Estimated monetary value of items associated with tennis history
In the dynamic world of tennis, the market for memorabilia is experiencing unprecedented growth, with items associated with the sport's biggest legends fetching eye-catching prices.
A prime example is a racquet used by Roger Federer during his second successful Wimbledon run in 2004, which sold for $100,000 in February 2025. This sale underscores the enduring appeal of memorabilia related to Federer, who remains one of the most influential players in the sport's history.
Peter Robertson, a former player and Wimbledon insider, holds a collection of photographs that offers a unique glimpse into the golden era of the modern game. Robertson's photographs, numbering several thousand in total, have never been formally valued but are likely to be worth a healthy five-figure sum. His images have been used by the Wimbledon authorities for promotional material and can be found in the Wimbledon Museum.
Robertson's natural understanding as a player gave him an understanding of when and how to take the best shots. He captured many famous players on film, including John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Jimmy Connors, Chrissie Evert, Ivan Lendl, Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Boris Becker, Gabriela Sabatini, and Pete Sampras.
One of the most valuable items in Robertson's collection is a Wimbledon programme from July 4, 1925. The programme includes annotated results and press cuttings naming Henri Lacoste as the 1925 Men's champion and Suzanne Lenglen as the Women's champion.
Another historic piece appearing at auction is a mezzotint engraving of the French real tennis player J.E. Barre (1802-1873), who was a world champion from 1829-1862 and paumier to Napoleon III.
Tennis memorabilia is considered valuable, particularly items associated with the three great male players of the past quarter of a century: Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, as well as their female equivalents over the past 50 to 60 years: Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Billie Jean King.
Rafa Nadal's iconic black shirt worn during his historic 2010 US Open victory sold for just over $33,000 in April this year. Nadal's memorabilia continues to command strong prices, with his 2005 Roland Garros-winning shirt auctioning for an undisclosed sum.
The market for tennis memorabilia is driven by fanbase loyalty, narrative engagement, and expanding investor interest in tennis as an alternative asset class, including in digital collectibles like NFTs linked to matches or milestones. The surge of digital collectibles and the "Sincaraz effect" suggest that the market will remain active and potentially lucrative in the coming years.
For more details about Peter Robertson's collection of Wimbledon photographs, contact [email protected]. The Wimbledon trophy was won by Andy Murray in a straight set victory over Novak Djokovic on July 7, 2013, marking the first time a British player had won the Men's Singles final in 78 years. A 1703 second edition copy of Memoires du Monsieur Le Marquis de Montbrun, a French novel describing how a French aristocrat swindles English players by disguising the best real tennis player in Paris as his valet, has an estimate of £1,500-2,000.
In the context of Peter Robertson's collection, there are photographs capturing moments from the golden era of sports, specifically tennis, featuring legendary players like John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Jimmy Connors, and more. Additionally, tennis memorabilia, such as items associated with contemporary greats like Rafa Nadal, continue to command strong prices in the burgeoning market for sports memorabilia.
