After serving a sustainability masterclass at the 2025 Australian Open, saving 96,000 single-use bottles in just two weeks, global hydration disruptor waterdrop is doubling down on sport in Australia. But this time, the action’s shifting from Grand Slam centre courts to glass-walled padel and pickleball arenas, through a new national partnership with Racquet Club.
Founded by celebrity entrepreneurs Lee Ritson and Darren McMullen, Racquet Club is fast becoming Australia’s destination of choice for social, high-intensity racquet sports. With locations in Moore Park, Bondi and a brand-new flagship in Canberra, Racquet Club is riding the wave of Australia’s fastest-growing sports, and Waterdrop is coming along for the match point.
After making a splash at one of the world’s biggest sporting stages, waterdrop isn’t slowing down; it’s scaling out. The company’s next move? Bringing that same blend of innovation, sustainability, and hydration to where sport is growing fastest: grassroots racquet communities.
This new partnership with Racquet Club marks the next evolution in waterdrop’s mission to integrate smarter hydration into the everyday habits of active Australians. Where the Australian Open proved the concept on a global stage, Racquet Club will serve as the testbed for community impact, proving that hydration with purpose belongs just as much in local clubs as it does on centre court.
From Grand Slams to Grassroots: The AO Blueprint
The partnership builds on the blueprint waterdrop executed at the Australian Open earlier this year, where refillable hydration stations were rolled out for fans and athletes alike. The result? Thousands of litres of filtered water delivered via reusable stainless steel bottles, and hydration with a conscience.
Before kicking off the AO campaign, B&T sat down with Catherine Dix, managing director of waterdrop Australia to better understand waterdrop’s partnership with AO and how they are taking it to the next and more official level in 2025.
“This partnership isn’t just about providing bottles. It’s about embedding sustainability into the DNA of the Australian Open and changing how hydration is approached at major events. The accessibility of refillable water stations empowers everyone, players, staff, and fans, to make sustainable choices effortlessly,” Dix told us at the time.
The campaign couldn’t have been more successful, with the iconic blue and white AO player bottle the envy of every spectator, and nearly 100,000 single-use plastic bottles saved. The partnership sparked honest conversations around sustainability, fan experience, and what it means to hydrate ‘like a pro’.
Sitting down with B&T again this week ahead of the new partnership with Racquet Club, Dix said that the “Australian Open partnership proved that elite sport and environmental responsibility aren’t just compatible, they’re essential companions”.
“We’re excited to be bringing our products to racquet sports at all levels,” said Dix.
For Dix, the inclusion of community sport was a strategic move. “It is so important to us that waterdrop supports all levels of Tennis,” she explained. “It’s a key pillar of Tennis Australia’s own approach, and we want to make sure we’re showing up meaningfully all year round”.
That means investing in local infrastructure. At all three Racquet Club locations, waterdrop has installed filtered and chilled refill stations outside the courts, making hydration simple and sustainable for players, coaches and casual fans alike.
“The courts are packed from early morning until late evening, and these stations ensure that fresh, cold water is always available,” Dix said. “This underscores our dedication to making healthier hydration effortless for all athletes.”
Authenticity > Advertising
With padel and pickleball on the rise globally, Dix says it’s not enough to just slap a logo on a fence and call it a day. “We’re focused on choosing authentic and valuable partnerships where we can make an impact,” she explained.
So what does that look like in practice? “Waterdrop is hosting ‘DROP’ in sessions to encourage people to move and partake in the sport week to week at each of their locations,” Dix shared. “Who doesn’t love a reason to try something out, and get some tasty hydration at the same time?”
The brand is also introducing Racquet Club co-branded waterdrop drinkware, member-exclusive offers, and competitions that seamlessly integrate the product into the broader sporting lifestyle, without feeling like a sales pitch.
It’s all part of a bigger shift in sports marketing. “We choose our partnerships carefully,” Dix said. “Ensuring we are actually creating a partnership that adds value is central to our decision making. We share the values of the Racquet club team ,and this flows through to mean we can create something ongoing that resonates with their community and ours as well”.
With athletes from every level engaging in fast-paced, high-output matches, hydration is more than a nice-to-have; it’s a performance necessity.
“Hydration is central to anyone playing sports, and educating people on the importance of electrolytes and rapid rehydration after activity is crucial,” Dix told B&T. “Providing both, essential hydration and electrolytes, and ensuring they are easily accessible was something both the Racquet Club team and waterdrop are super passionate about”.
Products like the waterdrop Microlyte range, which deliver four electrolytes, essential vitamins and zinc in a compact dissolvable cube, are at the heart of this value proposition. “We’re translating elite-level performance benefits into community sport settings,” said Dix.
It’s about making ‘pro-level hydration’ accessible.
Tailoring a Global Playbook to Local Courts
Globally, waterdrop has secured high-profile partnerships, including with tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who is both an investor and ambassador. But Dix knows that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t cut it in Australia.
“It’s definitely a challenge, and while we’d love to do everything, we’re focused on choosing authentic and valuable partnerships where we can make an impact,” she said.
“It’s really exciting to be part of the capital’s first large Padel club,” she noted. “The Canberra location is world-class and great to be integrated there, where so many policy makers reside, leading the way with best-practice sustainability and sports applications”.
It’s a move that ticks all the right boxes: national expansion, environmental credibility, and cultural relevance.
“We love the sports and tennis community, and globally we’re collaborating with key partners who are committed to impacting the sport’s sustainability efforts, so we are keeping this front and centre in choosing our local partnerships in Australia,” Dix said.
The Future of Sports Marketing? Community First
From global courts to local clubs, waterdrop’s strategy is proving that the future of sports marketing lies in authenticity, sustainability and value-add experiences, not just visibility.
As Dix put it: “We love racquet sports and are committed to helping people ‘Hydrate like a Pro’ in these formats worldwide. Waterdrop is the go-to hydration solution for the next generation of racquet sport enthusiasts”.
By embedding itself at the centre of this cultural movement, and delivering real infrastructure and engagement programs rather than token signage, waterdrop is showing that sports marketing, when done right, is about more than awareness. It’s about community and meaningful participation.
