WATCHPRO’s inbox was bulging this morning with delighted marketing executives at Richard Mille and Rado celebrating their brand ambassadors, Rafael Nadal and Ash Barty, winning the men’s and women’s singles titles at the Australian Open.
Hublot’s man, Novak Djokovic, did not start the tournament having been snagged by Australian officials who deported the Serbian tennis ace for making false declarations about his covid status.
Despite not being vaccinated, Mr Djokovic had secured an exception from normal covid entry rules because he stated he had covid in December.
A combination of politics and dodgy paperwork led to a week of incarceration at a quarantine hotel in Melbourne and eventual deportation before the tournament started.
Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe was asked by Bloomberg last week whether the brand would continue to work with Mr Djokovic.
His answer was less than fully committed.
“For the time being, we support our ambassador,” he replied.
“If he cannot play anymore, that could be an issue, but let’s see,” Mr Guadalupe added.
Bloomberg reports that Hublot has been in contact with the player and is waiting for him to make a statement regarding his future.
Mr Djokovic is said to be training hard for the next tennis major, the French Open, but his vaccine status could again be an issue.
French president Emanual Macron is determined to make it uncomfortable for anybody refusing to get vaccinated.
“I am not about pissing off the French people,” the president said in an interview with readers of Le Parisien. “But as for the non-vaccinated, I really want to piss them off. And we will continue to do this, to the end. This is the strategy.”