Looking for the champions of tomorrowLongines Future Tennis Aces 2012
As official partner for Roland-Garros, Longines is looking for the champions of tomorrow through the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament. In line with its tradition, the brand strengthens its commitment to supporting youth through sport. This year, 16 girls will do their best to qualify for the final of this tournament and be lucky enough to take part in an exhibition match with tennis legend and Longines Ambassador of Elegance Stefanie Graf.
And to wind up the event in style, Longines will have the honour of presenting the Longines Prize for Elegance at a gala dinner, held at the Palais Chaillot. This prize is a tribute to the commitment of a personality or of an association to helping the most disadvantaged in our society.
On the strength of its previous experience and in line with the values it has always upheld, Longines is this year again official partner and timekeeper for the French Open at Roland-Garros. The famous Swiss watchmaker, who celebrates in 2012 its 180th anniversary, is looking to the future and promoting youth through sport by organising the Longines Future Tennis Aces. This tournament is aimed at promoting sport and encouraging the values of respect, fair play and tolerance which the brand holds dear. Longines has invited 16 girls under the age of thirteen from every corner of the world – Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America – to take part in this tournament in Paris.
These budding tennis champions, who have been selected by the tennis federation of their own country, will compete over 2 days to try to quality for the final, which will be held in the morning on June 9th. After the final, the winner will be presented with a cup by a representative of the French Tennis Federation, and both finalists will receive an annual bursary of 2000 $ to pay for their sports equipment until their 16th birthday. Moreover, the young finalists will have the opportunity to measure their skills against Stefanie Graf, former world number one and winner of the women’s singles at Roland-Garros in 1986, 1987 and 1989, in an exceptional exhibition match that will be played on court no. 7 at Roland-Garros. The children will then have an opportunity to be photographed with Stefanie Graf, Longines Ambassador of Elegance, just before the press conference that will be held in the Tennis Museum at Roland-Garros.
This day of dreams and action will finish with a charity dinner held at the Palais Chaillot during which the Swiss watchmaker will have the honour of presenting an award to a personality or to an association as a tribute of its work in favour of the most disadvantaged in our society. In presenting the Longines Prize for Elegance, the brand aims to reward people who have shown true elegance of spirit.
Longines will also be using the French Open to present a model of The Longines Saint-Imier Collection, its latest line that has been inspired by the origins of the brand’s watchmaking tradition.The sleek lines and the distinctive lugs provide this model with a subtle balance between classical and contemporary design. With a diameter of 41 mm, this chronograph is fitted with a column-wheel movement L688, developed and produced exclusively for Longines. Its case in steel displays a black dial. This sporty yet elegant model is fitted with a steel bracelet.