Ellesse signs sponsorship deal with rising tennis ace Francesco Passaro

Pentland Brands-owned Ellesse has signed 23-year old rising tennis star Francesco Passaro as its latest sponsored player.

Hailing from Perugia in Italy, where the Ellesse brand was founded in 1959, Passaro "brings a fresh wave of talent and passion to the Ellesse family", continuing its rich tradition of supporting elite athletes on the international stage.

Discovered during the ATP Next Gen tournament in winter 2022, Passaro's skills caught the attention of the Ellesse global team, leading to his official signing as a sponsored player now.

Since the 1980s, Ellesse has been a stalwart supporter of tennis, sponsoring some of the sport's most iconic figures including champions such as Chris Evert and Guillermo Villas, and now it "continues the legacy of tennis excellence with Passaro".

The news was released by Focus Brands, which currently holds the exclusive licensing agreement for the design and distribution for Ellesse, as well as other brands including Nautica, for the UK and EU.