Smith & Nephew’s logo will hit Centre Court this weekend as sponsored player Jasmine Paolini meets Barbora Krejčíková in a history-making Wimbledon ladies singles final.
The No. 7 seed is one of a few tennis players selected by the medical technology giant to increase awareness of its sports surgery technologies.
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While medical technology is not a traditional area in sports sponsorship, the Smith & Nephew partnership could herald the beginning of a new trend. The Wimbledon final is set to be viewed by millions worldwide and will expose the Smith & Nephew brand to unfamiliar audiences, strengthening the company’s position in the sports medicine world.
“This is definitely an interesting move and certainly plays into the company’s strengths given the physical demands of tennis,” explained Conrad Wiecak, Head of Sport Analysis & Consulting at GlobalData.
“We will certainly see more of these types of partnerships moving forward, especially in sports with strong degrees of wear and tear on certain joints. The technology at play here could be beneficial in alleviating issues in sports such as baseball, basketball, and golf as well as tennis. With the Olympics coming up, the ability to highlight and showcase the technology is prime opportunity for brand growth and development into new sports and to other high-profile events.”
In a Linkedin post, the FTSE 100 company praised the Italian player for reaching her maiden Wimbledon final.
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By GlobalData“After the longest ever women’s semi-final in Wimbledon history, Jasmine Paolini’s enthralling win means she’s heading to the final. It’s our honour to support you Jasmine!” the company shared.
At this year’s Championship, the orthopaedics leader sponsored several players including Tommy Paul, Harriet Dart, Thanasi Konnaki and Danielle Collins. Paolini has proved to be a particularly popular player with the Wimbledon crowd and her success could be a lucrative asset for the sports medicine company.
Shares in the medtech giant recently surged by more than 7% to £1,095 ($1,418) after it revealed in an SEC filing that investment firm Cevian Capital had taken a 5% stake in the company. The Swedish investment firm is now Smith & Nephew’s second largest shareholder and has a reputation for taking stakes and calling for change.
It is a much needed boost for the British multinational. The company’s share price has suffered over the past five years due to supply chain issues and management changes, with its market capitalisation falling from £17bn in 2019 to £9bn (around $12 billion) in 2024.
