The 2024 Australian Open tennis tournament has generated more social media buzz than the previous year, with a daily average of 63.3K mentions, up from 63.2K in 2023. And through all the posts on players, there's plenty of brand mentions in the mix.

The social media hype for the tournament spiked in mid-January, with a 1108% increase in mentions and over 1.5 million mentions of the topic so far this year. Data from social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitch and Chinese social channels WeChat, Douyin and Red were analysed.

The most talked-about subjects were the injuries suffered by Novak Djokovic (wrist injury) and Rafael Nadal (hip surgery). There was increased interest in the diversity of players, with the first Mexican woman, Renata Zarazua, and the first Indian man, Sumit Nagal, trending on social media. The Australian Open's tweet on Zarazua's entry making history received 341K views.

Headline sponsor Kia topped the brand mentions with 15.4K mentions and a 73% share of voice (SOV) across the four major and associate sponsors. New Balance, a new entrant, came in ahead of Louis Vuitton with 872 mentions to Vuitton's 455 due to its partnership with one of the key female players.

Meltwater also tracked data through its Klear Influencer Marketing tool to identify top tennis influencers. Carlos Alcaraz Garfia, despite not having the highest number of followers (5.3 million), was ranked third behind Djokovic and Federer. Novak Djokovic led with 34 million followers and 319K mentions. Alex de Minaur received 70.5K mentions during the Australian Open, with his exit from the tournament resulting in his highest performing post.

Among the women's players, Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka received the most mentions. Naomi's Instagram post about her return to the Australian Open as a new mum was her followers' most engaged content during the tournament.

"It's great seeing the growing global interest in the Australian Open, with new nations entering and bringing tennis to an even wider audience. During key sporting events such as this, it is essential for brands to be equipped with the tools to effectively measure their brand building investments," said Meltwater VP ANZ and SEA, Ross Candido.

"This entails not only engaging with the right players through strategic influencer partnerships, but also keeping their finger on the pulse by monitoring trending topics and global engagement across diverse demographics. Tapping into data-driven insights will empower brands to achieve greater success and establish a stronger resonance with their target audience."