ASICS bets on grassroots tennis to drive next phase of India growth

MUMBAI: Game, set, match begins long before the scoreboard lights up. ASICS is taking its grassroots playbook from the running track to the tennis court, betting that tomorrow’s champions are built years before they lift trophies. The Japanese sportswear brand has partnered with the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy (RBTA) in what marks its biggest grassroots tennis initiative in India, as it looks to grow both the sport and its business in one of its fastest-growing markets.

The collaboration goes beyond athlete endorsements. Under the partnership, ASICS will support RBTA through athlete education programmes, high-performance training, product access, clinics, masterclasses and tournaments, while creating pathways for promising young players to progress through the competitive ranks.

The move signals a strategic shift for the brand, which has traditionally built its identity in India around running. Through marathon sponsorships and community initiatives such as Ekiden, ASICS has established itself as a leading performance running brand. It is now looking to replicate that long-term approach in tennis.

“We thought that taking a step further from athletes, we should also start working at the grassroots level,” said ASICS India, senior director of marketing Saurabh Sharma adding that the partnership is designed to create meaningful engagement with aspiring players rather than simply increase brand visibility.

Globally, tennis remains a significant category for ASICS, with athletes such as Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti and Jack Draper among its ambassadors. The brand also had a long-standing association with Novak Djokovic, while in India it already works with Rohan Bopanna, Sumit Nagal and Karman Kaur Thandi.

Beyond nurturing talent, the partnership reflects a clear commercial ambition. Running currently contributes around 60 per cent of ASICS India’s business, but the company sees tennis as the next major growth category. Sharma believes increasing participation, growing interest in Grand Slam tournaments and rising demand for performance-specific footwear present a significant opportunity.

He also pointed to changing urban lifestyles, noting that tennis is becoming more accessible as residential communities increasingly include courts and casual participation continues to rise, particularly in metropolitan areas.

The strategy mirrors a broader evolution in sports marketing, where brands are increasingly investing in athletes during their formative years rather than signing them only after they become stars. Sharma said consumers today recognise the difference between authentic long-term partnerships and conventional endorsement deals, making early-stage talent development more meaningful for both athletes and brands.

Alongside tennis, ASICS is seeing momentum across categories including cricket, badminton, squash and volleyball, while its sportstyle portfolio is benefiting from growing consumer demand for sneakers as everyday fashion rather than purely athletic footwear.

The company’s geographic ambitions are also widening. ASICS currently operates around 136 stores across India and plans to accelerate expansion into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, supported by growing online demand from smaller markets.

For ASICS, the next race is no longer confined to the running track. By pairing grassroots athlete development with category diversification and wider retail expansion, the brand is laying the foundations for its next phase of growth, one serve, one store and one future champion at a time.