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COURT IN THE SPOTLIGHT
TTennis has sought revived appeal in a manner of different consumer inspiring guises but still the influence of tennis stars is undeniable. In Germany they lamented the loss of a headline act when Becker quit the courts, which had a direct effect on the retail market. With the LTA now under the direction of former Chief Executive of Sport England, Roger Draper we are told of more new and exciting plans to be unveiled to maximise consumer potential for tennis in the UK. Meanwhile, women are providing much of the focus and perhaps none more so than Maria Sharapova, regarded as the most recognised face in professional women’s sports. Recently Sharapova signed a lifetime endorsement agreement with Prince Sports and is using the O3 White, coasting to victory in the US Open with what has become the No 1 selling racket in the USA. Prince are introducing an O3 Hybrid series to satisfy medium price-points featuring the O3 Hybrid Shark and O3 Hybrid. The O3 Hybrid Spectrum and O3 Hybrid Lite cater for all racket tastes. For the discerning player the individually numbered limited edition O3 Sovereign has a 118 sq in head-size; Prince's Triple Threat stability system featuring Titanium and Gold; a Nano bridge; leather grip and full-length artificial leather cover.
Serena Williams is currently using a customised racket that she helped to name and develop for Wilson. The W3 Gypsy Rose racket reflects her free spirit and pop culture image influenced by her style icons Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton. It’s part of Wilson's nine-racket ‘W’ range - the first comprehensive line of high performance rackets created specifically for women with total “must have” style in the cosmetics. This includes the W5 Divine Iris, which Venus Williams has recently switched to after inspiring the customised graphics that reference her favourite artist, Gustav Klimt.
With the influence and support of Steffi Graf, Head are launching the women specific New Airflow tennis racket collection.
This month the Head ball replaces Penn as the official ball of the ATP & Masters Series in Europe and sees the launch of Tournament, Championship & Training product sectors. The premium HEAD ATP comes with a water repellent felt and new ‘Encore’ technology to retain pressure for longer.
For British business J Price, the LTA’s mini tennis initiative has seen real returns.. Their red ball is approved for outdoor and indoor use and they make match set balls in red orange and green to complement the progression stages in the game. Price have manufactured all their products in the UK since 1936 and are the only ball manufacturer in Europe. Interestingly (perhaps echoing racket cosmetic trends) there is increasing demand for their traditional white tennis ball – which unlike the Wimbledon Championship match ball is produced on home territory.
Lotto’s focus includes sponsorship of Spanish tennis star Juan Carlos Ferrero, becoming the Official Technical Sponsor of the “Juan Carlos Ferrero Equelite Tennis Academy”. The brand’s new Magma line is aimed at supporting the athlete during play, with Nano Dry Tech fabric for rapid, continual drying of perspiration and total breathability via elasticated mesh inserts.
The GEL-Resolution from Asics is a top-level shoe for the professional, launched for 2007 as a futuristic and fashionable men's version. Light and extremely comfortable due to the tennis-specific I.G.S. system, the Gel-Resolution offers great traction, flexibility and cushioning with both good lateral and torsional support. A slightly thinner midsole results in a lower point of gravity offering even greater stability. Solyte midsole material maintains the cushioning properties.
So to squash, where Hi-Tec's great tradition is highlighted by David Palmer’s recent victory in the Al-Ahram World Open Squash Championship wearing the Vortex C. For 2007 the brand is focussing on V-Lite Vertical Build Technology, their ultralightweight build concept. The mens Vlite Ether has a super lightweight micro fibre upper and dual density EVA midsole, non-slip heel lining, TPU shank for rigidity, antibacterial lining and dual density MDT outsole.
Dunlop's four-year sponsorship of the British Open Squash Championships reinforces a reputation as the racket chosen by 40% of the world's top players. Dunlop is also the exclusive official ball and racket of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and its World Tour, official ball of the World Squash Federation (WSF), the Women's International Squash Association (WISPA) and England Squash.
Sport England has identified badminton (regarded as the second most popular participation sport in the world) as a priority focus following huge success at the Commonwealth and Olympic games. Badminton England, the official governing body, is raising awareness with National Badminton Week from 15-22 October. As part of the promotion, Forza Badminton UK teamed up with England star Tracey Hallam to produce a special edition pink racket and shirt as it will also be Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Profits will be donated to Cancer Research UK.
