The Start Of A New Tennis Season Reveals Rolex’s Firm Grip On The Sport

In 2023, right after Wimbledon, I wrote an article questioning whether there was life for Rolex in tennis after Roger Federer left the sport as an active player. During that year’s Wimbledon, the Swiss maestro received a unique welcome from the English audience. It showed people’s respect and gratitude for Federer as a tennis player and human being. Rolex had already lined up a new generation of tennis stars. Now, eighteen months after that article, Rolex’s grip on tennis has only strengthened. It’s interesting to find out how the brand achieved that.

The title of the article from 2023 might have implied that there was a possibility that Rolex wouldn’t have a life in tennis after Federer’s retirement. But we always knew that wasn’t the question as the brand already had contracts with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, among other players. It wasn’t hard to see that these two youngsters would go on to dominate the sport in the future. The article was more focused on the brilliance of Federer as a brand ambassador rather than questioning whether there was a future for Rolex in tennis. The cultural impact of a player like Federer is unique and certainly affects the brands he endorses. However, as it turns out, his influence on the sport in connection to Rolex might not have ended with him leaving the arena. It’s time to find out more.

Formula 1 is out; focus on different fields

Last year, we received the big news that Rolex would not remain Formula 1’s Official Timekeeper. Earlier this week, I reported on the return of TAG Heuer to fill that role in 2025. It seems the brand is a great fit for the sport in both mentality and product offerings. At the same time, The Crown has moved on to expand its visibility in different fields. Rolex announced a string of new brand ambassadors in sports and art in 2024. It was a rather impressive list featuring people from filmmaking, classical music, golf, sailing, equestrian sports, and tennis. With the Australian Open starting in Melbourne today, let’s look at the latest additions to Rolex’s roster of tennis players.

Ben Shelton — Image: On

The two newest Rolex ambassadors — or Testimonees, as the brand calls them — in men’s tennis are young players making a name for themselves on the ATP Tour. The first is 22-year-old American Ben Shelton, who has garnered acclaim thanks to his powerful game. He is currently ranked 21st in the world.

João Fonseca

The second player added to the extensive list of those sponsored by The Crown is 18-year-old Brazilian rising star João Fonseca. Before the Australian Open, he was ranked 113th in the world. But Fonseca fought through qualifying and will make his Grand Slam main draw debut in Melbourne. Lastly, the brand also added Greek female player Maria Sakkari to its ambassadors. The world’s former number 3 can potentially win big tournaments in women’s tennis.

Wimbledon — Image: Rolex

Rolex’s broad influence on tennis

If we focus on the two new male youngsters, it makes sense that Rolex added them to its list of ambassadors. Shelton is expected to break the top 10 this year. In August of last year, he was already ranked number 13 in the world. If he can play a consistent season, he will undoubtedly be among the best 10 players by the end of the year. For Fonseca, this upcoming year will be interesting. If he plays a great Australian Open, he will set himself up to be able to play all the big tournaments this season, which are also sponsored by the Genevan brand.

Wimbledon Centre Court — Image: Rolex

As I explained in the aforementioned article, Rolex is the timekeeper of the four Grand Slam tournaments. Additionally, the company tied its name to nine ATP Masters 1000 events 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 Next Gen ATP Finals, and you will understand that Rolex is everywhere in tennis. The brand’s ties to the sport date back to 1978, so it is a long-lasting partnership that is mainly visible to a wide audience during the Grand Slam tournaments.

Jannik Sinner — Image: Rolex

The impact of Alcaraz and Sinner

Last year, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated their dominance by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments. While that’s a remarkable achievement, it wasn’t shocking to tennis experts as the two were the most promising newcomers some years ago. I had the pleasure of seeing Sinner make his debut in Rotterdam in 2020, and it was so easy to see that he was going to be a star player. This year, the expectations are the same if both players can manage to stay healthy and unhindered by injuries. By making them brand ambassadors, Rolex made a smart move as their impact can already be felt in tennis.

Carlos Alcaraz — Image: Rolex

Both players seem to have a great attitude on and off the court, inspiring a new generation of young tennis fans. It seems likely that they will have a lasting impact on the game in the next decade or so, with Rolex greatly benefiting from that. With Shelton and Fonseca, Rolex adds two more young names that potentially also have a great global impact. They join a large group of young players who can be seen putting their Rolex watches on their wrists after each match. Just looking at the players who do, you will quickly see that it is nothing short of impressive.

Coco Gauff at Watches and Wonders 2024 — Image: @cocogauff

A firm grip on both men’s and ladies’ tennis

Other young players besides Alcaraz, Sinner, Shelton, and Fonseca include Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti. And the brand also endorses female stars, such as Iga Swiatek, Qinwen Zheng, and Coco Gauff. The tactic of signing young players makes sense as the younger generation has quickly become the dominant force in tennis. But it doesn’t end there. With Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Taylor Fritz, Rolex sponsored three of the five best players in the world. Former Rolex ambassador Alexander Zverev left for Jacob & Co., while Stefanos Tsitsipas is yet to be seen wearing a Rolex in 2025, implying that the brand dropped him.

Taylor Fritz — Image: Tennis News 24

This fits the strategy of choosing the younger players to end up with the true stars of the game. While the brand has been part of tennis since 1978, its grip on the sport has never been this firm. And by signing a young generation of the sport’s superstars, it is safe to say that grip will remain tight for a while. A big part of that strategy and success is undoubtedly the role of Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex’s global director of communication and image. A former pro tennis player himself, the French man knows his way around the tennis world.

Roger Federer — Image: Rolex

The invisible hand of the Swiss maestro?

Even with Roger Federer out of the picture, Rolex cleverly cemented its name in tennis. But before we completely say goodbye to the Swiss superstar, his influence might still be apparent. As some of you might know, Federer has made some clever business moves over time. One of them was taking a 3% stake in the Swiss shoe brand On Running. But maybe it’s better to call On a sportswear company by now. While the current collection still heavily focuses on footwear, the brand also offers apparel and accessories. On has also been active in getting its name out in tennis. What’s the way to do it? How about signing the up-and-coming stars of the game?

Ben Shelton — Image: On

A glance at the roster of On-supported tennis players reveals a mix of talented juniors and young stars of the professional tours. The most famous is, without a doubt, multiple Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek. The Polish tennis player already has five Grand Slam titles to her name and is expected to add many more. You will also find the names of Ben Shelton and João Fonseca on the men’s side. Yes, these two players also signed with Rolex last year.

Image: Rolex

Final thoughts on Rolex in tennis in 2025

It’s easy to think that Federer has opened the doors at Rolex, leading to Arnaud Boetsch’s office. It might not even be that surprising. But it is nice to think that while Federer’s playing days might be over, his involvement in the sport is far from that. The fact that the Swiss maestro still watches over tennis is a good reason for a comforting smile before the long season kicks off in Melbourne tomorrow. It will be a great fortnight of spotting watches on the wrists of the world’s best tennis players.