Beyond the baseline: China’s tennis courts as brand territory

Tennis is fueling a cultural and commercial surge across China’s sports landscape. The China Open 2025, which concluded in Beijing on October 5, catalyzed a wave of brand activations, from Xiaohongshu's exclusive content partnership generating over 211 million platform reads, to Nike’s viral giant tennis ball installation in Shanghai. As luxury brands like Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Miu Miu deepen their ties with tennis stars, the momentum extends beyond elite competition to grassroots initiatives transforming local tennis infrastructure and community engagement. Brand spotlight: On Running and Roger Federer shine light on unsung heroine Reflecting tennis’ grassroots expansion, On Running partnered with Roger Federer to honor the behind-the-scenes heroes building China’s tennis infrastructure. On October 8, Swiss sportswear brand On held its second “On Thanks for Playing” event in Shanghai. Joined by co-entrepreneur Federer, the brand honored the behind-the-scenes heroes of Chinese tennis and unveiled a revamped court at the Shanghai Xuhui District No. 1 Junior Amateur Sports School. Following the ceremony, On invited Federer to hit the “first ball” and autograph the court, leaving his signature on the new surface. Federer then rallied with the junior players, offering guidance and sharing his passion for the sport. The tennis star later traveled to Shanghai’s ICC mall to meet with local fans. The current standing of Chinese tennis is deeply tied to the long-term, often unseen, efforts of Liu Yunzhi. Over the past 27 years, Liu and her team have built or renovated over 4,000 professional courts, creating the signature “Shanghai Purple” and “Shanghai Green” surfaces of the Shanghai Masters. Now, with assistance from Liu and her team, On has refurbished the junior sports school’s court to support the sport at a grassroots level. “Liu Yunzhi and her team epitomize the countless individuals working behind the scenes in Chinese tennis,” said Yijia Cai, On’s general manager for Asia-Pacific. “We are honored to partner with her to equip a grassroots court with tournament-level facilities.” On has now held its “On Thanks for Playing” event in China for two consecutive years. Last year, Federer joined junior players from the Yunnan Wild Elephant Tennis Club for a supportive match and interaction. This year on the court, Federer provided coaching and drew on his personal experience to encourage the children to pursue their dreams, imparting his passion for the sport and a spirit of perseverance. Consumer response ‘Jing Daily’ reader Even Li “What impressed me most about this event was 80-year-old Liu Yunzhi. We tend to focus on the star players, rarely seeing the individuals who contribute silently behind the scenes. Yet Liu, an unsung hero, has poured the better part of her life into China’s tennis infrastructure. Her diligence and dedication to the court work command genuine respect and offer a lesson to the younger generation. More significantly, the brand captured her story in a short film, allowing a wider audience to understand the human chapters behind Chinese tennis.” Xiaohongshu user @AlexLovesSports (Alex爱体育) “My connection to tennis began three years ago, through work at the Shanghai Masters. I evolved from a novice spectator into a hardcore fan who follows the entire season. More fortunately, I transitioned from spectator to participant. I play three times a week. On Xiaohongshu, I document the fighting spirit of Chinese players and share the magic of Alcaraz’s shots, or the composed victories of Sinner. My behind-the-scenes heroes are my family, who support me in turning this passion into a profession.” Xiaohongshu user @Boya (博雅) There are the Chinese fans — those who have always quietly supported their love for tennis. They, too, are the unsung heroes who have committed to and advanced the sport. While playing last week, I ran into another Federer fan. We joked about how, back then, standardized courts were truly scarce, and local players were almost invisible at major tournaments. Today, with players like Li Na and Zheng Qinwen, Chinese tennis is constantly reaching new heights. Brand updates Ektos running collective concept debuts in Shanghai Topsports launched Ektos, a running-focused retail concept, with its first store on Shanghai’s Yuyuan Road. The shop gathers niche running brands, including Norda, Soar, Ciele, and Satisfy. The layout adopts a community-oriented design, prioritizing the practical needs of runners. Beyond basic retail, Ektos extends into a comprehensive platform for runners and a hub for running culture. It provides locker and shower facilities and hosts regular running-themed events. Ektos has moved beyond being a simple sales space, becoming an interactive platform for running culture and knowledge, merging a commercial space with the running community's ecosystem. Lululemon launches ‘Wellbeing for All’ campaign On October 9, Lululemon launched its “Wellbeing for All” campaign at Shanghai’s West Bund. The brand collaborated with Canadian artist of Chinese heritage Geoff McFetridge on a “Wellbeing Playground” concept, interpreting the balance and joy derived from exercise. Lululemon ambassadors and community partners also led diverse fitness classes. Digital innovation company F(x)Lab supported the event, launching online interactions and a Mini Program for reservations. By merging sport, art, and social scenes, Lululemon deepened its emotional connection with younger groups and opened its annual thematic campaign, signaling its long-term strategy and creative vision for the Chinese market. Nike unveils the new Swoosh puffer Nike Sportswear has released its new Swoosh Puffer, reimagining winter warmth through innovative technology and functional design. The jacket, featuring Nike Therma-Fit technology, is offered in two insulation levels, “light warmth” and "high warmth," to adapt to different temperatures and lifestyles, adding flexibility to winter wardrobes. The collection celebrates freedom of movement with the message that wearers, not the weather, decide their style. Descente urban concept store debuts in Chengdu On September 29, the high-end sports brand Descente opened its new Descente Chengdu city concept store in Chengdu Taikoo Li. The store, themed “World of Tomorrow,” interweaves avant-garde concepts, ice and snow imagery, and local culture. It creates a distinctive space blending functional zones, retail experience, and brand identity. This opening signals an escalation of the brand’s retail strategy in the Southwest region. Hyrox and Puma sign early renewal through 2030 Hyrox, the global fitness racing brand, and Puma have signed an early extension of their global partnership, now effective through 2030. Founded in Hamburg in 2017, Hyrox has partnered with Puma since its first event in 2018. The collaboration was elevated to a global strategic partnership in 2023. Since then, Puma has used the partnership as a platform to raise its brand profile among the sport’s participants and provide high-performance products tailored to their needs. This renewal will integrate Puma’s sports technology research with Hyrox’s event innovation, aiming to bring sustained energy to the global fitness industry. Asics partners with Xu Jiayu on urban outdoor collection On October 2, Asics launched its new “Urban Outdoor” collection under the campaign “Active and Lively: Head for the Wild,” emphasizing an outdoor spirit of exploration in unpredictable weather. The collection uses Polartec 200 Series fleece, a material that is warm and durable while reducing weight. It also incorporates Dermizax, a highly breathable membrane technology, delivering a combination of waterproof, breathable, and low-condensation functions to keep wearers dry in cold, damp conditions. The collection uses advanced waterproof-breathable technology for low temperatures. It also leverages professional athlete Xu Jiayu's image to signal product reliability. Financial news Adidas reports strong Q3 results and raises full-year outlook Adidas reported record third-quarter revenue of 6.63 billion euros ($7.2 billion) on October 21, marking the highest quarterly performance in company history. Currency-neutral revenue for the Adidas brand increased 12% YoY, driven by broad-based double-digit growth across markets, product divisions, categories, and channels. The company’s gross margin improved 0.5 percentage points to 51.8% in the quarter, while operating profit rose to 736 million euros ($800 million) from 598 million euros ($650 million) in the prior-year period. Following the strong third-quarter performance, Adidas raised its full-year operating profit outlook to around 2.0 billion euros ($2.2 billion), up from its previous guidance of between 1.7 billion euros ($1.85 billion) and 1.8 billion euros ($1.95 billion). The improved profitability reflects continued brand momentum and successful efforts to mitigate additional costs from increased US tariffs. Nike fiscal 2026 Q1 revenue hits $11.7 billion For the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, Nike Group revenue reached $11.7 billion, a 1% year-over-year increase that surpassed market expectations of $10.99 billion. The quarter showed strong revenue momentum in several markets: North America revenue grew 4% to $5.02 billion; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) reached $3.33 billion, up 6%; and the Asia Pacific and Latin America (APLA) region saw revenue rise 2% to $1.49 billion. Furthermore, the global running business grew by approximately 20%, becoming a key engine driving the recovery. Since Elliott Hill took over as Nike Group President and CEO, the company has initiated its “Win Now” plan, centered on a return to sport. The subsequent recovery in key markets and business segments appears to validate this strategic focus. People moves Puma appoints Thomas John as VP of human resources Puma has named Thomas John its new Vice President of Human Resources and Organization, effective October 16. John brings nearly three decades of cross-industry HR experience, joining from the energy technology firm Landis+Gyr, where he served as SVP of Global Human Resources. During his tenure, he led global HR strategy across more than 30 countries and guided organizational optimizations and cultural renewal. His career also spans the sporting goods, aviation, automotive, and energy solutions sectors, giving him deep experience in strategic transformation and talent management. This key appointment signals a deepening of Puma’s talent strategy during its accelerated growth phase. The brand aims to leverage his cross-industry expertise to strengthen organizational agility and support long-term growth. Scott appoints new Chief Growth Officer Scott Sports, the Swiss high-end cycling brand, has appointed Matt Heitmann as its first Chief Growth Officer. Heitmann replaces Reto Aeschbacher, who led the company’s global marketing for nearly 30 years. Based at the Givisiez, Switzerland headquarters, Heitmann will now oversee both global marketing and digital operations. The appointment signals a push for new momentum in the high-end cycling market and an enhancement of Scott's global talent, positioning the brand for deeper international development.

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Beyond the baseline: China’s tennis courts as brand territory