Polo Ralph Lauren Launches Serving Challenge
June 20, 2011
NEW YORK — To celebrate Wimbledon’s 125th anniversary, Polo Ralph Lauren invites media, celebrities and members of the public to measure the speed of their serve on a custom-made virtual tennis court, marking a first in the use of this technology in the realm of tennis.
The Challenge will be launched by Polo Ralph Lauren brand ambassador Boris Becker and will take place throughout the first week of the Wimbledon Championships. The Serving Challenge pavillion will be situated opposite Gate 5 in the Wimbledon Park Golf Course. Participants will serve a tennis ball towards a projector screen and upon impact the ball will transform virtually, continuing its trajectory into the virtual court – modelled on Centre Court – whilst simultaneously being measured by a sophisticated speed gun. The speed of the serve will subsequently appear on screen and Polo Ralph Lauren will offer prizes to participants with the fastest serve. A wide-angle camera will film the entire serve and the resulting video will be instantaneously emailed to the participant’s email address, whereupon they will be able to upload the video to their Facebook page.
Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) continues its global partnership with the All England Club as the Official Outfitter of The Wimbledon Championships through 2015, designing uniforms for all on-court officials including chair umpires, line umpires and ball persons. In 2006, Polo Ralph Lauren became the first designer in Wimbledon’s 125-year history to create official uniforms for the tournament.