Topps is making waves in the trading card world with its latest venture into tennis, an often overlooked sport in the hobby. Following the reintroduction of Topps Chrome Tennis earlier this year, the company is set to release its first-ever tennis-specific brand, Topps Graphite Tennis, on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024.
The name "Graphite" pays homage to the material that forms the backbone of professional tennis racquets, adding a scientific twist to the product. Instead of the traditional Superfractor, the product introduces the 1/1 Red Crystalline Refractor, aligning with graphite’s crystalline structure. It’s a clever nod to the sport’s technological edge and a unique addition to Topps' lineup.
The set boasts a 200-card base checklist, including rising stars like Mirra Andreeva and Ben Shelton. It promises three hits per hobby box, featuring one relic autograph and an additional autograph. Tennis legends such as Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Billie Jean King, and Chris Evert are among the notable signers, adding immense appeal for collectors and fans alike.
Each hobby box comes with 20 cards and retails for $149.99. Common Refractors are seeded at roughly one per four packs, while rarer parallels, including Aqua, Green, Blue, Gold, Pink, White, and the ultra-rare Red Crystalline, are numbered to 200 or fewer. The insert lineup, which includes Active Metal and All Metal, continues the elemental theme with cards made from actual metal. The rarest insert, Intricate Images, offers a portrait-style design and is the ultimate chase card for collectors.
With this innovative release, Topps is expanding its reach into tennis, offering collectors a product that blends science, sports, and sleek design. Whether Topps Graphite Tennis will be a smash hit or a swing and a miss remains to be seen—but for now, it’s certainly generating excitement in the hobby world.