The First Serve are excited to announce a partnership with LETOUR TENNIS.
We were joined by Jake Eames - a former professional tennis player and one of the founders of the Melbourne based tennis apparel brand on Monday night for this weeks edition of The First Serve.
Letour was founded in 2017 in Melbourne, the thriving tennis capital of Australia. Spearheaded by ex-professional tennis players who lived and breathed the journeyman lifestyle for the better part of a decade. Their experience of soul-crushing defeats, adrenaline-fueled victories and crazy tour tales have inspired an authentic creative label that embodies an alternative movement within tennis culture.
Letour's mission is to introduce people to a flamboyant tennis label and provide unique tennis events to support touring professionals and the wider tennis community.
Australian tennis player Christopher O'Connell, who sits just outside the top 100 in the ATP rankings is one of ten players currently sponsored by Letour. "He's a great fella and he's worked so hard. He's had a tough road, this is the toughest part, breaking through and getting into that top 50 or so, where you're really a part of the big events. He had a fantastic 2019, he's so close, he's right there. Anythings possible, he's definitely got the game to do it. We watched him play Rublev, the 17th seed at the Australian Open and he pushed him. His levels there, he just needs a few things to go his way, anything can happen really" Eames said.
2020 is shaping up to be a massive year for O'Connell, who is defending just 120 ATP ranking points until August, an opportunity Sam Groth believes is too big to let slip away. "He's got almost no points to defend. He's got a huge period now where he can just play and play freely with the top 100 so close, because he's not defending anything for months really. He's gotta try take this opportunity now. He's been doing it all by himself" Groth said.
O'Connell is currently operating on the road by himself. "He's doing really well by himself. His dad helps him manage everything. I think at the moment he'd probably be trying to work out what his next plan is, it would be great for someone with a lot of experience to guide him through that next step" Eames explained.
Christopher O'Connell is the number one seed at this weeks ATP Challenger event in Columbus and will take on Sekou Bangoura in the second round.
Other players wearing Letour include Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren and Australian Open doubles finalist Luke Saville.
CHECKOUT LETOUR'S DIG COLLECTION
Stay tuned for special collaborations and giveaways to come in 2020 with Letour. Tune into The First Serve on a weekly basis to make sure you don't miss out!
Miss this weeks edition of The First Serve? Catch our chat with Jake from Letour, plus much more here