Photo: Courtesy of Wilson. For tennis fans, witnessing a Roger Federer match in person is a pretty cool experience. Getting his autograph would be an awesome bonus, too. (Heck, even just watching him on TV is a kick.) But, being able to say you designed his racket? Now that gives you some serious bragging rights.
The once-in-a-lifetime honor goes to Peter Figasinski, a fan and freelance graphic designer who caught Wilson's attention when he posted a racket design on a tennis forum. Though Federer already had a matte black version of his new racket, executives from Wilson liked Figasinski's design so much, they tossed out the original prototype in favor of his sleek red and black iteration. Next, Federer will take to the court with the fan-designed Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph racket in Toronto next week, and later for the upcoming U.S. Open.
But, Figasinski's luck doesn't end there. Wilson then signed him to a one-year contract to produce exclusive designs for the company. How's that for a sweet deal? Here's hoping Federer's fresh gear brings him home a few more Grand Slam titles.