More than 45 brands have had a presence at this year’s Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of 2024, which wraps up in Melbourne this weekend—and if 2023 is any indication, is ushering in what promises to be another dynamic year in the pro tennis sponsorship industry. Sponsorships surged a remarkable 43% in 2023 versus 2022, with over 3K deals last year across the ATP and WTA Tours—the governing bodies for men’s and women’s pro tennis, respectively—signaling the sport’s burgeoning allure as a prime marketing platform for brands. 

Tourism, Hotels & Resorts, Banking, Athletic Equipment, and Footwear topped the list of 2023’s most active categories (in that order)—a mix whose diversity underscores tennis’  wide-ranging appeal to a global audience. Tennis sponsorships are evolving rapidly, with digital signage––up 25% last year versus 2022––TV-visible signage, entitlements, interior signage, and social posts emerging as the most frequently bought assets, as brands increasingly embrace digital-driven marketing strategies that cater to a tech-savvy audience that consumes tennis content across multiple platforms.

Notably, the men’s ATP Tour had more than 2.2K sponsorship deals last year—testament to its elite standing and influence in the sports sponsorship arena—while the WTA Tour encompassed more than 1K sponsorships. And while the ATP Tour scored an impressive 2.7M in total social media engagement across all platforms in 2023, the bigger story is the dazzling reach of individual men's tennis athletes, who collectively boasted a staggering 58M in total social engagement on branded posts in the last year, highlighting their massive marketability. Women tennis players also shine bright on social, with a total engagement of 34M over the same period, compared to 1.2M for the WTA. 

Men’s Tennis Athletes Ranked by Total Engagement:

1. Carlos Alcaraz (9M)
2. Matteo Berrettini (8.8M)
3. Stanislas Wawrinka (5M)
4. Alexander Zverev (4M)
5. Roger Federer (3.4M)

Women’s Tennis Athletes Ranked by Total Engagement:

1. Iga Swiatek (15.9M)
2. Emma Raducanu (2M)
3. Paula Badosa (1.7M)
4. Aryna Sabalenka (1.5M)
5. Caroline Garcia (1.3M)

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