Tennis and Popular - July 7, 2025

Yonex stars Make Their Mark in Wimbledon’s Opening Week

London, UK– With its long and prestigious history, Wimbledon also known as The Championships remains the most unpredictable Grand Slam of all.

Just like the unusual heatwave that pushed temperatures above 30°C (87°F) on opening day, the 2025 tournament began with a flurry of surprises. A staggering 36 seeded players 19 men and 17 women were eliminated across the first two rounds, marking the highest number of early exits by seeds in Grand Slam history, surpassing the previous record of 35 at the 2020 Roland-Garros.

But where there is chaos, new stars are often born and many of those rising stars happen to be wielding a Yonex racquet, too. Let's take a look at how Team Yonex has fared through a first week full of drama in SW19.

Ben Shelton Keeps the Momentum Going

When Ben Shelton (USA) triumphed in his Yonex showdown against Marton Fucsovics (HUN) in a third round, he he roared in celebration toward the dimming evening sky. The big-serving lefty has now reached the fourth round at Wimbledon for the second straight year. He defeated Fucsovics 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2, and is one of only three men remaining who has yet to drop a set.

In his on-court interview, Shelton expressed gratitude to his family and girlfriend, U.S. soccer star Trinity Rodman, for their support. But it was his older sister,Emma, who got a special shoutout — and a playful request. The American top 10 star referred to her as his “lucky charm,” then turned to the crowd with a grin: "She has work back in the U.S. starting Monday. If any of y’all have some connections and can get her a couple of days off so we can keep this rolling, that’d be great.”

It worked: Shelton revealed on his social media that Emma had, indeed, been given extra time off from her employer to stay and support him.

With his trademark energy and humor, Shelton is charging into week two — and now is assured to have his sister on his side.

Former Champions Out: WIll a Yonex Player Claim the Crown?

As Week 1 came to a close, all former Wimbledon ladies’ champions had been knocked out of the draw.

That guarantees a brand-new winner this year — and marks the ninth consecutive year that a different name will be carved onto the Venus Rosewater Dish.

Among the final 16 contenders, six are members of Team Yonex, ranging in age and personality from 20-year-old rising star Linda Noskova (CZE) to 37-year-old veteran Laura Siegemund (GER) to new mom Belinda Bencic (SUI) and steady all-rounder Elise Mertens (BEL) as well as former NCAA singles champion Emma Navarro (USA). The diversity of stars is a testament to the team’s depth and resilience.

One of the standout stories belongs to Clara Tauson (DEN), who has had her best-ever run at Wimbledon by making the fourth round.

After ending the 2024 season outside the top 50th, the Dane has climbed the rankings and entered Wimbledon at No.22. Her third-round win over fellow Yonex member and 2022 champion Elena Rybakina (KAZ) was a commanding performance that further solidified her breakout year.

A turning point for Tauson came after last year’s US Open, when she brought on a new coach Kasper Elsvad.

“It's sometimes a hard thing to do,” she said with a shy smile after her third-round win. “But I think it's been really easy for us because we trust each other a lot, both skills-wise and also in life. I think just having someone in my corner that I know who believes I can win no matter the score and no matter how it looks.”

With a strong foundation both on and off the court, the young Danish star now faces a major test as she takes on former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Majchrzak’s Dream Run Means Best-Ever Major Performance

One of the standout players to watch at this year's Wimbledon is Kamil Majchrzak (POL), who has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at age 29.

Ranked 109th in the world, Majchrzak stunned 32nd seed Matteo Berrettini in the first round, then backed it up with wins over Ethan Quinn and Arthur Rinderknech. He's guaranteed a spot inside the top 100 when the rankings are released post-Wimbledon.

As of the time of writing, Yonex racquets have continued to make their mark at Wimbledon—currently ranking 3rd among men (27 players) , 2nd among women　(41 players) , and 2nd overall in racquet usage among players competing.