From court to culture: The tennis revival

Tennis is having a moment and I am here for it.

There’s a trend I’ve noticed over the last couple of months: the resurgence of tennis in mainstream media, marketing, and culture.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the sport has always had a solid fan base. But since the era of the big three, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, began to fade, so too did global interest. Federer and Nadal have since retired, and while Djokovic is still going strong at 38 and ranked world number 3, the reality is that his career is nearing its twilight.

For nearly two decades, 'Fedal' (Federer + Nadal) captivated audiences with one of the greatest rivalries in sport. On the women’s side, Serena Williams bowed out in 2022. With these icons gone, tennis seemed to lose much of its mainstream pull. The spotlight shifted to a younger generation that initially struggled to fill the void.

But Gen Z had other plans.

A new wave of players, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, Iga Świątek, and Aryna Sabalenka, are bringing fresh energy and fandom to the sport. Their rivalries and rise have reignited passion, even as tennis clubs globally struggled with declining interest and economic strain.

Keeping a tennis club running isn’t cheap. Membership costs, limited playing time, and a lack of accessible programs have made tennis feel increasingly elitist and inaccessible. This decline has also coincided with the meteoric rise of padel (a mix of tennis and squash) and pickleball, both booming in the UK, US, and even here in South Africa.

Djokovic spoke up about this in 2024, saying tennis was "doing a very poor job” of maintaining tennis at “the base level” and warned that its future was at risk, as reported by The Guardian. The 24-time Grand Slam champion said the sport is still seen as "elite, unaffordable and inaccessible."

Yet, somehow, tennis got the wake-up call.

In the last year alone, the sport has been everywhere. Brands are leaning in hard: Range Rover, Amex’s “Tennis Town” at Montecasino, and countless padel- and tennis-themed parties. Suddenly, tennis kits and fashion are everywhere, blending with padel’s trend-forward edge.

It’s as if tennis decided to ride the padel wave to reclaim its cultural place. I’m thrilled. Because at its core, tennis is still superior in structure, player development, and global broadcasting. The love for the game never truly left.

This revival is most visible through fashion. Coco Gauff’s Miu Miu partnership, Sinner’s global ambassadorship with Gucci, and Taylor Fritz's BOSS collab prove that Gen Z tennis stars are the moment. Lacoste's “Soho Grand Slam 2025” event with Soho House only cemented it. Having Djokovic as your brand ambassador doesn’t hurt either. One could argue that these kinds of partnerships and collaborations have happened before, think Louis Vuitton and Rolex—and that’s true. But this time, we’re seeing it through the lens of a new generation and a revitalised energy.

And these fashion campaigns? They’re giving. Tennis offers a rich well of inspiration: steeped in tradition, heritage, and timeless style. Think blue, green, white and classic Wimbledon tones. Ralph Lauren’s Oaks Bluffs collection even paid tribute to historically black colleges and black excellence, inspired by Charles Shearer and the legacy of Oak Bluffs. It told a story of culture, not just struggle.

Ralph Lauren's Oak Bluffs collection. Photo: Ralph Lauren, Instagram

I’ve attended these events too, and as a lifelong tennis fan, I can honestly say: we are in the middle of a revival era. One that fuses sport, fashion, and even pilates. And I’m in bliss.

So yes, the eyeballs are back on the sport. It might be a fleeting trend, but the tennis stars are here to stay. As for padel, will the courts still be around in 5, 10, or even 20 years? The answer to that will tell you everything.