Mercedes-Benz has announced it will become a top-tier sponsor and exclusive automotive partner of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) from 2026, according to Sina Auto. The German luxury carmaker will support nearly 30 WTA 1000, WTA 500, and WTA 250 events worldwide in that year, expanding to nearly 40 tournaments by 2027. The move extends a partnership that began in the 1990s and includes events like the Berlin Open and the Laver Cup.
In China, Mercedes-Benz is deepening its tennis involvement across three cities. The brand is in its 17th season with the China Open, its 16th year as honorary sponsor and official car partner of the Shanghai Masters, and has added the Ningbo Open (a WTA 500 event) to its roster for the first time. The three-city strategy—Beijing, Shanghai, and Ningbo—forms what the company calls its "brand tennis season."
As part of the sponsorship, Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador Coco Gauff, the 2024 China Open women's singles champion, will return to the tournament, while Roger Federer will attend the Shanghai Masters. The company will also display its diverse product lineup at the events, led by the new long-wheelbase GLE SUV and the all-electric GLC SUV.
New models on display
The long-wheelbase GLE SUV, recently launched in China, is the brand's first domestically produced long-wheelbase large luxury SUV. It features a wheelbase extended by 120 mm to 3,115 mm, offering 1,020 mm of rear legroom. The vehicle integrates a large language model from Doubao and a multimodal model (VLM) for advanced intelligence, and is powered by a new 3.0-liter inline-six engine with intelligent all-wheel drive.
The all-electric GLC SUV, built on the MB.EA native electric architecture, showcases Mercedes-Benz's latest design language and includes driver assistance and smart cockpit technology developed with Chinese tech partners. The brand says it maintains Mercedes-Benz's standards of safety, ride comfort, and quality.
Other models on display include the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+ convertible, the G 500, the GLS SUV, and the AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+, reflecting the brand's range from performance to off-road capability.
Beyond the court
Mercedes-Benz is also promoting tennis among families through its "V-Class MPV Tennis Master Class," which has visited seven cities across China this year. Olympic champion Li Ting and Asian Games champion Wang Qiang serve as coaches, offering professional instruction and parent-child activities.
The brand's sports sponsorship extends beyond tennis, including long-term support for the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix and golf events. Sina Auto notes that Mercedes-Benz aims to connect with Chinese customers through these sporting partnerships, blending the values of focus, progress, and breakthrough into its brand experience.
