Emma Raducanu on first impressions, Agassi inspiration and dream career.
Richard PagliaroSeptember 21, 20263 minute read
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, September 21, 2026
Photo credit: Uniqlo
Las Vegas is a long way from London, but Emma Raducanu is drawing inspiration from Hall of Famer and Vegas showman Andre Agassi these days.
In a Q&A with her clothing sponsor, Uniqlo, Raducanu said reading Agassi’s memoir, Open, was an eye-opening experience.
The 2021 US Open champion Raducanu said she was inspired by Agassi creating his own training regimen with fitness trainer and mentor Gil Reyes. The pair developed equipment specifically designed to strengthen Agassi, who famously ran up “Magic Mountain”, the hill near his Vegas home, throughout his off-season work-out program.
“I recently read former tennis player Andre Agassi’s autobiography Open and Matt Haig’s novel The Midnight Library,” Raducanu said. “Open describes what Agassi was up to and how he built his career in startling detail.
“I was especially intrigued by the passage where he got out of his slump in the late 1990s by creating his own training regimen and finding his way back to the top. It speaks in depth about his early successes, and the lows he reached perhaps as a result of them. A lot of it was so relatable.
“The Midnight Library is the story of a woman mired in regret who gets the chance to go back and try out a different path, only to find that this other choice may not necessarily be the better one. I don’t read just fiction or nonfiction, I read all kinds of books.”
Former world No. 10 Raducanu, who left Nike to sign with Uniqlo, said freshness and fit are essential elements to her on-court kit.
“First impression. The way I look when I step onto the court plays a big part in my image, so if the uniform can help me express who I am, that’s a huge plus,” Raducanu said of her apparel. “I value a good fit that doesn’t flap around or get bunched up when I’m playing hard.
“And I need materials that feel fresh even if I’m sweating. These functionalities help me focus on the match. UNIQLO makes simple, elegant items from excellent materials. What more could you want!”
The 23-year-old Raducanu, who has posted an 11-10 record this season, is currently ranked No. 98.
Though she has potentially years more to play tennis, Raducanu has given though to life after the WTA Tour. Raducanu said when she closes the curtain on her career as a pro player, she looks forward to becoming at art gallery curator.
“I’d love to have my own gallery. I’m especially taken with works on canvas and sculpture in the vein of modern art,” Raducanu said. “It’s amazing how differently everyone responds to art. I’d like to explore this as a curator and create a space that reflects my own sensibilities. That’s the dream.”
