Next Gen Tennis Influencers: 10 Rising Stars on Instagram in 2025

As the tennis season heats up, a new wave of professional players is climbing the ATP and WTA rankings and making serious noise on Instagram. For marketers looking to tap into sports influencers with rising visibility and engaged Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

Leveraging insights from Lefty's platform, our analysis of Wimbledon tennis player partnerships from January 1st, 2024, to July 25th, 2025, reveals a highly dynamic and extensive landscape. We identified over 336 brands engaged in partnerships with tennis players during this period, underscoring the significant commercial value placed on athlete endorsements within the sport, particularly around a prestigious event like Wimbledon.

Including luxury goods (Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci), beauty (Estee Lauder, Huda Beauty, L'Oreal), sportswear (Nike, Adidas, On Running,Lululemon), automotive (BMW, Ferrari, Porsche), technology (IBM), and even Hospitality, Gaming and Finance. This demonstrates the broad appeal of tennis players as brand ambassadors, extending far beyond traditional sports endorsements.

Brands are increasingly partnering with "rising seed" players, those with high follower growth rates, to reach younger, more engaged audiences. This is a forward-thinking strategy that capitalizes on a player's increasing popularity and cultural relevance.

We also deep dive into the tennis players scoring big on Instagram, from court to Commerce. Here are the top tennis players by EMV, and the fastest-rising seed tennis players by follower growth rate we revealed.

The combination of Instagram follower acceleration and developed brand partnerships positions these athletes as rising influencer assets:

• Social proof & sponsorship synergy: Established brand deals (Nike, Burberry, Rolex) add credibility to promotional efforts.
• Regional and demographic alignment: Each athlete offers access to specific markets or audience types, from Southeast Asia (Eala) to UK fashion (Draper).
• Emerging storytelling arcs: Personal growth, advocacy, fashion crossover, and Gen Z content strategies elevate campaigns beyond just sport.

• Track organic follower growth via influencer marketing platforms like Lefty to benchmark pre- and post-partnership engagement.
• Leverage integrated campaigns: Blend athletic content with lifestyle storytelling—e.g., Rolex and tennis fashion for Mirra; behind-the-scenes of Burberry shoots for Draper.
• Early access = better deals: Approach players while follower counts are still scaling before rates peak.
• Match campaign tone: For brands focused on wellness, activism, or fashion, align messaging to reflect authenticity and personal narrative.

As tennis evolves into a social-first sport, marketers have an unprecedented opportunity to connect with fans through the athletes they follow and admire. The rising stars featured here aren't just racking up wins — they're building influence, shaping culture, and offering brands authentic entry points into engaged communities across the globe. Now is the time to develop partnerships with these athletes while their growth curves are steep and their content is raw, honest, and resonant.

Coming Soon...

Lefty’s in-depth report on influencer marketing at Wimbledon 2025 reveals how tennis players drove visibility and ROI for major brands across multiple verticals. Get exclusive insights into which campaigns worked, how athlete engagement impacted EMV, and what it means for your strategy heading into the US Open.