Prince Sports, Inc. announced it is the official racquet, footwear, apparel and ball supplier of the SAP Open, Northern California's premier mens professional tennis tournament. As part of this three-year agreement, the SAP Open will become the first professional ATP tournament in the United States to use Prince tennis balls in match play, according to George Napier, CEO of Prince.
“We have admired this first-class event for years and are delighted and privileged to be a part of it,” said Napier. “The SAP Open will serve as a comprehensive showcase for the Prince brand. Our entire line of tennis products will be on display, including new racquet technology and footwear offerings. We will also unveil the new Prince Tournament tennis ball in San Jose. We entered the tennis ball market in Europe last year and have been planning to break into the US market with a proprietary product and the right launching pad. We have developed a unique, high-end performance tennis ball for the US market, just what you would expect from Prince. Launching the new ball strategically, in conjunction with this prestigious, high-end professional event, is the way to establish immediate credibility. It is also a natural extension for our brand and fits with our mission to be the premier, complete tennis company.”
“Were pleased and excited to partner with Prince, a highly respected company with a rich history of innovation and leadership in the tennis marketplace,” said SAP Open Tournament Director Bill Rapp. “Princes recently expanded tennis line outfits players from head to toe with racquets, footwear, apparel, accessories and, now, the Prince tennis ball.”
A key component of this partnership will include outfitting tournament officials, volunteers, ballkids – as well as the entire tournament staff – with Prince apparel and footwear. In addition, fans will have the opportunity to purchase Prince tennis equipment, balls and apparel throughout the tournament week.
