Chinese firm eyes Serena Williams' racquet maker
China's Anta Sports Products has offered to pay USD 5.5 billion for the firm that makes the Wilson tennis racquets used by Serena Williams, it said in a statement Wednesday.
Anta has joined buyout firm FountainVest Partners to offer 40 euros (USD 46.50) a share for Finland's Amer Sports, one of the world's biggest sports equipment firms that also owns popular ski brands Salomon and Atomic.
Along with Roger Federer, Williams is one of Wilson's most recognisable tennis stars, who hit the headlines for her bad-tempered loss in Saturday US Open final in which she smashed her racquet.
The bid is non-binding and subject to a number of conditions such as a due diligence investigation, the statement added.
Shares in Anta soared as much as 3.8 per cent in Hong Kong pre-market trade but later fell back to end the morning 3.8 per cent lower.
However, Amer climbed 19 per cent to close at 34.20 euros in Helsinki after it confirmed the takeover interest, Bloomberg News reported.
Anta, a Chinese ...