In 2023, proper after Wimbledon, I wrote an article questioning whether or not there was life for Rolex in tennis after Roger Federer left the game as an lively participant. Throughout that 12 months’s Wimbledon, the Swiss maestro obtained a singular welcome from the English viewers. It confirmed folks’s respect and gratitude for Federer as a tennis participant and human being. Rolex had already lined up a brand new technology of tennis stars. Now, eighteen months after that article, Rolex’s grip on tennis has solely strengthened. It’s attention-grabbing to learn how the model achieved that.
The title of the article from 2023 may need implied that there was a chance that Rolex wouldn’t have a life in tennis after Federer’s retirement. However we all the time knew that wasn’t the query because the model already had contracts with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, amongst different gamers. It wasn’t onerous to see that these two kids would go on to dominate the game sooner or later. The article was extra targeted on the brilliance of Federer as a model ambassador moderately than questioning whether or not there was a future for Rolex in tennis. The cultural affect of a participant like Federer is exclusive and positively impacts the manufacturers he endorses. Nonetheless, because it seems, his affect on the game in connection to Rolex won’t have ended with him leaving the sector. It’s time to search out out extra.
Formulation 1 is out; concentrate on totally different fields
Final 12 months, we obtained the large information that Rolex wouldn’t stay Formulation 1’s Official Timekeeper. Earlier this week, I reported on the return of TAG Heuer to fill that position in 2025. It appears the model is a superb match for the game in each mentality and product choices. On the identical time, The Crown has moved on to develop its visibility in several fields. Rolex introduced a string of recent model ambassadors in sports activities and artwork in 2024. It was a moderately spectacular listing that includes folks from filmmaking, classical music, golf, crusing, equestrian sports activities, and tennis. With the Australian Open beginning in Melbourne at this time, let’s have a look at the newest additions to Rolex’s roster of tennis gamers.
Ben Shelton — Picture: On
The 2 latest Rolex ambassadors — or Testimonees, because the model calls them — in males’s tennis are younger gamers making a reputation for themselves on the ATP Tour. The primary is 22-year-old American Ben Shelton, who has garnered acclaim because of his highly effective recreation. He’s at the moment ranked twenty first on the planet.
João Fonseca
The second participant added to the intensive listing of these sponsored by The Crown is 18-year-old Brazilian rising star João Fonseca. Earlier than the Australian Open, he was ranked 113th on the planet. However Fonseca fought by way of qualifying and can make his Grand Slam principal draw debut in Melbourne. Lastly, the model additionally added Greek feminine participant Maria Sakkari to its ambassadors. The world’s former quantity 3 can doubtlessly win large tournaments in girls’s tennis.
Wimbledon — Picture: Rolex
Rolex’s broad affect on tennis
If we concentrate on the 2 new male kids, it is sensible that Rolex added them to its listing of ambassadors. Shelton is anticipated to interrupt the highest 10 this 12 months. In August of final 12 months, he was already ranked quantity 13 on the planet. If he can play a constant season, he’ll undoubtedly be among the many greatest 10 gamers by the top of the 12 months. For Fonseca, this upcoming 12 months shall be attention-grabbing. If he performs an ideal Australian Open, he’ll set himself up to have the ability to play all the large tournaments this season, that are additionally sponsored by the Genevan model.
Wimbledon Centre Courtroom — Picture: Rolex
As I defined within the aforementioned article, Rolex is the timekeeper of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments. Moreover, the corporate tied its identify to 9 ATP Masters 1000 occasions and is the title sponsor of three of them — the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, Rolex Shanghai Masters, and Rolex Paris Masters. Add the Davis Cup, Laver Cup, WTA Finals, ATP Finals, and Subsequent Gen ATP Finals, and you’ll perceive that Rolex is in every single place in tennis. The model’s ties to the game date again to 1978, so it’s a long-lasting partnership that’s primarily seen to a large viewers in the course of the Grand Slam tournaments.
Jannik Sinner — Picture: Rolex
The affect of Alcaraz and Sinner
Final 12 months, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated their dominance by profitable all 4 Grand Slam tournaments. Whereas that’s a exceptional achievement, it wasn’t surprising to tennis consultants as the 2 have been probably the most promising newcomers some years in the past. I had the pleasure of seeing Sinner make his debut in Rotterdam in 2020, and it was really easy to see that he was going to be a star participant. This 12 months, the expectations are the identical if each gamers can handle to remain wholesome and unhindered by accidents. By making them model ambassadors, Rolex made a sensible transfer as their affect can already be felt in tennis.
Carlos Alcaraz — Picture: Rolex
Each gamers appear to have an ideal perspective on and off the court docket, inspiring a brand new technology of younger tennis followers. It appears doubtless that they are going to have a long-lasting affect on the sport within the subsequent decade or so, with Rolex enormously benefiting from that. With Shelton and Fonseca, Rolex provides two extra younger names that doubtlessly even have an ideal world affect. They be part of a big group of younger gamers who will be seen placing their Rolex watches on their wrists after every match. Simply wanting on the gamers who do, you’ll rapidly see that it’s nothing in need of spectacular.
Coco Gauff at Watches and Wonders 2024 — Picture: @cocogauff
A agency grip on each males’s and girls’ tennis
Different younger gamers apart from Alcaraz, Sinner, Shelton, and Fonseca embody Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti. And the model additionally endorses feminine stars, reminiscent of Iga Swiatek, Qinwen Zheng, and Coco Gauff. The tactic of signing younger gamers is sensible because the youthful technology has rapidly grow to be the dominant drive in tennis. But it surely doesn’t finish there. With Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Taylor Fritz, Rolex sponsored three of the 5 greatest gamers on the planet. Former Rolex ambassador Alexander Zverev left for Jacob & Co., whereas Stefanos Tsitsipas is but to be seen sporting a Rolex in 2025, implying that the model dropped him.
Taylor Fritz — Picture: Tennis Information 24
This matches the technique of selecting the youthful gamers to finish up with the true stars of the sport. Whereas the model has been a part of tennis since 1978, its grip on the game has by no means been this agency. And by signing a younger technology of the game’s superstars, it’s secure to say that grip will stay tight for some time. A giant a part of that technique and success is undoubtedly the position of Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex’s world director of communication and picture. A former professional tennis participant himself, the French man is aware of his approach across the tennis world.
Roger Federer — Picture: Rolex
The invisible hand of the Swiss maestro?
Even with Roger Federer out of the image, Rolex cleverly cemented its identify in tennis. However earlier than we utterly say goodbye to the Swiss famous person, his affect would possibly nonetheless be obvious. As a few of you would possibly know, Federer has made some intelligent enterprise strikes over time. One in every of them was taking a 3% stake within the Swiss shoe model On Working. However perhaps it’s higher to name On a sportswear firm by now. Whereas the present assortment nonetheless closely focuses on footwear, the model additionally provides attire and equipment. On has additionally been lively in getting its identify out in tennis. What’s the best way to do it? How about signing the up-and-coming stars of the sport?
Ben Shelton — Picture: On
A look on the roster of On-supported tennis gamers reveals a mixture of proficient juniors and younger stars of the skilled excursions. Probably the most well-known is, indubitably, a number of Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek. The Polish tennis participant already has 5 Grand Slam titles to her identify and is anticipated so as to add many extra. Additionally, you will discover the names of Ben Shelton and João Fonseca on the boys’s aspect. Sure, these two gamers additionally signed with Rolex final 12 months.
Picture: Rolex
Closing ideas on Rolex in tennis in 2025
It’s straightforward to suppose that Federer has opened the doorways at Rolex, resulting in Arnaud Boetsch’s workplace. It won’t even be that shocking. However it’s good to suppose that whereas Federer’s taking part in days may be over, his involvement within the sport is much from that. The truth that the Swiss maestro nonetheless watches over tennis is an effective motive for a comforting smile earlier than the lengthy season kicks off in Melbourne tomorrow. Will probably be an ideal fortnight of recognizing watches on the wrists of the world’s greatest tennis gamers.
