Jannik Sinner at the US Open in 2025. (Rolex)
When Jannik Sinner joined the Rolex Family in 2020, the 18-year-old Italian had never advanced past the second round of a Grand Slam. Carlos Alcaraz, signed at the same age two years later, had not gone beyond the third.
Now, the two will meet in the U.S. Open final on Sunday, their third final of a Grand Slam tournament in just three months and their fifth championship final of 2025. No pair of Rolex ambassadors has ever faced each other this often in a single season.
Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros in 2025. (Rolex)
The game on Sunday highlights Rolex’s knack for spotting talent. The brand has backed young champions, including Roger Federer and Iga Świątek, well before they reached the top. By signing Sinner and Alcaraz early, Rolex positioned itself at the center of tennis’s most compelling new rivalry.
Much of that vision comes from Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex’s global communications director and a former ATP pro. Since joining Rolex two decades ago, he has made crucial partnership calls, including bringing Federer back in 2006 after a brief departure. If Rolex’s image and reputation are its greatest assets, then hiring Boetsch may have been Rolex’s real ace.