Report: Serena Williams, Wilson yet to finalize sponsorship deal amid return

Tennis player Serena Williams and longtime racquet sponsor Wilson “have yet to finalize a contract” following the once-unexpected continuation of Williams’ career, according to sources cited by Schiffer & Rothenberg of HARD COURT. When Williams made her much-anticipated return at Queen’s Club, playing doubles with Vicky Mboko, she used her signature tennis racquet. But Wilson -- a brand that is highly active on social media -- “remained quiet.” With whispers of her making her comeback since late 2025, it is a “bit surprising that this deal has remained unresolved for weeks into Williams’ comeback -- and still pends into her spotlight return at Wimbledon.” Every day without a formal announcement is a “missed opportunity for Wilson to capitalize on renewed interest in Serena and reinforce its association with one of the sports world’s biggest stars.” Wilson was not the only brand “scrambling to respond.” Despite months of speculation, Williams’ public denials of her return “left several brands with little time to prepare.” Sources noted that even Nike “was forced to rely on existing apparel silhouettes -- a few in updated colorways -- rather than developing the kind of fully custom on-court kits that had become synonymous with Williams throughout her career” (HARD COURT, 6/26).