Longines And Shreve & Co. Welcomed Tennis Legend Andre Agassi

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tennis legend, philanthropist, and Longines ambassador of Elegance Andre Agassi teamed up with the Swiss watch brand Longines and fine jeweler Shreve & Co. on November 30, 2011 at the Stanford Shopping Center to host a fast serve contest followed by a Q&A with the USTA junior players to address the importance of education.

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Andre Agassi has been a brand ambassador for Longines since 2007.  With an unparalleled dedication to perfection, Mr. Agassi is the perfect match for the nearly 180 year old Swiss watch brand.  Andre turned pro at the age of 16, earned 60 men's singles titles in his career, and was the first male player ever to win all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal.

The fastest serve contest with Mr. Agassi was the first of its kind at Shreve & Co. Twenty of the top ranked female junior players from the USTA's Northern California division competed for a once in a lifetime opportunity provided by Longines. Twelve year old Elena Van Linge from Menlo Park, CA was the talented young tennis player with the winning fastest serve.  Elena will be flown to New York City to compete in the Longines Future Tennis Aces on the Road to the French Open against the top ranked girls ages 10-12 of the USTA Eastern Division in April 2012. These young tennis stars will compete for a grand prize trip to Paris to play on the famous clay courts at Roland Garros with 16 players from around the world.  The two finalists of the tournament in Paris will get the privilege to rally with Longines brand ambassador Stefanie Graf, Andre's wife, and famed tennis star.

Student Jayde Porter from Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy flew in from Las Vegas to join the event at Shreve & Co. Jayde recited the Agassi Prep Code of Respect and told the young players of the highlights of her education at Agassi Prep. This event and the Palo Alto location were of particular importance to Jayde since her top choice for college is Stanford University where she plans on majoring in Neuroscience.

In addition to the fastest serve contest, Longines hosted a smash court competition for a small donation. The player with the fastest serve received exclusive autographed Andre Agassi keepsakes. Proceeds collected from the smash court will go towards the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education benefiting the Longines Elegance Scholarship Fund.  The scholarship was founded to promote higher education for students enrolled at the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.  Agassi Prep was founded by Mr. Agassi in 2001 to provide underserved youth in Las Vegas with an opportunity for a quality education. To date, Longines awarded scholarships to 16 students from Agassi Prep to further their higher education.  Both Andre and Longines believe that every child is deserving of an outstanding academic experience. 

As part of the festivities guests were able to view Longines' collection of elegant watches on display at Shreve & Co., including a special edition Longines Master Collection Moon Phase "Andre Agassi" watch.  This special watch was created as a tribute to the eight Grand Slam Titles won by Andre Agassi.  The silver-finished "barleycorn" patterned dial features a golden "8" in Arabic numeral. This model is number 1 out of only eight pieces produced. Longines and Shreve will donate 100 percent of the $18,000 retail sale of this one of a kind watch to the Longines Elegance Scholarship Fund.

On the evening of November 30th, Longines and Shreve hosted a private dinner at the Villa Taverna in downtown San Francisco.  Select guests were invited to mingle with Mr. Agassi during cocktails and dinner.  Mr. Agassi spoke further about his foundation and his plans for expansion across the country.

Since 1832 Longines has stood for elegance, with a strong devotion to tradition, making the brand a natural fit for Shreve & Co.  The Palo Alto location of Shreve & Co. has been open since 1976 and Longines is proud to be a part of this prestigious store. 

Longines

Based in St. Imier in Switzerland since 1832, the watchmaker Longines can look back on nearly 180 years of non-stop craftsmanship, as well as a solid heritage as timekeeper for world championships in various sports and collaborator with different international sports federations. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World's leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 130 countries. www.longines.com

Shreve & Co.

Shreve & Co. was established just four years after the discovery of gold in the California hills when George C. and Samuel S. Shreve opened the doors to their new jewelry shop at the corner of Montgomery and Clay Streets in San Francisco. Shreve & Co. relocated to its current location on the corner of Post Street and Grant Avenue in 1906, a move that proved fortuitous, as it was one of the few structures to survive the infamous 1906 earthquake and fire. Today, Shreve & Co. is one of the oldest independent jewelers in the United States and the oldest retail jeweler in California. Shreve is owned and operated by the fourth-generation of a family of jewelers, and continues to represent some of the worlds' finest jewelry and watch brands. Shreve & Co. has stores in the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, and Portland, Oregon.

About the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education

The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education seeks to transform public education in two ways. Through its signature project, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, the Foundation works to provide underserved children in Las Vegas with a first-class K-12 education to prepare them for excellence in college and beyond. Through state and national advocacy, the Foundation strives to increase investment in, and accountability for, public schools. To support the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education or to obtain additional information, please visit www.agassifoundation.org

About USTA Northern California and the Northern California Tennis Foundation

The United States Tennis Association, Northern California Section (USTA Northern California) is located in Alameda, California. We are a not-for-profit volunteer-based organization with approximately 37,000 adult members, 11,000 junior members and almost 300 organization members. USTA Northern California is one of the 17 sections of the United States Tennis Association, the governing body of tennis in America and producer of the largest domestically based world class tennis event, the U.S. Open in New York City. Its mission is to promote and develop the growth of tennis as an inclusive and inviting lifetime activity in the Northern California section.  The Northern California Tennis Foundation (NCTF) focuses on improving the quality of life by financially supporting community based organizations which promote educational, physical and social development through coordinated tennis activities.  NCTF also funds junior tennis players who do not have the financial means to receive individual instruction, travel to and participate in USTA NorCal sanctioned tournaments or USTA National Championship tournaments.

For more information please visit www.norcal.usta.com.

SOURCE Longines