Lacoste signs partnership with Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament

FIRST SERVING: Lacoste announced Thursday that it has become a premium partner of the Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament.

The partnership begins with the next edition of the tournament, which takes place from Saturday to November 3 at the Accor Arena complex in Paris.

The financial terms of the deal, which runs until 2030, were not disclosed.

“This long-term collaboration, rooted in tradition and elegance, is a natural fit,” tournament director Cédric Pioline said in a statement announcing the deal. “A unique and rich relationship actually links the French Tennis Federation with the crocodile brand.”

Thierry Guibert, CEO of Lacoste, said he was proud of the partnership, which “perfectly aligns with the sporting legacy of our founder René Lacoste, a tennis legend, fashion icon and inventor,” he said. “Lacoste and tennis are inextricably linked and we are pleased to further strengthen the bond that unites us today.”

The tennis-focused brand will provide the uniforms for ball kids, linesmen and all children accompanying players as they enter the court as part of the “Dream Entrance” promotion.

In addition, pieces from Lacoste’s collections are sold in two special corners. This year, a capsule collection will be released with polos, T-shirts and branded caps featuring the logos of both organizations. A full co-branded collection is planned for 2025.

The Rolex Paris Masters is an annual tournament for male professional players held in Paris since 1969 and is part of the ATP Tour’s Masters 1000 series. Star player Novak Djokovic emerged as singles champion at the 2023 edition, his seventh win in the category.

Lacoste has already partnered with other ATP Masters 1000 series tournaments, in Miami in 2015 and in Madrid in 2023. The company recently renewed its long-standing partnership with the Roland-Garros French Open tournament and is an official partner of the French one Tennis Association.

This comes as a number of luxury groups have deepened their ties to the sport, including LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s multi-brand Formula 1 deal and Chanel becoming title sponsor and timekeeper of the annual boat race between Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom