Longines Tennis Children Tour of Dreams Setting out (Beijing, China)
April 12, 2009
Creating dreams and sowing the seeds of elegance, the “Longines Tennis Children Tour of Dreams” has officially started. World renowned watch brand Longines’ history is closely linked to that of sports timekeeping. As the official partner of the legendary Roland Garros tennis tournament since 2007, the brand has yet again reinforced its links with the world of tennis by choosing Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf as its Ambassadors of Elegance. The couple share the watch brand’s values of excellence, elegance, beauty and compassion, thus the perfect embodiment of Longines’ famous slogan “Elegance is an attitude”. By supporting the two tennis legends’ charities, Longines is demonstrating once again its humanitarian commitment. In this season of dreams, Longines China has launched the “Longines Tennis Children Tour of Dreams” which will enable talented tennis youths to demonstrate their talent and chase their dreams. Finally, in June, Longines will invite the two most outstanding young tennis players from China to the French Open of Roland Garros where they will have the fantastic opportunity to meet the two tennis legends, Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf and to play with them on the court.
Spring is the season to sow the seed of dreams. The “Longines Tennis Children Tour of Dreams” started in Beijing Oriental Plaza. As watch fans know, “Elegance is an Attitude” is the longstanding slogan of the world renowned watch brand Longines. Longines became the official partner of the French Open tennis tournament in 2007 and thus reinforced its longstanding links with the world of sport. This year, Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf will be present in Paris to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their respective victories at this prestigious tournament. It is the ideal opportunity for Longines, the watchmaker for which they are Ambassadors of Elegance, to organize the event of the year around these two tennis legends and their charity foundations. Among other things the program will include 8 challenges between the two champions and budding stars from over ten different countries.
Longines has thus launched a worldwide campaign for recruiting young talented tennis players for the 2009 French Open. 16 young champions (aged between 8 and 13) of various nationalities will have the opportunity to play tennis with tennis icons Agassi and Graf. After the tennis challenges, a press conference and gala evening which promises to be one series of superlatives will take place.
This is a once in a lifetime chance for two of China’s young tennis players! The China Association of Tennis will select two of its most talented, with the best overall skills in tennis and development potential to participate in this fabulous event.
Longines has launched in China the “Longines Tennis Children Tour of Dreams”, which will take place in cities such as Beijing, Chengdu, Taiyuan, Wuxi, Shanghai etc, This "Tour" will also promote the development of tennis in China and encourage children to demonstrate their talent in this realm and to pursue their dreams courageously. The children will be selected by the respective tennis associations of each city, all belonging to the top twenty tennis players from the age group of 8-13 in each city. During the Beijing event, Longines’ Ambassadors of Elegance, China men’s gymnastics team, Yang Wei, Xiaoqin，and Chen Yibing， along with renowned film star Tao Hong and Zhang Jun Ning have tested the Longines Smash Corner. They have demonstrated their tennis skills with the young tennis players, but also promoted an elegant attitude in sports. The two selected tennis children who have achieved the best results in the Longines Smash Corner have been awarded the "Longines Star of Dreams" trophy. Both will attend the “Longines Tennis Children Tour of Dreams” training camp and thus, have a fantastic opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Yang Wei and others players said that “tennis is an elegant sport which is comparable to Longines' unending pursuit of precision and elegance. The "Longines Tennis Children Tour of Dreams" event encourages children to be stronger, hardworking, confident and able to chase their dreams, which is a philosophy which will help them during their entire lives. We can feel that the generosity, compassion and care which were displayed during the event were real. ”
Since the unveiling of the Longines Smash Corner at Beijing Oriental Plaza a week ago, people have had the opportunity to fully experience the elegance of tennis. Tennis lovers can now test their skills and receive accurate information about the speed of their service. Speed surpassing 160 kilometers per hour will receive a Longines bear or fashionable tennis accessories, while the most impressive player will be awarded with a Longines tennis ball signed by tennis stars. Furthermore, the area named “Longines 130 years history of sports timekeeping” allows observers to have a good knowledge of the brand, its milestones, and its longstanding connection with sports.
Longines can look back on more than 175 years of non-stop craftsmanship, as well as a solid heritage as timekeeper for world championships in various sports and collaborator with different international sports federations. The most elegant watch of its sports collection – Longines Admiral - recalls the prestigious dimension of sports where beauty, precision and elegance are of the utmost importance. It boasts an air of self-confidence that will be appreciated especially by globetrotters as well as people with an adventurous streak. The robust and yet elegant steel case houses a self-winding mechanical movement, while the sapphire glass protects a black silver, or brown dial with a predominant “12” – the design symbol of Longines’ sport collections. The bright red 24-hour hand immediately attracts the eye and contrasts with the moon-like reflections from the dials.
