Landor Australia has created a new brand identity for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the 50-year-old organization created by legendary player Billie Jean King. The new design returns the human figure to the brand: in 2010, Chermayeff & Geismar removed the player from the WTA brand and it replaced it with a much more streamlined design. Landor’s mark brings the player back but retains the C&G letterforms that look as if they were drawn by a tennis ball in motion. The tennis ball as crossbar and full stop was also maintained.
The WTA website explains why the human figure was brought back. “The serve action pictured in the logo was given prominence for its literal and figurative significance to the WTA. The serve is the only shot in tennis where the player has absolute control and where the point begins. It also accentuates the fearless initiative taken by the WTA’s early founders who took control of their destiny and blazed a trail for the women of tennis today. The symbol makes subtle references to the sport’s global nature, framing the athlete within a circle that evokes the universal spirit of the WTA’s platform.”
https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1922290/wta-unveils-comprehensive-rebrand