If you’ve been scrolling through Instagram during Wimbledon 2026, you’ve probably noticed something unusual. Roger Federer gliding across Centre Court to the tune of Pehla Nasha. Serena Williams making her iconic entrance with Patakha Guddi playing in the background. Novak Djokovic's greatest moments paired with Divine’s Baazigar.
These clips may look like fan edits in the first place. But they’re not.
They’ve been posted by Wimbledon’s official Instagram account, a clear sign of a shift in the tournament’s digital strategy— one that places India at the heart of its growing global audience.
Wimbledon gets an Indian soundtrack
Wimbledon has recently injected its highlight reels with Bollywood, Punjabi and Tamil music, and such music is instantly familiar to Indian audiences.
Federer’s graceful one-handed backhand has been paired with Pehla Nasha, while Serena Williams’s powerful celebrations are set to Patakha Guddi from Highway. Djokovic’s reel has Divine’s Baazigar, and several other videos use popular tracks such as Maari Thara Local, Unakku Thaan, Vaseegara, Tere Bina by A.R. Rahman and Punjabi singer Karan Aujla, MF Gabru and Wavy.
The tournament is not only showing tennis highlights, it’s communicating them as a cultural story for Indian viewers.
Why is Wimbledon doing this?
The answer to this is India's rapidly growing digital audience.
Even though cricket still remains the country’s biggest sport, younger viewers are also consuming tennis, Formula 1, football and basketball via Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and other short-form platforms.
Music has become a very powerful storytelling tool on social media. Pairing up an iconic Federer rally with Pehla Nasha or a Serena Williams celebration with Patakha Guddi makes the content instantly relatable for millions of Indian users.
Instead of localising captions, Wimbledon is localising emotion.
A global trend in Sports Marketing.
Wimbledon isn’t the only international sporting brand to embrace Indian pop culture.
Leading football clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City and Juventus have previously featured Bollywood songs from films such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Student of the Year and Don in their social media posts. Spain’s La Liga has also tried to make use of Indian regional music to reach the audience across the country.
The strategy is in line with a larger trend among global sports organisations to produce region-specific content without changing the essence of their sporting identity.
From Strawberries & Cream to Kulfi
Wimbledon’s India-first approach goes beyond social media.
Earlier this year, the tournament collaborated with Delhi's famous 120-year-old dessert brand Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfi Wale to launch a limited edition Strawberries & Cream Kulfi (the Indian version of Wimbledon's well-known strawberries and cream tradition).
The collaboration turned one of the tournament’s oldest customs into a dessert that Indian consumers instantly recognise, mixing British sporting heritage with Indian culinary culture.
India’s growing affinity with Wimbledon.
India’s relationship with Wimbledon has evolved with time.
The success of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi in doubles, and Sania Mirza's fame on the international stage, helped bring a strong tennis fan base in the country.
Bollywood stars, influencers and athletes regularly go to Wimbledon and share their experiences on social media and it is the event that has also kept the tournament relevant among Indian audiences even when there are no Indian players making deep runs in the singles draw.
More than a marketing campaign.
Wimbledon is a tradition, elegance and British sporting heritage for nearly 150 years. That recent move to Bollywood music doesn’t change that identity— it just reflects the way global sports are evolving in the digital era.
Wimbledon is speaking through the intersection of world-class tennis with familiar Indian music, regional culture and local collaborations to a fan base that is growing rapidly and with the right fans.
And judging by the millions of views these reels continue to generate, the strategy is serving a winning ace.
