US Open champ Emma Raducanu pulls out of Chicago Fall Classic to focus on prestigious Indian Wells tournament next month

EMMA RADUCANU has pulled out of the upcoming Chicago Fall Tennis Classic event to focus on the Indian Wells Masters in October.

The British star, 18, was set to play in Chicago – her first event since winning the US Open – but will now focus on a bigger competition.

The Chicago event is part of the WTA Tour – the highest level of women’s tennis – but isn’t as prestigious as the Indian Wells Masters.

The prize money for winning the Classic is $565k – around £413k – while Raducanu could bag $1.2million – around £884k – for winning the Masters.

The teenager took home a cheque for £1.8m after winning the US Open and experts believe she’s on her way to becoming a £1BILLION athlete.

Raducanu has been enjoying a well-earned rest since her victory, attending the Met Gala in New York and an event at London Fashion Week.

Several other stars have pulled out of the Classic – which starts on September 27 – including American talent Coco Gauff, 17.

The Indian Wells Masters is regarded as one of the nine most prestigious tournaments in tennis after the four Grand Slams.

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Previous winners include Maria Sharapova, Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

The world’s top players are expected to compete in this year’s Masters after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A strong performance from Raducanu would cement her status at the top of women’s tennis and boost her WTA ranking.

The teenager is currently ranked 22nd but will be keen on breaking into the top 10 and challenging World No1 Ashleigh Barty for her crown.

Raducanu will also have her eyes on the Australian Open – the next Grand Slam in the calendar – which is due to take place in January or February.