Match Point: Rolex’s 48-Year Partnership with Tennis & Wimbledon

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For Rolex, tennis is a temple of passion, endurance, and glory.

Through every serve, set, and right to match point, Rolex has been a silent witness to tennis’s most historic moments — as gifted athletes become champions, and champions become icons. What started in 1978 at The Championships, Wimbledon, a partnership built upon shared emotions of excellence and grit, expanded over time to every prestigious title in tennis. Today, as Official Timekeeper of all four Grand Slam titles, Rolex not only celebrates the sport’s most triumphant moments, its champions, and institutions that foster growth and talent, but also upholds the values that define tennis itself.

Wimbledon: A Silent Ballad of Champions and Excellence

Held at London’s All England Lawn Tennis Club since 1877, The Championships, Wimbledon, remains tennis’s oldest and most novel stage. Respecting tradition, it’s the only Grand Slam still played on grass that’s mowed to precisely 8 millimetres, as it was in the tournament’s inaugural edition. By the 1920s, Wimbledon changed with the times, departing from closed-door matches to a social and sporting fete. For Englishmen, Wimbledon became an annual summer garden party — rich with champagne, strawberries, and of course, royal patronage. As the club quickly claimed a central position in tennis’s calendar, its champions became icons, each conforming to sporting decorum, court etiquette, and strict all-white dressing rules.

As decades pass, traditions stand strong, and no other sporting competition boasts such an intimate setting — no flashy advertisements, public announcer, rock opera, cheerleaders, or mascots. A classic Wimbledon match begins with a roaring cheer when the players enter the court, followed by a deafening silence as the competition unfolds. That is, until a victor emerges, and history is made.

A Crown at Centre Court: Rolex’s Early Ties with Wimbledon

By the 1970s, The Championships, Wimbledon, had entered its golden age, captivating audiences worldwide. This ‘game played on grass’ and its sportsmen represented a celebration of tradition, determination, and excellence, matching Rolex’s DNA.

In 1978, Rolex became the Official Timekeeper of The Championships, Wimbledon. The Crown’s signature green-and-gold clocks were introduced on Centre Court and across the grounds, blending seamlessly into the tournament’s understated aesthetic. Ever since, this arena livery became a recognisable signature, as Rolex timed all matches at the tournament, including landmark performances by players such as Björn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Serena Williams, and Roger Federer. Rolex’s partnership marked a formal entry into the world of tennis, making it one of the brand’s longest-standing sports affiliations, spanning 48 years and counting.

At the Apex of Tennis: Rolex’s Presence Across Tennis

Rolex’s partnership with Wimbledon was only the beginning, expanding its imprint across the sport’s most prestigious competitions. Today, Rolex supports all four Grand Slam competitions, as well as elite team competitions and season-ending championships, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the sport.

Australian Open

Since 2008, Rolex has been the Official Timekeeper of the Australian Open, held annually in Melbourne. As the first Grand Slam competition of the tennis calendar year, the Australian Open is celebrated for its vibrant summer energy, diverse audience, and state-of-the-art infrastructure. While so, this competition has proven a key venue for the emergence of next-gen players and champions, many of whom are Rolex Testimonees. Rolex supports the Australian Open as an official timekeeper, reflecting their commitment to innovation and supporting rising talent in the sport.

Roland-Garros

In 2019, Rolex became the Premium Partner and Official Timekeeper of Roland-Garros — the only Grand Slam played on clay. Staged at Paris’s Stade Roland-Garros, the tournament is known for its technical intensity and physical demands, often producing long, tactical matches. The red clay surface challenges players differently, rewarding consistency, strategy, and resilience — closely aligning with Rolex’s core values of precision and endurance.

US Open

The US Open, held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in New York City, is the world’s largest tennis stadium, making the US Open one of the most globally watched and attended tennis tournaments of the season. Furthermore, unlike other Grand Slam competitions, this is played at night. Rolex has been the Official Timekeeper for the US Open since 2018, ensuring precision and consistency in a competition where momentum can shift in seconds.

NITTO ATP & WTA Finals

Rolex is the Premier Partner of the Nitto ATP Finals and the Official Timekeeper of the WTA Finals — the closing events of the tennis season. These elite tournaments feature the top eight singles players and doubles teams, based on year-long ATP and WTA rankings. Unlike knockout Grand Slams, the Finals use a round-robin format before advancing to the semifinals and finals. Rolex celebrates its spirit of excellence and determination with the sport’s most accomplished and consistent athletes, many of whom are long-time Testimonees.

Rolex Testimonees: Titans on Court and Beyond

Beyond timekeeping, Rolex has embraced not only tennis but also the champions and icons that make history. Through its Testimonee programme, Rolex has supported these gifted athletes since it became Official Timekeeper of The Championships, Wimbledon, in 1978. Sharing Rolex’s values, these global ambassadors also signify a benchmark of excellence and grit in tennis.

• Roger Federer, eight-time Wimbledon champion and twenty-time Grand Slam titleholder, joined Rolex as a Testimonee in 2001. He also adorned Rolex’s new Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller as the icon launched at Watches & Wonders 2025.
• A rising star, Carlos Alcaraz, became a Rolex Testimonee in 2022, the same year he won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open and became Wimbledon champion the following year.
• Iga Świątek, a four-time Grand Slam champion and current World No. 1 (as of the latest rankings), has been a Testimonee since 2021. She won the French Open in 2020, 2022, and 2023, and the US Open in 2022.
• Jannik Sinner became a Rolex Testimonee in 2020. He won the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals and led Italy to victory in the Davis Cup the same year.
• Björn Borg, an 11-time Grand Slam champion and Rolex Testimonee, is widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest pioneers. He won five consecutive Wimbledon titles from 1976 to 1980, with his reign coinciding with Rolex’s appointment as Official Timekeeper in 1978.