Wimbledon is not just one of the tennis calendar’s oldest and most hotly anticipated tournaments. It’s also one of the most stylish sporting events of the year and a global runway for luxury watches.
Since Rolex became Wimbledon’s official timekeeper in 1978, tennis stars have served as ambassadors for some of the world’s top watchmakers.
Each year, Wimbledon helps to bring together a gathering of luxury watches adorned on players’ wrists. An array of big-name stars from the world of fashion, film, music, sports, and even royalty eagerly watch from the stands; their wrists are also decorated with expensive, limited-edition timepieces.
As Wimbledon 2024 approaches, it promises to be as exciting as ever. After her triumph at the US Open, Coco Gauff is eyeing her first singles title, while Novak Djokovic hopes to secure his 25th major win.
It may mark the final appearances of tennis legends Sir Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon while rising stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz take centre stage.
However, one certainty for Wimbledon 2024 is that from the first breathtaking serve to the final jaw-dropping rally, both Wimbledon players and the stars seated in the stands will proudly display some of the world’s most famous watches.
Will Cooper from Stanhope Cooper takes a look at some of the players and timepieces set to cause a stir at Wimbledon this year.
Who are the world’s best players as of 2024?
The best players in the world are ranked by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for men’s singles and doubles and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for women’s singles and doubles. These rankings are used to determine players’ seedings and qualification for tournaments.
Players’ rankings are typically based on the players’ performance in tournaments throughout the year, with a cap on the number of tournaments counted towards rankings.
Each tournament is graded differently depending on the tournament’s prestige, history and a player’s level of participation, with Grand Slams being the highest-graded tournaments — these considerations dictate the ranking of top male and female players.
At the time of writing, these are the top 10 male single players of 2024, according to the ATP:
- Novak Djokovic
- Jannik Sinner
- Carlos Alcaraz
- Daniil Medvedev
- Alexander Zverev
- Andrey Rublev
- Holger Rune
- Hubert Hurkacz
- Grigor Dimitrov
- Casper Ruud
Similarly, at the time of writing, the WTA rank the top 10 female single players in 2024 as:
- Iga Swiatek
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Coco Gauff
- Elena Rybakina
- Jessica Pegula
- Maria Sakkari
- Zheng Qinwen
- Marketa Vondrousova
- Ons Jabeur
- Jelena Ostapenko
Our favourite watches from Wimbledon
With brands like Rolex, Hublot, Richard Mille and Gerald Charles taking centre stage, Wimbledon watches are some of the most expensive timepieces in the world. But with so many exquisite watches on display, which ones stand out as our favourites?
Andy Murray — Rado HyperChrome Automatic Chronograph
Andy Murray first wore his Rado HyperChrome Automatic Chronograph timepiece at the 2012 Olympics, where he won his first Olympic gold medal after signing up as a Rado ambassador that same year. Worth £4,600, the watch is a favourite in his collection.
Coco Gauff — Rolex Oyster Perpetual Red Grape
Coco Gauff wore a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Red Grape watch as she celebrated her win at the US Open in New York. Worth between £4,600 and £13,000, it has a recently discontinued burgundy dial with a sunray finish, perfectly matching Coco’s wine-red tennis ensemble.
Jannik Sinner — Rolex Submariner Date
A tennis player and Rolex ambassador since 2020, Jannik was spotted wearing his Rolex Submariner Date after he won his first grand slam title at the Australian Open. The watch was first released in 2010 and is worth between £7,000 and £12,000.
Hubert Hurkacz — Gerald Charles GC Sport Grass
Polish professional tennis player Hubert Hurkacz has been seen wearing his limited edition Gerald Charles GC Sports Grass watch since 2022, most notably during his match against Novak Djokovic during Wimbledon 2023. Only 200 of these watches were made, and each is worth £15,034.
Iga Swiatek — Rolex Lady Datejust
The world’s number one women’s tennis player, Iga Swiatek, became a Rolex ambassador in 2021 after winning her first Grand Slam at the French Open in 2020. She is often seen sporting a rose gold Rolex Lady Datejust on her wrist worth £17,407.
Novak Djokovic — Hublot Big Bang Meca-10
Novak Djokovic has been an ambassador for Hublot since 2021 after previously signing with watchmakers Audemars Piguet and Seiko. He is often photographed lifting trophies wearing a Big Bang Meca-10, Hublot’s flagship model worth £19,700.
Donna Vekic — FP Journe Élégante for ladies
Donna Vekic is an official ambassador for FP Journe. The professional tennis player from Croatia is frequently seen wearing her FP Journe Élégante with diamonds and usually with either a pink or turquoise strap worth £31,650.
Carlos Alcaraz — Rolex Daytona
Carlos Alcaraz is another tennis player to become an ambassador for iconic watchmaker Rolex. He wore a rare yellow-gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, worth £37,200, on his wrist as he lifted the men’s singles trophy at Wimbledon in 2023.
Serena Williams — Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
While we won’t see her on a Wimbledon court again, Serena may be among the celebrities watching from the stands at Wimbledon 2024. Since enlisting as a brand ambassador for Audemars Piguet in 2014, Serena is often seen wearing her treasured Royal Oak Offshore timepiece, which is worth £45,000.
Rafael Nadal — Richard Mille RM27-04
Rafael Nadal became a brand ambassador for watchmaker Richard Mille in 2010—before then, he’d never worn a watch on a tennis court. In 2020, Nadal received the Richard Mille RM27-04 to celebrate their 10-year collaboration. Only 50 of the watches were made, and they’re worth a staggering £1.82 million.
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