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106 on the bounce
While tennis rackets at the Wimbledon Championships will come in all colours and technological variations, the balls at Wimbledon will be as consistent as they have been for the past 105 years, which is the length of time Slazenger has been the official supplier of tennis balls to the Championships. The All England Lawn Tennis Club claims it is the longest partnership in sporting goods history.
Slazenger started supplying the balls in 1902, and for its 106th year in 2009, the brand will be delivering no less than 52,000 ‘Wimbledon 2009' branded balls for the tournament.
"It is a large quantity of balls," says Slazenger's Jamie Douglas with a degree of under-statement. "They are manufactured to the highest standard and there is a great deal of quality control - each ball is hand selected - so it is a very big operation. The balls are made to a very high specification to ensure there is minimal variation between them.
Slazenger, which remains the UK's market-leading ball brand, is running a consumer promotion at Wimbledon this year. Wimbledon balls will be on sale in the IMG-run merchandise outlet at the Championships, and anyone who finds a white ball in their can will win a pair of debenture tickets for the 2010 Championships.
