At the US Open, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner both triumphed in their respective matches, meaning the quarterfinals could see them go head-to-head in the latest chapter of tennis’s hottest burgeoning rivalry.

Luxury’s biggest brands are paying close attention: 20-year-old Alcaraz was signed as a house ambassador at Louis Vuitton earlier this summer, and last week launched the brand’s spring-summer 2024 formalwear campaign. Sinner, by contrast, has taken to repping Vuitton’s biggest rival, Gucci, creating viral moments as he carried monogram duffels from the Italian fashion giant onto the court (Last night’s bag included custom handles in the US Open’s signature shades of blue and yellow).

With its country club roots and history of stylish players, tennis has always been an attractive forum for brands from Rolex and Nike to Emirates and Mercedes Benz. But as the game becomes more popular, more global, and increasingly diverse, it’s attracting more and more luxury fashion brands, too, as the companies seek to grow on top of record sales by ramping up their engagements with sports and culture.

As a new generation of more diverse, social media-savvy champions has entered the sport, BoF explores how brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci are increasing their investments in ‘cultural’ marketing strategies that tap into consumer interests beyond red carpets. #linkinbio

✍️ @rob_cord_
📷 @antoinecouvercelle | Louis Vuitton

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