Marc Valzer Will Play with Andy Murray

Marc Valzer, of Valentigney, France, couldn’t believe it when he found out that he actually won the grand prize of the Golden HEAD Ball campaign “Win And Play With Andy Murray” – an exclusive training session with World No. 2 Andy Murray and VIP tickets for the BARCLAYS ATP World Tour Finals in London!

“Initially, I won a pair of HEAD tennis shoes and had completely forgotten about the grand prize,” said Valzer. “It has been a dream of mine to play against World No. 2 Andy Murray. I have never seen a Top 10 player live, so this will be an unforgettable experience.”

Valzer is currently studying physics and is an avid tennis player. He began playing the sport when he was 10-years-old and now plays up to five hours of tennis every week. Valzer is also a member of the ASCAP tennis club in Montbelliard and has participated in various tournaments, including the individual championships in Franche Comte. He purchased the winning can of HEAD ATP tennis balls at the local Intersport store and prefers this ball for its durability and playability.

The grand prize includes an exclusive training session with Andy Murray, roundtrip airfare for two to London, stay at the player’s hotel and VIP tickets to the ATP World Tour Finals.

“I was thrilled when HEAD told me I would be staying in the same hotel as the players,” said Valzer. “Hopefully, I will be able to get some free advice from the players while sitting next to them at breakfast.”

What are Valzer’s expectations from the training session with Murray? “Comparing the difference between hitting with an amateur player and a professional will be at top of my list. I am curious to see if I am able to return his 200 kph serve,” said Valzer. “Murray’s game preparation is also impressive, so I will be interested to see if there are specific exercises to help him get ready to play.”

This was the second Golden HEAD Ball competition and about 20,000 tennis players from all over the world participated - either by buying balls, by participating directly on the Internet or by sending postcards. More than 1,000 of the participants won prizes, such as HEAD rackets, bags, balls, footwear, strings or and of course HEAD ATP tennis balls.

For whom will Marc Valzer be keeping his fingers crossed in London? “Well, first of all for Andy Murray, of course, who at the top of his game this year.” Regardless of who wins, he is planning to watch as many matches as possible, because he has yet to attend an international tournament.

The Golden HEAD Tennis Balls hit store shelves last May and feature a stylish metal can. Recognized as the best by professionals, HEAD is the official tennis ball of the ATP, ATP Masters 1000 Series and BARCLAYS ATP World Tour Finals in London. The HEAD ATP ball is the most used ball on the ATP World Tour.