Women’s tennis just landed a deal that changes the scoreboard for good.
The WTA announced a headline partnership with Mercedes-Benz that will rebrand the circuit as the “WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz” starting January 1, 2026, a move that aims to lift the women’s game into a new commercial orbit.
A Partnership That Rewrites The Playbook
The new arrangement replaces medical device firm Hologic as the tour’s title sponsor and was unveiled at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, where tour leaders gathered to celebrate what they called a defining commercial moment for women’s tennis.
The press conference was headlined by WTA founder Billie Jean King and attended by tour and Mercedes-Benz representatives, while global brand ambassadors Roger Federer and Coco Gauff joined the event virtually to signal the partnership’s global reach.
Seeing a global brand like Mercedes-Benz stand with us sends a message that echoes far beyond tennis.
Billie Jean King
What The Money Means
Reports say the agreement could be worth £37.5m per annum for up to ten years, a commitment of scale that would immediately reshape sponsorship assumptions in women’s sport and free up budget room for the tour’s commercial plans.
By comparison, the WTA’s previous title deal with Hologic generated £64m across four years and required a frontloaded payment of £40m, while overall WTA revenues still only just exceed £100m per year.
Additional balance-sheet moves included selling 20 per cent of the WTA’s commercial arm to private equity CVC for £120m, steps taken when cash flow became a pressing concern for the organisation.
Beyond Dollars: Criticism, Prize Money And Momentum
The partnership arrives after turbulent seasons that included the Peng Shuai controversy and criticism over staging the Finals in Saudi Arabia, as well as player complaints about mandatory events and burnout voiced by stars such as Iga Swiatek and Daria Kasatkina.
Elite paydays are growing: Elena Rybakina earned £4m for the Riyadh title and Coco Gauff’s estimated income topped £23m in 2025, even while the ATP continues to generate roughly twice the revenue of the WTA.
Executives see Mercedes-Benz as a chance to reset under incoming leadership, to accelerate commercial growth and to continue work to unite WTA Ventures with the men’s commercial arm, moves that could underpin a more integrated future for the sport.
Billie Jean King, reflecting on the tour’s origins, reminded audiences of the founding mission and said she was proud to see that legacy carried forward with renewed purpose and visibility for women athletes at every level of the game.
Coco Gauff captured the cultural meaning of the tie-up when she said, “For Mercedes-Benz to do this, and also, not only invest in our sport, but also invest in someone like me – a woman of colour – is super inspiring,” highlighting the partnership’s social as well as commercial reach.
The deal gives new boss Valerie Camillo a stronger starting position than recent predecessors, and if the financial pledges hold, tournaments and players may finally enjoy more predictable revenue and investment in the women’s tour.
The Mercedes-Benz partnership will be judged on delivery as much as promise, but its size and profile already change the conversation about where women’s sport sits in the commercial pecking order around the world.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
