Djokovic on continued support from Lacoste after sponsor split following Australian Open: "I think they made a good choice and I am grateful"

Sunday, 22 May 2022 at 03:00

Novak Djokovic lost multiple sponsors after the debacle regarding the Australian Open and the media frenzy that surrounded the situation and this included Peugeot who left him after an eight year partnership.

But speaking about losing key sponsors, Lacoste were one main name to stick by him and he was grateful speaking to the media ahead of Roland Garros for standing by him as he heads into his first Grand Slam since then.

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“There are things I cannot talk about before public statements are made,” Djokovic told Serbian reporters ahead of the French Open, which starts on Sunday. “My main sponsors stayed with me and I am grateful for it, but some sponsors I no longer have. That is all that I can say - it is not my place to evaluate whether somebody should have stayed with me or left me.”

“We have been in regular contact, mostly Edoardo [Artaldi, one of Djokovic’s agents], but I have personally spoken with the head of Lacoste,” he continued. “They understood the whole situation, everything that was happening.

“As their global ambassador, I am important to them. But their position was not easy. They have told us that they have been under pressure from the media, from some clients that maybe weren’t happy with me staying with the company.

“Challenges always present themselves, so to say, but I think they made a good choice and I am grateful. I will try to represent the Lacoste brand just like I did up until now in the best possible way. After all, it is a brand with great tradition - one of the greatest in tennis. And I am proud to wear the crocodile on my shirt.”

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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