MELBOURNE, Australia — The planets were aligned for an evening filled with Yonex stars, local juniors, partners, and fans Down Under at “Game, Set, Galaxy” on the eve of the 2019 Australian Open.
The evening kicked off with Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley speaking about Yonex’s renewed partnership as the Official Stringer of the Australian Open.
“Players with Yonex racquets are lucky,” said Tiley. “You are going to have the best strings onsite.”
Not only do the players have the highest-quality string, but they have the top racquet technicians in the sport handling each re-string. The Yonex Stringing Team is already on pace to string a Grand Slam record of racquets, with 2,210 re-strings recorded before the start of the main draw.
Each player took the stage to reflect on their 2018 season and preview the year ahead. Australia's Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova were at ease and looking forward to playing at home in front of their own fans. Kyrgios, a crowd favorite at the Australian Open, talked about his blockbuster matchup in the first round.
“That’ why you play the sport,” said Kyrgios. “You play to play the best players in the world on the biggest stage.
Next Gen stars Denis Shapovalov (CAN), Frances Tiafoe (USA), and Jaume Munar (ESP) represented the up-and-coming young talents, while Naomi Osaka (JPN) and Stan Wawrinka (SUI) took the stage as former Grand Slam Champions
VCORE players, including Monica Puig (PUR), Donna Vekic (CRO), Caroline Garcia (FRA), Eugenie Bouchard (CAN), Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN), also took the stage and shared their success stories with the new VCORE, which launched last summer. — Puig, the 2016 Rio Olympics Gold Medalist, was especially excited, as her new head-to-toe apparel partnership with Yonex was revealed.
The best was saved for last, as the VCORE in Galaxy Black was debuted in the final hour. As racquets dropped down from the ceiling, Angelique Kerber (GER) took the stage to talk about her relationship with Yonex and her thoughts on her new racquet.
“It’s a great racquet,” said Kerber. I’ve been playing with Yonex since I was a kid. For me it’s an honor to be a part of the Yonex family.”
The new VCORE in Galaxy Black will be available worldwide on February 22.