Alexander Zverev making it to the 2024 Australian Open semifinals is a welcome respite for his apparel sponsor, Adidas. Both parties are in desperate need of good results on the court. Their current situation is a far cry from when they bantered with each other on social media over the player’s fashion needs.
Zverev is facing allegations of domestic violence from two of his ex-girlfriends. That, and the fact Netflix chose to ignore it in Break Point, has seen the German receive a lot of backlash. Many have even called for a ban on him. Amid all this controversy, Zverev reached the semi-finals Down Under.
Not only does this come as probable relief for him, but also for his primary sponsor, Adidas. While Zverev will be glad to see his off-court problems haven’t affected his tennis, the sportswear giant will be happy to be represented in the final four. None of the eight semi-finalists across men’s and women’s singles don Adidas gear except Zverev. Their other athletes, like Felix Auger-Aliassime, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Maria Sakkari, and Elina Svitolina, fell during earlier stages. The last time an Adidas athlete won a Grand Slam was when Dominic Thiem lifted the 2020 US Open title.
Back then, Adidas was much more prominent in tennis. Ahead of the 2019 ATP Cup, Boris Becker and Alexander Zverev talked about the German team in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter). The discussion touched upon how short tennis shorts used to be in the olden days. Adidas Tennis’ official account cheekily replied to the video, telling Zverev to inform them if he also wanted shorter shorts with Becker backing the offer. The duo have long been good friends, something Nick Kyrgios brought up during his online feud with the retired legend recently.
Alexander Zverev could be key to rescuing Adidas’ tennis fortunes but collaboration comes under scanner after allegations
While Adidas never truly dominated tennis in this century, they have lost further ground in the past few years. Hence, Zverev’s run into the 2024 Australian Open will be a much-welcome move back into the spotlight. The World No.6 will also hope his on-court exploits draw the attention more than his off-court controversies. That, though, seems unlikely as he awaits court trial.
It has not always been smooth sailing between Alexander Zverev and Adidas. During his hard-fought fourth-round win over Jannik Sinner in the 2023 US Open, he was forced to change his sneakers thrice. As the duo battled it out for nearly 4.5 hours, his shoes began to wear out under the heat and humidity. Cameras picked up tears and holes in his pair, which made him change it repeatedly (via Mirror).
Nike and Lacoste currently rule the tennis market. The former has a massive roster of great players while the latter has fewer but top-drawer names like Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. Adidas has fallen behind these two giants given how Nike and Lacoste athletes have reigned supreme for years. So much so that the Adidas Tennis X account, from which the aforementioned post was made, does not exist anymore.
Zverev’s resurgence, though, could mean good things for them. They are one of the biggest names in his portfolio, crucial to his massive net worth of approximately $35 million. However, his off-court travails and allegations have put a question mark on their partnership. Together since 2016, rumours have been doing rounds that the German giants may let go of their country’s best male player. His hearing is reportedly scheduled around the 2024 French Open.
If he comes out clean, there is nothing to worry about. However, if he is found guilty, there could be far-reaching implications and Adidas walking out of the deal would be just one of them.
