"Is it more inspiration to be a WAG than a female athlete" - Australian tennis star laments over influencers getting brand deals before actual athletes
WTA
With social media playing a larger role in today's society, it comes as no surprise that companies are employing various ways to market their products. However, tennis star Daria Saville voiced her concerns that these brand deals are going to influencers and WAGS (wives and girlfriends of famous athletes) as opposed to actual female athletes.
The Australian star took to social media to vent her frustrations in a video posted to TikTok, where she called out marketing teams for targeting WAGS and influencers for brand campaigns.
Saville not alone in her frustrations
"Let’s talk brand deals for a second, tennis aesthetics are in right now, right?” began the 31-year old. "It’s all over the place, but female tennis players are not getting those brand deals. It’s actually tennis WAGs that fit into the ‘aesthetics’ rather than us sweaty tennis players.
"I’ve spoken to a few influencer WAGs, and they’re surprised that we don’t get the same opportunities. Is it that athletes are not as relatable as WAGs to the audience?
"I’ve spoken to a few influencer WAGs, and they’re surprised that we don’t get the same opportunities. Is it that athletes are not as relatable as WAGs to the audience?
Although no names were mentioned, Morgan Riddle, girlfriend of ATP star Taylor Fritz, is one of the most popular tennis WAG. The influencer has nearly 1 million followers on social media and has inked multiple brand deals.
"I’ve got a personality and it’s salty right now," Saville continued. "Do marketing teams think tennis players are too niche compared to a WAG? Is that the whole glamorous life compared to sweat life? Is it more inspiration to be a WAG than a female athlete?
“Honestly, it’s mind blogging to me that brands are pickling influences for their campaigns during Grand Slams. And I’m definitely not the only female tennis player that feels that way. Marketing girls, why is that? Sorry if I cam across salty AF. I’m done here."
“Honestly, it’s mind blogging to me that brands are pickling influences for their campaigns during Grand Slams. And I’m definitely not the only female tennis player that feels that way. Marketing girls, why is that? Sorry if I cam across salty AF. I’m done here."
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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