albeit driving a cheaper Porsche Cayenne model.
Porsche also issued a public statement confirming Raducanu was still a brand ambassador.
It’s back on brand for Emma Raducanu who has been spotted behind the wheel of a £100,000 Porsche
Emma Raducanu behind the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne, putting rumours about her brand deal to bed
It comes amid concerns Emma Raducanu had been dropped by Porsche for underperforming
Emma Raducanu pictured during a Tennis Channel player profile video shoot prior to the start of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 3
Read More
Emma Raducanu cuts a casual figure as she boards a bus after Porsche ‘took back’ £125k supercar
A spokesperson for the company told The Mirror: ‘Emma Raducanu is a global brand ambassador for Porsche and there have not been any changes within our successful partnership since it started in 2022.
‘We are very happy with our partnership.’
Emma, who is currently injured, fell in love with Porsche as a child because one of her first tennis coaches owned one of its sports cars.
Before her US Open success, she reportedly drove a £5,000 Dacia Sandero.
‘Whenever I would turn up to practice in the morning I would see his Porsche,’ she said. ‘I would go, ‘Wow!’ and be dreaming of one day sitting in my own.’
The grammar school girl couldn’t contain her excitement when she was appointed as a ‘global brand ambassador’ for the German marque after her fairy-tale victory in the US Open single’s final in 2021 at the age of 18.
The endorsement deal was said to be worth a huge sum.
Speculation grew last week when the Raducanu was seen ditching her usual motor and instead resorting to catching a bus at the weekend
Emma looked chilled as she scrolled on her phone before boarding a 345 bus
Emma kept a low profile in the dark sunglasses as she got on the 514 bus at the weekend
Emma Raducanu has been spotted driving a new Porsche just days after the luxury car manufacturer took back another £100,000 model it lended her as a freebie. The tennis star is pictured in 2021, after she was announced as the new Porsche Brand Ambassador
Raducanu was thought to have lost her deal with the sportscar brand earlier this month. She is pictured during the launch evening for Porsche NOW at Battersea Power station in 2023
The British tennis superstar hasn’t won a grand slam since her 2021 US Open victory amid a spate of injuries. She is pictured playing at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in April
Raducanu became the Porsche Brand Ambassador shortly after her US Open win in 2021
Emma Raducanu during the launch evening for Porsche NOW at Battersea Power station on October 19, 2023
Earlier this month, the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden revealed that the tennis ace had had her Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet taken off her.
‘Emma no longer has a Porsche,’ one of her associates said. ‘They took it back. It used to have pride of place at her home.’
A Porsche spokesman confirmed that she is no longer in possession of one of its vehicles. ‘While we do on occasion loan Emma a car, this is very much on an ad hoc basis,’ he said.
A source who works in the sponsorship business said that Porsche is known for the swiftness with which it withdraws its vehicles from celebrity ambassadors if it does not feel that it is achieving value for money.
Raducanu certainly put in some effort for the company, appearing in promotional videos including one in which she drove a 911 GT3 at Brands Hatch in Kent, and another where she did laps with Formula 1 veteran Mark Webber in a 911 Carrera S at Silverstone in Northamptonshire.
After becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu, whose parents work in finance, signed highly lucrative deals with companies including Dior, Evian, HSBC and Vodafone.
Her company, Harbour 6 Ltd, recorded a profit of £9.6million last year.
MailOnline has approached Porsche and Raducanu’s representatives for comment.