Signa Retail, the owner of Karstadt Warenhaus and Karstadt Sports, is acquiring a 78 percent stake in Tennis-Point, which it describes as the leading multi-channel retailer in the tennis category in Europe, with 12 stores and 19 online shops in ten languages. The Austrian company has already sealed three purchases this year: Dress-for-less, Outfitter and Internetstores, a leading online retailer for cycling and outdoor products. The acquisition of Tennis-Point was described as the next step in Signa Retail's strategy to grow into a multi-channel provider and the clear market leader in sports retailing in Germany. Signa added that the founders of Tennis-Point are to remain on board and that they hold the remaining 22 percent in the racquet sports retailer. Christian Miele, the chief executive, Thomas Welle, chief operating officer, and Philipp Tippkemper, chief marketing officer, will all continue to run Tennis-Point. Established in Herzebrock-Clarholz in 1999, the company sells more than 12,000 tennis and running products from over 100 brands and private labels. The physical stores are located in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and the online store was launched in 2008. Tennis-Point will form part of the Signa International Sports Group, together with Karstadt Sports, Outfitter and Internetstores. The completion of the transaction is subject to approval by anti-trust authority.

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