Forehand

What Forehand does

Forehand, operating as W&W RACKET SPORTS M. I M. WIECZOREK S.C., is a Poland-based specialized e-commerce retailer focused on racket sports equipment. The company sells tennis, squash, badminton, padel, and pickleball gear through its online storefront at forehand.pl, serving both individual consumers (B2C) and wholesale buyers (B2B). It carries products from more than 70 brands and holds exclusive Polish distribution rights for Dunlop, Carlton, Slazenger, and Kirschbaum, while also being an authorized Babolat MATCH seller — relationships that give it privileged access to key brands in the category.

The underlying technology stack is a standard SaaS e-commerce platform (KQS.store), supporting product catalog management, online checkout, and likely inventory/shipping workflows typical of small specialty online retailers. In addition to selling equipment, Forehand offers value-added services such as professional racket stringing and racket testing, which deepen customer engagement and provide a service-based revenue layer beyond pure goods resale. The geographic footprint is concentrated in Częstochowa, Poland, with the business operating on a private, small-scale basis (1–10 employees).

The business model is built on a hybrid of direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales and B2B wholesale distribution of premium racket sports brands. Revenue is generated through product markups on sporting goods, supplemented by service fees for stringing and testing. Exclusive distribution agreements with major brands (Dunlop, Carlton, Slazenger, Kirschbaum) create a privileged import-and-resell channel in the Polish market, while authorized-dealer status with Babolat extends the premium product portfolio. The company participates in category tailwinds from the rapid growth of padel and pickleball, and is actively stocking 2026 product lines (e.g., Head Radical Padel 2026, Head Speed 2026, Babolat Pure Aero 2026, Dunlop FX 2026) to align with next-season consumer demand.

Name

Forehand

Legal name

W&W RACKET SPORTS M. I M. WIECZOREK S.C.

Website

https://forehand.pl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forehand is a Poland-based online retailer (forehand.pl) selling tennis, squash, badminton, padel, and pickleball equipment from 70+ brands to consumers and wholesale buyers, holding exclusive Polish distribution for Dunlop, Carlton, Slazenger, and Kirschbaum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Equipment Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42391), Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers (4591)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Racquet Sports (Tennis/Pickleball/Badminton/Squash) Retail (CRAMABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tennis Equipment & Accessories Retail (CRAMAFAA), Racquet Stringing, Grips & Customization Supplies Retail (CRAMAFAF), Table Tennis (Ping Pong) Equipment Retail (CRAMAFAE), Squash & Racquetball Equipment Retail (CRAMAFAD), Racquet Sport Balls & Shuttlecocks Retail (CRAMAFAH), Racquet Bags, Cases & Storage Retail (CRAMAFAG)

Keywords

• Racket sports equipment
• Tennis equipment retail
• Wholesale sports distribution
• Racket stringing services
• Sports apparel footwear

Headquarters

HQ city

Częstochowa

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Retail Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of sports equipment including tennis, squash, badminton, padel, pickleball rackets, shoes, apparel, and accessories through the forehand.pl online store. Individual product transactions with prices listed in Polish Zloty (PLN).
2. Wholesale Distribution: B2B wholesale sales to retailers, clubs, and sports facilities. Forehand is the exclusive Polish distributor for Dunlop, Carlton, Slazenger, and Kirschbaum brands, and offers favorable wholesale pricing for other brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forehand.pl is a Polish online and physical retailer specializing in racket sports equipment — tennis, squash, badminton, padel, and pickleball — including rackets, balls, strings, grips, shoes, apparel, bags, and court equipment from more than 70 brands (Babolat, Head, Wilson, Yonex, Dunlop, Under Armour, ASICS, Mizuno, Nike, and others). In addition to retail, the company offers racket stringing services, a racket testing/rental program, and B2B wholesale distribution, holding exclusive Polish distributor status for Dunlop, Carlton, Slazenger, and Kirschbaum and authorized Babolat MATCH seller status.

Product overview

Forehand.pl is a Polish online sports equipment retailer operating as a single e-commerce platform. The product portfolio spans multiple racket sports (tennis, squash, badminton, padel, pickleball, speedminton, table tennis), sports apparel, footwear, and related equipment. The store distributes over 70 sports brands including Babolat, Head, Wilson, Yonex, Dunlop, and Under Armour. Key services include racket stringing, racket testing programs, and wholesale distribution. Forehand.pl serves as the exclusive Polish distributor for Dunlop, Carlton, Slazenger, and Kirschbaum brands. The business model combines retail e-commerce with professional services like restringing and product testing, plus B2B wholesale operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tennis Equipment (Rakiety tenisowe, piłki, naciągi, owijki, buty) Full range of tennis equipment including rackets, balls, strings, grips, shoes, stringing machines, training aids, and court equipment for recreational and competitive tennis players.
• Squash Equipment (Rakiety do squasha, piłki, naciągi) Complete squash equipment including rackets, balls, strings, grips, shoes, and bags for indoor court play.
• Badminton Equipment (Rakiety do badmintona, lotki, naciągi) Full badminton equipment range: rackets, shuttlecocks, strings, grips, shoes, and accessories.
• Padel Equipment (Rakiety do padla) Padel rackets, balls, bags, and grips for the growing padel sport market in Poland.
• Pickleball Equipment (Rakiety do pickleball) Pickleball paddles, balls, bags, and backpacks for the pickleball sport.
• Sports Apparel (Odzież sportowa) Men's, women's, boys', and girls' sports apparel including T-shirts, shorts, pants, jackets, socks, and accessories.
• Sports Footwear (Buty sportowe) Tennis shoes, badminton shoes, squash shoes, and running shoes from major brands including ASICS, Mizuno, Nike, K-Swiss, Lotto, and Head.
• Sports Bags (Torby sportowe) Sports bags, tennis bags, thermobags, and backpacks for carrying equipment.
• Racket Stringing Service (Serwis rakiet) Professional racket stringing service with machines for tennis, squash, and badminton rackets, allowing customers to select their preferred string and tension.
• Racket Testing/Rental Service (Testowanie rakiet) Racket testing program allowing customers to try rackets before purchase, with refundable deposits (500 PLN for tennis, 300 PLN for squash) and per-day rental fees.
• Wholesale Distribution (Sprzedaż hurtowa) B2B wholesale distribution service for sports retailers, clubs, and sports facilities. Forehand is the exclusive Polish distributor for Dunlop, Carlton, Slazenger, and Kirschbaum brands and offers favorable wholesale pricing on other brands.
• Babolat Brand Zone (Strefa marki Babolat) Dedicated brand section for Babolat products including Pure Aero, Pure Drive, and Pure Strike rackets, shoes with Michelin soles, and apparel. Forehand.pl is an authorized Babolat MATCH seller guaranteeing 100% authenticity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Racket testing allows customers to try up to 3 rackets with deposits of 500 PLN (tennis) or 300 PLN (squash) per racket

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BabolatcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForehand.pl is an authorized Babolat seller with the MATCH badge, guaranteeing customers access to all new Babolat products and 100% authenticity of sold products. Babolat is a leading tennis, badminton, and padel equipment manufacturer founded in 1875, known for products used by professional players like Rafael Nadal.
• DunlopcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForehand.pl / W&W RACKET SPORTS is the exclusive distributor of Dunlop brand products in Poland. Dunlop is a major manufacturer of tennis balls and racket sports equipment.
• CarltoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive Polish distributor for Carlton brand products, which includes badminton and racket sports equipment.
• SlazengercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive Polish distributor for Slazenger brand products, known for tennis balls and sporting goods.
• KirschbaumcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive Polish distributor for Kirschbaum brand products, specializing in tennis strings and sports accessories.

Scale indicators2 records

Regional players

• Allegro: Allegro is the dominant Polish online marketplace and a key channel where racquet sports equipment is bought and sold. It is a regional competitive substitute rather than a direct specialist, but it captures price-sensitive Polish shoppers that Forehand must compete against for organic search and brand traffic.
• SportScheck: SportScheck is a German multichannel sporting-goods retailer with both physical stores and a sizeable online offering. While it does not operate in Poland, it is comparable in scale, assortment breadth, and customer profile to Forehand's racquet-sports-focused proposition.
• R-GOL.de: R-GOL is a German specialty online retailer focused on running and racquet sports. While based in Germany, it is comparable in category depth, brand-authorized retailer model, and value-added services (stringing) to Forehand's offering.

Direct peers

• Tennis-Point: Tennis-Point is Europe's largest online specialty retailer for tennis and racquet sports equipment, operating across multiple European countries. It is the most directly comparable peer to Forehand in terms of category focus (tennis/racquet), online-first DTC model, multi-brand assortment, and value-added services like stringing.
• Sportano: Sportano is a Polish online sporting-goods retailer offering multi-category sports equipment across tennis, fitness, running, and more. It is a direct domestic peer to Forehand, competing for the same Polish sports-shopper audience with a comparable e-commerce model.

Emerging players

• Babolat (Direct): Babolat operates its own direct-to-consumer e-commerce store across Europe selling tennis, padel, and badminton equipment. While a brand rather than a pure retailer, it competes with Forehand by selling direct in the Polish market and bypasses authorized dealers on certain SKUs.
• Wilson (Direct): Wilson's direct-to-consumer channel sells tennis and racquet sports equipment directly to European consumers. As a major brand that Forehand also resells, Wilson's growing DTC push is a competitive variable analogous to Babolat's.
• Padel Nuestro: Padel Nuestro is a leading specialty retailer focused exclusively on padel equipment, originating in Spain and expanding across Europe. It is comparable to Forehand's emerging padel category investment and represents a potential competitive model if Forehand deepens its padel positioning in Poland.

Broad incumbents

• Decathlon: Decathlon is the world's largest sporting-goods retailer, with extensive physical stores and a strong online presence in Poland. It carries private-label racquets, footwear, and apparel at aggressive price points and competes with Forehand across nearly every product category, including racquet sports.
• Amazon Poland: Amazon's Polish storefront offers broad sporting-goods assortment and competes for generic racquet-sports traffic. As a broad incumbent, it provides scale and logistics advantages that Forehand, as a 1–10 person team, cannot match.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forehand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forehand