Roddick Succeeds With French Sponsors Without On-Court Success

Roddick's French Endorsers Include Babolat, Lacoste

Tennis player Andy Roddick is "entering his late 20s backed by a trio of formidable French companies," as he has teamed with Babolat for racquets and shoes, Lacoste for apparel and he and agent Ken Meyerson earlier this month "jointly migrated" to French conglomerate Lagardere Unlimited, according to Bonnie Ford of ESPN.com. The "obvious irony is that the French Open is the major where Roddick's ambitions have gone to die," as he has advanced past the second round in the event only once in his career. Roddick acknowledged that he will "need more than commercial appeal to establish a strong connection with French fans." Roddick: "Affinity is built through success, and I certainly haven't had much here. I think it will take a lot more than associating with French brands or endorsement deals. ... But that being said, I would love to do well here because of that." Ford noted the Babolat booth at the French Open "features not a French player, but a larger-than-life poster that depicts Roddick blowing smoke off his racket like a satisfied cowboy." As for Lacoste, with which Roddick signed in '05 after leaving Reebok, Meyerson said that his "familiarity with the culture was a factor" in the deal. But he added that Roddick "would have appealed to Lacoste in any case" -- late Lacoste President Bernard Lacoste "wanted Roddick to serve as a 'bridge' to help the quintessentially French company's marketing in North America and Asia." French sports newspaper L'Equipe tennis writer Philippe Bouin said that Roddick "doesn't have the highest of profiles [in France] but is appreciated by hard-core tennis fans" (ESPN.com, 5/27).