Infosys announces tennis legend Rafael Nadal as global brand ambassador

I'm very happy to work closely with Infosys, as they work to not only evolve the experience of tennis to the times but also empower people in our communities to be part of brighter future, Nadal said

IT giant Infosys has roped in tennis legend Rafael Nadal for a three-year partnership. In a BSE filing, Infosys said, "Globally acknowledged as one of the legends in sports, he also has had the ability to change with the changing rigors of tennis over the years. Nadal is a perfect embodiment of what it takes individuals or business leaders to evolve and continually navigate their next."

Infosys is the digital innovation partner for the ATP Tour, Roland-Garros, Australian Open, and The International Tennis Hall of Fame. Infosys has reimagine the tennis ecosystem using AI, cloud, data analytics and digital experiences. 

Expressing his excitement, the 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal said, "I'm very happy to work closely with Infosys, as they work to not only evolve the experience of tennis to the times but also empower people in our communities to be part of a brighter future. I love the way Infosys has brought its digital expertise across industries to the global tennis ecosystem. It has transformed the tennis experience for a billion global fans and truly empowered all players on the tour with analytics that they could have only dreamt of a few years ago. Also, the impact that Infosys is making beyond the court – creating the next opportunity for people, businesses, and communities – deeply inspires me. I believe it's our shared aspiration to create societal good that makes our handshake truly meaningful." 

Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Infosys, said, "It is an honour to welcome Rafa – one of the world's most respected champion athletes and humanitarians – as an ambassador for Infosys. He is someone who personifies the spirit of always evolving, never giving up, utmost dedication and determination to give the very best in every situation. We are inspired by his approach, and it reflects our own aspirations to continuously evolve and always remain relevant for our clients."

Recent innovations of Infosys for tennis include explorations in the digital universe including mixed reality, social VR and 3D art museums to expand tennis's history and heritage to fans globally. Most recently, Infosys launched the Carbon Tracker, allowing ATP players to track and offset emissions from their travel on tour. It is a first-of-its-kind sustainable tech in any sport.

To mark this - Nadal's first-ever collaboration with a digital services company - Infosys and Nadal's coaching team are developing an AI-powered match analysis tool. This personalized tool will be available in real-time to Nadal's coaching team to simultaneously track insights from his live matches when he is back on tour, along with historical data from his earlier matches.

Earlier in November 2022, Edtech major BYJU's roped in football star Lionel Messi as the first global brand ambassador of its social impact arm Education For All. Messi has signed an agreement with BYJU'S to promote the cause of equitable education.

Who is Rafael Nadal?

Rafael Nadal is a Spanish tennis player. He has won 22 Grand Slam titles. He was born on June 3, 1986. After getting injured mid-way through the 2023 Australian Open, Nadal chose to skip the other three Majors in the year.

Nadal has promised that he will try to make a comeback in 2024 and most probably hang up his boots after that.

Nadal notable achievements:

Olympic Gold in 2008 (Singles) and 2016( Doubles)

Nadal has two Olympic gold medals to his name. The first one he won in the 2008 Beijing Olympics on a hard court surface in the men's singles category. The other came in Rio Olympics 2016 in the men's doubles category with partner Marc Lopez.

Two-time Australian Open Champion

The Spaniard won the Australian Open twice, in 2009 and 2022. In 2009, he beat Roger Federer 7–5, 3–6, 7–6, 3–6, 6–2 and on the second occasion he won in 2022 when he defeated Daniil Medvedev 2–6, 6–7, 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 to win record 21st grand slam title breaking Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer joint record of 20 slams.

Two-time Wimbledon champion

The 36-year-old has won the Wimbledon twice; his first win came in 2008 when he defeated Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7 in a thrilling final encounter. In 2010, the Spaniard repeated his feat by defeating Tomas Berdych 6–3, 7–5, 6–4  in the final.

Four-time US Open Champion

If there is one slam where Rafa has done well after the French Open, then it is the US Open where he has won four titles in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019.

14-time French Open Champion

World No.5 Nadal put up a dominant show against Casper Ruud of Norway to win the men's singles final match 6-3, 6-3, 6-0. He has now won 14 French Open titles from 2005 to 2022 showing his complete dominance in sports.