Babolat Challenger tennis balls

Babolat is one of the oldest and most prestigious names in tennis, founded in Lyon, France, in 1875 by Pierre Babolat. Initially specialized in processing natural gut for musical instruments and surgical sutures, the company invented the first natural gut tennis strings shortly after the sport's rules were established. Over the decades, Babolat expanded from strings to rackets and eventually introduced its own line of pressurized tennis balls, such as the Challenger series.

Today, Babolat operates as a family-owned enterprise led by Chairman and CEO Eric Babolat. While the brand carries a strong French heritage and maintains its headquarters in Lyon, its manufacturing has expanded globally to meet international demand. Most of Babolat's tennis balls are manufactured in Thailand, which serves as a major hub for high-quality sporting goods production due to its access to natural rubber. The brand remains a global leader in racket sports, sponsoring top-tier athletes and major tournaments like the French Open.