Ana signs landmark Yonex agreement

January 12, 2008 /

Ana has signed potentially the biggest racket endorsement deal in the history of tennis. The 20-year-old has agreed a four-year contract with Yonex and will use the Japanese manufacturer’s products immediately.“I’m delighted to join Yonex,” said Ana. “I spent a lot of time testing their rackets and I was thrilled to discover that they add something to my game. “It was the first time I was trying new rackets, and it was a great feeling to be able to play so well with them. I’m very excited about playing with this new racket.”Ana will become the global face of the brand and will play with the black RQiS-1 TOUR racket. She will also use Yonex accessories, such as racket thermos and grips. Both Ana’s rackets and bag will have her name written/embroidered on.“We are very excited to have Ana in our team,” said Yonex International Division General Manager Wataru Hirokawa. “Yonex always demands young prospective players who can win Grand Slam titles and capture the No.1 ranking. We believe that Ana is the one who can do that in the very near future.“Ana is not only a great athlete with strong passion on-court but she is keen to study finance at university; she always wants to improve herself. Passion on court and intelligence off-court are characteristics that match our company image. Of course, she is also a very charming young woman.”Ana added: “I love visiting Asia, and I’m looking forward to spending more time in Japan thanks to this agreement. That’s another little thing that makes me very happy to sign this contract.”The agreement is the latest record-breaking deal for Ana: her adidas contract is believed to be one of the most lucrative since Steffi Graf’s retirement, while last summer she signed the biggest ever endorsement deal in Serbia.