The tennis world's been buzzing about Emma Raducanu possibly leaving Nike for another brand before the 2026 season.

Word was she was getting ready to sign a big deal with Uniqlo, following in the footsteps of Roger Federer.

If she had dropped Nike, it would have been a shock. They picked her up right before she won the US Open in 2021 and became a global star overnight.

Even though she hasn't won a tournament since that US Open win four years ago, she's still popular, has tons of followers on social media, and everyone's still talking about her.

So, a switch to Uniqlo wouldn't have been totally out of left field. Since her mom is Chinese, the Japanese company might see her as having value for their brand.

But, when she showed up in Perth for the United Cup, she was still rocking Nike gear.

She could still switch to Uniqlo for 2026 since her Nike deal probably lasts until the end of the year. But for now, it looks like she's sticking with her current brand.

Her arrival in Australia also shut down rumors that a foot problem might keep her from starting the season.

She recently told the media she's feeling good about the upcoming season.

I feel solid with where I am at on and off the court. “I’m in a good spot,” Raducanu said.

I'm feeling like I am building back in the gym, to start with.

“I also feel pretty chill about next year, which is sweet. And I’m just proud of the season that I put in this year and the progress I have made.

Next year, I want to play less than I did this year. But I think also just putting fitness into my warm-ups, so it’s not necessarily just my fitness sessions that are separate.

So much has helped, and I think the biggest thing is little and often; just try and add in as much as you can for your overall health.

I think I’ve found peace with myself, and I’m happier with how I’m doing tennis and the team and the environment I have.

That’s the most important thing because it takes so much work to get where we need to be. And just enjoying each day and being healthy is awesome.

Raducanu is about to play her first event representing Great Britain in the United Cup, but Jack Draper won't be joining her since he's still dealing with an arm injury.

Rick Macci, a famous tennis coach, believes Naomi Osaka will get back into the WTA's top 10 rankings by 2026. She's trying to keep up the good work from 2025.

Osaka ended 2025 ranked 16th after a great second half of the year. It was the first time since 2022 that she was back in the top 20.

She came back to tennis after having a baby in early 2024. By the end of that year, she was ranked 59th.

Things were hard for Osaka with her fitness and being consistent in late 2024 and early 2025. She eventually split with her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, after losing in the second round at the Washington Open in July.

After the split, she hired Tomasz Wiktorowski and started playing her best tennis since her return.

Osaka made it to the final of the WTA 1000 Canadian Open in Montreal and reached her first Grand Slam semi-final in over four years at the US Open, giving Amanda Anisimova a tough time in a close three-set match.

Before playing in Montreal, she was just inside the top 50, but her good performances helped her get back into the top 20.

Now, Macci, who has worked with the Williams sisters and Maria Sharapova, thinks Osaka will have another big year in 2026.

He posted on Twitter/X that Osaka would pull many upsets during the season and finish the year in the top 10.

He said that Osaka will be the wildcard and she will win many games this year. She will be ranked in the top ten soon. Changing the coaching changed her game. She had an understanding motivation to play better.

Osaka will start her season at the United Cup in Perth, representing Japan.

She is going to compete against Raducanu and Maria Sakkari in stage matches. Additional matches to contest should Japan progress to the next rounds.

She can earn ranking points at the United Cup based on opponent ranking.

Osaka will lose some points from the Auckland Open final last year. The Australian Open in Melbourne will commence on January 18 to begin the Grand Slam. Osaka won the title in 2019 and 2021.