The Tunisian tennis star is the latest athlete to be represented by the Los Angeles-based agency.
World No. 2 tennis player Ons Jabeur has signed with Evolve, the agency founded by Stuart Duguid, Naomi Osaka, and Carly Duguid.
In partnership with Adel Aref, famous for his work with Paris Saint-German Football Club and BeIN Sports, Jabeur is on pace to become the first Arab athlete to win a major tournament.
She follows Australian standout Nick Kyrgios as the latest tennis talent to join the Los Angeles-based talent agency since it formed in 2022.
“Ons is one of the most entertaining players on the WTA Tour,” Kyrgios told Boardroom. “I love how she plays the game her own way and is a 1-of-1.”
Known for her passionate play, the Vogue Arabia cover star has become a fan favorite around the world. Like other Evolve athletes, her play, personality, and ideals each impact athletics and culture at the same time.
“Ons is an ideal Evolve client,” Evolve founder Stuart Duguid said in a statement. “As an Arab woman from Africa, she is a trailblazer and a truly captivating tennis player. Her influence extends beyond sports and into wider culture. Her impact on the Middle East and beyond is transformative.”
With Evolve and Aref’s backing, Jabeur is poised to have a huge 2023 on court and on screen. For those watching both the tennis star and emerging agency, the timing couldn’t be better.
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Osaka first conceived of Evolve at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Looking to have representation similar to that of LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Kevin Durant, she challenged her agent, Stuart Duguid, to spearhead something new.
Since forming Evolve in 2022, the lean operation has helped Osaka pull in over $60 million in earnings. All the while, the company has been patient when it comes to expansion, only signing Kyrgios last summer.
When speaking with Boardroom for its cover story in December, Duguid described what it takes to be an Evolve athlete. While his eyes remain open, the bar remains high.
“Our next athlete would be someone who’s at the top or has the potential to get to the top of the sport,” he said. “If you want to influence culture, build a business, invest in businesses, and you’re an athlete on a scale and platform that can do that? I think we can be very helpful.”
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Having reached the finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022, Jabeur is exactly that type of athlete when it comes to taking the crown in her sport.
When it comes to her potential off the court, that’s where Ons and Evolve truly align.
As Ons looks to make history as the first tournament champion of Arab descent, her home region continues to see growth in global sports following the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
At Evolve, Stuart and his wife Carly will have the guidance of Adel Aref, a native Tunisian with an intimate understanding of sports, marketing, and culture in the Middle East.
“Ons is family and her interest is my first priority,” Aref said in a statement. “I am confident that the partnership with Evolve and creating synergies between Stuart and us will take Ons to the next level and beyond. Like I always say: stronger together.”
Having just covered Vogue Arabia, Jabeur will gain from the aesthetic angling of Evolve’s Carly Duguid. Moreover, she’ll reach an even bigger international audience this January as a streaming star.
“There are tremendous opportunities for Ons in the Arab world, and she is also poised for global breakthrough,” Stuart said in a statement. “Alongside Nick Kyrgios, I believe she will be a standout star in the Netflix series, Break Point.”
From TV to tournaments, endorsement deals to societal change, the future for Ons Jabeur and Evolve proves promising.
This adulation will soon spread to fans, but Ons is already celebrating.
“I am very excited to work with Adel and Evolve,” Jabeur said in a statement. “Together, I believe they have the profile and experience to take me to the next level.”
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