New Racket Collaboratively Designed with Dimitrov to Offer Classic, Pure Pro Staff Feel and Unparalleled Precision + Spin for Attacking-Style Players
CHICAGO, August 17, 2015 – Wilson Sporting Goods Co., announced today it has re-signed Grigor Dimitrov, one of the youngest ATP World Tour players currently in the Top 20 world rankings, to its Wilson Advisory Staff. Wilson Labs, the innovation hub of Wilson, and Dimitrov worked collaboratively over the past two years on a new Pro Staff racket designed to enhance the performance of his aggressive, attacking-style of play. The result of this work is the Pro Staff 97S, which will debut at tennis retailers worldwide in October.
“We have enjoyed a long relationship with Grigor and are very pleased he will continue to be a part of our prolific Advisory Staff,” said Hans-Martin Reh, General Manager of Wilson Racquet Sports. “Grigor has extreme natural talent, and we worked with him to develop a racket that would enhance that talent on court, while matching his dedication, work ethic and ambition. We believe the Pro Staff 97S offers the best combination of precision and spin – lethal attributes for an attacking player.”
“Wilson really listened to me as we developed this racket. The team studied how I play and talked with me about what I need from my racket,” said Dimitrov. “I appreciate the commitment the Wilson team had to making the racket perfect, precise to my needs, and my style. This is what makes them a great partner. I couldn’t be prouder of this racket and to continue my relationship with the brand.”
Dimitrov climbed as high as eighth in the world rankings shortly after reaching the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2014. As the most successful male tennis player to come out of Bulgaria, Dimitrov has claimed four titles in his young career.
Dimitrov debuted his new Pro Staff 97S at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. on August 3.
ABOUT THE PRO STAFF 97S
The Wilson Pro Staff 97S is designed for the competitive attacking-style, or “Attacker,” player, per the Wilson Player ID system. The racket offers hallmark features of the Pro Staff franchise, including pure, classic, and consistent feel, and fuses them with the best spin technology available to players today, the Company’s patented Spin Effect Technology. This technology allows players to produce significantly more spin without changing their swing. Additionally, the racket’s braided construction dampens vibration and enhances touch and control.
The Pro Staff franchise is one of the most popular in the tennis industry and has been played in 200+ Grand Slam victories. In 2014, Wilson introduced an evolved set of Pro Staff rackets that were reimagined by Wilson Labs with the insight and help of 17-time Grand Slam champion and long-time Wilson Advisory Staff Member Roger Federer.
The Pro Staff 97S will be available at specialty retailers and on www.wilson.com on October 1, 2015.
ABOUT THE WILSON PLAYERID SYSTEM
The Wilson PlayerID system allows tennis players to easily identify the appropriate Wilson racket model based on their individual style of play.
Through extensive player research, Wilson identified three core playing styles in relation to the modern tennis game:
o Baseliner – the player who battles from the baseline with consistency and speed
o Attacker – the player who attacks the ball early to dictate play inside the baseline
o All-Courter – a versatile player, who hits from all corners of the court
After identifying which playing style they belong to, athletes can quickly narrow their racket search by model type and weight. Every performance racket for Wilson will correspond with one of the three playing style segments, streamlining the racket selection process and ensuring a player’s equipment is best suited for his or her style of play.
ABOUT WILSON
Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a subsidiary of Amer Sports, is the world’s leading manufacturer of sports equipment, apparel and accessories. Wilson is the global leader in performance tennis and uses player insights to develop products that push tennis equipment innovation into new territories. Through its dedication to creating products that enable athletes at every level to perform at their best, Wilson has earned its place as a leader in sporting goods for over a century.
Pros often customize the rackets they use, including string patterns. Consumer racket specifications may vary from models customized by Pros for match-play.
