The fact that Iga Swiatek, a world-class player, is changing her outfitter is neither a premiere on the WTA nor on the ATP tour.
von tennisnet.com
last edited: 03/26/2023, 12:16 p.m
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When Boris Becker recently arrived in Trier as a surprise guest at the Davis Cup against Switzerland, the three-time Wimbledon champion was standing on the court dressed from head to toe in Puma. Puma and Boris Becker? Clear. They were always a couple. Or not? Hadn’t Becker played in Ellesse clothes (but still with a Puma racquet) in his first triumph in London? And then later in those of Lotto?
Brand loyalty over an entire career – that’s something you rarely find in tennis. Because the competition never sleeps. And sometimes he wobbles with a rumored $300 million check. Which then even prompted Roger Federer to say goodbye to Nike and henceforth to wear Uniqlo clothes. Even Andre Agassi, who has been associated with Nike like no other tennis athlete before, has promised himself Adidas for a while (but is now sporting the distinctive Swoosh again).
Eternal loyalty from Nadal and Graf
After all, Rafael Nadal and, speaking of Andre Agassi, Stefanie Graf can look back on a career-long alliance with their loyalty to Nike and Adidas. Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, has already been seen in Sergio Tacchini, Uniqlo or currently Lacoste. Andy Murray? Adidas, Under Armor and Castor would be valid contact points.
Serena Williams, on the other hand, only became a Nike icon in her advanced creative phase. Serena celebrated her first successes in a Puma outfit (who does not remember the wonderful football jersey in Roland Garros?).
Club changes rather the exception
The news is still fresh that Iga Swiatek has said goodbye to Asics and turned to On, the company in which Roger Federer holds shares. That’s quite spectacular in the middle of the season. Even if the premiere of Swiatek in the new look in Miami fell through due to an injury. Sometimes something like this happens surprisingly quickly: Naomi Osaka won the 2018 US Open dressed in Adidas. And the same title two years later in Nike.
Any examples from the recent past? Alexander Zverev started the tour with Nike, but has been playing in Adidas for years now. Félix Auger-Aliassime has also switched from the Swoosh to the three stripes. Sebastian Korda went the opposite way.
In one thing, however, most superstars are strict: When it comes to the choice of the racket. There is rarely an actual brand change (on the other hand: Novak Djokovic has been playing with HEAD in recent years, before that it was Wilson). It’s more like an old racket being recolored to a new partner by means of a “paint job”.
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