The two Brits exploded onto the sporting landscape with the kind of bang that changed their lives in an instant, yet only one of them handled the expectation that helped to create successfully.
Raducanu’s breakthrough came with her iconic win at the 2021 US Open, as she famously became the first player in tennis history to emerge through qualifying and lift one of the four big titles in the sport.
With her model-like looks adding to the lure of her commercial appeal, A-list sponsors duly jumped on the Raducanu train and handed her the kind of riches some of the game’s all-time greats never got close to receiving in their decorated careers.
British Airways, Vodafone, Tiffany, Dior, Evian, Wilson, Nike and HSBC were among the stellar companies eager to recruit the new superstar of tennis as a brand ambassador, but what came next was not as pretty as the opening salvo from Raducanu.
Raducanu broke all the rules with her breakthrough win at the US Open and in the three years since, she has had to get used to life on the WTA Tour and trying to get her body into a position to cope with the demands of playing at the highest level.
She missed half of 2023 due to injury and pulled out of a host of tournaments last year due to fitness concerns.
This new year has not started any better as Raducanu withdrew from her first tournament of the season in Auckland this week due to a back problem and the question over whether her US Open win was a one-off success that may never be repeated.
In an honest interview last month, Raducanu spoke about her experience in the spotlight and admitted the sponsorship agreements that made her a multi-millionaire had a negative impact on her sporting ambitions.
“I’m obviously very grateful and fortunate to have had certain experiences and opportunities, but I wasn’t prepared for it,” said Raducanu.
“Especially straight after I did really well, for the next few years, it was very much like there was so much communication about things off the court. And I would always, always give my 100 per cent on the court.
“I was always working really hard but I just think that I wasn’t prepared as well for the other things that inevitably do take some energy out of you.”
Contrast Raducanu’s stuttering sporting story with that of Littler’s first year in the limelight and it could not be more contrasting.
Aged just 16, Littler announced himself as the new megastar of darts by reaching the World Championship Final last January.
He lost narrowly against Luke Humphries in a thrilling contest, yet the interest he generated was confirmed by huge viewing audiences on Sky Sports in the UK and also in the Netherlands and Germany.
As Raducanu will testify, being thrust into the teeth of the media spotlight can be a daunting prospect and yet Littler has handled it so impressively.
He never flinched as he accepted a wildcard in the star-studded PDC Premier League and went out and won the competition that featured the best elite players in darts.
