“Tennis is the runway of modern luxury branding” said Merrick Haydon, an independent sports and luxury analyst, who has worked in sports marketing for more than three decades.

Following the first in his new series focusing on the unprecedented growth of Luxury in Sport, which dived into the world of tennis, thank you Robin Swithinbank and Business of Fashion for featuring Merrick Haydon in your article during the 2025 US Open tennis tournament.

At tennis’s US Open in New York this week, luxury brands and their sponsored athletes take the court: Rolex is the official timekeeper as well as sponsoring a lengthy roster of top players. Players’ benches are branded Polo Ralph Lauren (a sponsor of the tournament since 2005), with logos for Audemars Piguet, Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu and more also visible on the athletes, who sign endorsement deals for everything from tennis shoes and travel bags to perfumes and deodorant.

Long prized by luxury and sports brands for its upscale image and roster of telegenic star players, tennis’s appeal has further increased in recent years. “Tennis is the runway of modern luxury branding,” said Merrick Haydon, an independent sports and luxury analyst, who has worked in sports marketing for more than three decades.

Luxury brands are redoubling their efforts to capitalise. In watches, Rolex works with the men’s world number one and two players, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka is with Audemars Piguet. And last year, Hublot collaborated on a watch with Novak Djokovic with a composite casing made from his old racquets and shirts. Rado’s 40-year relationship with tennis continues through its sponsorship of a number of regular tour events and players including Britain’s Cameron Norrie, a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon this year.

In fashion, Alcaraz has a deal with Louis Vuitton, while Coco Gauff, the American women’s world number three and current French Open champion, has been fronting a New Balance x Miu Miu campaign this year, featuring commercially available crossover pieces she wears during matchplay. Gucci, Prada and Tiffany sponsor tennis players, too, while Brunello Cucinelli issued a tennis capsule collection inspired by its eponymous founder’s love of the game.

Haydon said tennis’s profile has changed. “It’s now less about spectacle and more about subtle, lived prestige,” he said. “Brands that understand this shift and the players who embody it are winning not just championships, but cultural currency.”

Tennis’s organisers said it had a number of advantages compared to other sports that made it attractive to luxury brands. “The sport’s clean visual environment, extensive international calendar and high-profile tournaments provide luxury brands with premium visibility and alignments,” said Marina Storti, chief executive of WTA Ventures, the commercial arm of the women’s professional tennis tour. “In addition, tennis events offer unique hospitality and storytelling opportunities that enhance brand image and cultural relevance.”

Earlier this year, the WTA released a limited-edition womenswear collection with the London-based label DUKE+DEXTER fronted by Australian player Priscilla Hon. It also creates custom social media content with Rolex. “This brings tennis fans closer to the sport and its heroes,” Storti said. “It also ensures that the partnership extends beyond event visibility, reaching global luxury consumers where they are most engaged – online.”

Storti said tennis offered luxury brands a particularly effective route to female consumers, as women in tennis enjoy a higher profile than female athletes in most other sports. Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest paid female athletes includes seven tennis players, including Gauff in the top spot with estimated earnings last year of $34.4 million, of which $25 million came from endorsements. Both Gauff and women’s world number two Iga Świątek, who ranked second on Forbes’ list, are signed to Rolex.

According to Haydon, tennis players are a gift to brands.

“They aren’t just athletes, they’re full-blown brand ecosystems,” he said. “When Coco Gauff wears her New Balance x Miu Miu pieces on court and in lifestyle shoots, they generate authenticity and narrative, not just marketing memory. Player-brand partnerships done right are intimate, consistent and values-aligned.”

Full article available online: Beyond Rolex: Luxury Brands Play For Visibility on the Tennis Court | BoF