The U.S. Open is a significant tournament in Serena Williams’s storied career. Twenty-five years ago, Williams won her first ever Grand Slam singles title at the 1999 U.S. Open, and it was at the 2022 edition that the tennis legend played her final professional match. Now, Williams returns to the New York tennis tournament, albeit in a new role — as a beauty founder.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Williams’s historic U.S. Open win, Williams will launch a collection of lip glosses and lip liners under her Wyn Beauty brand. She first debuted the brand in April with 10 SKUs including matte lipsticks and tinted SPF. Over Labor Day weekend, Williams and Ulta Beauty will host a box for influencers to watch the tournament, which runs from August 26 to September 8. According to Williams, the goal of the suite is to build brand awareness for Wyn, whose tennis ball-green products center around long wear and performance.
“I created Wyn Beauty to be active beauty. Active doesn’t always mean sport. I think moms are very active, and everyday women are very active,” Williams told Glossy.
In those 25 years since Williams’s first Grand Slam victory, the world of tennis — and its connection to beauty and fashion — has evolved significantly. Like Williams, an increasing number of athletes have expanded their image to beauty brands. Fellow tennis stars Naomi Osaka launched her Kinlò sun-care line in 2022, and Sloane Stephens launched the body-care line Doc & Glo on Wednesday. Up-and-coming tennis players Iga Świątek and Jannik Sinner have also taken on ambassador roles for beauty companies Lancôme and La Roche-Posay, respectively.
“You can be strong and beautiful at the same time,” said Williams. “Most of the time, you only see these athletes when they’re playing, and so they want to be able to present themselves the best way they can.”
Beauty-tennis partnerships have only increased in 2024 in light of the Paris Olympics, where numerous athletes have appeared in beauty campaigns or social media promotions. That includes rugby player Ilona Maher and gymnast Suni Lee for L’Oréal, and track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone with Neutrogena. These deals can represent a crucial income avenue for women athletes who still remain largely underpaid compared to their male counterparts. Some sports fans were shocked to learn that the WNBA’s top draft pick Caitlin Clark would earn just $76,000 in base pay for her first year in the league, compared to a $55 million contract for the NBA’s top rookie.
But while the Olympics is a rare moment in the spotlight for disciplines like track and field and gymnastics, tennis’s perennial appeal and high-profile tournaments like the U.S. Open and Wimbledon have made it a boon for brands to connect with fans, particularly for luxury brands. Last year’s activations at the U.S. Open included a Tiffany & Co. collaboration with Snap, Inc. on an immersive AR fan experience, while the likes of Rolex and Ralph Lauren have been longtime Wimbledon sponsors. But increasingly, mass market companies are looking to connect with consumers through tennis: The Wyn activation mark’s Ulta first foray into the U.S. Open, and beauty brands including No. 7 and Bumble & Bumble will also host suites for friends of the brand to watch the tournament, where prime suites can reportedly be rented for up to $175,000 apiece.
“As a values-based company that uses beauty as a force for good, we recognize that beauty can show up in many places and has the power to celebrate self-expression and individuality and provide joy,” said Michelle Crossan-Matos, CMO of Ulta Beauty. “We know the U.S. Open brings new and existing tennis and sports fans together each year, and new beauty brands like Wyn do the same.”
But what happens on the court, not off, is still the main draw for any tennis tournament, and the U.S. Open is no exception. And Williams believes style can be another tool in elite athletes’ arsenal as they step on the court.Williams’ tennis career includes many influential fashion and beauty looks, from her and sister Venus Williams’s signature beaded braids to her infamous black Nike catsuit —
“I always wanted to look good because it gives yourself this extra mojo. You just walk with your shoulders back a little bit more,” said Williams. “It also could be an intimidation factor, like everything in sport. You’re going up against someone else, so you have to just do everything that you can to have an edge.”
