Swing Racquet + Paddle (Swing), coming to Raleigh, NC in 2024 and announced a partnership with the Good to Great Tennis Academy. Over the past month, Swing has reported it joined forces with Wilson Sporting Goods and celebrity chef Fabio Viviani.
“We are so excited to announce this blockbuster partnership with GTG Tennis Academy,” said Rob Autry, founder and CEO of Swing Racquet + Paddle. “Their passion for the game and reputation for developing amazing tennis players on and off the court is well known across the industry. I can’t think of a partner better suited to help attract the best coaches and players to Swing and achieve our goal of transforming the racquet and paddle sports experience.”
The strategic partnership will include GTG founders Magnus Norman, Nicklas Kulti and Mikael Tillström, providing foundational expertise in developing a GTG co-branded tennis academy. The GTG coaching model products include Stan Wawrinka, three-time Grand Slam winner and former World No. 3; Rebecca Peterson and Grigor Dimitrov, former World No. 3 in singles and the highest-ranked Bulgarian player.
Swing will operate the academy as part of a larger racquet sports concept at its 45-acre flagship campus in Raleigh, NC, and establish a North American base for GTG.
“We cannot wait to bring our brand and knowledge to a new market,” said Mikael Tillström, Founding Partner of GTG. “We have been waiting to take on a project outside Sweden, and this concept and facility are very impressive. We are excited to work with Swing.”
Coaches and key Swing staff will regularly visit GTG in Sweden for training. The GTG team will instill the brand’s philosophy for player development and provide insights and operating knowledge toward running a tennis school. The partnership will also include co-branded merchandise and apparel.
“In addition to training some of the best tennis players in the world, the GTG team delivers an inclusive experience that addresses the needs of beginners, recreational players and aspiring high performers. They have also worked through many of the pain points associated with facilities, memberships, court occupancy and player experience,” said Jason DeGroff, president of Swing Racquet + Paddle. “We look to lean on their experience and knowledge to hit the ground running as one of the best sports facilities in the world.”
The Swing campus will offer tennis, pickleball, padel, ping pong, and beach tennis courts side-by-side with retail for all levels and food and beverage. The flagship location is touted as the largest multi-racquet sports facility worldwide.
