Grigor Dimitrov with coach Patrick Mouratoglou at Nike photo shoot

Grigor Dimitrov just completed a photo shoot for Nike at Wimbledon.

He shared a photo taken together with his coach Patrick Mouratoglou on the set with the fans on this Facebook page.

The Bulgarian will play Kevin Anderson in the first round at at SW19.


(Image via Grigor Dimitrov's Facebook fan page)

Behind the scenes: Nike players receive their gears

Nike is a little behind when it comes to posting photos of their players getting their gears compared to Wilson and Adidas.

Nevertheless, it's nice to see the happy faces on their sponsored players.

These are just a few selected ones. You can get to see more on their Facebook page. Surprisingly Rafael Nadal is not in the album.

Roger Federer

Li Na

Juan Martin Del Potro

Sabine Lisicki

Grigor Dimitrov

(Image via Nike Tennis's Facebook page)

Maria Sharapova at Nike fan feedback session

Last week, Maria Sharapova met up with 40 young fans in Paris to discuss her Nike collection and Roland Garros.

You can check out the video below.

(Via Maria Sharapova's official website)

Meet Del Potro at Niketown NYC today

New US Open champ, Juan Martin del Potro will celebrate his victory by meeting fans in New York City today.

He'll be making an appearance at Niketown New York at 1:00PM.

John McEnroe will be on hand for a Q&A with del Potro, who is scheduled to appear for about one hour.

If you're a fan (or just jumped on the Del Potro bandwagon) and happen to be in NYC, go and support him!

WHO: 2009 US Open Champion, Juan Martin del Potro

WHAT: Q&A with John McEnroe

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009 (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm)

WHERE: Niketown New York, 6 E. 57th St, New York, NY 10022

(Image via Yahoo! Sports)

TENNIS WATCH: NIKE or ADIDAS, FILA's headband not allowed

No other player can make bigger statement with her tennis dress than Maria Sharapova.

The Russian beauty is simply stunning in her NIKE black dress with silver straps and a matching silver headband.

Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki who debut her Stella McCartney's Adidas dress was far from impressive.

I'm a fan of Wozniacki but to be honest, that dress would have suited Maria Kirilenko better.

*******

Something bizzare happened to James Blake when an umpire wipe an advertising logo off his headband before his first round match at the US Open.

"I didn't know the rule," said Blake, who played without the FILA logo on the headband

"I didn't know you couldn't have any writing on the headband or wristband. With the new logo, new design, there's always the logo. I didn't know we couldn't do that."

"I don't know why the ATP does some of the things it does, or if it is just the (International Tennis Federation)," Blake said.

"A quarter-inch here, a quarter-inch there, they make all these rules. That's for them to deal with, the sponsors and everything. It's not my place to say."

(Via AFP; Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Nike's "Game. Set. NYC" event serves up new US Open gears

To add on to the excitement of season ending grand slam, NIKE unveiled its US Open gears for Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams at a Nike-built, regulation-sized tennis court in the heart of NYC.

Hopefully some of you guys read the announcement earlier and headed to the event located at 23rd Street and Broadway earlier today.

Except for Sharapova, those who joined Federer, Nadal, Serena at the event were John McEnroe, Victoria Azarenka, Gael Monfils and Li Na.

According to NIKE, Federer's shirt was inspired by the subway signs of NYC, Serena's by cocktail party attire and Nadal's by the streets of NYC and its’ signature yellow taxi cabs!

To read more about the event, go to Down The Line! as he provides his take on the event.

More pictures:

(Images via NIKE, Bryan Bedder/Getty Images North America)

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams & John McEnroe: NYC Nike fan challenge, set to unveil 2009 US Open looks

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and John McEnroe will gather on August 26, in the heart of New York City to challenge local youth tennis players and the general public to try their hand at experiencing what it’s like to return a pro serve.

So, if you're in NYC on Wednesday, you can drop by at the Nike-built regulation tennis court on 23rd Street and Broadway New York, NY.

10:15AM – 10:45AM Roger Federer Appearance

1:30 PM – 2:00PM Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal Appearance

In addition to that, Nike, for the first time will also unveil the players look for the 2009 U.S. Open.

Roger Federer, Serena Williams & Maria Sharapova at the Nike's 21 Mercer St. Block Party

Yesterday Nike Sportswear commemorated the opening of 21 Mercer Street by hosting an invite only block party. Mercer street was transformed into a stadium-like environment.

At precisely 9:21 PM Roger Federer and Spike Lee opened the doors for the first time to the public. Nike also invited their other old friends, including Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Mr. Lee introduced Mr. Federer to the crowd as "the world's greatest tennis player." To which the tennis player awkwardly responded, "I'm Roger Federer, that's me."

At the opening, Williams said,

"There has been no relaxing for me, I've been playing every day, literally," she said about getting ready for the U.S. Open. But at least she has something to look forward to after the next couple of weeks."

"Fashion Week is right after the tournament so I look forward to going there, I love it," said Ms. Williams. "I'll have two weeks off so it is definitely like a vacation for me."

In the meanwhile Sharapova, who will be sitting out the U.S. Open due to an ongoing shoulder injury, was asked if she's in New York to cheer on her tennis peers from the stands.

She said, "No, no, definitely not," she said. "I'm just here to work with my brands and to do things that I already had planned to do for a couple of days, and then I'm going back."

So Sharapova won't be watching the U.S. Open at all?

No, I won't. Unless I'm working out and it happens to be on TV, I might catch it, but I don't plan to watch it. I have so many things going on in my life, and this is a good time for me to work on all of the projects I'm working on."

"I didn't even know (the draw) came out!" she said, laughing. "To be honest, the day I got injured was the day that I was like, I'm not even sure who's playing."

Sharapova night not be interested with the U.S. Open but she'll definitely check out the Fashion Week instead.

(Via New York Observer, Nike.com)

Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal attended "Grapple in the Apple"

Nike kicks off a boxing-match-style "Grapple in the Apple" campaign featuring Don King, which has been described as one of the most significant campaign it has done in quite some time!

In this campaign, the sneaker giant is banking on the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and touting a potential finals showdown between the two at the U.S. Open.

The players have even been given boxer-type nicknames: Roger "The Magician of Precision" Federer and Rafa "Matador of Spin" Nadal.

Ken Dice, Nike's VP-U.S. brand management said, "Nike has always been about collaboration with its athletes. So we brought in a promotional expert to help promote the U.S. Open and this rivalry in a way that maybe we haven't done in a very long time."

The effort will include print executions in local newspapers, a digital component and outdoor advertising. The effort will also incorporate wild postings and street teams.

"We'll also use the viral-video space to make sure that for the next two weeks we continue to push messages celebrating Roger, Rafa, the U.S. Open and New York City," Mr. Dice said.

So what if they don't meet in the U.S. Open final?

"We're keeping our fingers crossed that they do meet -- that's the whole point, and we honestly think that they will, especially the way they have been playing lately," Mr. Dice said. "[But] even if they don't, it will be a great moment for Nike, tennis and these two players and the city of New York."

(Via AdvertisingAge; Images by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images North America)