Nike purge appears to hit Sloane Stephens

WATCH: Stephens made her 2023 season debut at the ASB Classic, where she fell in straight sets as the No. 2 seed.

The 2023 season is starting out as the Nike exodus. Sloane Stephens is the latest WTA tour player to begin the year without the Swoosh on her chest, joining Donna Vekic, Marta Kostyuk and Marketa Vondrousova. On the men’s side, Andrey Rublev has also ended his relationship with the apparel giant, opting to start his own label, Rublo.

While it may seem as though Nike is lessening its tennis footprint, it’s mostly standard operating procedure for the brand. It invests in players for a period of time and reevaluates the benefits of the relationship when the contract expires. Early in their careers, Nike had deals with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Gaël Monfils and Tomas Berdych. When it became apparent which two would have the more decorated careers, the other two had to find sponsorship elsewhere.

It could be premature to give up on a top 10 talent like Rublev, but the company still has a host of younger players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz all on its roster. It undoubtedly feels it has its bases covered.

Nike also often includes major reductions in its contracts. They’re willing to pay handsomely and augment salary with incentives, but players have to hold up their end of the bargain. If certain performance requirements aren’t met—ranking, majors participation, tournament entries—a hefty endorsement deal can be slashed dramatically. As one prominent agent puts it: “If you see a player outside the Top 20 wearing Nike, they’re not making any money.”

This can leave players looking for greener pastures with smaller or self-created brands. Upstart sports apparel labels can offer more modest, but guaranteed money, while establishing a measure of credibility by aligning with a professional athlete. And in terms of creating and marketing an eponymous clothing line—as Rublev is attempting—the barrier for entry has never been more accessible.

Stephens had been with Nike since 2018, after winning the 2017 US Open wearing Under Armour. Although no official statement has been released, speculation is that she has moved on to Free People Movement, which also sponsors fellow American, Sofia Kenin. The athletic performance line of the Free People fashion brand has recently ventured into the tennis market to expand its visibility.

Similarly, Vekic is the first women’s player to team up with Uomo Sport. The men’s apparel label sponsors several past and present men’s players, including Jenson Brooksby, and Vekic is the premiere ambassador for their women’s line—Donna Sport. One of the attractions for Vekic is the chance to have direct input on the clothes she’ll be wearing on court, something she couldn’t do with Nike.

This continues a common trend in recent years. Alja Tomljanovic had been with Nike her whole career until last season when she became the first tennis brand ambassador for Original Penguin. Leylah Fernandez signed a contract with Lululemon—a marriage of Canadian player and company—spearheading the athleisure brand’s foray into tennis.

That could be the direction that Stephens heads if she strikes a deal with FP Movement. Or she could use the partnership as a bridge back to a more established tennis label. However it shakes out, it appears her days wearing Nike are done.