Jul 18, 2008

Evian Day offers fans rewards

Free water, facial spray and seat upgrades at tennis tourney

By Vytas Mazeika / Daily News Staff Writer

Thursday at the Bank of the West Classic was cryptically slated "Evian Day." In a quest to discover just what that meant, the Daily News was introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Franciscus.

A sponsor of the U.S. Open for 23 years and now part of the nine-tournament U.S. Open Series that kicked off its 2008 campaign on the Stanford campus, Evian on Thursday rewarded tennis aficionados with special gifts. There was a year supply of Evian bottled water for one fan. There was a year supply of Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray for another. And then there was the seat upgrade that Mr. and Mrs. Franciscus, whose original seats were a gift from a friend, received before the first serve of the singles night match.

"We come every year," said Tony Franciscus, 42, a wholesale manager from Santa Clara who was peacefully sitting with his wife near the top of Section G in the Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

After the players were introduced, the PA announcer asked those in attendance to turn their attention to a pair of Evian representatives standing three rows back of Mr. and Mrs. Franciscus. Then the crowd discovered the gift awaiting the couple sitting quite up high.

"Shocked," said Aejaie Franciscus, 43. :We saw them walk by and thought they were going to sit and watch the match. We said, 'Can't they get better seats?'"

Tony and Aejaie will celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Sept. 12, traditionally symbolized by paper. At the Bank of the West Classic, it just happened that Evian granted them an early gift with two tickets to watch the night's action from some of the best seats in the house.



n Evian, which is also a sponsor for the Australian Open and Wimbledon, will continue to give away daily prizes such as memorabilia from American men's tennis player James Blake or a month supply of Evian.



E-mail Vytas Mazeika at

vmazeika@dailynewsgroup.com.