Babolat Reinforces Commitment to Grassroots
December 1, 2010
Boulder, Colorado — Babolat, leading manufacturer of tennis equipment, announces the company has reinforced its commitment to grassroots tennis by extending the partnership with the largest senior-level tournament in the world—the Babolat World Tennis Classic. 2011 marks the first year of a new three-year title sponsorship agreement for this USTA Super Category II event. The 2011 Babolat World Tennis Classic will take place January 23-30, 2011, at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.
Each year, the Babolat World Tennis Classic sets the benchmark as the largest senior tournament in the world. Tournament Directors Ed Trost and Jayne Robertson welcomed a record 780 players from 35 states and several foreign countries in 2010. Trost comments, “To have the premier racquet and string manufacturer support the largest senior event in the world clearly indicates Babolat’s recognition of senior tennis as an important element in growing the game’s popularity. Working with the people at Babolat has been nothing short of fantastic and we look forward to having them support our event for many years to come.”
“Grassroots tennis at all levels is an important aspect of our marketing efforts,” says Susan DiBiase, marketing director of Babolat USA. “These players are key influencers in their local regions and strong brand ambassadors. Sponsoring the Babolat World Tennis Classic demonstrates our commitment to our players and tennis communities around the U.S.”
FEATURED BABOLAT PLAYER
Dougal Williams, winner of the 2010 Babolat World Tennis Classic men’s 35 championship, returns to defend his title in January. Williams plays with the Babolat Pure Storm Tour racquet, VS Natural Gut strings and Team Line 12x bag.
As captain of the USTA Men’s World Championship Team, Williams competed for the U.S. in the 2010 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Senior World Team Championships—the team came in third. Bringing a new dimension to the tournament, Williams blogged live from the event, offering insights and commentary. Fans received updates, photos and play-by-play action each day of the event. Watch for Williams at the 2011 Babolat World Tennis Classic.
BABOLAT RACQUETS FOR ALL LEVELS
Men, women and juniors can find the best Babolat racquet suited for their game. Debuting in 2010, the Babolat Y105 and Y109 offer the same benefits as the rest of the Y range—optimal power in every swing and absolute precision in every shot—but now come in a smaller head size for even more power and control. The Aero range—enhanced in 2010 with exclusive Babolat GT technology, a customized performance booster—offers two new models to the line. For baseline players looking for more maneuverability with power and spin, the Aeropro Team is a great option. The Aeropro Lite offers ladies and high-level juniors a lightweight racquet providing extra spin.
For more details about the Babolat World Tennis Classic, please visit: babolatworldtennisclassic.com/
ABOUT BABOLAT
Founded in Lyon, France, in 1875, Babolat is the first company to have specialized in racquet sports and the world leader in the production of natural gut strings. Easily recognized by its trademark “double-line” (two stripes on the racquet frame and black on the stringing bed), Babolat is still family-owned. Today, with U.S. operations in Boulder, Colorado, the company also manufactures synthetic strings, shoes, accessories and a best-selling line of racquets. Babolat equips 20% of the top 100 players in the ATP and WTA including Rafael Nadal (SPAIN, #1! ATP), Andy Roddick (USA, #8 ATP), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRANCE, #13 ATP), Caroline Wozniacki (DENMARK, #1! WTA), Kim Clijsters (BELGIUM, #3 WTA), Francesca Schiavone (ITALY, #7 WTA) and Samantha Stosur (AUSTRALIA, #6 WTA). To find out where Babolat products are sold, log on to babolat.com or call (877) 316-9435.