A child steps onto a tennis court, lifts a racket, and misses the first shot. Someone in the stands applauds anyway. The second attempt lands closer to the line. The third carries confidence. In the end, what stays with the child is not the error, but the applause.

The magic in belief often begins in public.

That dynamic is easy to overlook, but it explains why sport continues to matter. Why our stadiums and courts are not just competitive spaces but also places that shape identities. It is the support that shapes performance. And the presence that shapes memory.

This is also why companies are reconsidering how they engage with sport. The emphasis is shifting beyond visibility toward deeper involvement.

Mercedes-Benz’s long-term partnership with the Women’s Tennis Association reflects that shift. The WTA Tour began operating as the WTA Tour driven by Mercedes-Benz on January 1, 2026, with Mercedes-Benz named Premier Partner and Exclusive Automobile Partner across WTA 1000, 500, and 250 tournaments. The collaboration was established as a tour-wide platform rather than a single-market activation, debuting at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and extending across tournaments worldwide.

Christina Schenck, Head of Investor Relations, Digital & Communications, Mercedes-Benz AG, approaches women’s tennis as a platform where performance is constantly on display and credibility is earned point by point. 

But Sarah Swanson, Chief Brand Officer at WTA Ventures, views partnership through the architecture of the season itself. It must move across tournaments, athletes, and markets with continuity, while strengthening a platform founded to expand opportunities for women in professional sport.

Together, their perspectives frame a larger question. If belief in sport is built in public, what does it mean for global brands to stand inside that arena from the very first serve?

INTEGRATION OVER EXPOSURE

The logic behind the partnership rests on shared scale and values, as well as on how each side defines modern collaboration.

For Schenck, the WTA’s global footprint creates an immediate connection. “It is a very global sport with such a big fan base all around the world,” she says. Mercedes-Benz operates in more than 180 countries, and she points to the natural overlap in visibility and audience. But geography is only the starting point. The company also sees alignment in the qualities the sport elevates. “The strength and the precision that the sport exhibits are truly exciting and resonate well with our values and our determination as a brand.” Supporting women’s tennis is part of a broader effort to increase visibility and reflect commitments to diversity and performance.

She stresses that the ambition moves beyond sponsorship mechanics. “We felt it was a perfect fit for partnership, not just on a sponsoring level, but also in creating experiences and bringing our fans and customers closer together.” Referencing the company’s Welcome Home campaign, she adds that the brand wants to be more approachable and closer to where its audiences already are. The WTA offers a platform to do that in a setting defined by performance under scrutiny.

For Swanson, that expectation of depth is essential. “We would not do a partnership at this level that was just about putting a logo somewhere,” she says. The WTA was founded as a value-based organization that created opportunities for women in professional sport. It has always been both an entertainment product and a platform that challenges barriers. Any partnership must reflect that identity.

A REGIONAL FOCUS

With the partnership extending across athletes, tournaments, and storytelling, the focus shifts to audiences and the segments the collaboration aims to reach.

For Schenck, launching in Abu Dhabi serves both symbolic and strategic purposes. The region is affluent, dynamic, and open to new formats. “It is a very vibrant region,” she says, noting that starting here allows the brand to pilot experiences that feel distinct and forward-looking.

While Mercedes-Benz continues to showcase a portfolio shaped by more than 140 years of refinement, Schenck emphasises that the objective extends beyond vehicles. The emphasis is on experience and emotional connection. She explains that engagement cannot begin only at the point of purchase. Instead, the brand seeks to interact earlier, in environments where relationships can form naturally.

“You want the experience to be in the forefront,” she says, adding that partnerships such as this allow the brand to reach broader communities, not only prospective buyers. Initiatives around the tournament, including engagement with schools and young participants, further expand that reach. Hearing that thousands of children have stepped onto the courts reinforces the value of visibility in positive public spaces.

For Schenck, the appeal lies in interaction across the full spectrum of fans, from emerging audiences to long-standing enthusiasts. The brand, she suggests, must be experienced, not simply seen.

The Middle East already plays a central role in that strategy. She references the launch of Mercedes-Benz Places in Dubai as part of broader efforts to introduce new brand experiences across the region. “It is definitely a region that is in focus for us,” she says, highlighting ongoing initiatives designed to expand beyond traditional formats.

Beginning the collaboration with the WTA in Abu Dhabi provides a platform to demonstrate what the brand can contribute beyond its vehicles. “This is a unique chance to kick off our relationship here,” she adds, pointing to the commercial strength and openness to innovation that define the market.

A TOUR-WIDE STRATEGY

For the WTA, the partnership is structured as a tour-wide collaboration rather than a single-market activation.

Swanson emphasises the scale from the outset. “We are excited that Mercedes-Benz is our auto partner across the entire tour,” she says. “That is what makes the partnership so incredible.” She explains that Mercedes-Benz is positioned not only as a premier partner, but as the automotive partner across a significant portion of the calendar. “It allows us to tell the story of the entire tour across our tournaments.”

The launch this year begins in Abu Dhabi as part of the Middle East swing, which includes Doha and Dubai. Swanson points to the region’s rapid growth in women’s sport and its increasing global relevance. “It is an area of huge growth in the sports community,” she says. The season then moves toward Riyadh for the tour finals, creating a clear regional arc. “There is a nice synergy this year that we are starting in Abu Dhabi and finishing the season in Riyadh together.”

She adds that the structure is designed for expansion over time. “It is comprehensive, and it allows us to tell the story of the entire tour,” she says, noting that approximately 60 percent of tournaments are included this year, with further rollout planned in subsequent seasons.

From Mercedes-Benz’s perspective, tennis offers a platform rich in meaning. For Schenck, the sport reflects determination, diversity, empowerment, strength, and precision. “Those values resonate and are part of our brand experience,” she says, emphasising that storytelling will extend beyond on-site activations to reach audiences globally.

The partnership is also anchored by Coco Gauff, Mercedes-Benz’s new brand ambassador. “She gives a face to the sport. We can tell a story. It is more than placing a product. It is about experience and building an emotional connection,” Schenck explains. The aim is to inspire young girls to see what is possible when they give their all. “A title in sport is not given. It is earned. Our brand’s 140-year history reflects that same commitment to working hard and doing the best for our customers,” she adds. 

GROWTH AND TRANSITION

The Middle East plays a prominent role in Mercedes-Benz’s growth strategy, reflecting both its established strength and future opportunities.

Schenck points to the company’s existing foundation in the region, supported by partnerships and distribution networks. “We already have a strong foothold in the region,” she says, noting that this base enables further expansion.

The strategic focus, she explains, is particularly pronounced in the top-end segment. With more than 40 new models planned over the next two years, the region plays a central role in the company’s product offensive. “That is definitely an important region for the top end,” she says, pointing to both performance and luxury offerings as key drivers.

Electric mobility is also part of the equation. She references the introduction of new fully electric models, including the CLA and the GLC. These launches reflect an effort to broaden the portfolio across segments. “We are filling a wide spot in the electric space,” she explains, adding that she sees meaningful potential for these vehicles among customers in the region.

Schenck acknowledges that preferences in the performance and high-end segments remain influenced by tradition. “That is probably a global trend,” she says, noting that many customers in this category continue to favour combustion engines, particularly V8 models. She links this preference to the emotional and sensory aspects of performance driving.

At the same time, Mercedes-Benz is advancing its electric performance strategy. Schenck highlights the upcoming world premiere of the fully electric AMG platform. “Once you experience that vehicle, you will see there is no difference from an experience point of view to a combustion vehicle,” she says, emphasising that the focus is on delivering performance without compromise.

While she recognises that full electrification in the high-end segment still requires some customers’ conviction, she remains confident in the product direction. 

“With the new models we have coming, I am 100 percent convinced we can win customers here for the fully electric versions as well,” she says, positioning innovation and product strength as the drivers of change.