(FILA North America) - FILA announced today that it has signed a sponsorship agreement with the one of the top women’s pickleball players in the world, Lucy Kovalova. Kovalova, who is a four-time USA Pickleball National Champion, will be the first professional pickleball player to join the company’s roster of endorsed athletes who wear the FILA® brand on-court.
A native of Slovakia, Kovalova played collegiate tennis at Wichita State before making the jump to pickleball, where she immediately became one of the sport’s most successful professional players. In 2018, Kovalova captured the women’s Triple Crown at the USA Pickleball National Championships at Indian Wells, winning the gold medal in singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
“I am so excited to be the first professional pickleball player to join the FILA family,” Kovalova said. “I have long admired FILA’s legacy and fashion both on and off the tennis court, and I am thrilled to see the brand investing in the amazing sport of pickleball.”
Kovalova’s career achievements include four USA Pickleball National Championships; two Tournament of Champions gold medals; and nine total medals at the US Open Championships, including gold at the 2019 event.
“We are thrilled to have Lucy join our team of professional sponsored athletes,” said Lauren Mallon, Senior Director of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships - Tennis & Pickleball at FILA North America. “We see an immense amount of opportunity for FILA in pickleball and to add a player of Lucy’s caliber makes a true statement about our commitment to the sport. We can’t wait to see Lucy on court in our new performance pickleball shoe, the Volley Zone, at her next event.”
Kovalova will wear FILA footwear and apparel in her return to the courts this weekend (August 13-16) at the Tennis Club at Newport Beach for the PPA Showcase Grand Slam in California.
Last November, FILA launched into the pickleball category with the Volley Zone and Double Bounce, two new pickleball shoes designed specifically for players of the popular paddle sport. FILA’s launch of these performance footwear was part of a larger focus for the brand on the pickleball category. Both the Volley Zone and Double Bounce are available for purchase today on fila.com.
The FILA® brand was established over a century ago by the FILA brothers of Biella, Italy. FILA® is now a leading sport and leisure footwear and apparel brand that is distributed worldwide. FILA has achieved world-class recognition in tennis by marketing high design and style content products that are endorsed by professional athletes from around the world.