Kim Clijsters has split with longtime sponsor Fila and will be wearing apparel designed by Full Court Sport.  Full Court Sport is an independent sports label founded by Marguerite Wade in 2016.

Clijsters will wear the brand at the US Open. The brand should get a lot of visibility as there is a lot of fan and media interest in Clijsters, who is making a second comeback in her career. 

Clijsters is the first professional athlete to wear the brand’s apparel.  Kim Clijsters was searching for independent apparel brands online. When she found Full Court Sport, she immediately felt a connection to the brand and reached out to Wade.

It is interesting that Clijsters decided to drop a big name brand like Fila and go with an independent, less-known brand. It is unlikely that Full Court Sport is paying Clijsters big dollars.

Top tennis players such as Naomi Osaka have been vocal supporters of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Clijsters wearing Front Court Sport apparel, a brand-led black female founder sends an inspiring message to independent brands.

Tennis players have typically associated themselves with big brands such as Nike or Fila.  We will see if this new trend catches on.

Tunisian star Ons Jabeur has been an inspiration to the people of Tunisia and the Arab world. Jabeur is the first Arab woman to win a WTA title. Sponsors understand that Jabeur is a trailblazer who will help their brands reach new consumers in a way that no other player can.

Unlike most tennis players, Jabeur trained in her home country of Tunisia until she was 16. She won the junior French Open title in 2011. Since entering the women’s tour, she has steadily made progress in the rankings. She reached the finals at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Though she was a up a set in the final, she eventually lost to Elena Rybankina. She reached the finals at the 2022 US Open and again came up short against Iga Swiatek. In 2023, she lost in the Wimbledon finals again, making it three straight losses in grand slam finals.

Jabeur is represented by talent agency Evolve, which Naomi Osaka owns. She speaks 3 languages – Arabic, French, and English.  Since her marriage to Karim Kamoun, a Russian-Tunisian, she has been learning Russian. Andy Roddick was her favorite player while growing up.

Her sponsors are Wilson, Kayanee, Haval, Tijen, and Qatar Airways. She has earned over $15 million in her career.

Brands That Have Invested In Ons Jabeur

Wilson

Jabeur has a racquet deal with Wilson. She currently uses the Wilson Pro Staff 97 Countervail racquet.

Kayanee

Jabeur has an apparel sponsorship deal with Saudi brand Kayanee. Jabeur is the first tennis player to be sponsored by Kayanee. She previously had a sponsorship contract with Lotto for clothes and shoes. 

Haval

Haval is a brand of Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors. The company manufactures crossovers and SUVs.

Tijen

Tijen is a mineral water manufacturer. Mineral water companies have found tennis players to be a natural fit for their products.

Qatar Airways

Jabeur became an ambassador for Qatar Airways at the end of 2020.