Swiss watchmaker Longines was an official partner of the French Open at Roland-Garros in 2010. Several events during the tournament were organized to introduce the new Longines Admiral Ceramic wristwatch and promote charity organizations founded by Longines brand ambassadors. Many famous tennis players and movie stars were present during the last weekend of the French Open. Watch-ID.com traveled to Paris to meet the celebrities and their Longines watches.
The Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament
Longines had organized a tournament involving 16 children from all around the world to seek out future tennis champions this year. These young promising players were selected in their respective countries through the various national tennis federations and are among the top players of their age group. The children were coached by Mansour Bahrami, the professional player who set up the Trophée des Légendes, and Tsung-Hua Yang, a promising young Asian player and one of the brand’s ambassadors of elegance. Aleksandra Pospelova from Russia and Jaime Fermosell Delgado from Spain won the competition and will each receive an annual stipend of $2,000 for their equipment from Longines, whose aim is to encourage their future in the world of tennis. They played in an exhibition mixed doubles final on June 6th 2010, with Gustavo Kuerten and Mary Pierce, who both won the Roland-Garros French Open Championship ten years ago. Mansour Bahrami also joined in the exhibition match, with his range of unusual and breathtaking shots making this game an entertaining show.
At the end of the exhibition match, Aleksandra said: “I’m really proud to have won this tournament, which is the first time I’ve played against children from other countries! But the best part was playing with Gustavo against Mary!”
Jaime, who partnered Mary Pierce in the exhibition final, was over the moon and told us; “I managed to win a point against a tennis legend like Gustavo Kuerten with Mary’s help! I shall never forget this experience in Paris! It will make me even more determined to work hard so that, one day, I can come back to Roland-Garros and play as an adult.”
Longines presented a cheque for $100,000 to a special delegation of two children from the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas for the foundations run by Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, two of the brand’s Ambassadors of Elegance.
For an impression of the day's events, watch the video above
The tennis stars and their Longines watches
After the exhibition match that rounded up the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament, a press conference was held in the Tenniseum, where Longines emphasized it's support of disadvantaged children through its sponsorship of the charity foundations set up by Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf. Gustavo Kuerten explained more about his own charity Instituto Guga Kuerten, which helps children in Brazil in sports and education.
Longines President Walter von Känel presented Gustavo Kuerten and Mary Pierce with a watch as a sign of appreciation for their charity efforts and involvement in the Longines Future Tennis Aces Tournament. Kuerten received the new Longines Admiral Ceramic watch (click for more info and images), while Mary Pierce got a Longines Conquest, set with 30 diamonds. Von Känel presented the two young winners of the tournament, Aleksandra Pospelova from Russia and Jaime Fermosell Delgado from Spain, both a Longines watch: Jaime got a stainless steel Longines HydroConquest with black dial and black bezel (model nr. L3.641.4.56.6), while Aleksandra received a stainless steel Longines Evidenza with black dial.
After the press conference, we spotted tennis player and Longines brand ambassador Tsung-Hua Yang with his Longines Admiral (click for more info and images).
Longines President Walter von Känel presented Aleksandra Pospelova from Russia and Jaime Fermosell Delgado and Gustavo Kuerten and Mary Pierce with a Longines watch
Gustavo Kuerten receives award at charity dinner
In the evening, Longines continued to honor Gustavo Kuerten during a charity dinner in Musée Rodin, organized by Longines to raise funds for the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education and Children for Tomorrow. Longines’ aim was to bring together a host of celebrities to create awareness of these two foundations. The celebrities included the Indian actress and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, French signer and actress Patricia Kaas, Spanish actress Victoria Abril, former football player Basile Boli, tennis entertainer Mansour Bahrami and French tennis player Tatiana Golovin.
During this unforgettable evening, Gustavo Kuerten, 3-time winner of Roland-Garros, was presented with the Longines Prize for Elegance by the Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (who was wearing a Longines PrimaLuna) as a tribute to the elegance of heart shown by his commitment to helping disadvantaged children through his organization Instituto Guga Kuerten. Apart from his own charity work, Gustavo is also involved in other projects. Impressed by Andre Agassi’s charity work, he sponsors five children that attend the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a private school that offers disadvantaged children from Las Vegas a good education from kindergarten up to year 12 which prepares them for high school. After the prize had been presented, Florence Ollivier-Lamarque, General Director of Swatch Group France, and Walter von Känel, President of Longines, handed Gustavo a cheque for $100,000 for the Instituto Guga Kuerten.
See also our interview with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, click here.
Official website: www.Longines.com