Jaipur Rugs transforms tennis court into 'The Court of Carpets' in its campaign ft. Rohan Bopanna

Jaipur Rugs, a handmade carpet and rugs company, has unveiled its latest campaign, The Court of Carpets, featuring tennis star Rohan Bopanna. The campaign celebrates the opening of the company's new London store and features a tennis match on a court covered with 93 exquisite rugs.

The campaign stages a match between a village team of weavers-turned-tennis players and Bopanna, who is playing at Wimbledon. 

Named "The Jaipur Rugs Tennis Championships," this creative effort looks inspired by the company’s previous work, where an all-female artisan team played cricket on a carpet pitch.

According to Homegrown, an e-magazine, the artisans, including Annu Kumari, Payal Kumari, Lalita Kumari, and Shrimati Poonam Devi, underwent weeks of training to become tennis players at their weaving village, Manpura, north of Jaipur. 

They trained for months under the guidance of in-house tennis pro Anshul Pareek. Annu Kumari reflects, "Humne sapne main bhi kabhi nahi socha tha ki hamaare kaam ke karan humein aise bhi mauka milega" (Who knew our craft could open such doors?)

In the campaign, the artisans wear white sarees, creating a fusion of ethnic tradition and tennis rituals. They play against Bopanna, and in the end, an artisan wins the point, leading to Bopanna throwing his tennis racket in frustration. The artisan lifts the championship cup.

The video is directed by Jaipur Rugs' in-house team and features stunning scenography. 

According to Grazia India, a women’s fashion and celebrity gossip magazine, the tennis net, made of bamboo, took 15 days to weave, and the company designed handcrafted woollen tennis balls. 

The vibrant neon parts are made from high-quality New Zealand wool, while the white sections use bamboo silk. The artisans produced 20-25 balls per day, resulting in a total of 110-120 balls for the shoot.

According to the report, two tennis rackets were crafted in just one day, with the inner part of the rackets made from bamboo silk in a classic white colour. In total, four rackets were made for the shoot.

This campaign highlights Jaipur Rugs' craftsmanship and celebrates the cultural and creative fusion between traditional Rajasthan and modern sports.

According to a report by the Economic Times, the company is also planning to open two stores in Southeast Asia, and six stores in India by the end of this fiscal year. Additionally, a store in Singapore is also planned to launch in this quarter. 

Currently, the luxury handcrafted rug manufacturer operates company-owned and company-operated (COCO) stores in Milan and Dubai, along with franchise stores in Russia and China.