About Eric Babolat
In 2012, Eric Babolat presented the "Play & Connect" prototype racquet at Roland Garros, describing it as "la première raquette communicante" (the first communicating racquet). He stated that the racquet would allow players to obtain information about their game, improve their play, and share data with others via a community platform. Babolat noted that the company had explained the project to the tennis community in January and had tested it with a professional player in February. He outlined next steps, including making prototypes available to development teams in September 2012 for testing with academies, professional players, and amateurs worldwide, with a goal of launching a product in 2013.
In a separate overview of Babolat's history, Eric Babolat stated that the company was founded in 1875 by his great-great-grandfather, who invented the first tennis string. He noted that his father entered the racquet industry in 1994, and that he himself decided to launch a range of apparel and footwear in 2003. Babolat also remarked on the company's practice of signing young players, saying, "We signed Rodic when he was 16. Kener is at 13. Nadal at 11."
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Eric Babolat's recent appearances.
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Transcript (1 segments)
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Eric Babolat0:06
Babolat and Wimbledon are great tennis brands with a strong shared history, starting in 1875 for Babolat and 1877 for Wimbledon. Both brands have appealed to tennis lovers worldwide, making history and looking forward to a bright future. My first tennis and Wimbledon memories are linked to my grandfather Paul, who was head of Babolat. I spent weekends at his house with a tennis court, and at the same time Bjorn Borg was the king of Wimbledon. I remember the famous picture of Bjorn Borg's knee after his Wimbledon victory, which connects tennis, my family, and my grandfather. My favorite Wimbledon moment is Nadal's first victory in 2008 against Federer, a fantastic match I had the chance to stop on court due to rain, leading to an unexpected win that was great for Nadal and tennis history. Another important memory is when I was a student stringing rackets at tournaments for Babolat, working with Japanese stringers who were so happy they wouldn't stop working. I also had the unique experience of being invited to the Royal Box by Wimbledon, where I was welcomed wonderfully. The partnership between Babolat and Wimbledon means a lot for the future, offering a fantastic opportunity to share the energies of the game with tennis lovers worldwide, especially younger audiences discovering the game. Wimbledon is different from other Grand Slams because it's the oldest, the origin of tennis, and more than a tournament—it's a meaningful brand known even to non-tennis lovers, with tradition and innovation. The return of Wimbledon life will be celebrated by Babolat by supporting and bringing the experience to tennis lovers worldwide through partnerships with clubs, making it accessible even for those who can't be there. We also have a tradition of a Wimbledon lunch with our teams, with strawberries, to make them live the experience. The future of the Babolat-Wimbledon partnership is to grow tennis love among lovers worldwide all year long, making the Wimbledon experience valuable for current and younger audiences through this fantastic association of brands.
