Novak Djokovic Announces New Sponsorship Deal

World number-one men’s singles player Novak Djokovic has announced an investment and strategic partnership with Universal Tennis, the global tennis ratings service.

The 14-time Grand Slam champion will work with the company’s partners in its bid to make the sport more affordable and accessible for players at all levels around the world.

Universal Tennis’ key partners include Oracle, IMG, the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), the Rafa Nadal Academy, and also Team8, the Roger Federer-founded management company behind the Laver Cup.

“Universal Tennis has a compelling plan, the capabilities and resources, and the innovative products and ideas to improve the tennis ecosystem,” said Djokovic, who is also the president of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Players Council.

“I am excited to work with the company and their world-class partners to provide solutions that will positively impact tennis. I encourage all nations, the ITF and the governing bodies to join our collaborative effort to bring about long lasting positive change benefitting everyone in tennis.”

Djokovic’s investment will also support the adoption of the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) engagement platform, run by Oracle, which measures the performance of all of the world’s tennis players across every level of the sport.

The partnership will also support philanthropic ventures within the world of tennis, which aim to develop initiatives positioned to improve the game for players, organisers and businesses involved in the sport.

“Novak Djokovic is one of the all-time greats in tennis who brings a unique and valuable perspective as an elite professional athlete and as someone who has both a deep understanding of the challenges in tennis and the genuine desire to make tennis better,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis chief executive.

“We look forward to collaborating with Novak and his team to bring needed solutions to all levels of tennis to ensure the sport develops and grows.”

Tennis Australia, the sport’s governing body in Australia, has also agreed a strategic partnership with Universal Tennis, and will adopt the UTR system to help increase engagement across all levels from grassroots all the way up to the Australian Open.

“We believe that Universal Tennis can help support the sport by opening up opportunities for the everyday player and bringing a new level of innovation to the game,” said Craig Tiley, Tennis Australia chief executive and Australian Open tournament director.

“We’re looking forward to collaborating and identifying new opportunities to grow engagement in the game.”