Wimbledon Star Holger Rune Banned by Sponsor Babolat for Selling Broken Rackets

Danish tennis star Holger Rune faced backlash from his racket sponsor Babolat after listing two broken rackets for sale on his official website at over £5,000 each following his first-round exit from Wimbledon. The rackets were described as "ultra-exclusive collector's items" used in official matches, but Babolat’s leadership, including Tennis Business Leader Marion Cornu, expressed strong disapproval, stating that promoting broken rackets conflicts with their corporate values. Although Rune’s team claimed Babolat had not contacted them, the listings were removed due to media attention, and one racket was sold with proceeds reportedly donated to charity. Rune, who lost a five-set match to Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, attributed his defeat partly to a knee injury sustained during the match, and expressed frustration about his performance. Babolat emphasized ongoing talks with Rune's representatives to resolve the issue and maintain consistency with their brand values. This incident highlights tensions between athlete merchandising decisions and sponsor brand integrity in professional sports.