Looking for the champions of tomorrow at the 2018 Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament
Looking for the champions of tomorrow at the 2018 Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament
This year, the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament takes a new dimension, as the event will welcome 40 international young players, reuniting both the girls and the boys at the same time.
This unique event will take place from May 31 to June 2, 2018 at the very heart of the French capital, under the Eiffel Tower. Longines offers the opportunity to these promising athletes, coming from 20 different countries – Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States – to compete under conditions identical to those of Roland-Garros, under the patronage of Spain’s Alex Corretja and Arantxa Sanchez, as well as Longines Ambassadors of Elegance Stefanie Graf and Andre Agassi.
Tonight, the players were officially presented to the public and the press during the lucky draw ceremony, which was held at the Eiffel Tower. On this occasion and to mark this exceptional edition, the brand was proud to present the players with Conquest Roland Garros timepieces, specially designed to celebrate the prestigious Paris tournament’s clay court.
This year, the extraordinary surroundings of the Eiffel Tower will host the ninth edition of the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament. It is the first time that the competition will bring together the girls and the boys, all aged under 13 years old, to take part in their respective tournament. They all have been selected by their tennis federation to represent their countries – Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States – and will have the opportunity to compete on clay court under the same conditions of Roland-Garros, of which Longines has been the Official Partner and Timekeeper since 2007.
Prior to the tournament, the young players were able to practice on clay court over a two-day camp – the “Longines Academy” – coached by experienced players. Indeed, retired French tennis player Séverine Beltrame supervised the girls’ team with the support of Frédéric Décamps, while Belgium’s Christophe Rochus, also former professional tennis player, and Rémi Barbarin gave valuable advice to boys’ team to approach the upcoming matches in the best conditions. In addition to being an opportunity for these talented players to measure themselves at an international level, the 2018 Longines Future Tennis Aces winners will receive a Longines timepiece, as well as the tournament’s trophy. Last but not least, they will be granted an annual bursary until their sixteenth birthdays, and have the pleasure to take part in an exhibition match with Longines Ambassadors of Elegance Stefanie Graf and Andre Agassi, after the final, which take place on Saturday June 2nd.