Fila helps young tennis stars
South Korea-based sportswear company Fila has donated a substantial gift of sports apparel to tennis-playing sisters Marley and Lea Manga, 10 and eight years-old respectively.
Recognising the ability and progress of the British youngsters, Fila stepped in to help out with their training in a sport that is known for being expensive to maintain.
Patrick Manga, father of Marley and Lea, said: “It means so much to the girls, it’s like payback. They have been all over the UK and the world, playing tennis and now they are beginning to notice that people are looking. People are realising what I’d realised years ago, that they are good enough to make it. It’s a gift on merit and that is what I tell the girls. Work hard and good things will come.”
Marley Manga reached the finals of the Esporta Gloucestershire open in December 2010, while her younger sister Lea is currently ranked seventh in the UK.
Head of Fila’s sports marketing, Paul Siviter, said: “Marley and Lea love the Fila brand, and as a recognition of all their hard work and achievements with their tennis so far, we felt it appropriate to gift them some Fila product.
“Fila has a strong heritage in tennis, and the brand continues to invest a substantial amount of marketing budget into the sport. We are involved at every level in tennis, and the grassroots programme is an important part of the strategy, in order to find the champions of the future.”
