With the launch of Wimbledon this week, Decathlon has announced that their UK flagship store located in London Surrey Quays will present the world premiere of Tennis Esports in partnership with VR Motion Learning GmbH & Co KG, the largest sporting goods retailer in the world.
The store has devoted 300 sqm to give customers the opportunity to play realistic VR tennis, starting on Monday 28 June and running until Thursday 30 September.
The player will be able to experience the same feeling in VR as on the actual tennis court, allowing customers to mimic their heroes at Wimbledon.
Decathlon’s UK flagship store located in London Surrey Quays will present the world premiere of Tennis Esports in partnership with VR Motion Learning GmbH & Co KG. The store has devoted 300 sqm to give customers the opportunity to play realistic VR tennis, starting on Monday 28 June and running until Thursday 30 September.
The player will be able to experience the same feeling in VR as on the actual tennis court, allowing customers to mimic their heroes at Wimbledon. This unique application means the gap between Virtual Reality and real tennis on a court is incredibly close, making VR not only an exciting game but also the most advanced training device from the beginner to the ATP/WTA player. Decathlon hopes this innovative and fun approach will increase the appeal of tennis to new generations by attracting many more players to the sport.
Gregory Gettinger, CEO & founder: “I am excited to call the largest sporting goods retailer in the world our partner for our truly groundbreaking application. Soon you can virtually learn how to play tennis with a perfect technique in only a fraction of time, efficiently and accurately in a personalized and customized set-up. This application will open the door to authentic virtual tennis learning & gaming, virtual tennis tournaments and real tennis Esports.”
Eric Mazillier, CEO of Decathlon UK, said: “Decathlon has been an innovator in sport since 1976, always looking at how we can sustainably make sports accessible to the many. We aim to create new ways to improve the lives of our customers and this innovative use of Virtual Reality in a city centre retail space will allow them to experience the joys of tennis like never before. For some it will no doubt be the first time they’ve been able to experience what it’s like to play tennis on a court and we’re delighted to be able to share that moment with them. By using this technology to bring sport to the many we hope we can inspire our local community to lead more active, healthy and happy lifestyles.”
Julien and Dean, Stores Managers at London Surrey Quays, added: “We’re very excited to bring Tennis Esports to our customers, adding to our wide range of experience zones in the store. We have more than doubled the space available to allow as many customers as possible to try new sports, creating a unique and engaging environment for all. These test areas, including a golf simulator and basketball cage, allow customers to try products before making purchases, whilst our rooftop sports pitch means you take on your friends. This Tennis Esports Virtual Reality innovation will add something completely new to the store though, so book your time slot online or contact our store team who will be delighted to welcome you!”
