What happens to thousands of tennis balls after the final point is played? At Sweden’s Nordea Open, they have been given an extraordinary second life. Nearly 4,000 used tennis balls from last year’s ATP Tour event have been transformed into a towering elephant sculpture, turning sports waste into a powerful symbol of wildlife conservation while raising funds for orphaned elephant calves.
The nearly two-metre-tall sculpture will make its official debut during the opening ceremony of this year’s Nordea Open on July 5 before being displayed and auctioned throughout the tournament. Created by Swedish wildlife and nature conservation organisation The Perfect World Foundation, the initiative aims to show how sport can help drive environmental awareness while supporting meaningful conservation projects.
Used tennis balls have been transformed into a one-of-a-kind elephant artwork.
Tennis Balls Become Conservation Symbol
The elephant sculpture was created using every tennis ball used during the 2025 Nordea Open, making it a one-of-a-kind piece that highlights the growing need to reduce sporting waste. According to The Perfect World Foundation, an estimated 325 million tennis balls are discarded worldwide each year, despite being used for only a short period.
The project forms part of the organisation’s Biodiversity Match initiative, which encourages businesses, sporting events and individuals to explore creative ways of supporting wildlife conservation while giving discarded materials a new purpose.
“Most tennis balls are used for only a very short period before being discarded. We wanted to create something that captures people’s imagination while making a real difference for wildlife,” said Ragnhild Jacobsson, CEO and Co-Founder of The Perfect World Foundation.
The sculpture has already attracted international attention after being showcased in Times Square in New York, further expanding awareness of the campaign beyond the tennis community.
Auction Aims To Protect Wildlife
During this year’s Nordea Open, several tennis players are expected to sign the elephant sculpture before it is auctioned to the highest bidder. The winning buyer will also receive the unique opportunity to name the artwork.
Proceeds from the auction will support orphaned elephant calves as well as Små Lirare, a Swedish youth sports programme, allowing the project to benefit both wildlife conservation and grassroots sport.
“This sculpture is made from every tennis ball used during the 2025 Nordea Open, making it truly one of a kind. During this year’s tournament, several players will also sign it, and the winning bidder will have the unique opportunity to name the elephant sculpture. We hope many companies and individuals will take part in the auction so that together we can raise funds to support orphaned elephant calves and the youth sports programme Små Lirare,” Jacobsson said.
The Perfect World Foundation said it is already in discussions with several international tennis tournaments about expanding the initiative. The long-term goal is to create more wildlife sculptures from used tennis balls, inspiring the global sports community to combine sustainability with conservation and generate lasting support for biodiversity projects around the world.
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