TAG Heuer Aquaracer 500m Calibre 5 (WAK2110BA0830)

Tennis & Timepieces - Watch(es) out for the US Open

WORLDTEMPUS - 30 August 2010

Does time really matter in tennis? At the US Open, where television companies set the rules, it does. Among the official merchandise available in Flushing Meadows, there's even a t-shirt boasting: "home of the fifth set tie-break." Since tennis' scoring system theoretically allows a match to go on forever, the tie-break was invented thirty years ago to avoid longer sets. And thanks to television, the US Open is the only Grand Slam to feature a breaker in the deciding set - which means there's no chance of surpassing that Wimbledon duel that lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes with a 70-68 score in the final set.

In tennis, where there is no time limit, momentum is key. Yet, in the land of the fast food and fast tennis, watch companies are paying more attention than ever to the US Open as they've been pouring more money than ever into tennis and are looking after their investment. Rolex became one of the biggest sponsors of the game in the past years and is now the official timekeeper of two Grand Slams (Wimbledon since the early 1970s and the Australian Open), reportedly going after the other two (Roland Garros is sponsored by Longines and the US Open just extended its contract with Citizen). Additionally, most of the sport's biggest stars have a partnership with a watch brand.

The usual suspects and some unexpected brands
So, which brand will win this year's US Open? Odds favor two players that already are among the best ever. Roger Federer has played six straight finals at this tournament, winning the first five; he's been spotted in Flushing Meadows practicing with a timepiece on his wrist, but his Rolex contract does not force him to play in actual competition with a watch. He likes to wear various models but really fancies his Milgauss GV. His arch-rival, Rafael Nadal, actually wears one while competing: a Richard Mille extra-light tourbillon that caused some controversy among the tennis media when the news came out it was worth $525,000 (see a previous Worldtempus piece on this topic here). Rafa must have a big fan with great taste in watches: his RM 027 was stolen during the Masters 1000 event in Toronto a few weeks ago, but replaced as soon as possible for the New York tournament beginning today. Will the less than 20-gram tourbillon help him win his first title at Flushing Meadows? At least it can help him avoid time violations, as he is prone to receiving umpire warnings now and then for exceeding the allotted twenty seconds between points.

The next title contenders are also known for their taste in watches, but are yet to seal a high profile sponsorship. Andy Murray, who's been linked to TAG Heuer in the UK, tweeted recently that the Hublot Maradona Limited Edition is "the best watch ever." Novak Djokovic is very fond of Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet. World number 5 Robin Söderling has an Audemars Piguet ROO Volcano and an Hublot Aero Bang, but has also shown an exquisite aficionado taste with an offbeat choice that matches his powerful rockn' roll tennis personality: the Graham Chronofighter Oversize Diver Deep Purple. Andy Roddick is also a member of the Rolex stable; David Ferrer is sponsored by Bovet and Juan Carlos Ferrero by Franc Vila. The funniest watch/player partnership? The Bryan twins, Bob and Mike, who became the "winningest" duo in the game's history this summer, wear Perrelet - the brand of the double rotor.

Sharapova's timing is up
On the women's side, and with Serena Williams out of the picture nursing a foot injury, Maria Sharapova is the highest-profile star - and has the highest-profile watch sponsorship, having reportedly helped design a couple of TAG Heuer models dedicated to her. She won the US Open in 2006 and other Grand Slams (Wimbledon 2004, Australian Open 2008), so it is her last chance to grab a Slam in 2010 and she's proved throughout the summer that she's slowly getting back to her best.

Kim Clijsters is the title holder - and signed a partnership with Citizen, official timekeeper of the event. Her nemesis landswoman Justine Henin, who is sponsored by Rolex and actually competes while wearing a watch, is injured and won't be playing. But Rolex has a shot at the title with world number two Caroline Wozniacki, the blonde Dane that replaced the Ana Ivanovic in the brand's ads following the Serb brunette's fall from grace.
So, which watch will be on the winner's wrist at the US Open? Time will tell - two weeks to be exact.