Tennis has become one of the main new platforms for promoting luxury brands.
Aryna Sabalenka walks onto the court with a Gucci bag before her third-round match at the Italian Open in Rome. May 9, 2026. Photo: Robert Prange / Getty Images
In January, Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka became the face of Gucci. In the promotional video, the athlete was dressed in a long silk dress in beige and dark brown shades from the Spring-Summer 2026 collection. Sabalenka appeared with a silver handbag from the brand at the presentation of the prestigious international Laureus World Sports Awards. And at the recent Italian Open, Aryna walked onto the court with a Gucci Paparazzo bag.
Collaboration with the world's number one player was a logical continuation of the Italian fashion house's strategy. This brand, as the Financial Times notes, had already started paying attention to tennis stars earlier and bet on Jannik Sinner – even before he won his first Grand Slam tournament and became the world's number one.
A year later at Wimbledon, Sinner appeared on the court with a Gucci sports bag, adorned with the company's signature logo. This episode caused a significant stir, as the tournament is known for its strict dress code and tradition of white attire.
Jannik Sinner walks onto Wimbledon court in 2023 with a signature Gucci bag. Photo: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
This trend has swept across the entire echelon of elite brands, which have begun actively collaborating with tennis stars. Following Gucci, Louis Vuitton signaled its interest in the sport by signing a contract with Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner's main rival. Dior chose Chinese star Zheng Qinwen as its face. Burberry secured the support of promising Brit Jack Draper.
Miu Miu released a tennis apparel collection with Coco Gauff and New Balance, and later signed a contract with the American tennis player herself. Finally, Bottega Veneta signed Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who is often compared to a model.
Representatives of Gucci claim that for them, this is not just a fashion for a popular sport. The company reminds that back in the 1970s, the brand released the Tennis 1977 sneakers and has long used tennis aesthetics in its collections.
Indeed, writes FT, the connection between luxury and tennis is nothing new. Brands like Lacoste and Ralph Lauren have been using the imagery of this sport in their collections for decades, acting as partners for Grand Slam tournaments – Roland-Garros, US Open, and Wimbledon, and in the case of Lacoste, also dressing professional players. Rolex has also been inextricably linked to tennis since it became the official timekeeper of Wimbledon in 1978, and later of the other three Grand Slam tournaments.
Lorenzo Musetti with Bottega Veneta bags. November 14, 2025. Photo: Stefano Guidi / Getty Images for Bottega Veneta
However, in recent years, tennis has become significantly more popular as a sport and as a media spectacle. Grand Slam competitions are now regularly compared to the Coachella music festival due to the huge crowds, including many celebrities and influencers. For example, this year's Australian Open broke attendance records: 1.3 million people passed through the gates of Melbourne Park in three weeks.
Record-breaking attendance in the stands and increased viewership on streaming platforms have made tennis a very attractive platform for luxury brands. While fashion houses previously shied away from sports, fearing a loss of "high style" status, the industry is now increasingly talking about how the combination of sport and fashion will define the future of luxury.
An additional factor was the changing landscape in the sportswear market. Traditional giants like Nike and Adidas are increasingly focused on the mass consumer, while iconic tennis brands of the past – Fila, Sergio Tacchini, and Ellesse – are gradually losing their relevance. As a result, luxury brands have had the opportunity to fill this niche and have begun actively shaping a new image of modern tennis.
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