Novak Djokovic, the number one ranked male tennis player in the world, has ended his sponsorship agreement with Sergio Tacchini and will sign with Japanese fashion house Uniqlo.
The deal, which is yet to be confirmed but is being reported by niche media outlets, would represent a coup for Uniqlo, whose only other tennis playing endorser is top-ranked Japanese player Kei Nishikori.
Although Uniqlo is not a sports manufacturer to rival Adidas and Nike, it has made apparel for the Japanese Olympic teams of 1988, 2002 and 2004.
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The brand has some 1,000 outlets, but the vast majority of them are within Japan.
Djokovic is expected to be unveiled as a Uniqlo ambassador ahead of the French Open in Paris, which starts on 27th May.
Djokovic signed a ten-year endorsement agreement with Sergio Tacchini, a fashion brand named after an Italian tennis player, in November 2009.
However, his relationship with the brand is believed to have been under-exploited, with the retailer said to have been unable to fully capitalise on demand following Djokovic's irrepressible rise to dominance last year.
Novak Djokovic – Uniqlo
