Borna Bosniaks
On and off the court, most top tennis players have watch sponsors. As with many other sports, it is only natural that big brands will target the star players they feel best represent their brand values, and get the chance to showcase their products on center court for years to come. As I only watch tennis occasionally, I have never had a chance to pay much attention to what the players are wearing. However, while watching fellow Croatian Donna Vekic compete for the gold medal at this year’s Olympics, I noticed a watch with a familiar shape on her wrist: the FP Journe Elegant. A few months ago, I remembered that Kasper Ruud had shown off a yet-to-be-released Fleming watch on the court several times, which made me flash back and think. Are these two just coincidences, or does tennis have a unique appeal for luxury, niche watch brands? If so, why?
what
First, I needed to prove that this wasn’t just the two examples that immediately spring to mind. To sum up Donna Vekic’s Elegant story, for nearly five years she has been a quiet ambassador for the popular independent brand, selling the diamond-embellished Elegant 40 on a pink or mint rubber strap. In the end, it only managed to win a silver medal, but it certainly won the gold medal for court wristwear. And this isn’t just my bias as a Croatian.
Though Casper Ruud doesn’t wear the watch on court, he played a key role in teasing the launch of Fleming’s Series 1. Ruud “leaked” the watch last year at Roland Garros, flashing a glimpse of the tantalum and rose gold, symbolizing the official launch of a partnership that has been going on for about six months before the Grand Slam tournament. Unlike Journe, only 41 pieces of the Fleming Series 1 will be produced in total in the three metals, and Ruud sees there’s more to the relationship than just the potential financial benefits for tennis players.
From one ultra-exclusive luxury brand in tennis to another. In 2023, de Bethune revealed on the first day of Wimbledon that they would be partnering with Australian Open semi-finalist (and future Olympic men’s doubles bronze medalist) Tommy Paul. When I read about this, I was surprised to learn that he was actually wearing a DB28 LTC in his opening match, likely thanks to the brand’s signature titanium case with articulated lugs.
At the more exclusive, complicated and expensive end of the watch world is Daniil Medvedev’s watch sponsor, Bovet. Currently headquartered in Geneva and owned by Pascal Raffy, Bovet has a long tradition of artisanal watchmaking and today produces everything from luxury everyday watches to unique complications that track daylight saving time at the highest level. In Medvedev’s case, he has worn everything from a “sporty” titanium Ottantasei with a 10-day power reserve and flying tourbillon to signature house styles like the Dimier-cased Recital 26 Brainstorm.
Finally, what would be the most logical partnership in theory, given the traditional significance of sports watches? Gerard Charles has sponsored a number of tennis players over the past few years, including current world number 7 Hubert Hurkacz and Dutch pro Tim van Rijthofen. Nikoloz Basilashvili and Jenson Brooksby have also worn the brand’s GC sports models.
reason
While we’re no expert on which sports or athletes’ products get the most attention, it’s easy to see why tennis is such a hot topic for watch brands in general. Tennis is a non-contact sport, so wearing jewelry doesn’t pose a danger to other players. Otherwise, we’d all be seeing Mbappe wearing a Hublot Big Bang in the World Cup finals.
But there are similarities. Soccer shirts are attracting more and more sponsors, and it’s no longer just limited to the front of the shirt. There are other companies paying for little spaces on the back of the shirt, sleeves, socks, water bottles, etc. In tennis, the wrist is just another part of the athlete that can make money. With a player’s hands in the air a lot and matches that can last for hours at a time, it’s only natural that more brands would want to get involved, regardless of where they stand on the clock.
More and more athletes are wearing watches while competing, and the playing field is becoming wider and wider. Richard Mille is perhaps the most famous example of breaking the mold, convincing Rafa Nadal to wear the RM 027 in 2008. It would be strange to see him play without a watch today. Well, okay. The last point probably only applies to watch enthusiasts.
Since then, other, more mainstream brands have adopted this strategy: Serena Williams, who has a long list of GOAT-level accomplishments, is arguably the only player to wear a Holy Trinity watch on court. But it doesn’t have to be luxury: TAG Heuer ambassador Naomi Osaka has worn the Aquaracer on numerous occasions.
Mentioning Rolex in the context of tennis is inevitable, as the green and gold are ubiquitous throughout the tour. You’ll never see Federer without a Rolex on display as he holds up the many trophies he’s won over the years. He’s been hailed as one of tennis’ best brand ambassadors for years.
Hublot is also focusing on signing young players, such as Novak Djokovic, who is still going strong at 37 years old, but like Rolex, you rarely see Hublot watches being worn during actual matches.
With the generational transition still ongoing at the top of tennis, and with younger players finally beginning to establish themselves in the footsteps of greats like Federer and Williams, it seems entirely possible we may see a new watch brand on the court.
