Serena Williams returns to the court as new Heineken® 0.0 global ambassador, celebrating the social spirit of padel

• Heineken® 0.0 has announced Serena Williams as its new global ambassador in a multi-year partnership
• To launch the partnership, Serena stepped back on court to surprise unexpecting padel players with a game followed by a post-match Heineken® 0.0
• This is the first of more surprises that Heineken® 0.0 plans to bring padel players across the world this year

AMSTERDAM, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heineken® 0.0 has announced tennis legend 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.

To launch the partnership, Serena spent a day surprising unsuspecting padel players in Miami, stepping onto the court as a last-minute “stand-in” team mate for a game they had booked through the Open Match by Heineken® 0.0 feature on booking platform Playtomic.

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.

The unexpected moment brought to life Heineken® 0.0’s 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 through Open Match by Heineken® 0.0.

This was the first installment of a new feature from Heineken® 0.0, known as ‘Unexpected Doubles,’ where players who book through Open Match by Heineken® 0.0 on Playtomic may be rewarded for their willingness to step out of their comfort zone, with surprise guest appearances.

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 reflects 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 together - 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.”

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.

Celine Thom, one of the lucky players surprised in Miami, said: “I booked a padel game via Open Match by Heineken® 0.0 on Playtomic to meet new people and connect with other local padel players, but I never imagined that on a regular Wednesday afternoon I would be playing padel with the legendary Serena Williams! Playing with her was unreal, but having the chance to sit down and connect with her over a beer afterwards made it a truly unforgettable experience.”

To find out more and keep up with the story, visit https://youtu.be/Ei4G0xJHftA.

Notes to editors

Media contact
Heinekensponsorship@wearetheromans.com

About Heineken®

HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken® N.V. and Heineken® Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes:Heineken® N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken® Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY)

About Playtomic
Playtomic is the world’s largest community for racket sports clubs and players. Through its app, users can search and book courts for padel, tennis, or pickleball, connect with new players, find opponents, join groups, and improve their game.

Supporting a vibrant and active community of racket sports enthusiasts, Playtomic is now present in over 66 countries, and trusted by more than 4.7 million players across 6,000+ partner clubs worldwide.

About Open Matches by Heineken® 0.0 on Playtomic
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 - an evolved version of Playtomic’s signature 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.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/34faf389-12c5-4fd2-8573-5a1b0b0f1fd2

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/888147c2-109d-4813-95d1-52dadc8085f4

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/34faf389-12c5-4fd2-8573-5a1b0b0f1fd2

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f2c506ef-de65-4660-9388-956d50556dc0

A video accompanying this announcement is available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/113fe730-8563-410b-937b-62ed95c50414