Wimbledon compares athlete prowess to the space race in 'Coin Toss' film
Wimbledon has paid homage to its finalists in a film where it shot special edition coins into space - and brought them back for this year's tournament.
Wimbledon celebrates innovation with the coin toss
To celebrate the four finalists who have made it through the fortnight, the AELTC worked with McCann London and Craft London to create a new 60-second film, 'The Coin Toss'.
The coins that will be used for the coin tosses at this year’s Championships’ Finals have travelled to space and back. NASA Astronaut Drew Feustel visited The Championships 2017 with his wife Indira and fellow astronaut Tim Peake, and it was then that he and Philip Brook CBE, chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), came up with the idea to take a special pair of coins from Wimbledon with him aboard his six-month long mission.
Narrated by Brook, the film compares the unending betterment of athletes to the space race. The film will be distributed globally on TV and online to promote the Finals Weekend on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 July.
The coins travelled from SW19 to the International Space Station. Back on Earth and back at Wimbledon, Feustel will hand over the coins to the two young people selected to perform the coin toss at the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Singles Finals.
Philip Brook CBE, chairman of the AELTC, commented: “Wimbledon has a long and rich history, and this new expedition is very symbolic for us. From year to year, there is so much change. It is a constant, continual improvement, for both the players and the club. The journey of the coins, as reflected in our new film, and the young people we select to perform the coin toss, symbolise our collective pursuit of greatness – and we are thrilled to be showcasing this amazing story for this year’s finals.”
