The All England Lawn Tennis Championships, better known as Wimbledon, are under way once again, bringing together some of the world’s most recognisable sports stars, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Agnieszka Radwańska and the Williams sisters. However, those are not the only household names present.
Since 1978, Rolex has served as not only a key sponsor of the event, but as the ‘Official Timekeeper’, beginning one of its most successful ventures into the world of sports marketing. With both Rolex and Wimbledon having a rich history and being associated with the pursuit of excellence, it has been a match made in heaven.
The Presence of Rolex
Wimbledon is widely considered to be the most prestigious of the four Grand Slam competitions, partly due to its long history. The tournament, which takes place in south west London, began in 1877, making it the oldest tennis tournament in the world. It is also played on grass, which is the most traditional of tennis surfaces.
The level of prestige associated with the competition naturally attracts brands from all over the world, who want their products to be tied to the event. Nevertheless, in the case of Rolex, the partnership is mutually beneficial, as Rolex help to emphasise the tradition and quality on show and provide a useful function.
Indeed, as the ‘Official Timekeeper’, Rolex have a constant presence at the event. Their brand name and crown logo can be seen on advertising boards around the courts, as well as on the world famous Wimbledon scoreboard.
Player Endorsements
While sponsoring the competition itself helps to provide brand recognition and advertising, Rolex have always been acutely aware that people tune in to Wimbledon to see the players. It is precisely for this reason that the luxury watch manufacturer has always maintained endorsement deals with some of the world’s elite tennis stars.
Over the years, Rolex have been associated with many players who have captured the imagination of fans at Wimbledon, like five-time winner Björn Borg, 2009 finalist Andy Roddick and Justine Henin, who even took the unusual step of wearing her Rolex during a game at the event.
These endorsement deals continue to this day and some of the players who will compete at Wimbledon this year are ambassadors for the Rolex brand, with examples including Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin del Potro, Grigor Dimitrov, Ana Ivanović and Caroline Wozniacki.
Special Wimbledon Moments
In addition to the names listed above, Rolex’s most famous tennis endorsement deal is with the man considered by many to be the sport’s greatest ever player – Roger Federer. The Swiss star is one of the all-time great performers at Wimbledon, having won the tournament on seven occasions, with the most recent win coming in 2012.
One of Federer’s most important wins came in 2009, as he beat Andy Roddick in the final to claim his 15th Grand Slam title, surpassing Pete Sampras’ record. It is a moment he strongly associates with his Rolex Datejust II – the watch he was wearing when he lifted the trophy – as he explains in a video on the Rolex YouTube channel.
“Everyone was there… a lot of legends,” Federer said. “When I was finally able to lift the trophy again, it was with this particular one [the Datejust II]. It’s a beautiful feeling. Today, it’s a watch I look back and share memories with. I look at it and I see Wimbledon; I see me holding up the trophy.”
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