Page 61 - Tennis Magazine April 2019
P. 61
Kevin Anderson’s late-career success has been a delight to Dunlop,
which he signed with in 2014. Serena Williams, runner-up at two
Grand Slams in 2018, continues to take her Wilson racquets into the
later rounds of the game’s biggest events.
Wilson’s partnerships with Federer Babolat Canada before that. When season’s year-end Top 10, with the
and the Williams sisters are other we can do that, we can build that exceptions being Sloane Stephens,
famous examples. relationship and hope they can stay Naomi Osaka and Daria Kasatkina—
McKinley and Verborg—who also with us their entire career.” using frames from Head, Yonex and
works with Nadal, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Among the players that ended Tecnifibre, respectively. Those three
and Caroline Wozniacki—will be 2018 inside the ATP Top 10, the one players have been among the WTA’s
attending some of the most presti- that most recently switched racquet breakout performers over the past
gious events on the ITF junior circuit manufacturers was Kevin Anderson. two years, winning multiple titles
The South African, and, in the case of Stephens and
who has reached Osaka, Grand Slam trophies.
“They’re trying to fi nd Grand Slam finals in As they continue their ascents in
any edge, and it’s our each the past two the sport, could these rising stars be
years, signed with lured away from the racquets that
job as their equipment Dunlop in 2014 after helped get them to where they are
playing with Head. now? It’s a purely hypothetical
partner to help them Like his longtime question, but one that will very likely
with that.” rival John Isner, be asked someday.
Anderson is the sole Each of those players are young
representative for a enough to be able to go through an
to look for the next generation of particular racquet brand in the adjustment period, if needed. They
potential racquet relationships. upper reaches of the tour rank- may not switch racquets at all. But if
“It’s better for us when we can ings. In Isner’s case, the top-ranked there are any concerns about making
AP; GETTY IMAGES did with Nadal,” McKinley said. Prince throughout his entire career. to Agassi and Djokovic for proof that
sign those players young, like we
American has been playing with
a successful transition, they can look
a new frame can really work out in
“Felix, he’s been with us internation-
On the WTA tour, Babolat and
the long run.
ally since he was 12, and even with
Wilson frames permeated last
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