Why is a grand slam champion making pizzas in Richmond?

If three-time grand slam singles champion Stan Wawrinka is making pizzas in Richmond, it means only one thing – the global marketing jamboree known as the Australian Open is here.

As any marketer will tell you, tennis stars are stellar brand ambassadors. Hence the launch of “Stan Wawrinka’s Tarte Flambee (gruyere, emmental, confit leek, lardons)” at Baby Pizza on Church Street last Wednesday, at a brunch hosted by the Piper-Heidsieck champagne house, one of the Swiss star’s sponsors.

A trio of fire rescue officers walking by couldn’t hide their bemusement at the pretty al-fresco red and white scene as Wawrinka sat clutching the AO’s Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in one hand and a flute of Piper in the other.

Stan Wawrinka (centre) with Juan Carlos (left) and executive chef Damian Snell (right) in the kitchen.Credit: Scott McNaughton

“Take a sip!” one photographer encouraged the player before she paused for thought. “Are you allowed to?” Luckily, the star athlete was.

Wawrinka had time to make his own pizza, under the watchful eye of Damian Snell, the executive chef of Chris Lucas’ restaurant empire, but alas no time to stay for the brunch. Training beckoned.

But he did enthuse about the event to his 1.3 million Instagram followers.

“My job is to play tennis and I have to practise to play my best tennis,” he told The Age.

“I enjoy coming here for two hours and making some different connections, OK and doing some pictures. I know it is something a bit different. It makes me relax a little bit to see different things than just my tennis balls.”

Time to relax: Stan Wawrinka pops a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck champagne.Credit: Scott McNaughton

From Monday, a record 900,000 spectators are expected to watch some of the most marketing-friendly stars on the planet hit tennis balls. Last year COVID-19 restrictions suppressed crowd numbers to 340,000. That’s a lot of eyeballs, and a lot of wallets.

Last week stars were on the promotional trail everywhere. On Sunday, Canadian star Denis Shapovalov welcomed 394 ballboys and ballgirls, all wearing their new uniforms from official outfitter Ralph Lauren. On Monday, Emma Raducanu (US Open champion) enjoyed a coffee at beachfront restaurant Elwood Bathers.

Come Tuesday, Rafael Nadal was at Federation Square to hand over the 130-strong car fleet from sponsor Kia for the use of AO players, officials and VIPs.

But none can touch Ash Barty. The former undisputed queen of women’s tennis is now the undisputed queen of marketing power.

Ash Barty and Sam Stoser at the Australian Open’s kids tennis day on Saturday.Credit: Jason South

Last week The Age reported that sport and entertainment company Gemba gave her an Asset Power Score – a measurement of marketability – of 4931. That’s higher than Hugh Jackman, Roger Federer, Jessica Mauboy and Pat Cummins.

This year Barty will be hosting a private tennis clinic, but only for select members of sponsor Marriott Bonvoy’s hotel loyalty program.

“Ashleigh was the first on the list from day one,” said Florencia Aimo, director of marketing for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands at Marriott International. “She is the most amazing athlete and a multimillionaire, but she is connected to her roots and doesn’t have a big head.”

Barty’s memoir My Dream Time is available to Marriott guests as part of the hotel chain’s Aim to Serve package and the former world No.1 will be a speaker at a Marriott dinner before the women’s final. “Now she is retired it has given us the opportunity to have accessibility a little more,” Aimo said.

Meanwhile, two-time grand slam winner Lleyton Hewitt and his tennis prodigy son Cruz, 13, are the faces of the Bondi Sands sun-care brand.

“You hear a lot of things about him as a tennis player and obviously on the court he was very intense,” said co-founder and chief executive Blair James, who is spending $2 million on the AO this year alone.

“I was nervous about meeting him, but he was really easy to deal with.”

Lleyton Hewitt and his son Cruz.Credit: Glenn Hunt

This week Hewitt will host an exclusive tennis clinic for Bondi Sands clients alongside an influencer breakfast event.

“Over time it has been about building credibility. This is an iconic Australian event. Not just Australia, this resonates around the world for us.”

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