When Million-Dollar Timepieces Meet The Tennis Court: The Luxury Brand Game At U.S. Open

The 2025 U.S. Open has become more than just a showcase of athletic excellence—it’s turned into a glittering parade of premium timepieces and custom jewelry worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The world’s elite tennis players have arrived draped in luxury, with nearly every competitor sporting watches and accessories that cost more than most people’s homes.

The Watch Sponsorship Arms Race

Rolex dominates the wrist-wear landscape at the tournament, sponsoring seven of the top 10 men and women’s players in the world. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, a Rolex-sponsored athlete, previously wore a Daytona valued at nearly $40,000 after his Wimbledon victory, and a GMT Master II ‘Root Beer’ retailing for $18,000 when he claimed the U.S. Open title last year. This year, Sinner has been spotted carrying a $2,150 Gucci duffle bag in the tournament’s signature yellow and blue colors.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz, the Cincinnati Open champion, was photographed hoisting his trophy while wearing a $38,000 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Tiffany” watch featuring a distinctive Tiffany-blue dial. His choice of timepiece underscores how watch sponsorships have become central to the tennis players’ brand identity and tournament presence.

The sponsorship shifts are notable this year. Men’s No. 3 Alexander Zverev transitioned from Richard Mille to Jacob & Co., debuting what appears to be a black watch from their Epic X collection (priced between $24,000 and $140,000) during his Tuesday match. Men’s No. 15 Andrey Rublev similarly switched from Bvlgari to Vanguart, choosing to wear an estimated $180,000 titanium Orb watch—the same piece he unveiled at Wimbledon—for his Monday victory against Dino Prižmić.

When Custom Diamonds Steal The Spotlight

Beyond watches, custom jewelry has emerged as another status symbol on court. World No. 1 women’s player Aryna Sabalenka made headlines by wearing bespoke diamond pieces from Material Good to commemorate her eighth U.S. Open appearance. Her collection included a choker featuring eight pear-cut stones (seven white diamonds and one imperial topaz), a tourmaline necklace with eight small diamonds, and matching drop earrings—each adorned with eight diamonds. While custom-priced, comparable Material Good pieces range from $2,800 to $13,400.

Women’s No. 8 Amanda Anisimova partnered with Tiffany & Co., sporting pieces from their Hardware Collection in gold during her Wednesday match. Her ensemble—comprising two bracelets, earrings, and a pendant necklace—totaled more than $10,000.

Women’s No. 6 Madison Keys took a different approach as Brilliant Earth’s inaugural athlete partner, wearing a custom $1,350 gold medallion necklace bearing her name. The piece features a four-leaf clover on one side with nine diamonds along its edge, while the reverse displays embossed charms of a horseshoe, sun, moon, heart, and key.

The Price Ceiling: When Millions Aren’t Unusual

The luxury ceiling at professional tennis extends far beyond the tournament itself. The late Rafael Nadal, who retired last year, wore multiple watches valued at $1 million-plus throughout his career. His collaborations with Richard Mille produced 10 distinct timepieces, including the $1.05 million RM 27-04 he wore to capture the 2020 French Open and 2022 Australian Open. Today, those watches command prices between $2 million and $3 million in the secondary market.

Nadal’s $1.1 million RM27-05 manual winding flying tourbillon, worn at the 2024 French Open, exemplifies how watchmaking and professional tennis have become intertwined at the highest echelons of luxury.

The Supporting Cast: Beyond The Players

The spectator experience mirrors the on-court display of wealth. Last year’s U.S. Open crowd included celebrities sporting premium timepieces: Travis Kelce wore a Rolex Day-Date in 18K yellow gold with baguette-cut diamonds, Jayson Tatum chose a rose gold Patek Philippe, and newly minted billionaire Roger Federer sat courtside wearing a rare Rolex Daytona 100th Anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans Yellow Gold 40MM watch, estimated at upwards of $250,000.

Additional Luxury Partnerships

Women’s No. 4 Jessica Pegula (daughter of oil billionaire Terrence Pegula) played mixed doubles and first-round singles wearing a roughly $90,000 DB28xs Starry Seas watch from Swiss brand De Bethune. The same timepiece appeared on Women’s No. 11 Emma Navarro (daughter of billionaire Ben Navarro). Fellow American Tommy Paul is expected to wear the $90,000 DB28xs Steel Wheels from the same brand during his matches.

Italian Andrea Vavassori, who won the U.S. Open mixed doubles title with partner Sara Errani, wore a Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport watch in Royal Blue (retailing for $18,000) while accepting his trophy.

Ukrainian Women’s No. 12 Elina Svitolina opted for the $24,000 Spirit of Big Bang Steel Pavé diamond watch from Hublot—the same brand that sponsors Novak Djokovic.

The Sponsorship Ecosystem

The presence of premium watches and custom jewelry at the U.S. Open reflects a broader sponsorship ecosystem that has made luxury accessories integral to professional tennis. Rolex’s role as the official timekeeper since 2018 has cemented the tradition, with branded clocks positioned throughout the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Tiffany & Co., the official trophy partner through a multi-year agreement renewed in 2023, annually crafts five sterling silver awards for the tournament—including two 18-inch, nine-pound Singles Championship trophies and three Doubles Championship trophies weighing 5.5 pounds each.

This year, Tiffany has enhanced its presence with a pop-up experience featuring a one-of-a-kind diamond-studded tennis racket (5 carats of diamonds) and a 24-karat gold vermeil tennis ball stitched with nearly 7 carats of diamonds.