Tecnifibre didn't take long to launch a signature Iga Swiatek racket after signing the Polish star in 2021. Now, for 2022, the French-based brand owned by Lacoste has an updated version of the Swiatek signature, the Tempo 298.
With two pro-level signature rackets from the brand—one from 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev and one from Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion—that have helped bring more visibility and excitement to the company, Tecnifibre offers the exact specifications of the professionals at retail. But that process begins with collaboration between the designers and the athletes.
"Our goal was to develop a racket tailored for Iga's game," says Patrice Chabrel, Tecnifibre senior product manager. "We spent countless hours on court with her to test and optimize all details, such as the weight, balance and paint varnish. The Tempo 298 is exactly Iga's racket."
Swiatek opted for a 298-gram weight, hence the name, with a 98-square-inch head and 16x19 string pattern. Tecnifibre says the design allows for speed and controlled power and the "eli-square" engineering ensures that balance. Using inserts of XTC fiber, polyester and aluminum filaments, the frame was designed to disperse shock at ball impact.
"We managed to develop a frame that would allow Iga to have the perfect swing from every position on the court," Chabrel says. "We take great pride in developing rackets that fulfill specific needs for every player."
Swiatek enjoys the balance. "It combines power and strength with softness," she says. "It really helps me when I want to hit the ball hard, but also when I want to play a drop shot or use my slice."
Chabrel says the signature racket includes a glossy paint varnish, a high-end paint commonly seen on the tour, but not typically at retail. Adding this same paint varnish on the retail version ensures every detail is the same as Swiatek's.
"I'm really glad that it has a white base," Swiatek says, "because I feel like it's elegant. Tennis is an elegant sport, and it just suits our sport perfectly."
The defining aesthetic, though, comes with the Swiatek signature in black on the white paint. "You can see her signature on the frame," Chabrel says, "which is a symbol of her complete involvement in the process of creating."
Swiatek started her career in Tecnifibre, which was purchased by Lacoste in 2017, but moved to other brands before returning to Tecnifibre in January 2021. Her first signature frame launched in summer 2021. At the time, she said that her first on-court memory was associated with the brand. That's why, for Swiatek, the on-racket signature in this 2022 update signifies something more than just a cosmetic detail.
"I would have never dreamt as a child that I would have a racket with my own signature," she says. "When I saw it, I was so excited. I just love it."
