Yonex History

Beginnings (1946): Yonex began as Yoneyama Company, crafting wooden floats for fishing nets. When plastic floats displaced wooden ones, founder Minoru Yoneyama vowed never to be outpaced by technology and committed to innovation.

Wooden Racquets (1957): Leveraging their wood crafting skills, Yoneyama entered the badminton racquet industry, later expanding to manufacture various sports equipment like tennis racquets and golf clubs.

First Racquet (1960s): Despite setbacks, including a factory fire, Yoneyama launched its branded racquets and expanded internationally, introducing innovative products like the T-Joint for badminton racquets and moving into tennis.

Structural Innovation (1970s): Yonex pioneered new racquet technologies, including the OPS shaft for stability. It introduced its logo and signed partnerships with top athletes, leading to breakthrough products like lighter badminton racquets.

ISOMETRIC™ and Global Expansion (1980s): Yonex introduced its iconic ISOMETRIC™ racquet, entered the golf industry, and collaborated with top athletes like Martina Navratilova, further cementing its reputation as a global leader.

World No.1 Players (1990s): Yonex racquets helped players like Navratilova and Monica Seles achieve world No.1 status. The company continued its technological advancements and expanded into new markets like snowboarding.

Breaking Records (2000s): Yonex continued to break records in sports like badminton and golf, sponsoring global tournaments and supporting athletes in achieving historic victories.

Global Impact (2010s): Yonex launched initiatives like the Vamos•J tennis camps and The Legends’ Vision to inspire young athletes and raise awareness of badminton worldwide, expanding into new industries like sport bikes and wind turbines.

Today, with the trust of the world’s top athletes - former and current World No.1s - Yonex continues to combine timeless Japanese craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology to give players the tools to succeed.