Here is all you need to know about Ballman – The NFT project of multiple Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka
Stan Wawrinka has been on the sidelines for much of the 2021 season due to an ongoing foot injury. His last match was back in March where he fell to Lloyd Harris in three sets at Doha’s ATP 250 event.
The three-time major winner misses the game and although he remains off the court, he’s been working on something special called the ‘Ballman Project’.
“Hey guys. I’ve been injured for nine months, not playing tennis, and I miss it a lot,” Wawrinka said in a promotional video on Instagram. “And I’m happy to announce the Ballman Project. Are you ready?”
Wawrinka has officially joined other professional tennis players such as Jessica Pegula and Naomi Osaka in the NFT world.
The Swiss’ NFT collection appears to be tennis balls that have a strong connection with his most memorable on-court moments and victories over his colorfully-decorated career.
However, his first digital collection is much more than this. The “Ballman Project” offers fans and crypto enthusiasts an entire experience with what will be called the NFT Open.
The tournament will span over several months and will reward the top collectors with 240 Ether (ETH).
The project aims to give buyers a lively and exciting experience by incorporating rankings and a chance to walk away with earnings.
“Stan, who is a friend, wanted to launch NFTs, we thought about it and we released a project that we really like” President of BravoLoto Prosper Masquelier said.
“A large part of the income collected with NFTs will be redistributed to buyers, the biggest collectors will leave with earnings each month. 80% of the royalties generated by the exchange of balls will go to collectors. Every month, a ranking of the owners of the balls will be published and will reward the best of them.” [via tennis.com]
Two winners of the first tournament will be decided on Sunday, and both will walk away with one Stan the Man NFT, a signed racquet and a tennis ball.
All participants have to do is join the discord, follow the Ballman Project on Instagram and like his post. Many other games will surely be on the way.
Wawrinka still hasn’t provided an update on when he expects to make his return to the tour.
Stan Wawrinka has suffered a setback in his recovery from foot surgery which will significantly delay his return, his manager has revealed.
The three-time Grand Slam champion last featured at the Qatar Open in Doha last March where he suffered a severe foot injury.
The former World number three required surgery which cut his season short as he focused on his recovery and rehabilitation.
Swiss newspaper Neue Zurcher Zeitung (NZZ) have reported that Wawrinka will prolong his stint on the sidelines to a year as he looks to return in March 2022, according to his manager.
This latest setback means he will definitely miss the upcoming Australian Open and could possibly miss the first two ATP 1000 tournaments of the season, the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open, often termed the ‘Sunshine Double’.
Wawrinka is one of a number of greats who have been absent for a large portion of the 2021 season.
More Tennis news
Follow our dedicated Tennis page for instant Tennis news and updates