Dunlop Launches The D Squad

I met Fallon Koon of Dunlop at the USTA Spring Nationals in Mobile this past March, and she mentioned to me that Dunlop was planning to rejuvenate its junior tennis program . A few days ago I received a press release giving details. I'm not endorsing this one racquet manufacturer over any of the others, but I do think that a junior looking for sponsorship should be aware of this new development. The following is an excerpt from the press release:

Believing that the future is now, Dunlop Tennis is launching a new program for America’s top junior players, to be called ‘The D-Squad.’ This new Dunlop initiative will provide Dunlop tennis equipment and program support to leading junior tennis players, ages 10 – 18, who demonstrate excellence in every element of their game. According to Fallon Koon, Dunlop’s Junior Tennis program manager, “Those players selected for the Dunlop Tennis ‘D-Squad’ represent the best of the best in their performance on and off the court. These young, talented individuals truly are the role models for all tennis enthusiasts, especially aspiring young players.” Juniors who want to apply for Dunlop’s ‘D-Squad’ should contact Teamdunlop@dunlopsports.com.

Dunlop’s new program will reward juniors who are ranked in the top 50 nationally, based on quarterly rankings set by the USTA. Qualifying juniors must play a minimum of 5 sanctioned National tournaments throughout the contract year. In addition, each player must be a member of the USTA. Screening of qualified candidates will be led by a team of Dunlop Tennis managers headed by Koon.