Inside Babolat's Star-Studded 150th Anniversary Celebration in Manhattan

In 150 years, Babolat has managed to accomplish a lot.

The Lyon-based sports equipment company established itself within the tennis world as one of the premier racquet stops for most pro-players on tour, including some of the biggest names in the game like Suzanne Lenglen, Li Na, and Rafael Nadal.

It all started in1874, when Pierre Babolat was making gut strings for surgical and musical instruments. He met an Englishman while the rules of tennis were being established and created the first tennis string in 1875. Babolat continued to innovate, launching the natural gut string now known as VS in 1925, used by the likes of René Lacoste and Henri Cochet.

The company's first synthetic string came in 1955, pushing the brand further into the limelight. Babolat became central to tennis' continuation with the launch of the first Babolat tennis frame in 1994, later releasing the company's first badminton racquet in 1995.

Throughout the years, Babolat stood at the forefront of racquet innovation and design. In 2013, the company was named Wimbledon's official partner, a partnership later followed by being named the official racquet service and racquet of the tournament in 2022.

In 1998, Carlos Moya became the first player to win a Grand Slam using a Babolat racquet. In the 27 years since, many a champion has broken records while playing with Babolat, including Nadal's 14 Roland Garros titles and Alcaraz's World No. 1 ranking at just 19 years old.

In honor of the milestone anniversary, Babolat gifted one of 92 limited-edition Babolat racquets to Brian Vahaly, Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA.

The racquets were created as a salute to Nadal's remarkable career following his retirement; 92 racquets were made as a tribute to each of his 92 titles. Vahaly received a racquet engraved with 84/92 in commemoration of Nadal's 84th title at the 2019 US Open.

On Friday evening, Babolat partnered with Racquet Magazine to host an anniversary party in New York City's Seaport District.

Several Babolat ambassadors like Alcaraz, Cameron Norrie, Alex Eala, and Felix Auger-Aliassime attended the festivities to celebrate Babolat's legacy as one of the premier racket providers on tour.

Amidst small hors d'oeuvres and salt-rimmed margaritas, attendees listened in as Alcaraz and others participated in a Racquet Q&A and podcast. Complimentary tattoos were offered on the second floor of the bar, with options ranging from a simple tennis racket design to a mini Manhattan skyline.

Former Australian tennis pro Rennae Stubbs even brought Alcaraz out to the Brooklyn Bridge for additional filming, with other players like Norrie and Eala participating in other social content.

"For me, it's the best tennis brand in the world," Norrie said in an interview for Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI.

"To be part of the family means so much. I've been using the racket since I was 12 years old, so a lot of trust in the producers, designers, and the full team. Even when I come to things like this, you feel like a family, so it's a very special relationship."

Norrie had a whirlwind summer on grass, making it to the doubles semifinals in Queens as well as the singles quarterfinals in Wimbledon. Babolat was the Brit's racquet of choice since his debut on tour, as is the case with many of the French company's tennis ambassadors. Following a successful summer, Norrie has his eyes set on enjoying the latter half of the season.

"Just to keep enjoying my tennis," Norrie said of his goals for the rest of the season. "The summer was so much fun, and I have a great team. I just want to create good memories with my team, so let's keep going."

The US Open singles runs through September 7. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the tennis court and beyond.

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