Over the years, tennis has become a sport of choice for some of the world’s leading watchmakers. Brands such as Rolex, Longines and TAG Heuer have competed in ingenuity and strategy to associate their names with the performance and prestige that high-level tennis symbolizes. From the French Open to the US Open, via Wimbledon and the Australian Open, they compete in ingenuity to make their mark on the greatest tournaments.
Tennis has become an ideal stage for watchmakers to showcase their vision of time and luxury. As the French Open gets underway, it’s not just balls that are in the air, but also concepts, legacies and marketing ambitions. And while the exchanges are measured in seconds, the benefits for these brands are played out over the long term.
Rolex’s stranglehold
Since 2019, Rolex has been the official watch of the French Open. This late arrival at the Paris Grand Slam is part of a carefully considered strategy : Rolex is now a partner of all four Grand Slam tournaments. But unlike other brands, Rolex doesn’t bombard the spectator with advertising. Instead, it plays on its prestigious discretion : its logo sits atop the scoreboard, on the official clocks, and in the international broadcast zones : subtle yet omnipresent.
This positioning is based on a clear message : Rolex is the measure of time for great moments. It doesn’t need to sell directly ; it is imprinted in the collective imagination as the guarantor of a heritage. The association with tennis legends such as Roger Federer, who has been working with the brand since 2001, has only strengthened this legitimacy. Today, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek and Jannik Sinner, among many others, continue this tradition among the new faces on the circuit, establishing the brand as the sport’s flagship watch brand.
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Featured photo : © Rolex
