Novak Djokovic's sponsor Lacoste's CEO issues apology for unveiling tracksuit commemorating Serb's 25th Grand Slam victory too early

French luxury sports fashion brand Lacoste recently found itself in an awkward situation after it prematurely released a limited edition tracksuit in anticipation of Novak Djokovic’s 25th Grand Slam victory. The tracksuit was listed for sale on Lacoste’s US website, but it turned out to be a tech error.

Lacoste and Djokovic have been working together since 2017 when the Serb left his previous sponsor Uniqlo and signed a multi-year deal with the French company. The partnership was extended until 2025 last year.

Lacoste’s latest gesture to honor the Serb backfired spectacularly, as the brand released a limited edition tracksuit for him as an early celebration of his 25th Grand Slam triumph. The tracksuit, which is priced at $350, is a fleece sweatsuit and includes tracksuit pants, a sweatshirt, and an organic cotton fleece.

Lacoste's special edition tracksuit for the Serb - Lacoste.com

It also has the number ‘25’ along with the iconic crocodile badges on the chest and the thighs, implying that the Serb had already won his 25th Grand Slam. A 25th title would have made him the sole record holder of the most singles titles in history, surpassing Margaret Court's record of 24.

The problem was that the 37-year-old had not yet won his 25th Grand Slam title, and in fact, he had been struggling to achieve it since he won his 24th at the 2023 US Open. At the Flushing Meadows trophy ceremony, Djokovic wore a custom white Lacoste jacket with the number ‘24’ emblazoned on it, paying tribute to his record-equalling 24th Major victory.

Since then, the former World No. 1 has failed in his quest to win his 25th Grand Slam title, suffering defeats at the 2024 Australian Open and the French Open. He lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the Australian Open and withdrew from the French Open with a knee injury before the quarterfinals against two-time finalist Casper Ruud.

Lacoste’s CEO Thierry Guibert took to X (formerly Twitter) on June 20, to apologize for this mishap and clarified that it happened due to IT issues.

"I have to apologize about that. It was a mistake on our side due to IT issues," Guibert wrote.

The Serb, who underwent knee surgery in Paris just after the incident, is expected to miss the Wimbledon Championships as the recovery will take a minimum of three weeks. The Olympic Committee of Serbia recently announced Djokovic's participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Novak Djokovic discussed his vision for a custom ‘25’ jacket to honor potential 25th Grand Slam triumph

Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Australian Open

Novak Djokovic was tight-lipped when he was questioned about the design and color for a custom jacket to mark his potential 25th Grand Slam title.

In an October 2023 interview with Eurosport, the Serb revealed he had been asked to keep quiet about any designs for a potential '25' jacket.

"I have no idea. I don't know what you're talking about. I've been instructed that I should not speak about anything publicly. No, those are the wonderful problems to have. If 25 comes right now in January, it would be amazing, whatever happens," the Serb said.

The 37-year-old also thanked the fans for their appreciation of Lacoste’s custom designs.

"I'm really glad there was a positive reaction from the fans and from people with 23 or 24 jackets. A lot of people wanted to have that jacket and hopefully Lacoste produced enough for everyone," he added.

The French luxury sports fashion brand Lacoste has been making custom jackets for the Serb to wear during his Grand Slam trophy ceremony since the 2023 Australian Open.