Serena Williams returns to the court as new Heineken® 0.0 global ambassador

Heineken® 0.0 announced Serena Williams as its new global brand ambassador, launching a multi-year partnership that celebrates the joy of connecting with others through one of the world’s fastest-growing social sports, padel. Widely recognised as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Serena has embraced padel in recent years as a way to stay active while meeting others who share her passion for racket sports. Her love of padel makes her a natural fit for Heineken® 0.0, a brand that champions social connection and refreshing moments both on and off the court.

Heineken® 0.0 x Padel

Last year, as part of its growing presence in padel, Heineken® 0.0 partnered with Playtomic, the world’s largest global racket sports booking platform and community. The partnership introduced Open Match by Heineken® 0.0 – a new feature designed to help padel players meet new people and elevate their playing experience, while solving the common challenge of not having enough players for a match.

Through Open Match by Heineken® 0.0 participants are rewarded with Heineken® 0.0 or Heineken® promotions after the match, enhancing the social moments that naturally follow a game of padel. The brand is also amplifying the feature by rewarding players’ willingness to step out of their comfort zone, surprising Open Match by Heineken® 0.0 participants with surprise guests appearances – known as “Unexpected Doubles” – to give them the match of a lifetime.

Serena’s Heineken® 0.0 Debut – Unexpected Doubles

To launch the partnership and the first Unexpected Doubles moment, Serena joined different padel players throughout the day in Miami, stepping onto the court as a last-minute “stand-in” teammate for a game they had booked through Open Match by Heineken® 0.0.

The players had no idea their fourth partner would be a 23-time Grand Slam champion. After an unforgettable round, the group connected post-game over a Heineken® 0.0 – capturing the essence of what the partnership aims to inspire: new experiences, new connections, and a more refreshing social life.

Building on this moment, the creative concept – ideated by creative agency LePub and captured by hidden camera expert director Andrew Lane, centers on the power of  “Unexpected Doubles” as a platform to spark new spontaneous social connections. Via Open Matches, by turning ordinary match-making moments into unforgettable encounters, the idea reframes sport as a gateway to discovery, where the real win isn’t just the match, but who you end up clinking bottles with after. Through playful disruption and culturally relevant surprises, the campaign invites viewers to embrace openness, celebrate the unexpected, and experience a more refreshing way to connect, both on and off the court.

The unexpected moment brought to life Heineken® 0.0 belief of just how rewarding opening ourselves up to new experiences can be; with partners such as Playtomic giving consumers an effortless opportunity to do so Open Match by Heineken® 0.0.

Serena Williams, Heineken® 0.0 Ambassador said: “For me, it’s always about showing up as my best self. Partnering with Heineken® 0.0 reflects the kind of intentional choices I make every day – it’s a no-alcohol option that still lets me stay active, keep moving, and connect with new people. Whether I’m on the padel court or off, I love that I don’t have to compromise.”

Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken® said: “At Heineken®, we believe the most  rewarding moments happen when people stay active, social, and open to new connections—without having to compromise. Serena represents that mindset perfectly. Her iconic presence, her confidence, and her love of padel reflect everything Heineken® 0.0 stands for: a confident choice for people who want to stay in the game and fully enjoy the social moments around it. Together, padel becomes a natural way to bring people ogether—on court and beyond.”

Serena stepping in as the first iconic ‘Unexpected Doubles’ teammate has everyone excited, especially padel players using Open Match by Heineken® 0.0.”

Bruno Bertelli, CEO & CCO LePub Worldwide, added: “With ‘Unexpected Doubles’, Heineken celebrates the magic that sparks when you welcome the unknown. It transforms a simple everyday moment, like booking a game, into something extraordinary, where surprise fuels genuine emotion and shared experiences that feel real, fresh, and socially rewarding. At its core, the idea showcases the power of unpredicted encounters to create lasting impact.”

This surprise is the first of more opportunities that Heineken® 0.0 plans to bring to padel players across the world this year via Open Match by Heineken® 0.0. These will include opportunities to play against other Heineken® 0.0 ambassadors like Serena Williams. 

Credits:

Heineken

• Head of Global Heineken® Brand: Nabil Nasser
• Heineken® Global Communication Director: Dana Katz
• Heineken® Global Communication Manager: Friederike Veronika Offermanns
• Heineken® Head of Digital Advertising: Bram Reukers
• Heineken® Head of Brand & Consumer PR: Javier Macias
• Heineken® Global Head of BTL Marketing: Rutger van der Stegen
• Heineken® Global Sponsorship Manager: Annamaria Füzy
• Heineken® Global Sponsorship Manager: Lucia Quintanilla
• Heineken® Global Sponsorship Manager: Marcella Ricca Chiarelli Matarazzo

LEPUB

• CEO & CCO LePub Worldwide: Bruno Bertelli
• Global Chief Creative Officer: Cristiana Boccassini
• Global Chief Creative Officer: Mihnea Gheorghiu
• Chief Creative Officer: Luca Boncompagni
• Creative Director: Azim Abasbek
• Associate Creative Director: Matteo Gemelli
• Head of Strategy: James Moore
• Strategy Director: David Casares
• Comms & Experience Strategy Director: Max Beckers
• Head of Client Service: Giada Salerno
• Client Service Director: Shirine Aoun
• Group Account Director: Giulia Melegati
• Account Executive: Chiara Allievi
• Head of PR & Communication: Isabella Cecconi
• PR Director Culture & Entertainment: Alfa-Claude Djalo
• Senior Digital PR Manager: Federica Fiorentino
• Senior PR Manager: Eleonora Botta
• Global Chief Production Officer: Francesca Zazzera
• Producer: Cinzia Morandi

VIDEO PRODUCTION:

• DIRECTOR: Andrew Lane
• PRODUCTION COMPANY: Washington Square Films
• PARTNERS / EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Han West, Joshua Blum
• LINE PRODUCER: Chris Lettley
• POST PRODUCER: David McNayr
• DP: Matthew Woolf
• HIDDEN CAMERA TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR: Michael Steele

VIDEO POST-PRODUCTION:

• Editor: Alejo Hoijman/Fabrizio Squeo
• Grading: Luca Parma
• Postproduction: Prodigious
• Head of Post production: Alfredo Beretta
• Senior Post Producer: Costanza Caponio
• Online Supervising Editor: Samuele Schiavo
• VFX Compositor: Adolfo Navire, Stefano Moretto, Nicholas Cravedi, Riccardo Menozzi, Alessio Grisanti
• Audio: Disc to Disc

MUSIC:

• Title: “Little Green Bag”
• Artist: George Baker Selection
• Author: Hans Bouwens
• Composer: Jan Visser ©️Veronica Music Editions BV Sony Music Publishing BV
• ℗ 1969 Universal International Music BV
• Music Company: Sizzer
• Music Supervisor: Richard Aardenburg
• Music Licensing: Veronika Muravskaia
• Executive Music Supervisor: Sander van Maarschalkerweerd

PHOTO PRODUCTION: Getty Images:

• Photographer: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
• Lighting: Brandon Shafranski
• Digital Tech: Meinie Smith

THE ROMANS- PR

• Senior Account Director: Erin Archer
• Senior Account Manager: Annabel Glasby-Dixon
• Senior Account Manager: Poppy King
• Executive Director of Sport: Chris Allen
• Director of Sport: Joe Burdon
• Creative Director: Jordan Kavanagh
• Account Executive: Miranda Rietkerk
• Account Executive: Charlie Warren
• Account Manager: James Ablett
• Intern: Ramone Gayle

VML- BTL

• Creative Director: Greg Saynor
• Senior Account Director: Natalie Smith
• Senior Account Director: Sabina Gradon
• Creative: Adriana Hiromoto
• Design Director: Joe Dear
• Strategy Director: Nataliia Dotsenko
• Business Director: Sophia Blake
• Senior Project Manager/Producer: Stephen Kessell