Ahead of the Laver Cup 2026 in London, Mercedes-Benz and Roger Federer are extending their Neon Legacy Initiative with a donation of 11,478 tennis balls to clubs around the British capital — one for every ace of Federer’s career. The tournament runs from 25 to 27 September 2026 at the O2 Arena, where Mercedes-Benz has been a global partner since the event’s debut in 2017. The German carmaker is also supplying the Laver Cup team cars: a blue G-Class for Team Europe and a red one for Team World.
Mercedes-Benz and Roger Federer are continuing their joint social programme, the Neon Legacy Initiative, around this year’s Laver Cup in London. After earlier projects in London, Vancouver, Berlin and San Francisco, the 2026 edition shifts the focus to something far more direct: equipment.
One ball for every ace of a career
Through the Laver Cup, Mercedes-Benz and Federer are donating 11,478 tennis balls to local tennis clubs in the Greater London area. The number is not arbitrary — it matches the number of aces Federer served across his professional career. The stated aim of the initiative is to promote the sport in society, make tennis easier for children and teenagers to take up, and encourage the next generation of players.
“Tennis has always played such an important role in my life, and I love seeing people discover this sport for the first time. Together with Mercedes-Benz and the Neon Legacy Initiative, I hope we can motivate more young people to get on court, have fun and develop their own love for this sport.”
That is Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, quoted by the company. Christina Schenck, Head of Digital & Communications and Investor Relations at Mercedes-Benz AG, framed the partnership in similar terms: “Roger Federer embodies excellence and authenticity in a special way — values we share. That is exactly why this partnership means so much to us. Together we want to make tennis accessible to more people and, with our Neon Legacy Initiative, inspire the next generation for this sport.”
Blue and red G-Class team cars
The Laver Cup takes place from 25 to 27 September 2026 at London’s O2 Arena. Mercedes-Benz has backed the tournament as a global partner since its first running in 2017. Part of the ATP Tour, the event is built around a team format in which, as the series puts it, rivals become teammates.
Alongside a shuttle fleet for officials and selected guests, the brand supplies the tournament’s distinctive team cars. In London, a blue G-Class serves Team Europe and a red one is assigned to Team World. The mailing also cites the electric G 580 with EQ Technology, quoted at a combined energy consumption of 30–27.9 kWh/100 km and 0 g/km of CO₂ under WLTP.
Part of a wider tennis push
The Laver Cup sits within a broader tennis programme at Mercedes-Benz that also includes a global partnership with the WTA in women’s professional tennis and a number of selected ATP tournaments. Sport sponsorship of this kind gives the brand a presence in front of an affluent international audience without the cost structure of a works motorsport team — and the Neon Legacy Initiative attaches a grassroots story to it.
The donation lands in a year the company is also marking with its “140 Years of Innovation” anniversary campaign, which sends three new S-Class saloons to 140 destinations worldwide.
Facts: Mercedes-Benz at the Laver Cup 2026
- Donation: 11,478 tennis balls to local clubs in the Greater London area
- Beneficiaries: local tennis clubs in and around London
- Dates: 25–27 September 2026
- Venue: O2 Arena, London
- Partner since: 2017 (global partner from the first edition)
- Team cars: blue G-Class for Team Europe, red G-Class for Team World
- Also cited: G 580 with EQ Technology, 30–27.9 kWh/100 km combined, 0 g/km CO₂ (WLTP)
The Laver Cup 2026 is played at the O2 Arena in London from 25 to 27 September.
Source: media.mercedes-benz.com