Meet Henri

If you know me well enough, like my chums do, you’ll know that my purple shirt is my favorite outfit to wear. The sleek purple shirt makes me feel confident, sophisticated, and maybe a little slimmer.  However, I wanted to try a different outfit for myself. The confidence I felt while wearing my purple shirt was fading, and the possibility that I needed something new to wear popped into my head. So, my chums and I decided to head into town to help me decide which piece of clothing could give me that confident look I desired.

We went to the most popular clothing store in town, Tokki Clothing. When we went in, it seemed like the whole town was there. Many in groups were trying on new, luxurious outfits, while others just casually looked around to see if anything caught their eye. My chums and I headed to the sportswear section. I wanted to find a more sophisticated yet active outfit I could play in and show off my confidence when I’m on the tennis court. Ken had an idea that a orange outfit consisting of a orange shirt, pants, and headband would look great on me. While I enjoy orange a lot, I thought it was possibly too much orange. I tried on his suggested outfit, and my thought came true. If there was an award for the most orange panda ever, I would win it in that outfit.

We went back to the drawing board as we all thought about what color would go great with me. Emma chimed in next and suggested something a little different. Since I’m both French and Spanish, I should embrace both of my cultures by the way I dress. A brilliant idea, but how? She suggested splitting it up, half French and half Spanish. I found a traditional French shirt and a beret to go with it, and traditional Spanish pants and boots to equal out my outfit. Let me tell you, it didn’t look that good combined. A lot was going on, from my head down to my shoes, too many mismatched clothing ideas to count. That outfit didn’t exclude the confidence I was looking for.

After that, Stefan had an idea for my outfit. One of my favorite tennis players is Rafael Nadal. He has over 23 Grand Slam titles, 90 singles titles, 36 Masters titles, and an Olympic medal. He’s got such a finesse when on the court, and Stefan thought why not try to dress like him? I thought that was not a bad idea and followed what he said. It was a simple outfit consisting of a plain blue shirt, a blue headband, and a pair of gray shorts to go with it. It was plain and simple yet seemed like a possible choice after my previous outfit attempts. However, I couldn’t see myself wearing the outfit. It reminded me too much of my idol, and while I admire what he has done, I don’t want to copy his style. That’s when an idea hit me.

After many outfits and my chums feeling exhausted and out of ideas, I put my purple, sleek shirt back on. I stared at myself, envisioning how I swing my racquet when I play, my forehand and backhand swings, and the effort I put out each serve. All done while I wear this exact purple shirt. I gathered my friends and told them to stop looking for a new outfit. I already had an outfit that was perfect for me. I told them that my purple shirt made me who I am. Instead of trying to be someone I’m not, I’ll embrace my style of play and the effort I put into the court while in the outfit I know all so well. This purple shirt is a part of my style, and I’ll start my legacy in the outfit that feels right for me.

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Hola, bonjour, bienvenido! My name’s Henri and, I don’t mean to brag, but I’m kind of a big deal here in TokkiWorld. French for "ruler of the home," my name demonstrates my natural born ability to lead and rule. Though I’m competitive and confident, I tend to be level-headed and reserved to a degree … that is, until my buttons are pushed. To be honest, I’m deep down a romantic at heart, just a big cuddly panda bear you’ll want to snuggle up to. The ladies really love my spiffy style, my honesty and my ability to cook up super tasty delicacies. Let’s just say I know my way around the kitchen AND the court!

Made of guts and glory, tactical lefties like me at all costs show no mercy. I strategically calculate, plan and plot every stealth move, sneak attack and trick shot to show my opponents who’s boss. A sharp-dressed panda with an appetite for friendly competition, rhythmic Latin beats, yummy taro drinks, Spanish Tapas and buttery croissants, I’m a sophisticated chum who looooves to schmooze it up. Given my mixed French/Spanish heritage and love for the red clay, I’ve always admired Rafa but have recently taken a liking to Alcaraz, the young Spanish rookie smashing records and making a name for himself. Off the court, I enjoy watching football (the European kind) and cheering on my beloved team Espana. Watch me shuffle and juggle a tennis ball just like Rafa.

I’m so glad you’re here and can’t wait to bring you along on all of my adventures. My chum buddies and I will be documenting our lives, celebrating tennis legends and showing off all of the latest TokkiTennis duds for tennis-loving people like us. You certainly don’t want to miss out. We’ve got so much in store for you. Follow us on social media @TokkiTennis to make sure you never miss a beat!