5 top players who ditched Nike and Adidas for lesser-known brands ft. Jack Draper, Roger Federer

Jack Draper has followed in the footsteps of Roger Federer in ditching Nike for a partnership with a relatively new entrant to the tennis world. The Briton’s partnership with California-based apparel brand Vuori was announced just in time for the season’s final Grand Slam: the US Open.

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While Nike and Adidas have (and mostly continue to) maintain a grip over the tennis market, plenty of big names have moved away from the giants for better, most interesting deals. Here, we take a look at five such athletes:

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Jack Draper

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Draper debuted his first fit for the brand during the mixed doubles competition in New York. He wore the Sleeveless Viewpoint Muscle Tank in Canvas Grey, with white colorblocked details. He paired it with matching shorts.

And if his own words are anything to go by, the brand is helping him stay true to his own style. To add to the excitement, a signature line is also said to be on the way.

“I think there’s a real creative element to what they do. And I’ve always been someone who likes to have my own style, who likes to be my own person. It is quite an essential part of an athlete’s journey, because it’s our kit,” Jack Draper said in an interview with The Independent.

Roger Federer

At one point, both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal anchored Nike’s grip over the best tennis players in the world. While the Spaniard stayed with the brand throughout his career, his biggest on-court rival struck other deals.

Federer was among the many big names to usher the Japanese casual wear brand into the world of tennis. Alongside home hero Kei Nishikori, Federer was key to Uniqlo’s tennis ambitions. It is then unsurprising that the brand took out a dedicated Roger Federer with the iconic “RF” print.

The brand’s clean cuts and solid colors oozed a certain class that Federer had come to be associated with long ago, making him the perfect fit to be the new face.

Besides, Federer also became a shareholder in Swiss activewear brand On in November 2019 and has played a significant role in product development and marketing. On sponsors the likes of Iga Swiatek and Ben Shelton.

Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz

Both Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz have become key to the larger scheme of two fast-growing brands in the tennis world. Having paired up for the US Open mixed doubles event, they stepped onto the court in Yonex and Hugo Boss apparel, respectively.

Talking of Rybakina first; her departure from team Adidas was especially surprising given that she had won her first (and till date only) Grand Slam wearing the German giant's apparel. In fact, she jumped over to Yonex shortly after her success at the All England Club.

Rybakina's association with the brand, however, has given her a more central role in campaigns and collection releases. She is often the face of the brand’s promotional content and new releases and this year’s US Open was no different with her debuting Yonex’s white dress featuring a standout orange zipper and accents.

Fritz, meanwhile, ditched Nike to form a partnership with Hugo Boss. He has been among the biggest faces (alongside the likes of Matteo Berrettini) furthering the brand’s appeal in the tennis world.

The American’s run to the US Open final in his Hugo Boss attire last year gave the brand plenty of visibility and fans can only expect bigger things in the near future.

Donna Vekic

Donna Vekic also spent a considerable number of years with Nike but has been front and centre of the country club aesthetic being promoted by Uomo Sport.

In fact, Vekic’s entry was essential to the brand expanding into women’s sport. Earlier, Uomo Sport made clothes catered only for male sportspersons but the Croat’s association with the brand has seen that change.

The prefix “Donna” is added to most of the brand’s best collection, starting from DonnaSport Le Club Crew to the Donna Pleated Skirt, the DonnaSport Grand Slam Polo and more.

“A force in the tennis world, our collaboration with tennis champion Donna Vekic is designed to ensure that no stroke, slice, or set goes unnoticed,” reads the brand’s introduction to its tennis line.

Vekic left Nike and partnered with Uono Sport in 2023.

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About the author

Vedant Chandel

Vedant is an experienced journalist at Sportskeeda, having been part of the team since 2016. Known for his insightful coverage of Tennis, Hockey, and Olympic sports at the company, he has also been contributing to the Hindustan Times for the past 3 years.

Holding a Master's degree in English, and a PG Diploma in Print Journalism, Vedant's academic background equips him well for his journalism endeavors. He has covered the Olympics qualifiers on the ground, taken exclusive interviews with multiple Indian Olympians, and clinched Sportskeeda's prestigious Writer Award for Best Olympics Commentator in 2021.

While Vedant remains neutral on the Tennis GOAT debate, he holds a deep admiration for Tsvetana Pironkova and Petra Kvitova for their unparallelled grasscourt skills and personalities, along with Juan Martin del Potro. As for tournaments, his heart is undeniably drawn to Wimbledon, and when asked why, he simply states, "There's something about the grass."

Beyond his passion for sports, he enjoys traveling and has a soft spot for good movies.

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