Sports apparel brand Lacoste has signed Novak Djokovic as its new face.

The partnership includes a custom-made kit for the tennis player to be worn on-court.

Lacoste says The Novak Djokovic Collection is a line of performance products that fuse functionality with style and its is already available at the brand’s Singapore stores and elsewhere in Asia.

“All the collection items were engineered from materials handpicked for their quality and performance. Every detail is geared towards comfort: ergonomic stitching prevents chafing while the cuts bring about ease of movement.” Djokovic’s signature appears on the sleeve.

Lacoste says Djokovic shares the same values or fair-play, tenacity and elegance as the brand’s founder René Lacoste.

“Djokovic’s relaxed elegance and inventiveness are a perfect match for the French brand’s DNA and its sports-inspired creations.”

He will make his on-court debut in the new kit during the 2017 French Open.

Meanwhile, a new advertising campaign will feature a “changeover” between the two champions, René Lacoste and Novak Djokovic.

“The film, directed by Julien Pujol, bears witness to the brand’s defining moment: the invention of the Lacoste L. 12.12 Polo shirt – the day upon which René Lacoste decided to break away from contemporary tennis dress codes by cutting off the sleeves of his shirt in order to allow himself greater freedom of movement.”

Djokovic is also at the heart of a print campaign shot by photographer Jacob Sutton. The visuals combine 1930s black and white with the present-day collections’ colors, a composition Lacoste describes as “a testament to the brand’s timelessness”.