Ten years of working together to create excellence

In 2025, YONEX is pleased to announce that its partnership with the Australian Open is now in its 10th year, and it continues to be the official stringing partner of the Asia-Pacific Grand Slam tournament. In the past ten years, it is not only the in-depth integration of the brand and the event, but also a vivid testimony to the pursuit of excellence by countless stringers.

Over the past nine years, the YONEX stringing team has meticulously strung around 56,332 rackets at the Australian Open. At the 2024 Australian Open alone, there will be more than 7,178 strings and nearly 85 kilometres of string length. IN 2025, A TEAM OF 22 PROFESSIONAL STRINGERS FROM 13 COUNTRIES WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CUSTOMISED TOP-QUALITY STRINGING SERVICES TO AUSTRALIAN OPEN PLAYERS WITH EXCEPTIONAL PRECISION AND RELIABILITY WITH YONEX'S HIGH-PERFORMANCE PRECISION 9.0 STRINGING MACHINE.

When you first come to the Australian Open, you can feel the difference

This year, Chinese stringer Deng Fen had the privilege of participating in the stringing of the Australian Open for the first time, and she shared her unique and wonderful experience in Melbourne during the half month.

Talking about the difference between the stringing work of the Australian Open and the domestic competition, Deng Fen was deeply touched: "As a top international event, the Australian Open has many differences from domestic competitions. The players here are highly ranked and pay great attention to the details of the racket, such as the position of the racket knot. There is also a big difference in the work process, in China, it is usually the stringer who takes care of the reception and communication at the front desk, while at the Australian Open, there are not only team leaders, but also 8 full-time front desk shifts responsible for reception and communication, with a clear division of labor, and everyone can focus on their own work to the extreme. ”

It is worth mentioning that in this team with a clear division of labor, there is also a Deng Yi who is also from China. Fluent in English, French, Italian and Spanish, he is in his third year as a YONEX stringer. He shuttles between players and stringers, becoming a key bridge between inside and outside.

Deng Fen continued: "Another special feature of the Australian Open is that each stringing machine is equipped with a tablet that shows the stringing progress of the racket in real time. The stringer needs to click and operate according to the process, such as being threaded, threading completed, etc., so that the front desk staff can monitor it in real time in the background. If you find that the progress is slow, you will be asked in time. Such a process is currently difficult to do in domestic competitions. We have a total of 22 machines, the workflow is clear, the team leader can control the rhythm well, and usually can leave work before 10 o'clock in the evening. If a player sends a racket to wear at 9 p.m. and asks to pick it up at 7 or 8 a.m. the next day, the team leader will inform the team that the working hours have ended to ensure that the stringer has a normal rest. ”

In addition, Deng Fen also introduced the stringing fee: "Professional players string, 32 US dollars each; Teen stringing, $20 per handful. In addition, we also undertake custom racket work, with fees ranging from $20 to $60 depending on the level of difficulty. ”

A diverse atmosphere, a bridge of trust

In the stringing room, stringers from all over the world gather together to create a strong and diverse atmosphere. Deng Fen sighed: "The working atmosphere here is very harmonious, and everyone is kind and friendly. The stringing team members come from all over the world, with the largest number of stringers in the United States, with 5, and stringers from Australia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Singapore, Japan and other countries. Every day, different languages are intertwined in the stringing room, which provides convenience for players from all over the world. For example, Zverev will choose a German stringer who is familiar and trusted, and Japanese players also tend to appoint a stringer who is familiar with their own country. Because of my communication advantages, I have been assigned a lot of Chinese players' rackets, and my work is smoother and more efficient. ”

In such an environment, Deng Fen not only improved his professional skills, but also made friends from all over the world. Although we are of different nationalities, we all come together because of our love for tennis and our dedication to stringing.

As the game progressed, the number of players decreased, the demand for stringing decreased, and stringers began to leave. Deng Fen said: "I left as early as the 16th and 19th. I arrived in Melbourne on the 4th, picked up my documents on the same day, walked around the arena to familiarize myself with the working environment, and went to work on the 5th, which lasted until the end of the 20th. During this time, I wore an average of 30 rackets a day, and a total of almost 400 rackets. I work almost every day, and I don't have much time to watch games and go out, only the day before the main race, the team held a party and everyone got to know each other. ”

Despite his busy schedule, Deng Fen had no complaints. She knows that every racket carries the expectations of the players, and there is no room for sloppiness. Leaving the Australian Open, Deng Fen revealed: "As of the 20th, the team has a total of about 7,200 strings. With another week to go, plus wheelchair tennis and junior tournaments, this year's stringing volume is expected to exceed last year's, with 8,000 strings expected. ”

The edge of stringing is quite grateful

Looking back on his stringing career, Deng Fen sighed a lot: "I entered the industry late, and I have only been engaged in stringing for 8 years. I used to be a pharmacist, but because I loved tennis and paid attention to technical work, I started to learn stringing. Now there is its own equipment store in Nanning, China, which is strung in the store when not participating in the event, and also cooperates with local clubs. ”

"This is a rare opportunity to come to the Australian Open, because the quota allocated by YONEX Japan headquarters to Chinese stringers is recommended and selected by YONEX China from among the stringers. I have stringing experience at the Shanghai Masters, the WTA in Zhuhai, the ATP Challenger in Shenzhen, and many ITF tournaments, and I am very honored and proud to be selected. ”

Ten years of racing the Australian Open, YONEX has added a strong touch to the Australian Open with its excellent brand strength and technical support. As we enter the second week of the Australian Open, the competition is becoming more and more exciting, and we are looking forward to the birth of the champion. Behind the glory of every champion, it is inseparable from the service and assistance of stringers like Deng Fen. They are like unsung heroes behind the scenes, using their exquisite skills to create handy "weapons" for the players, helping them overcome obstacles and chase their dreams on the field.

(Text/Felix, Photo/Li Jianyi)