Asics builds pop-up tennis court in Paris' Place de la République to promote health and wellness

Ahead of the start of Roland Garros, tennis apparel brand Asics brought the game to Parisians in an innovative way by constructing a temporary tennis court in the city's famed Place de la République.

The pop-up activation, held on May 23 and dubbed "Rally for the Mind" was a small part of a larger two-year partnership between the brand and the city, which was announced last November, to promote health, wellness, and physical activity amongst Parisians ahead of this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games.

At the event, Asics showcased its apparel, handed out racquets to anyone who stopped by, whether they played tennis before or not, and encouraged them to try tennis out. Several of the brand's ambassadors on the pro tour were on hand to make memories by hitting with attendees, sign autographs and snap selfies.

It was all done with the goal of sharing how tennis is one of the world's healthiest hobbies. According to the brand, a recent study showed that 88% of Parisians believed in the positive impact of physical exercise on their psychological well-being, 48% of them wanted to be more active, and 61% wanted to be more attentive to their mental health.

"Asics was founded 75 years ago in Japan on the belief that sport and exercise have a positive effect for the body and the mind, and now, our purpose is more relevant than ever," Eddy Ferhi, marketing director of Asics France, said ahead of the event. "We are proud to continue to be champions of this important message."

Among the players who appeared at the event was Ons Jabeur, who recently signed a deal to officially wear Asics shoes on court. Jabeur noted that she shares many of the values that the event was hoping to evangelize.

"You can see everywhere, sound mind and sound body, and I'm definitely 300% with that," she said. "I truly wish that being on this court today will bring joy in the minds of others.

I believe that playing more sports, not just tennis, different sports, will help to have healthy minds and more for the young generations. We want them to feel happy and dream big."

Other players in attendance included Alex de Minaur, Caroline Dolehide, Harriet Dart, Borna Coric, Corentin Moutet and Diane Parry.

"I think that Rally for the Mind is a great opportunity ... everyone wants to be involved and get active," Dolehide said.