DURBAN - Roger Federer has signed a 10-year deal with Japanese brand Uniqlo.
Federer who had a long partnership with Nike since the beginning of his career wore Uniqlo for the first time at the 2018 Wimbledon. Federer's deal with Nike ended in March this year.
The Japanese confirmed the deal via social media after the tennis player's opening round match.
Tadashi Yanai, the founder and chairman of Uniqlo in a statement called the Swiss player one of the greatest champions in history and said that his respect for Federer goes beyond sport.
The statement also said that their partnership will be about innovation both on and off the court. The Swiss tennis player still wore Nike sneakers for the match as the Japanese brand does not make tennis footwear.
Nike still has ownership of the RF logo that was displayed on Federer's apparel in recent years. In the post-match conference, Federer confirmed that he does not have a footwear deal with Nike.
Federer's deal with Uniqlo is potentially worth around $300 million according to ESPN.
According to Forbes, Federer has made $65 million in endorsements and $12,2 million through salary/winnings. Besides endorsing Uniqlo the tennis player has also partnered with well-known brands like Wilson, Lindt, Rolex, Moet & Chandon, Mercedes Benz, etc.
Uniqlo was also endorsed by Novak Djokovic, another tennis player.
In Yanai's statement, the founder and chairman said that Uniqlo will help Federer continue to take tennis to new places while exploring innovations in various including design and technology.