The first professional tournament partnership of its kind will transform polyester string used on the tournament’s courts into high-performance apparel
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —The Winston-Salem Open announced a partnership with LET, naming the tennis apparel company as the tournament’s Official Tennis String Recycling Partner, a first in professional tennis. The partnership advances the tournament’s commitment to sustainability by giving used polyester tennis string a second life as apparel.
During the tournament, the Winston-Salem Open will collect all used tennis string for LET. Through LET’s closed-loop recycling process, the string will be transformed into high-performance apparel with the aspiration of selling it during the 2027 Winston-Salem Open, creating clothing with a direct connection to players and tournaments.
“We’re always looking for meaningful ways to enhance the tournament and benefit the local community,” said Jeff Ryan, Winston-Salem Open Tournament Director. “The partnership with LET helps us keep used strings out of our local landfills while giving that material a second life as apparel. It’s a simple initiative that we believe can make a meaningful difference and hopefully encourage more sustainability initiatives across tennis.”
Fans will also have the opportunity to participate in the initiative. On the tournament’s opening day, attendees are invited to bring their own used tennis string for recycling. The first 500 fans to donate string will receive complimentary admission to the tournament that day.
“This partnership demonstrates what’s possible when the tennis community comes together around sustainability,” said Jakob Esterowitz, LET Co-Founder. “Every tournament generates used polyester string that has traditionally been thrown away. We’re partnering with the Winston-Salem Open to show that it can instead become the foundation for something new, and we hope this is the first of many tournaments to embrace that vision.”
The string collected throughout tournament week will come from some of the world’s best players, including defending champion Márton Fucsovics and top-20 player Luciano Darderi. For more information on tickets and packages, visit winstonsalemopen.com/en/tickets/ticket-information.
About the Winston-Salem Open
The Winston-Salem Open is an ATP Tour 250 event owned and organized by Winston-Salem Professional Tennis, Inc., a 501(c)(4) not-for-profit organization incorporated in the state of North Carolina. The event features a 48-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, with total prize money exceeding $775,000. The 2026 event will be held from August 22–29 at the Wake Forest University Tennis Complex.
About LET
LET is a tennis apparel company creating a circular system by transforming used tennis string into new clothing. Founded by former collegiate tennis players, LET is focused on creating products and infrastructure rooted directly in the tennis community. For more information, visit let.tennis or follow on Instagram or TikTok.
