WILSON SPORTING GOODS AND ROGER FEDERER DEBUT
NEW PRO STAFF RF 97 AUTOGRAPH RACKET
Athlete-Brand Collaboration Creates an Iconic Design…Finally Giving the “Tuxedo” Its Shirt
CHICAGO, June 18, 2018 – Wilson Advisory Staff Member and tennis icon Roger Federer and Wilson Sporting Goods Co., revealed today the new Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph racket. The new racket, with the addition of vibrant, yet elegant, classic white accents at the three and nine o’clock positions, introduces the design concept of performance-enhancing graphics to the brand’s performance rackets. Wilson LABS, the innovation hub at Wilson, used the stark contrast of Classic White on an all-black racket frame to introduce a new level of visual acuity to the racket when it is in motion.
“I think this new racket looks very iconic, and classic, yet seems to jump off the court in a very recognizable way,” said Roger Federer. “My last racket featured a tuxedo-style look, so now, with the addition of white, I can finally say that my ‘tuxedo,’ has its shirt. I love the way it looks and feels.”
ABOUT THE NEW PRO STAFF RF 97 AUTOGRAPH RACKET
The addition of white was a key design decision, as both Roger Federer and the team of Wilson innovators wanted to distill and simplify, even further, the clean look of his previous racket. However, any change needed to have a purpose. The collaboration landed on using Classic White to enhance the visual acuity of the new racket when in motion.
The inside throat of the new Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph rackets carries a more prominent Roger Federer signature. And the outside throat features a matching Wilson logo in Classic White and the Pro Staff franchise name, which has been laser etched into the racket in silver chrome lettering.
The Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph racket will be available for pre-sale via tennis specialty retailers (in-store and online) and on www.wilson.com starting today. The racket will be available for purchase in-store and online worldwide on July 1. The MRP for the new Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph is $249.00 (US).
In July, Wilson will also introduce additional products that have been co-designed with Roger Federer and complement his new Pro Staff racket, including a 12-Pack Tour Bag and a Backpack. The MRP for each bag is $149.99 (US).
