Lacoste CEO says brand would never choose Rafael Nadal over Novak Djokovic, in response to former Nike director's comments on marketability

Luxury sportswear brand Lacoste will "never choose" Rafael Nadal and will always stick with brand ambassador Novak Djokovic, the brand's CEO Thierry Guibert has declared. Guibert's comments came in the wake of a recent debate on brand marketability among the Big 3, with Nike's former tennis director claiming that Djokovic's tendency to find himself embroiled in controversy hurts his brand image.

Djokovic has been associated with Lacoste since 2017, and a new deal he signed in 2021 is set to keep him associated with the 'crocodile brand' until 2025.

Joining a social media thread where fans were discussing the matter, Guibert dragged Nadal into the controversy too. Responding to a fan who said that Nike would never pick Djokovic on its roster, the Lacoste CEO said that while he respects Nadal, his brand would never choose to work with him. Guibert asserted that Lacoste was proud to have Djokovic as a brand ambassador.

"Lacoste is so proud to have Nole and would never choose Nadal (with all due respect to him)," Thierry Guibert wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou also defended Novak Djokovic over the comments by Mike Nakajima, who formerly served as Nike's tennis director. Mouratoglou responded to Nakajima by saying that he prefers "real human beings" like Djokovic over others.

There’s always a dark cloud around Novak Djokovic that he brings upon himself: Mike Nakajima

The Serbian player last competed in the 2023 Australian Open.

Nike's former tennis head Mike Nakajima shared his thoughts on the marketability of each of men's tennis' Big 3 in the recently-released book titled 'The Roger Federer Effect.' Nakajima suggested that Djokovic's brand image will always be surrounded by a "dark cloud," which he believes the 22-time Slam champion has himself given birth to by constantly being part of controversies.

Nakajima feels that brands are often skeptical about associating themselves with Djokovic and would rather choose players with clean images such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The former Nike executive stressed that the Serb could well go on to become the most successful player ever, but opined that his brand image would always lag behind.

"He could well be the most successful tennis player ever. But there’s always a dark cloud around him. It’s like he brings it upon himself," reads an excerpt from the book, quoting Nakajima.

"He hits the lineswoman at the US Open and gets disqualified? It happens, I guess. But why does it always happen to Novak? Or the whole controversy about the Covid-19 vaccination," Nakajima was quoted as saying. "Now, as a brand: do I want to be behind somebody who always has controversy around him? Or do I want to go with an athlete with a squeaky clean image?" Nakajima added.

After winning the 2023 Australian Open last month, Djokovic is nursing a hamstring injury, which was also a much talked-about topic during his campaign in Melbourne.