Who Are Novak Djokovic’s Sponsors? Who Are The Brands Sticking With Him Despite The Controversies
Novak Djokovic, who has won 24 grand slam titles, is considered one of the greatest tennis players. During 2015-2016, Djokovic won all four grand slams back to back (though not in the same calendar year). He was the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to achieve that feat. Along with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray, Djokovic is considered one of the “Big 4”. He has been ranked world number one for over 400 weeks – a record that will stand for a long time.
In 2021, he came close to winning the grand slam – all four grand slam titles in a calendar year. But he lost in the finals at the US Open, the last grand slam of the year, to Daniil Medvedev. In 2023, he won three grand slam titles and lost in the finals at Wimbledon to Carlos Alcaraz.
While his tennis greatness is not questioned, Djokovic has controversial opinions on popular topics. He has famously refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine. After his strong vaccination stance, a few sponsors dropped him.
Novak Djokovic was represented by agent Edoardo Artaldi of WME-IMG (Endeavor) for many years but that relationship ended in 2023. Though Djokovic has many sponsors, he has struggled to attract sponsors like his peers Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. That’s because Serbia is a relatively poor country and Serbian companies are unable to support Djokovic. In contrast, Federer and Nadal have many sponsors from Switzerland and Spain, respectively.
His sponsors are Lacoste, Head, Hublot, Asics, Raiffeisen Bank International AG, and Lamero. As of 2024, he has earned over $180 million in prize money. He has made the list of the highest-paid tennis players for many years but often earns less than Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Novak Djokovic’s Sponsors
Lacoste
Lacoste is a French company, founded by tennis player René Lacoste and André Gillier. The company is well known for its green crocodile logo. Djokovic has a $9M deal with Lacoste that runs until 2025. He previously had a 5-year clothing deal with Uniqlo. Before Uniqlo, Djokovic was with Adidas and Sergio Tacchini.
Head
Djokovic has a $9M a year deal with tennis racquet maker Head. Before his sponsorship with Head, Djokovic used Wilson racquets.
What’s interesting is that like some players on tour, Djokovic has used sleek paint jobs on racquets (to make racquets look like his sponsor’s racquets) in the past to avoid revealing exactly which brand of racquet he was using. As you can imagine, changing racquets can be very difficult for a top player like Djokovic.
Djokovic currently uses the pro stock Head PT113B1 racquet. It is not available for sale. For marketing purposes, Djokovic’s racquet is painted to look like the Head Graphene 360+ Speed Pro below.
Hublot
In 2021, Djokovic announced a new partnership with Hublot. Hublot is a Swiss luxury watchmaker and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of France’s LVMH.
While his rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have been with one watch sponsor for most of their careers, Djokovic has jumped from one watchmaker to another.
Djokovic was endorsing Seiko watches for six years until 2020. Between 2011 and 2013, he partnered with Audemars Piguet.
Asics
For any tennis player, shoes are the most important gear next to the racquet. Novak Djokovic has been partnering with the footwear brand ASICS, since 2018. He currently wears the Asics Court FF3 shoes. His deal with Asics reportedly is worth $4 million annually.
The Asics shoes that Djokovic wears have two logos – one is “D” and the other consists of a symbol of Reiki (represents energy) and a symbol of Dove (stands for peace, love, and free spirit). Djokovic has said that it reminds him of Nikola Tesla, the great Serbian-American inventor.
Raiffeisen Bank International AG
Djokovic is an ambassador for the Vienna-based bank. As part of the sponsorship deal, the bank supports the Tennis Academy of Novak Djokovic in Belgrade
LEMERO
Printer ink cartridge brand LEMERO named Djokovic as its brand ambassador in 2021. The company also pledged to donate 10% of its sales to the Novak Djokovic Foundation.
Waterdrop
Austrian brand Waterdrop was founded in 2015 and provides water purification solutions. Djokovic is not just an ambassador for the brand, he is also an investor after putting in a “seven-figure investment” in the company.
Djokovic’s Other Business Interests
Eqvita
Novak Djokovic opened a vegan restaurant, Eqvita in Monte Carlo, where he resides. Djokovic became a vegan in 2010 and that decision ignited a spark in his tennis career. Djokovic discusses his diet in his book, “Serve to Win”, which was published in 2013.
Serbia Open (not active)
Djokovic owned the Serbia Open tennis tournament between 2009-2012. But the tournament could not attract sponsors or top players. Djokovic sold the tournament back to ATP. It was the only tennis tournament held in Serbia.
Novak Djokovic Foundation
The Novak Djokovic Foundation’s goal is to give every child the opportunity to receive a quality preschool education. Many of Djokovic’s sponsors contribute to his foundation.
Book – Serve To Win
In the book, Serve To Win, published in 2013, Djokovic shares a fitness and gluten-free diet plan that made him a world champion. Tennis fans will know that Djokovic struggled with his health early in his career. His new gluten-free diet plan was one of the primary reasons for his dominance on the court.
If you are interested in what Djokovic eats daily to keep healthy, you can check out this article on his daily diet.
Djokovic’s Previous Sponsors
Peugeot: A Green Partnership and a Pandemic Fallout
In 2014, Peugeot welcomed Djokovic as its international ambassador. The partnership, aimed at promoting a greener and sustainable environment, lasted for three years. Djokovic’s stance on COVID vaccination eventually led to the end of his ties with Peugeot.
Seiko: Timing the Success
In 2014, Djokovic embraced a three-year partnership with Japanese watchmaker Seiko, which later extended to six years. The collaboration, reportedly earning Djokovic $5 million annually, showcased limited-edition watches.
Uniqlo: A Five-Year Affair with a Charitable Twist
Following the Sergio Tacchini episode, Djokovic signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Uniqlo. The partnership involved a unique corporate social responsibility initiative, manufacturing charity T-shirts to support Djokovic’s foundation. However, Uniqlo opted not to extend the contract, citing marketability concerns.
Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG)
Djokovic’s association with Ultimate Kronos Group began in 2019. However, in May 2022, the tech firm and Djokovic mutually agreed not to renew their contract, marking the conclusion of this chapter.