This year in tennis history has already become one of the most memorable to date, with players breaking records on-tour and industry innovators propelling the sport to the next level of greatness that will have lasting effects for all.
Nearing the end of the season, new champions have become the face of tennis, lifting coveted trophies throughout the world in various destinations; new faces and familiar ones have made their mark within the Volkl tennis family, proving their excellence on the court as well as off it and cementing themselves as ambassadors for tennis.
It is the 100th anniversary of Volkl first acting as a leader within the sports industry, emerging on the scene as an innovator initially (really a mover and shaker) in skiing before propelling itself into the tennis circle 50 years after that. Franz Volkl was the founder of Volkl, and in 1923 started producing boats and sleds before his son took the helm of the family-run business in the early ‘50s, unveiling a plan which took the ski industry by storm.
Over the past century, Volkl has proven itself as one of the leading providers of ski and tennis-centric equipment to elite and recreational individuals (including Olympic medalists) from all different athletic backgrounds. At this year’s US Open, the main theme centered on the 50th anniversary of rolling out equal prize money awarded to men and women at a Grand Slam. The WTA also ran a complementary media campaign on the tour’s formation that same year in 1973, a time that shaped the future of women’s sports. Volkl players like Sabrina Santamaria, a former All-American for USC and NCAA champ with fellow Volkl player Kaitlyn Christian, have felt the ripple effects of both Title IX and the fight for equal prize money initiated by Billie Jean King.
VOLKL: A RACQUET BRAND FOR ALL
The first-ever Zebra racquet graced the tennis market in the early 1970s at a time when carefully-crafted composite racquets were deemed a rare gem. Since their initial launch, Volkl racquets have combined durable German engineering with value-focused technology that embodies innovation: from unveiling the big grommet system in each frame to the catapult tech to a grip vibration dampening system, all of which are specifically designed for each Volkl racquet.
A Volkl racquet has been in the hands of champions throughout the years. Six-time Grand Slam Champion and Wimbledon champ at the tender age of 17, Boris Becker later became a Volkl ambassador and has been a significant proponent in advancing the brand to where it stands today.
After retiring from professional tennis, John McEnroe switched to the C10 Pro; the eight- time Grand Slam singles champion was also an ‘80s great’ and hall-of-famer. The aggressive style of play of later serve-and-volleyers such as Australian Open champion Petr Korda and later on, American standout Taylor Dent, both Volkl players, were reminiscent of Becker and McEnroe’s style of play.
Fast-forward to the modern day, and Volkl Tennis has a line of racquets that remain in the hands of thousands of players of all different levels from all over the globe -- from touring professionals to weekend warriors to even beginners.
It’s evident that there’s a Volkl racquet for every kind of player in the newest line released in conjunction with the brand’s anniversary (built with the highest grade of Japanese carbon fiber blended with the mastery of German Engineering). Whether a player seeks more control or power, there is a racquet for everyone: the V-Cell 1 generates the most power while the V-Cell 10 320g gives a player more control over their play, and there are many in between.
Stay tuned for future product launches in the coming months.
