From Cloud to Court: Wilson Runs Smarter and Faster with SAP

When Alex de Minaur steps onto the court in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park this month, with his Wilson Ultra v5 tennis racket, it represents much more than years of athletic preparation and training. From its origins at the Wilson Innovation Center in Chicago to the court at the US Open, the racket is the outcome of a concise and connected journey.

The hand-crafted stringing on the face of the racket, the customized design, the packaging and distribution, and the systems that enable each touchpoint are all part of a global supply chain that ensures the racket gets from the warehouse into the gear bag of the world No. 5 exactly when he needs it.

That journey—from raw materials and global suppliers through manufacturing, warehousing, customs, and last-mile delivery—is a supply chain story. And SAP helps power it.

The carefully curated racket, along with Wilson’s shoes, shirt, cap, and shorts de Minaur chooses to wear as he competes at the highest level, are just a few of the thousands of products Wilson manufactures and delivers to athletes and customers around the world.

Behind each product is an interconnected global operation spanning manufacturing, warehousing, retail, e-commerce, and B2B channels and a digital foundation that helps Wilson keep it all moving seamlessly.

Powering a global sporting goods business

Wilson is a global leader in sports equipment and apparel, with a legacy of more than a century of innovation across tennis, basketball, baseball, golf, and other sports. From developing high-performance equipment for the world’s best athletes to creating products for players at every level, Wilson combines deep sporting expertise, innovation, and craftsmanship to help athletes perform at their best.

For almost two decades, Wilson has trusted SAP to run its global operations, connecting hundreds of employees across finance, sales, logistics, warehousing, and other critical retail functions.

Wilson’s SAP landscape spans core enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management, data and analytics, procurement, travel, global trade, integration and enterprise architecture. Its current environment includes SAP ERP Central Component (SAP ECC), SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Datasphere, SAP Business Data Cloud, and SAP Business Technology Platform, as well as SAP Ariba, SAP Concur, and SAP LeanIX solutions, among others.

And Wilson’s SAP digital transformation is continuing. The company is preparing for a major SAP S/4HANA transformation beginning in 2027, which will unlock new capabilities across areas such as extended warehouse management (EWM), transportation, quality, and omnichannel operations. As part of its SAP S/4HANA journey, Wilson uses Joule to assist with code conversion marking the beginning of introducing AI-powered capabilities into its business operations

One connected foundation for a connected customer experience

Beyond professional athletes such as de Minaur that choose to utilize Wilson to perform on and off the court, Wilson’s global customers interact with the company in many ways—through retail stores, e-commerce, and B2B channels. Behind those experiences is a complex network of products, inventory, orders, warehouses, and business processes that need to work together.

Built for the pace of sport

The world of professional sports moves quickly. A tennis match can turn in a matter of seconds. Consumer goods organizations like Wilson run an equally dynamic and demanding global operation: designing, manufacturing, moving, and selling products to customers and athletes around the world.

A major event, such as a Grand Slam or a Wilson ambassador winning a tournament, can bring heightened demand for the products athletes use and fans want to buy. This requires Wilson to coordinate inventory, production, warehouses, retailers, and e-commerce across markets and respond quickly as demand changes. SAP solutions such as SAP Extended Warehouse Management, SAP Global Trade Services, SAP Concur and SAP Ariba provide Wilson with the digital foundation to run smarter, operate faster, and respond to the ever-changing demands running a global retail business

This September in New York fans will see Alex de Minaur compete with his trusted Wilson racket and adorn his new customized Wilson kit. What they won’t see is the integrated ecosystem and the multifaceted journey behind every single racket, every pair of shoes, every piece of apparel—and the SAP technology powering it.

Tennis is a game of preparation. When I walk onto the court, every detail matters—from how the racket feels in my hand to the kit I’m wearing. Knowing that Wilson and the technology behind their business makes sure everything is ready exactly when I need it, that’s the kind of confidence that lets me focus on competing at my best.

Alex de Minaur

Whether it’s a game of tennis or the demands of a global business, success depends on having everything working in harmony. With SAP, Wilson can perform at its best.

And on the court, Alex de Minaur knows he can trust that everything is in place when the moment matters most.