Home » TIMag.com news » Accessories » 2008 U.S Open Sets the Stage for Introductions of Prince Bag Collections

2008 U.S Open Sets the Stage for Introductions of Prince Bag Collections

Bordentown, NJ, U.S.A – July 29, 2008 -– At the end of August, the world’s greatest tennis players and most passionate fans will descend on New York City for two weeks of feverish, world-class tennis action. With all eyes on The Big Apple, the U.S Open brings out the very best tennis has to offer, and player equipment is no exception. To that end, Prince, maker of the sport’s leading O3 racquets, will use the Grand Slam event to lift the cover off its new line of advanced performance racquet bags.

Fans lucky enough to see matches live, as well as those following on television and online, will see Prince’s new bags carried over the shoulders of all Team Prince athletes - with the introduction of the Prince Pro Team 100 line and the new Sharapova Collection inspired by superstar and three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova.

Pro Team 100 Collection:
Developed using input from the company’s growing roster of touring pros, juniors and top coaches from around the world, the new Pro Team 100 will be the official bag line of Team Prince players. Sporting a smooth silhouette featuring athletic piping and rich, patent leather accents, the Pro Team 100 are durable bags packed with advanced performance features. Each bag in the line will come fully-loaded with easy access curved openings, top-quality zippers, finishes and plush padded straps for added comfort and will be made available in two distinct color options – black and green and black and white. While both will have a sleek, classic black base color, one version will feature - for the first time ever - the Prince logo in its updated green colorway accented by silver paneling. The other version will feature a classic white Prince logo with white accents on the straps and underside. The Pro Team 100 collection comes in a triple, six and twelve-pack racquet bag – rounded out by a locker bag, wheeled duffle and backpack. Both the six and twelve-pack contain a thermal foil lining crucial for increased protection and temperature control.

For Prince’s team of ATP and WTA touring pros, the racquet each player uses will dictate which version of the bag he or she carries. Those playing the O3 Speedport Black, O3 Speedport White, O3 Speedport Pro White or O3 White will carry the black/white version, while those playing the Ozone Tour, Ozone Pro Tour, O3 Hybrid Tour, and all other O3 models will carry the green/black version. To catch a sneak peek of the new Pro Team 100 line, fans should keep their eyes peeled for Nikolay Davydenko, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Sam Querrey, Mike and Bob Bryan and Jelena Jankovic - all of whom will carry their Pro Team 100 bags in events prior to New York. In fact, Jankovic, who plays with the O3 Speedport Pro White, and currently sits at the doorstep of the world’s #1 ranking, will be the first woman on tour to sport the black/white bag.

“My life is pretty much packed into my racquet bag – it is my most valuable piece of luggage,” said Jankovic. “Whether in my hotel room, heading to an early morning workout or in the middle of a night match at the U.S Open, wherever I am, my racquet bag is usually with me so it has to be able to withstand what tennis players put it through, but also look great on court. I love the look and design of this bag line - and am proud and excited to be one of the first to carry the black/white version on tour.”

According to Bob Bryan,”Mike and I have had a bunch of racquet bags over the years, and this new Pro Team bag ranks up there as one of our favorite, not only in terms of overall look, but also because of the extra attention Prince spent on durability and overall comfort.”

Maria Sharapova Set to Debut Her New Bag Collection at the Open:
In addition to Prince’s new Pro Team 100 line, the new Sharapova Collection will make its debut at the 2008 U.S Open when the world’s most recognized female athlete, Maria Sharapova, takes to the court to vie for her fourth Grand Slam title, carrying a piece from her new line. As one of the most followed players in the game and a trendsetter both on and off the court, fans and media wait with bated breath every year to see what she will wear on court in New York City. Inspired by Maria herself, the new Sharapova Collection will showcase the twenty-one year old’s classic elegance through a striking, clean, all-white bag with black Prince logo and accents. Available in a triple and six-pack, both bags in the Collection will also feature the iconic Sharapova seal embroidered into the side of the bag.

“The U.S Open is tennis’ biggest stage. The City comes even more alive for those two weeks, with all eyes fixated on Flushing Meadows so it is the perfect place for us to introduce the world to the new collection,” said Maria. “It is always fun to sit with the expert team at Prince and put our heads together to plan, develop and execute new products. Of course my new racquet bag is coordinated with what I will wear on court at the Open, but because of its classic color scheme and clean, simple lines, it looks amazing with nearly every tennis outfit – giving female players a chic looking bag with incredible function. The fans in New York expect to see the very best in terms of performance and that is exactly what I intend to show them both in play and equipment.”

Both the Pro Team 100* line and the new Sharapova Collection bags will be in stores in the United States starting September 15, 2008 – making them available to all players shortly after the conclusion of the 2008 U.S Open.

*Green version only; the black/white version will available starting November 15, 2008

Fans can log onto www.princetennis.com, www.mariasharapova.com or check out the “Prince Products” page on Facebook in coming days for more images, pricing and availability information on the new Pro Team 100 and Sharapova Collections.

About Prince Sports, Inc. Prince Sports, Inc, based in New Jersey, is a company of racquet sports enthusiasts whose goal is to create cutting edge, functional and technically advanced products that deliver performance benefits for avid players. The Company’s portfolio of brands includes Prince (tennis, squash and badminton), Ektelon (racquetball) and Viking (platform/paddle tennis). The Company has a history of innovation including inventing the first “oversize” and “longbody” racquets, the first “Natural Foot Shape” tennis shoe, the first “synthetic gut” string and the first electronic ball machine. Today, Prince markets leading technologies in racquets (O3), string (Recoil), footwear (Precision Tube Technology) and apparel (Aerotech). It has operations on three continents with distribution in over 100 countries. For more information on players, products or programs please visit www.princesports.com.

Posted on July 29, 2008
Permalink