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Boulder, Colorado — Babolat, leading tennis equipment manufacturer, and Team Babolat player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France, #6 ATP), hosted a special event to celebrate the Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation (GMTEF) on March 21 during the Sony Ericsson Open. The event included a special donation from Babolat of junior-specific products including racquets and footwear along with tennis balls to support GMTEF’s programs for youth.

“Tennis runs in our blood and we continuously look for opportunities to bring the sport to more people,” said Jérôme Pin, Managing Director of Babolat USA. “The Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation mission aligns with our dedication to supporting local tennis programs and junior players, so everyone can enjoy tennis as much as we do.”

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga presented a donation on behalf of Babolat to representatives from GMTEF and an audience of kids participating in its Adopt-A-Player program. Following the presentation, the kids had the opportunity to meet one of their tennis idols and play mini-tennis with him. “GMTEF is a great organization giving kids access to a lifetime sport, like tennis, who might otherwise not have the chance to play,” said Tsonga. “The skills I learned in my youth helped shape the player I am today and it’s an honor to provide that gift to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have this opportunity.”

The Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation has served over 33,000 youth from economically and socially challenged communities in Miami-Dade County since its inception in 1974. Its programs educate youth on the game of tennis and valuable life skills by establishing a pathway from beginner through competitive levels for junior players.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Babolat for providing students in our programs the opportunity to learn the game of tennis with high-quality products used by some of the industry’s top players,” said James Champion, Chairman of the Board, Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation. “Kids love having products used by their tennis idols, so it’s great to have Babolat’s support.”

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA AND BABOLAT

ABOUT GREATER MIAMI TENNIS & EDUCATION FOUNDATION

The Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation (GMTEF) originated in 1974 to introduce tennis to youth who otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn the sport. Since 1974, over 33,000 youth have had the opportunity to learn tennis and valuable life skills by participating in its free, affordable programs. The organization’s mission is to develop, organize and conduct education, tennis awareness and skills development programs for youth from economically and socially challenged communities in Miami-Dade County. GMTEF is committed to helping participants become well-rounded individuals by focusing on character development, self-esteem, and academic achievement. For more information, visit gmtef.org.

ABOUT BABOLAT

Created in 1875, in Lyon, France, Babolat is the oldest international company specialized in tennis. Babolat is today number 1 in tennis racquet sales in the United States, France, Spain, Italy and Japan. Family-run for five generations, Babolat is an expert and innovative brand in the tennis sector providing complete technical equipment for tennis players: racquets, strings, shoes, bags, apparel, accessories and balls. The brand provides strings and racquets for numerous tennis players including Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Li Na and Andy Roddick (who also plays with Babolat shoes). Website: babolat.com / Facebook.com/Babolat