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Transcript of 200907 Racquet Sports Industry
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July 2009
Volume 37 Number 7 $5.00
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
New promotion to help drive
retail sales
New promotion to help drive
retail sales
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DEPARTMENTS
R S I J U L Y 2 0 0 9
INDUSTRY NEWS 7 Prince adds to EXO3
line of frames
7 Industry innovator WalterMontenegro turns 100
7 USPTA World Conferenceset for Florida in September
8 Register for the USTA
Tennis Teachers Conference8 PTR joins forces with
TennisLMS
8 Volkl extends PowerBridge line
8 Wilson offers US OpenSweepstakes contest
9 Ektelon EXO3 racquetball
frames announced9 WTT signs Turfer Athletic
as official apparel supplier
9 Protect your CTA, NJTLwith group insurance
9 Wilson Grand SlamBag debuts in Paris
11 USPTA launchesTennisresources.com
11 Tecnifibre team strings3,060 frames at French Open
4 Our Serve
7 Industry News
15 TIA News & Updates
26 String Playtest: Tecnifibre Black Code 16
28 Tips and Techniques
30 Ask the Experts
32 Your Serve, by Paul Fein and Jim Martz
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009www.racquetsportsindustry.com
FEATURES
ContentsContents
18 Racket Up, America!A new industry-wide promotionis designed to drive more sales atretail and help stimulate themarketplace.
20 Find Your Ball MachineFor 2009, new machines fromLobster and Silent Partner joinour exclusive Ball MachineSelector.
22 The Hard WaySix outdoor hard-court projectsclaim facility-of-the-year honors.
24 What RacquetTechnologies Are YouSelling?In our second of three parts, wetake a look at more racquettechnologies that you and yourstaff will encounter.
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J
ust like you, we at RSI depend on this industry, so we
freely admit that we are “cheerleaders for our sport.”
And we need you to be “cheerleaders for tennis,” too.That’s why this issue’s cover may look like an advertisement to you. And
in some ways, maybe it is. In other ways, though, this cover is an important
story—one that retailers throughout the U.S. should be paying attention to,
and should be supporting wholeheartedly.
At a meeting of the TIA board of directors in April, an idea formed in which
this industry would collaborate on a promotion that would drive consumers to
retail stores. Out of that came the “Racket Up, America!” campaign, which
kicks off in July and runs through September. A key in this is that consumers
can buy any brand of racquet at any retail outlet, to be eligible to win a grand
prize and other prizes (see page 18).
Manufacturers, organizations and more are all on board with this. The goal
is to drive consumers to retailers to buy a new racquet, but the hope is that
once at a retail location, they’ll also buy other tennis products—apparel,
strings, shoes, accessories. Then, armed with all they need, they can get out
and play, take lessons, join clinics, etc. All segments of this industry will
benefit.
The hope, also, is that the “Racket Up, America!” tagline continues even
past this promotion. In fact, I’d like to see it used heavily in conjunction with
National Tennis Month, which typically is too underplayed in this country (it’sin May, btw). NTM is a natural for getting people out on courts and deserves
more attention from all organizations.
While the consumer storyline for “Racket Up, America!” is a once-in-a-life-
time chance to serve for a million bucks and to go to the US Open, the indus-
try storylines run much deeper: stimulating the tennis marketplace, driving
customers to your stores, getting more people playing and taking lessons, cre-
ating a true collaboration among all entities and businesses in tennis—for the
good of all of us.
Promote “Racket Up, America!” in your store, through emails to customers
and members, on your website, in your local media. Here’s your opportunity
not only to help your business, but also to be a true “cheerleader for tennis.”
Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
Our Serve
A Campaign We Should All Support(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry )
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
Associate EditorGreg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Contributing Editors
Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
Kristen Daley
Joe Dinoffer
Liza Horan
James Martin
Greg Moran
Chris NicholsonBob Patterson
Cynthia Sherman
Mary Helen Sprecher
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
year: monthly January through August and com-
bined issues in September/October and Novem-
ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330
Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail atPeriodicals PostagePrices is Pendingat Vista, CA and
additional mailing offices. July 2009, Volume 37,
Number 7 © 2009 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and
logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-
tions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry ,
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.
4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
For more on “Racket Up, America!”,
including free materials to help you
promote this to your customers, go to
playtennis.com/partner.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W SI N D U S T R Y N E W SI N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S
Prince is introducing three new EXO3 models: two advanced-player frames—the EXO3
Ignite 95 and Ignite Team 95—and a classic oversize—the EXO3 Blue 110. “The
EXO3 Ignite is built for a very particular high-level player and will help
continue our assault on that growing segment of the market,” says
Tyler Herring, Prince’s global business director for performance
racquets. “The EXO3 Blue 110 is built with the millions of
recreational club players in mind who look to Prince to help
them have more fun on court and who seek the ultimate in
comfort and power.”
The Ignite 95 joins the EXO3 Graphite and Rebel racquets
in providing advanced-level players with control and feel,
says Prince. The Ignite Team 95 is for competitive players
who want a lighter weight, more maneuverable frame. The
EXO3 Blue 110 will be positioned between the EXO3 Silver 118
and Red 105 for club players looking for a 110-square-inch head.
“With more players taking to tennis courts in the U.S., we need to
ensure that our racquets deliver the core benefits each player type
demands, and focus on making it easy for consumers to identify the
right racquet for them at retail,” says Linda Glassel, VP of sports mar-
keting and branding at Prince.
“The Graphite, Rebel and Ignite franchises signify racquets built for
players typically looking for control-oriented frames in heavier weights
and more traditional cross sections. In our recreational frames, we
have continued with a color naming strategy (Red 105, Blue 110, Silver 118)
so players can identity which racquet they should graduate to.”
The EXO3 Ignite 95 is for advanced players with faster swing speeds who are looking for a
heavy, yet head-light, racquet. Suggested retail price is $210. The EXO3 Ignite Team 95 is designed
for intermediate to advanced players who like a classic, mid-size frame in a slightly lighter weight
for added maneuverability and more power from the baseline. Price is $200.
The EXO3 Blue 110 is for club players looking for the great feel in a classic oversize, with a larg-
er sweetspot. Suggested retail is $280. For more information, visit www.princetennis.com.
Walter MontenegroTurns 100!
Tennis and racquet sportsindustry veteran and innovatorWalter Montenegro will cele-brate his 100th birthday thissummer. A celebration is plannedfor Aug. 15 in New Jersey.
Montenegro was born Aug. 25,1909, in San Jose, Costa Rica.He earned an accountingdegree at the University of Buenos Aires, then arrived inNew York in his early 20s. He
learned to string tennis racquetsand ultimately established anumber of racquet companies,including Calhoun-Cragin andCragin Simplex, where he alsoimported Babolat strings.
Among other endeavors, hedeveloped a squash ball forsummer play that changed thegame to a year-round sport,and generated a Sports Illus-trated article by George Plimp-ton. He also was instrumental
in building up the USPTA,USRSA, TIA and U.S. Profession-al Squash Racquets Association.He was inducted into the Sport-ing Goods Industry Hall of Famein 1985.
The family would love to havecards, greetings, testimonials,etc., to make his day truly spe-cial. Mail can be sent to: WalterMontenegro, c/o Barbara Mon-tenegro, 7 Tall Pines Drive, Nep-tune, N.J. 07753.
USPTA World Conference Set for Florida
The USPTA’S World Conference on Tennis will be Sept. 21 to 26 at the Marco Island Marriott
Beach Resort, Golf Club and Spa on Marco Island, Fla. The conference will feature more than
35 general sessions, seminars and specialty courses and is expected to draw 1,500 attendees,
including tennis professionals, industry leaders and representatives, manufacturers,
wholesalers and media. Also during the conference, USPTA hosts its Inter-
national Tennis Championships, board and executive committee meetings,
industry meetings, a tennis-only buying show, silent auction, nighttime parties,
awards presentation and more.
USPTA members, their friends and family, nonmember tennis-teaching profes-
sionals, industry leaders and media are invited to attend the conference. Details,
including registration information, are available at www.uspta.com or by calling
800-877-8248.
Prince Adds to EXO3 Line of Frames
R S I J U L Y 2 0 0 9
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E X O 3 I G N I T E T E A M
E X O 3 B L U E
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U S T R Y N E W
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Register for the TTC
Register now for the USTA’s 2009
Tennis Teachers Conference, which
will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at the Grand
Hyatt in New York City, just as the US Open gets
under way. Now in its 39th year, the TTC is a pre-
mier resource for teaching pros, organizers and
coaches, offering the latest information, along
with an opportunity to connect with colleagues
from around the U.S. and the world. For informa-
tion or to register, visit usta.com/ttc.
PTR Joins Forces With TennisLMS
The PTR has signed a two-year agreement with TennisLMS Corp. to be
the Player Development Platform of PTR. TennisLMS is a new company
with a platform for tracking players’ development and performances.
PTR members will receive exclusive discounted pricing for all compo-
nents of TennisLMS web application: Video Analysis, Match Analysis, Fit-
ness Analysis, Mental Game Development and High PerformanceAcademy Editions.
The TennisLMS (Learning Management System) platform provides a
range of unique features for club owners, directors, coaches and physical
trainers that encourages participation, retention, and long-term player
development and helps up-sell tennis memberships and lessons. The PTR
says the system is easy to use and doesn’t require any software to be
installed—PTR coaches will access all features and player development
plans over the Internet.
“In this economic downturn, PTR is trying to help our coaches and
clubs to become more profitable and TennisLMS has the platform and the
vision at an affordable price,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. “It will maxi-
mize sharing of the knowledge of PTR coaches and extend value-addedservices they offer to their clients.”
“Most of the industry is talking about modern tennis, but it starts with
modern tennis coaches,” says Kelly Jones, TennisLMS president and for-
mer No. 1 in ATP doubles. TennisLMS has carefully chosen partners (Ten-
nis Europe Junior Tour, Croatian Tennis Association, Stanford University,
University of Virginia, Prince Plugged In Academies, Etcheberry Certified
Coaches, Little Mo Tournaments and Saddlebrook Academy) with whom
we want to help build the next generation of modern tennis coaches.”
For more information, visit ptrtennis.org or tennislms.com.
8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Volkl Adds to Power Bridge Line
Volkl Tennis has come out with four new racquets in
its Power Bridge line, along with new junior
frames in the series. New frames include the Power
Bridge 3, Power Bridge V1, Power Bridge 10 Mid,
and Quantum Scorcher.
The Power Bridge 3, designed for players looking
for performance and power, is 110 square inches and
weighs 9.5 ounces, with a 16 x 19 string pattern.
The Power Bridge V1 comes in a midplus (102 square
inches) and oversize (110). It weighs 10.1 ounces with a
16 x 19 string pattern, and is designed to provide com-
fort and performance.
For tournament players, the Power Bridge 10 Mid pro-vides control and precision, permitting a hard, domi-
nating play style, says Volkl. The frame is 93 square
inches, weighs 11.6 ounces and has a 16 x 19 string
pattern.
For control, feel and value, Volkl offers the Quan-
tum Scorcher, at 102 square inches, 9.7 ounces and
16 x 19 pattern. The new junior frames include the
Power Bridge 8 Jr., Power Bridge 9 Jr., and Power Bridge
10 Jr.
For more information, and to find out about specials
and promotions, call 866-554-7872 or email con-
[email protected], or visit www.volkl-tennis.com.
Wilson Contest for Open Trip
Wilson’s 2009 US Open Sweepstakes Contest
offers consumers a chance to win a trip to
the 2009 US Open and other Wilson equipment.
The sweepstakes, which runs through July, with
winners drawn on Aug. 7, is being promoted on
specially marked three-packs of Wilson US
Open tennis balls. For registration and more
details, visit www.wilson.com/usopentrip.
Zvonareva Signs
with Tourna Grip
WTA Tour World No. 7 Vera Zvonareva has
signed a multi-year deal with Unique Sports.
Zvonareva, a 2009 Australian Open semifinalist
who won her ninth singles title at Indian Wells
this year, joins Victoria Azarenka as an official
endorser of Pink Tourna Tac by Tourna Grip.
"Tourna Grip has been such an important
part of my tennis success,” says Zvonareva.
“Nothing else performs quite like it. I’m happy
to now have an official agreement.” Visit
www.uniquesports. com.
Coaches Chosen forUSTA Collegiate Teams
Four coaches have been chosen to lead the USTA
Men’s and Women’s Summer Collegiate Teams,
an elite training program for the top American col-
legiate tennis players that began in 1996 and is
designed to provide players with exposure to theUSTA Pro Circuit in a team-oriented environment.
Amanda Augustus from the University of Cali-
fornia-Berkeley and Kathy Sell from Princeton Uni-
versity will coach the women’s team, while Chris
Brandi from Wake Forest University and the Uni-
versity of Virginia’s Tony Bresky will lead the
men’s team. Each team will have 12 participants,
selected based on performance at national cham-
pionship events and ITA rankings.
P O W E R B R I D G E 1 0 M I D
P O W E R B R I D G E 3
P O W E R B R I D G E V 1
Q U A N T UM S C O R C H E R
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Protect Your Group andYourself With CTA and NJTLInsurance
We’ve all seen
the Geico com-
mercials with
those two large eyeballs on a stack of cash,showing individuals that they’ve paid too much
for insurance. It’s a simple concept that res-
onates in these times of economic uncertainty.
The USTA recognizes the need for low-cost
solutions for community-based organizations—
such as Community Tennis Associations and
NJTL Chapters and Programs—that promote
and develop the growth of tennis. And one solu-
tion, for eligible CTAs and NJTLs, is the USTA
Master Liability Insurance Program and the
Directors & Officers and Employment Practices
Insurance Program. Each is a professional,high-quality program offering substantial liabil-
ity coverage with a discounted enrollment
contribution.
The Master Liability Insurance Program
offers up to $2 million in coverage against alle-
gations of negligence resulting from bodily
injury or property damage. This program offers
coverage for liability claims such as injury or
death to a player or participant; accidental
injury to a bystander or spectator; property
damage; allegations of libel, slander, abuse or
molestation; and more. The enrollee contribu-tion is $165 a year for CTAs or NJTLs with an
annual budget of $25,000 or less and $465 for
organizations with a budget of more than
$25,000. You can’t find this type of coverage at
this cost anywhere on the market.
The Directors & Officers and Employment
Practices Insurance Program offers coverage
through an “A”-Rated carrier for CTAs and
NJTLs. Policy features include providing
defense counsel; no deductible; $1 million limit
of liability with simple and inexpensive pricing;
and loss prevention services from a national
law firm specializing in employment, labor and
benefits law risk-management assistance.
Both insurance programs have a toll-free
number for dedicated support and assistance.
Over 500 CTAs and NJTLs have enrolled so far
this year. For additional information, contact
the USTA’s insurance consultant, Eagle Risk
Management, at 1-800-654-USTA (8782) or
visit www.usta.com/cta. —David Slade
David Slade is the USTA National Manager of
Community Tennis Associations and can be
reached at [email protected].
I N D U S T R Y N E W S
Ektelon Launches EXO3 R-Ball Frames
Ektelon has launched two EXO3 high-perform-
ance racquetball frames, the Black and Cop-
per. EXO3 features “Energy Bridge” and “Energy
Channel” designs that suspend the string bed,
expand the sweetspot and deliver other playing
benefits, says the company.
The Energy Channel is a frame design that cre-ates elongated open channels at the 12, 3 and 9
o’clock positions of the frame which moves the mass
to the outermost edges of the frame for stability. Ener-
gy Bridge are soft thermoplastic pieces inserted into the
Energy Channel to create an exo-skeletal bridge structure
that results in a string bed that is almost entirely sus-
pended from the frame.
The EXO3 Black has a suggested retail price of $300,
while the Copper is $280. For information, contact 800-283-2635
or visit www.ektelon.com.
WTT signs Turfer Athletic AsOfficial Apparel Supplier
World TeamTennis and Turfer Athletic announced a multi-year agreement
making Turfer Athletic the official apparel supplier of both the Advanta
WTT Professional and Recreational Leagues. Turfer will develop a proprietary
lifestyle brand of WTT apparel available online and at select Advanta WTT Pro
and Rec League events.
Turfer has launched a website, www.turfer.com/WTT, featuring tennis-
inspired lifestyle clothing suited for wearing both on and off the court. The
website will offer discounts for WTT members on the WTT Collection of cus-
tom apparel and outerwear. WTT members will also receive special incentive
buying offers throughout the year.
During the Pro League season, Turfer will outfit officials, ball kids and staff
in the 10 franchise markets and will have merchandise onsite at many of the
Advanta WTT Pro League matches in July.
Wilson Grand Slam Bag DebutsIn recognition of all Wilson’s great champions, Wilson has created the new GrandSlam Limited Edition Bag, which debuted at the French Open and will be exclusivelycarried on tour by all of Wilson’s Grand Slam Champions.
“There is no better feeling than winning a Grand Slam title,” says Roger Federer,who recently won the French Open forthe first time, tying Pete Sampras’ all-
time Grand Slam title record at14. “This new Wilson GrandSlam bag is a verycool and uniqueway of cele-brating myGrand Slamtitles.” Wil-son playershave won atotal of 467 GrandSlam titles.
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SHORTS E T S> Rally for the Cure and the USPTA have
joined forces to raise awareness in the fight
against breast cancer. Rally for the Cure has
tools and materials for USPTA tennis-teach-
ing professionals interested in running a
Lessons for Life charity tennis event in sup-
port of Rally for the Cure. Visit rallyforthe-
cure.com or uspta.com for more.
> Tencap has signed on as a corporate
member of the PTR. Tencap provides tennis
clubs web-based technologies that are inte-
grated into a club’s website, and offers PTR
members 15 percent off set-up and main-
tenance. Tencap technologies include a
social networking platform, event manage-
ment system and more. Visit tencapten-
nis.com.
> The first day of ticket sales in June to the
general public for the 2009 US Open was
the second best opening day in US Open
history. With nearly 35,000 tickets sold, this
marks only the second time that opening
day ticket sales topped 30,000 tickets.
> The Georgia Chapter of the Club Man-
agers Association of America invited the
Georgia State Chapter of the USPTA South-
ern Division to a joint meeting on May 18
at the Dunwoody Country Club in Dun-
woody, Ga. More than 50 tennis-teaching
professionals attended the meeting to net-
work and learn more about CMAA. Tom
Daglis, the USPTA first vice president and
director of tennis at Lakewood Country
Club in Rockville, Md., was the featured
guest speaker.
> Advanta, which is the main sponsor of
the World TeamTennis Pro League, appearsto be having financial problems. Recently
the company, which provides credit cards to
many small businesses, including many in
the tennis industry, essentially canceled its 1
million credit-card accounts, announcing it
would no longer make loans on their cards.
A WTT spokesman said in June Advanta’s
difficulties won’t affect the 2009 Pro
League season, which takes place in July.
> USTA Serves–Foundation for Academics.
Character. Excellence., the philanthropicand charitable entity of the USTA,
announced that it will grant 71 high school
students a variety of college scholarships
this spring totaling $379,000. Individual
amounts will range from $1,000 to
$15,000.
> The PTR presented a plaque and $2,500
check to the Photography Department of
Hilton Head Island High School to honor the
memory of Dr. Kin Yee “Ken” Mak, who
died suddenly in March. Mak served as the
official photographer of PTR for more than
10 years. The money will be used for schol-
arships of $250 a semester for the next five
years.
I N D
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> “On Court with USPTA,” the cable TV
show produced by the USPTA, received
the Award of Distinction in the 2009 Com-
municator Awards competition. The
award-winning episode, “Creating a Suc-
cessful Doubles Team,” which aired on the
Tennis Channel, won in the category of
programs/news–sports. This was also the
first episode of “On Court with USPTA” in
high-definition.
> Bernard Chavis, author of “The Games
of Tennis: An African-American Journey,”
and the president/ceo of The Black Tennis
Foundation of Phi ladelphia, has
announced a new tennis information blog
at http://blacktennis news.blogspot.com.
“I look forward to keeping you informed
of the progress and challenges of leveling
the playing field of diversity and breaking
racial and cultural barriers in the sport of
tennis,” Chavis said in an email.
> More than 200 children showed up for
the USTA’s third annual open casting call in
June at Radio City Music Hall in New York
City, hoping to perform at the 2009 US
Open, Aug. 31 to Sept. 13. A panel of
celebrity judges from the music and enter-
tainment industries will help choose win-
ners, who will perform live at Arthur AsheStadium during night sessions.
> Squash star Adrian Grant has signed a
deal with Head.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
French Open Tecnifibre Team Strings 3,060 Frames
Paul Kid of Tecnifibre reports that the company’s 11 stringers at the French Open
this year strung a total of 3,060 racquets during the three weeks (including qual-
ifying), which is 300 more frames than in 2008. The Tecnifibre stringers, using TF-
8000 machines, came from France, Japan, United Kingdom, Argentina,
Switzerland, Spain and Germany. Interesting stats from the Tecnifibre Stringing
Service logs include:
Q Lowest tension: 22 lbs., for Filipo Volandri (Italy)
Q Hightest tension: 77 lbs., for Jurgen Melzer (Austria)
Q Most racquets strung: 52, for Serena WilliamsTensions and other stats for some popular players:
Gore Supplies Wimbledon Roof FabricW.L. Gore & Associates Inc., the company best known for its waterproof and breathableouterwear fabric, announced that the new retractable roof over Centre Court at Wimble-don is made of Gore Tenara Architectural Fabric, a product that will lessen the impact ofwet weather at the tennis tournament. The fabric was chosen, in part, for its ability to letlight pass through while offering protection from the elements.
USPTA launches Tennisresources.com
The USPTA launched tennisresources.com, a tennis search engine that allows
users to find all things tennis—from exclusive educational and instructional
videos to articles and drill diagrams—all located at one site. Tennisresources.com,
a subscription-based site, targets tennis-teaching professionals and coaches and
tennis players of all levels.
The site provides teaching pros with the tools they need to enhance lessons and
programs, whether they teach competitive juniors and adults or Little Tennis play-
ers. Tennis players will also find the site useful with access to numerous instruc-
tional videos, one-minute video tips and drills from top tennis-teaching pros to
help improve their game.
Paid subscribers to tennisresources.com have unlimited access to high-quality
educational tennis material. Other benefits include rating media, the opportunity
to leave comments about media, sharing content with others by sending it via e-
mail and saving media to a list of personal “Favorites” so that you may quickly find
the content that is most useful to you. USPTA members will receive a complimen-
tary basic subscription. There are several subscription rates available. Visit tennis-
resources.com for more information and to view sample clips.
QRafael Nadal: 55 lbs.
Q Robin Söderling: 56 lbs. and 36 racquets strung
Q Dinara Safina: 66/64 lbs.
Q Svetlana Kuznetsova: 57/55 lbs.
Q Fernando Verdasco: 51/46 lbs.
QMike Bryan: 50/53 lbs. and 24 racquets strung
Q Bob Bryan: 49/53 lbs. and 28 racquets strung
Q Andy Roddick: 62 lbs.
Q John McEnroe: 52 lbs.
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J U L Y 2 0 0 9I N D U S T R Y N E W S
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009
• Peter Burwash International has appoint-
ed Jeff Henkelman to the recently created
position of director of quality control.
Henkelman, who has been with PBI for 20
years, will travel to PBI facilities to conduct
on-site inspections, oversee company-wideperformance evaluations, assist with the
training of all new professionals and help
with the planning of the PBI Annual Meet-
ing as part of his duties. He also will con-
tinue in his current role as regional
manager for the Caribbean.
• Roger Federer made his-
tory with his Wilson [K]
Six.One Tour in June
when he won his first
French Open title, tyingPete Sampras’ record 14
career Grand Slam titles.
Also for Wilson, Juan Martin Del Potro
with his [K] Six.One 95, reached his first
Grand Slam semifinal in Paris. In the Junior
French Open event, 16-year-old Kristina
Mladenovic used her [K]Tour to take the
girls’ singles title and Daniel Berta used his
[K]Six-One 95 to take home the boys’ title.
• Head player Svetlana
Kuznetsova, who playswith a MicroGel
Extreme with Teflon
polymer, won the
French Open final in
June. On the men’s
side, Robin Soderling, play-
ing with a Head MicroGel Radical MP,
defeated No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the round
of 16 and reached the final.
• Jack Huczek captured his third USA Rac-
quetball Men’s Singles National Champi-
onship on May 24 at the 2009 USA
Racquetball National Singles
Championships in Hous-
ton. Huczek is a member
of Head’s Pro Staff. This
was his second USA Rac-
quetball National Champi-
onship title this year.
• Troy Hahn is the newest USTA coach. He
will facilitate coaching and training pro-
grams while working with players in the
USTA Player Development program. Hahn,
who was assistant men’s tennis coach at
Purdue University, will be based at the
USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca
Raton, Fla.
• Duke’s Mallory Cecil and Oklahoma
State’s Oleksandr Nedovyesov of have been
named the 2009 Campbell/ITA
National College Players of
the Year. Tennessee’s Davey
Sandgren and John-Patrick
Smith and Fresno State’s
Renata Kucerkova and Anas-
tasia Petukhova of are the ITA
National Doubles Teams of the Year. For
the first time, the collegiate players will be
recognized at the 2009 International Hallof Fame Induction Ceremony on July 11 in
Newport, R.I. during the Campbell’s Hall of
Fame Tennis Championships.
• The late Arthur Ashe and his wife
Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe will be recog-
nized with the Eugene L. Scott Award by
the International Tennis Hall of Fame and
Museum at the 29th annual “Legends
Ball” on Friday, Sept. 11, in New York. The
award honors an individual who embodies
Scott’s commitment to communicatinghonestly and critically about the game.
• WTA Tour star Vera Zvonareva has been
named a "Promoter of Gender Equality"
as part of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's
partnership with UNESCO, the United
Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultur-
al Organization. In this role she joins fellow
Tour stars Venus Williams, Tatiana Golovin
and Zheng Jie, who were previously named
as Promoters of Gender Equality, as well as
Tour founder and legend Billie Jean King,
who was named “Global Mentor for Gen-
der Equality” last November.
• Adam Milner has been named
Associate Publisher for Tennis
Magazine, the world’s largest
tennis title. In this role he
will work to develop inte-
grated solutions across The
Tennis Company’s different
platforms including: Tennis Mag-
azine, Smash and Tennis.com.
PEOPL EWATCH
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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T I A N E W S J U L Y 2 0 0 9
In April, the TIA
board of directors
met to discuss the
impact of the econ-
omy on tennis busi-
nesses. One of the
developments was to establish a
task force to focus on ways to
stimulate the marketplace. From
that,“Racket Up, America!” was
created, and it evolved over the
next month as a way to help drivetraffic to retailers, create consumer
awareness and excitement around
tennis, and carry on the positive
momentum that this sport has
been experiencing.
But this is only a part of the TIA’s
“roadmap” to work together with
all the stakeholders of tennis to
grow our sport and businesses. In
addition to the Economic Growth
task force, the board also formed
task forces for Frequent Player
Growth and Communications/Posi-
tioning—key areas vital to all busi-
nesses in tennis, and over the next
several months, we will continue to
meet as a group to further define
the work needed. And as we move
ahead, we ask for your involve-
ment and support—and to urge
everyone to Racket Up… Support
Your Local Retailer or Pro Shop!
NEWS & UPDATESNEWS & UPDATES
Jolyn de Boer
As Seen on "Live! With Regis & Kelly"
The big news that tennis is the fastest growing tradition-
al participation sport over the last eight years—by a
wide margin—was shown on “Live! With Regis &
Kelly” in May. Host Regis Philbin, an avid tennis player him-
self, held up a chart by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers
Association that shows from 2000 to 2008, tennis participa-
tion grew by 43 percent, far outpacing every other traditional
sport. A distant second place is another racquet sport, racquetball, increasing 11.6 percent in those
eight years. The only other sports to show participation increases since 2000 are soccer (up 2.2 per-
cent) and basketball (1 percent). Every other traditional sport declined in participation, including golf (down 4.3 percent).
News You Can Use! Tennis Participation—Up 43%—Generates National Buzz
TIA Tennis Forum—Tuesday, Sept. 1, Grand Hyatt, NYC
The third annual TIA Tennis Forum, presented by Tennis Magazine,
will be on Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the Manhattan
Ballroom at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. The Forum, held in con-
junction with the 39th Annual USTA Tennis Teachers Conference, is free and
open to all in the industry. You’ll hear the latest news about the state of the indus-
try, including participation growth, equipment sales data, the latest grassroots ini-
tiatives and more. Plus, we’ll announce the 2009 inductees into the Tennis Industry
Hall of Fame. For more information and to register, go to TennisIndustry.org/forum.
July 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
Alucky tennis player
will have a once-in-a-
lifetime chance to
serve for $1 million and win a
trip to the US Open in a
unique promotion from the
tennis industry: “Racket Up,
America!” See page 18 for
more information.
Speakers at the TIA Tennis Forum will include:Q TIA President Jon Muir
Q USTA Chairman of the Board Lucy Garvin
Q USTA Chief Executive of Community TennisKurt Kamperman
Q Tennis Magazine Group Publisher Jeff Williams
Tennis Industry Hall of Fame NominationsNominations close on July 1 for the 2009 Tennis Industry
Hall of Fame, which recognizes those individuals who
have made a significant impact to the sport, from the
1960s to the present. Visit TennisIndustry.org/HOF.
The TIA Tennis Forum, presented by
Tennis Magazine , is held during the
USTA Tennis Teachers Conference,
which will be Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 at the
Grand Hyatt in New York City.
TIA/USTA Technology Workshop at TTC
Every month, millions of consumers search popular tennis
websites, looking for a place to play, program to play in
and partners to play with. The TIA/USTA Technology
Workshop at the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference will provide
an overview of how you can get your facility and programs
involved. Experts will take you through the process of getting listed on the tennis industry’s most
complete database so that you will maintain the most comprehensive marketing exposure for your
tennis events. This hands-on session will show you how easy it is to take advantage of the technolo-
gy assets brought to you by the USTA, TIA and Active Network.
Where: USTA Tennis Teachers ConferenceGrand Hyatt, New York City
When: Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1 to 4 p.m.
For information or to register, visitusta.com/ttc or call 914-696-7004.
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Connecting With Tennis Players
Tennis Welcome Center Spotlight:
Raleigh Racquet Club
The Raleigh Racquet Club, located on 36 acres on the
outskirts of Raleigh, N.C., has something for every
age and every level of player. The club’s 352 mem-
bers cover an age span of 90 years, and members range
from beginners to a former Wimbledon champion. RRC
General Manager Marc Blouin makes sure that not only the
members are satisfied with the
various programs and clinics
run at the 29-court facility, but
also that every visitor who walks
into the club has an exceptional experience.
“We welcome guests with open arms,” he says. “Our
goal is to show them that tennis is fun. We want visitors
to be so impressed with our programs and facility that
they want to become more involved in the game.”
Share your success stories onGrowingTennis Initiatives! [email protected].
Getting Kids Hooked on Tennis
With the QuickStart Format
Paul Allam has been using a format similar to Quick-
Start Tennis for teaching tennis to youngsters since 1983,
when he was a physical edu-
cation student in his home country
of Scotland. So when the USTA
developed the QuickStart Tennis
format, Allam had no hesitation in
using it at the Pacific Athletic Club
in Northern Calif ornia, where he
now has more than 200 kids participat-
ing in his program.
Allam, who has taught tennis allover the world, is hoping that by using
QuickStart, more kids will play tennis
and stick with the sport.
“If we’re increasing the base of tennis players at
the younger age groups, we’re going to see amazing stuff five
to 10 years from now,” he says. “If we keep getting as many
coaches as possible trained in the QuickStart Tennis format,
U.S. tennis will reap the benefits down the road.”
As of early June, there were:Q 2,602 Tennis Welcome Centers
Q 1,701 Cardio Tennis sites
Q 1,221 QuickStart Tennis sites
Cardio Tennis Spotlight:
Jhena Vieira-Coffey“It wasn’t easy at first,” says 29-year-old Jhena Vieira-
Coffey.“After my first Cardio Tennis clinic, I was dripping
wet and exhausted. But before this, I wasn’t doing any-
thing good for my body or for myself. I was letting my
job stress me out, so it felt great to do something for me.”
Vieira-Coffey dedicated herself to Cardio Tennis four times a week as
part of the “Cardio Tennis: Get Fit Florida” competition. And in seven
weeks, she lost 15 pounds.
Cardio Tennis, she says, “became a daily stress reliever and made me
feel happier and like my life was more complete.”
Cardio Tennis Raises Money for
QuickStart at Challenger Event
The Charlottesville (Va.) Area Tennis Association (CATA)
teamed up with the Boyd Tinsley $50,000 Challenger
Tennis Tournament to get people’s hearts in shape and
host a Cardio Tennis clinic. Club Red, the UVA Heart Health
Initiative for Women, and the TIA’s Cardio Tennis Initiative
hosted a two-hour consumer Cardio Tennis event on April 30
which drew 27 participants. The clinic was conducted by
Feisal Hassan, a member of the National Cardio Tennis Speak-
ers Team, and nine touring pros from the Boyd Tinsley Tennis
Tournament. All proceeds were donated to the Jump Start
QuickStart Tennis Initiative, to buy QuickStart Tennis equip-
ment for local schools.
Build Your Brand With TennisConnect Retailer
TennisConnect Retailer, built exclusively
for authorized tennis pro shops and spe-
cialty retailers and approved by the TIA,
is the industry’s premier retailer software pack-
age. Take your retail operation online and reap
the benefits of 24/7 business with your own
branded website.With your store’s exclusive Online Catalog, you can showcase the brands you pro-
mote with manufacturer-approved images and content, updated daily. Manage and
grow your string business, track and display demo racquets online, and much more.
If you also manage a facility, TennisConnect Retailer includes a Court Reservation System, E-Calendar, Group Email/Contact
Management System, Player Matching and Website Builder.
Our participating manufacturers provide branded plug-ins for your web pages. And you can use promotional material
direct from the manufacturers, such as newsletters and product email blasts linked to your Online Catalog. Check out all the
options available to your business at TennisConnect.com.
Find the Right Tools for Your BusinessWith TennisConnect.comTennisConnect.com recently redesigned itswebsite, making it easier than ever to find theperfect tools to increase revenue, grow your
tennis business and connect with playersthrough technology. Visit TennisConnect.comto find the product that best fits your business.
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I N D U S T R Y P R O M O T I O N
A new industry-wide promotion is designed to
drive more sales at retail and help stimulate the
marketplace.
Anew promotion by the tennis industry is designed to help drive
consumer sales of racquets and will offer a once-in-a-lifetime
chance for a lucky winner to serve for $1 million and win a trip
to the US Open.In the unique promotion, called “Racket Up, America!”, any-
one who buys a new tennis racquet—of any brand, and at any
retail or pro shop—from July 15 through
Sept. 30, 2009, could win a chance to serve
for the $1 million grand prize, along with a
trip for two to the finals of the 2010 US
Open. The serve for $1 million will take
place in New York’s Madison Square Gar-
den on March 1, during Tennis Night in
America.
Consumers register their racquet pur-
chase at playtennis.com/million and are
immediately entered to win. Also available
will be other prizes totaling $10,000.
“This strong collaborative industry
effort is part of the TIA’s emphasis on find-
ing additional ways we can positively
impact the economic health of our industry
within the current player base, in addition
to our ongoing focus on growing tennis par-
ticipation,” says TIA President Jon Muir.
“It’s vital that we continue to help both cre-
ate consumers for our sport and find ways
to drive the economics of our industry day-
to-day at retail.”
Participation, according to an annual survey by the TIA and
USTA, is at a 15-year high in the U.S., with nearly 27 million players.
In addition, research by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Associa-
tion shows that tennis participation has far outpaced that of all othertraditional sports, growing 43 percent in the last eight years.
“The message that tennis is a fun, healthy activity is getting
through to consumers, and new programs
and formats that all of us in this industry
support are showing positive results in terms
of participation growth,” Muir says. “Now,
we’d like to help make sure the tennis retail
market follows suit. As more and more peo-
ple play tennis, we’ve seen a surge in play-
ers restringing their current racquets, rather
than buying new ones.”
“Our ‘Racket Up, America!’ promotion
and the way the industry has been able to
gather unified non-branded support to grow
the game has really helped tennis stay ahead
of other participation sports,” adds Jolyn de
Boer, the executive director of the TIA. “We
think this collaboration, across all lines in the
tennis business, will serve us well in this
economy and position us for continued
growth when the overall economy picks up
again.”
For more information on “Racket Up,
America!”, including official rules and
details, go to playtennis.com/million. Q
How You Can ‘Racket Up!’To boost retail sales overall, and to boost your
business, the “Racket Up, America!” promotion
needs your help and support.
The TIA has put together advertising and market-
ing material that you can use to help promote the
contest and your business. All you need to do is
go to playtennis.com/partner to downloadwhat you need and to find out more information.
At the partner website, you’ll find “Racket Up,
America!” ads, web banners, fliers, templates
and other material that you can adapt for your
business to promote this to your customers. Dis-
tributing fliers with each racquet sale will help
urge consumers to register their new purchase.
Email blasts about this promotion to your cus-
tomers or members will help get them into the
store, as will banners on your website and ads or
articles in your local media.
A new industry-wide promotion is designed to
drive more sales at retail and help stimulate the
marketplace.
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Edge Series -
The Lite
The Star
N E W B A L L M A C H I N E S
FIND YOURBALL MACHINEFor 2009, new machines from Lobster
and Silent Partner join the list.
A
nyone who's been thinking about buying a ball machine will
be excited to hear that the USRSA has updated its Ball MachineSelection Guide for 2009. This is the only source anywhere that
allows ball-machine buyers to compare the features from all the
different brands in one easy-to-use guide.
Five new machines have been added to the 2009 guide—
one from Lobster and four from Silent Partner—and you’ll
find short descriptions of them below. To see how they com-
pare to all the other ball machines available, log on to
www.racquetsportsindustry.com and click on the July 2009
issue of Racquet Sports Industry magazine.
Remember, many machines offer options that can be
added at the time of purchase. We list all the features that
come standard with each machine, but we also list all the
options available, along with the cost of adding each.
—David Bone Q
The Lite (Edge Series) is Silent Partner's
least expensive and lightest new addition. It
feeds balls at intervals from 1.5 to 10 seconds
at speeds up to 95 miles per hour. It's eleva-
tion can be adjusted manually and it is able
to feed lobs, topspin and underspin. The Liteoffers random oscillation, runs on battery
power and comes with a smart charger. It
includes wheels for portability, and a cover
can be added for $40.
Suggested Retail Price: $799
Dimensions: 24” x 22” x 19”
Weight: 35 lbs.
Ball Capacity: 200
Propulsion: Spinning wheel
Top Speed: 95 mph
Power Source: Battery
Warranty: 1 year
The Star (Edge Series) is the Lite's
big brother. It offers the same dimen-
sions and all the features available on
the Lite. But the extra weight and the
extra $300 gets you a better battery and
a wireless remote control, which controlsoscillation. For another $100, the Star
can run on a power cord only; for an
extra $249, it can run on battery or
power cord.
Suggested Retail Price: $1,099
Dimensions: 24” x 22” x 19”
Weight: 46 lbs.
Ball Capacity: 200
Propulsion: Spinning wheel
Top Speed: 95 mph
Power Source: Battery, with AC option
Warranty: 1 year
SILENT PARTNER • 800-662-1809 • www.sptennis.com
Elite Grandslam V
FIND YOURBALL MACHINE
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LOBSTER SPORTS800-526-4041 •www.lobstersports.comThe Elite Grandslam V is the latest in
Lobster's Grandslam line and has the same
dimensions as its predecessors. This is a
portable machine with wheels included and
should fit in most car trunks. It offers 2- to 9-
second feeding intervals and features elec-
tronic elevation control and can feed lobs,
topspin, and underspin. Users have the
options of random oscillation, programmable
oscillation and player-simulation mode. The
programmable oscillation allows six shots in
a program and can store up to 6 programs.
You can adjust depth, spin, height, and inter-
val within a program. The Grandslam V runs
on battery power only and features a battery
life indicator and comes with a smart charg-
er. For an extra $300, you can get a wireless
remote, which controls oscillation and pro-
gram settings. A cover is an extra $49.
Suggested Retail Price: $2,199
Dimensions: 24” x 16” x 19”
Weight: 44 lbs.
Ball Capacity: 150
Propulsion: Spinning wheel
Top Speed: 80 mph
Power Source: Battery
Warranty: 2 years
July 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21
The Rival (Scoop Series) is a
little bigger and heavier than the
Lite and Star and offers wheels for
portability. It has 1.5- to 10-second
feeding intervals and an electronic
elevation control so it can feed lobs,
topspin, and underspin. It features
random oscillation, can store three
programs with adjustable depth,
height and interval. The standard
Rival comes with battery power
only and features a battery life indi-
cator. For an extra $100, you can
have it built to run on power cord
only, and for an extra $249, it can
run on both power sources. The
Rival comes with a smart charger
and 16-button wireless remote that
controls oscillation and program
settings. A cover is an extra $40.
Suggested Retail Price: $1,399
Dimensions: 28” x 22” x 18”
Weight: 48 lbs.
Ball Capacity: 300
Propulsion: Spinning wheel
Top Speed: 95 mph
Power Source: Battery, with AC
option
Warranty: 1 year
The Quest (Scoop Series) offers the same dimensions,
weight, warranty and all the features and options available on
the Rival, but the extra $400 gets you programmable oscillation
with up to four shots in a program. You also get a 20-button
wireless remote instead of the 16-button, and an adaptive verti-
cal oscillator.
Suggested Retail Price: $1,700
Dimensions: 28” x 22” x 18”Weight: 48 lbs.
Ball Capacity: 300
Propulsion: Spinning wheel
Top Speed: 95 mph
Power Source: Battery,
with AC option
Warranty: 1 year
SILENT PARTNER • 800-662-1809 • www.sptennis.com
Scoop Series -
The Rival
The Quest
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Homewood Middle SchoolHomewood, Ala.(Nominated by Holcombe Norton Partners Inc.)Number of Courts: 5Architect/Engineer: Holcombe Norton PartnersSpecialty Contractor: Lower Bros. Co.Surface: California ProductsNet Posts, Nets, Windscreens: J.A. Cissel
R S I / A S B A F A C I L I T Y - O F - T H E - Y E A R A W A R D S
22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009
Six outdoor
projects claimhard-courtconstructionhonors.
One of the interesting things about the outdoor hard-court
projects that won Racquet Sports Industry/American
Sports Builders Association 2008 Distinguished Facility-
of-the-Year Awards is that three of the six also installed a fewsoft courts. (Of the seven winning soft-court entries, which
RSI ran in the May issue, two public facilities had both clay
and hard courts.) For whatever the reasons, players appear to
be looking for a little variety in their tennis surfaces, and facil-
ities are responding.
Five of the six winners here also installed lights, while the
sixth, Homewood Middle School in Homewood, Ala., put in
electrical conduit so lights can be installed at a future date on
the five new courts. Could it be that an increase in tennis par-
ticipation and “play occasions” are making it necessary for
facilities to extend their hours to accommodate all who want
to play?
Homewood, Ala., also is home to another winning com-
plex, the six outdoor courts at Samford University. The site
chosen for the tennis complex, which also included indoor
courts, was formerly a football practice field, cut into the side
of a hill, so timing of construction was critical to allow access
as both parts of the project were built. Light spillage was a
concern for nearby residents, and to help overcome their
reservations, a light pole with fixtures was installed for the
neighborhood to view at night prior to
breaking ground for construction.
Site work also came into play with
the Southeast Park & Tennis Complex
in Columbia, S.C., which required
bringing in fill material from another location on the site to
provide a stable sub-grade. The area is heavily wooded and
care was required to locate the tennis courts while preserving
as many trees as possible (the area has been designated as anature preserve), with concrete walkways meandering
through the wooded areas to the courts. Southeast won a
USTA Outstanding Tennis Facility award in 2007.
The Fertita Tennis Complex at the University of Neva-
da–Las Vegas had an interesting construction challenge: the
often 100-degree-plus temperatures encountered during con-
struction. Due to the heat, finishing and curing the post-ten-
sion concrete for the 12 courts meant pouring concrete at
night and using ice water to cool it down.
In Greeneville, Tenn., the new county tennis center solved
a major problem for players, who otherwise were driving 30
miles or more to play. Now, the county has active tennis pro-
grams and often full courts. The tennis center is an old dri-
ver’s license center that was relocated on the site. The project
was funded in part by a USTA Tennis in the Parks grant, as
well as through the efforts of the city, county, community ten-
nis association and private grants and donations.
The Palmilla Tennis Club at the five-star Villa de Oro resort
in Mexico now has a tennis center designed to accommodate
major international tournaments, with permanent covered
spectator seating for 220 on a stadium court. Designers need-
ed to contend with a site that was quite irregular in shape and
contour. In addition to the cushioned hard courts and subsur-
face-irrigated clay courts, there’s an area for laying out grass
courts, too. —Peter Francesconi
THE
HARD
WAY
THE
HARD
WAY
Six outdoor
projects claimhard-courtconstructionhonors.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
details on the 2009 Distinguishedcility-of-the-Year Awards, contact ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or
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Fertita Tennis ComplexUniv. of Nevada–Las Vegas(Nominated by L.E.R. Inc./Renner Sports Surfaces)Number of Courts: 12Architect/Engineer: Renner Sports SurfacesContractor: Renner Sports SurfacesLights: LSI CourtsiderNet Posts, Nets, Windscreens, Chairs: Douglas Industries
Greeneville/Greene County Tennis CenterGreeneville, Tenn.(Nominated by Baseline Sports Construction)Number of Courts: 8 (6 hard, 2 soft)General Contractor: Baseline Sports ConstructionSurface (Hard): Nova Sports USASurface (Soft): Lee TennisLights: LSI IndustriesNet Posts: Edwards/Collegiate Pacific
Windscreens: M. Putterman
Palmilla Tennis ClubVilla de Oro, Los Cabos, Mexico(Nominated by Global Sports & Tennis Design Group, Fair Haven, N.J.)Number of Courts: 6 (4 hard, 2 soft)Architect/Engineer: Global Sports & Tennis Design GroupContractor: NovaGrass Presa La Angostura, MexicoSurface (Hard): PlexicushionSurface (Soft): Lee TennisNet Posts: Lee TennisLights: Advantage, Lee Tennis
Southeast Park & Tennis ComplexColumbia, S.C.(Nominated by Global Sports & Tennis Design Group, Fair Haven, N.J.)Number of Courts: 16 (12 hard, 4 soft)Architect/Engineer: Global Sports & Tennis Design GroupSpecialty Contractor: Tennico of Columbia Inc.Surface (Hard): Nova SportsSurface (Soft): Lee TennisLighting: LSI Courtsider
Net Posts, Nets, Windscreens: J.A. CisselTrench Drains: ACO Products
Samford UniversityHomewood, Ala.(Nominated by Lower Bros. Co., Birmingham, Ala.)Number of Courts: 6Architect/Engineer: Holcombe Norton PartnersSpecialty Contractor: Lower Bros. Co.Surface: California ProductsNet Posts, Nets, Windscreens: J.A. CisselLights: LSI Courtsider
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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R A C Q U E T T E C H - P A R T 2 O F 3
H
ave you and your staff ever wished you had a list of
all the major racquet technologies, all in one place?
Well, with the help of material from the U.S. Racquet
Stringers Association, here it is.
This is the second part of an alphabetical compilation of
information taken directly from industry product and mar-
keting catalogs and technical manuals. The claims made
come directly from the manufacturers, not from RSI or the
USRSA, and no endorsement of any product or claim is
intended. We’ll run the rest of the manufacturers’
technologies in the next issue, and on our website,
www.racquetsportsindustry.com.
HEADQ Airflow—Combination of three important features that are essential for a woman's racquet: light weight, perfectly balanced and ergonomic grip.
Q AnTi.Torsion—Utilizes a crossbar in the throat to improve torsional stability on off-center hits.
Q CrossBow—The world’s first dynamic-bridge racquet construction. The bridge is suspended from the frame and moves independently, which allows
the racquet to store energy in both the string bed and the bridge. The CrossBow acts like a spring or bow that is loaded during ball impact. This new-
found energy is unleashed, providing incredible power. CrossBow also enlarges the sweetspot because it has 10 main strings going through the dynam-
ic bridge.Q d3o—A member of the smart materials category, can change its behavior during impact. Integrated in the lay-up and positioned in the shaft area of
Head’s YouTek Tour racquets, d3o is able to sense the needs of the player during different strokes. On high-speed impacts (aggressive shots), the smart
molecules lock together within nanoseconds and dramatically increase the stiffness of the racquet to provide maximum power. On low-speed impacts
(slices or drop shots), the material stays in its relaxed state, absorbing the impact to provide a softer touch for better feel and control.
Q EDS (Electronic Dampening System)—Active and electronically controlled system, consisting of piezoelectric fibers, a flex circuit and a microchip.
These substantially reduce initial shock impact (by 50%) and vibrations twice as fast as a conventional racquet, resulting in significantly reduced stress
on the arm.
Q Ergonomic Grip System—New grip shape on AirFlow racquets that is tapered thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top. This is much easier to
hold for a woman's hand and provides less arm fatigue and better control.
Q Extreme—Increased head width, which can allow the ball to slide further across the string bed for unmatched spin generation for players with a
modern playing style.
QFlexPoint—Features two precisely-engineered control holes in the racquet's head. This creates a new point of flex, which cups the ball and improvescontrol without losing power.
Q Head Grommets with Teflon—Friction-reducing polymer creates a self-lubricating effect in the base material, allowing the string to slide though
the grommets with nearly no friction for much less energy loss and providing much more power.
Q Head Stabilizer—Located in the shaft of the racquet, Head uses a metal mass between a rubber elastomer to counteract the frame’s oscillation on
impact and eliminate racquet vibration and ensure comfort on every shot.
Q Intelligence—Special Intellifibers at 4 and 8 o'clock take the mechanical energy created by contact and convert it into electrical energy, which is
used to stiffen the frame, providing power, comfort and dampening.
Q IntelligenceX—An evolved version of Intelligence. Intelligence X adds Intellifibers to the racquet head (not just the shaft) to increase the torsional
stability up to 42% for extra precision and accuracy. These added Intellifibers are placed at 2 and 10 o'clock.
Q ISD (Integrated String Dampener)—An integrated string dampener fixed onto the grommets at the throat to reduce string vibration.
Q Liquidmetal—This material has a unique liquid atomic structure that does not deform on impact, resulting in little to no energy loss, giving ultimate
energy return, which translates into energy and power (29% more power).th
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TECNIFIBRE
Q Carbon Stabyl Fibers—Triaxial carbon fibers laid up at
0/30/90 degrees modulate the breathing of the frame for
control and stability.
Q Carbon Reflex Fiber—
Biaxial carbon fibers laid up
at 0/60 degrees boost the
breathing of the frame for
increased power and tolerance.
Q Texalium—Developed by Hexcel, it’s a
composite fiber with a specific weave pat-
tern that creates strength while being
lightweight. Texalium is used to reinforce
frames at key positions to provide tor-
sional stability, enhance feel, and dampen
vibration.
PRINCEQ AirBridge—Provides for greater support and stability in the yoke area of the frame.
Q Carbon Wave Matrix—Aligns the graphite fibers in a wave pattern to complement
the angular orientation of the other layers.
Q Cross-Bar Stabilizer—Located in the mid-shaft area of the racquet, increases the
stability of the frame.
Q Cushion Grip System—This 3D molded Thermoplastic Rubber handle absorbs
56% of the shock of ball impact, allowing for maximum handle comfort.
Q Double Bridge—Thermoplastic rubber elastomer located at the top of the throat
and in direct contact with frame and string. Reduces frame shock and string vibration.Q Dynamic Braid—Carbon fibers are braided in the shaft area to provide a slightly
stiffer feel at the zone where the braid is incorporated.
Q EXO3 Energy Bridge—Patented 100% solid carbon fiber bridge, designed to sus-
pend the string bed from the racquet, providing superior comfort with feel and a
supersized sweetspot.
Q EXO3 Energy Channel—Radical new frame design that redistributes mass to the
outer most edges of the frame, providing the ultimate in
racquet stability.
Q O3—Giant O Ports replace traditional-size string holes. O Ports are designed to sig-
nificantly increase the sweetspot and improve racquet-head speed.
Q PowerLine—A reinforced beam with grooves on the inside surface of the frame
increases frame strength while providing more power in a lighter racquet.
Q Speedport Tuning System—Patented system allowing players to customize their
O3 Speedport Black or O3 Speedport Tour frame with either Port inserts or Hole
inserts. The Port option offers a softer hitting feel, string damping and a larger
sweetspot. The Hole option offers a firmer hitting feel, more string feedback and a tra-
ditional sweetspot.
Q Strung Thru Stringing System—Featured in the O3 Speedport Platinum and
Gold frames, it provides the option of stringing through the throat of the racquet. The
Strung Thru option provides up to a 70% larger sweetspot.
Q Sweet Spot Expansion—Slotted grommets allow maximum freedom of move-
ment for strings, resulting in a larger sweetspot.
Q Triple Threat—A unique balanced weighting system utilizing increased weight in 3locations: 10 o'clock, 2 o'clock, and the handle. This creates a larger sweetspot in
every direction, ultimate stability for increased power and control, and reduced arm
shock.
Q Tungsten—Added to Triple Threat technology in some frames to further improve
stability.
Q Variable Damping System—The dampener in the O3 Speedport Silver, Blue and
Red frames can be positioned on the strings for maximum dampening or positioned
in the throat of the racquet for medium dampening.
Prince gives each of its racquets power level ratings (determined by a formula incorpo-
rating head size, stiffness and length), which increase as the power level of the frame
increases.
Q EXO3—Utilizing Prince’s patented Energy Bridge and
Energy Channel technologies, EXO3 captures up to 26%
of the wasted energy at impact and re-directs it back into
the ball for 25% more spin, 26% more control, 50% lessframe vibration and an 83% larger sweet spot.
Q O3 Speedport—Wind tunnel testing proves O3
Speedport racquets move through the air up to
24% faster than traditional racquets. Speedports
also strengthen and stabilize the frame for up to a
59% bigger sweetspot.
Next issue: Racquet technologies from Volkl, Wilson, Yonex
HEAD Cont.Q LMS (Longer Main String)—By lowering the bridge sec-
tion in a new throat design, it creates a larger hitting surface
without making the racquet any bigger.
Q Metallix—Made of a specially designed matrix of carbon
fibers and a new crystalline metal alloy. This alloy's grain
size is 1000 times smaller than that of a typical metal. The
decreased grain size results in a lighter, stronger, and more
powerful racquet.
Q MicroGel—A new silicone-based material with the lowestdensity of any material. Combined with stiff and strong
composite fibers to create a racquet with incredible respon-
sive qualities. On ball impact, MicroGel uniformly distributes
the impact load around the frame to provide the most rock-
solid feel and superior touch.
Q NoShox—A newly-developed memory foam integrated
into the racquet handle that reduces racquet vibrations by
more than 27%.
Q PowerFrame—Features an innovative cross-section
design with dual rounded bubbles in the throat and shaft
area of the racquet, reducing weight and increasing torsion-
al rigidity.Q Protect System—Tennis elbow protection technology
integrating the racquet, grip, and string.
Q Total Sweetspot Construction (TSC)—Utilizes corru-
gated construction to increase torsional stability in the rac-
quet head. This extends the sweetspot
throughout the entire racquet head, providing
excellent control.
Q YouTek—Incorporates different technolo-
gies to give you the individual benefits you
need to match your playing style. In Head’s
Tour racquets, YouTek includes d3o,
Head Grommets with Teflon, andAramid bumpers.
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String Playtest
EASE OF STRINGING
(compared to other strings)
Number of testers who said it was:
much easier 1
somewhat easier 7
about as easy 16
not quite as easy 11
not nearly as easy 1
OVERALL PLAYABILITY
(compared to string played most often)
Number of testers who said it was:
much better 1
somewhat better 6
about as playable 9
not quite as playable 18
not nearly as playable 2
OVERALL DURABILITY
(compared to other strings
of similar gauge)
Number of testers who said it was:
much better 6
somewhat better 18
about as durable 10
not quite as durable 2
not nearly as durable 0
RATING AVERAGES
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability 3.5
Durability (14th overall) 4.3
Power 3.4
Control 3.8
Comfort 3.2
Touch/Feel 2.9
Spin Potential (8th overall) 3.6
Holding Tension 3.4
Resistanceto Movement (1st overall) 4.3
Tecnifibre Black Code is a coated
monofilament polyester with a pentag-
onal shape. The monofilament core is a
co-polyester, which provides the ulti-
mate in durability, according to Tecnifi-
bre. The polyester coating is said to
increase durability and reduce friction
burn during stringing. The pentagonal
shape is said to generate more spin,
and offer more feel.
Additionally, Black Code is manufac-
tured using Thermo Core Technology.
This means that during the manufactur-
ing process, Tecnifibre gradually heats
the materials matrix while stretching it,and then gradually cools it. Tecnifibre
tells us that this creates a more elastic
core.
Black Code is designed for the player
who desires more feel and spin from a
polyester string, and is already in use by
ATP player Janko Tipsarevic.
Black Code is available in 16 gauge
(1.28 mm), 17 gauge (1.24 mm), and 18
gauge (1.18 mm) in black only. It is
priced f rom $12 for sets of 40 feet, and
$170 for reels of 660 feet. For moreinformation or to order, contact Tecnifi-
bre at 888-TFTennis (888-838-3664), or
visit www.tecnifibre.com. Be sure to read
the conclusion for more information
about getting a free set to try for yourself.
IN THE LABWe tested the 16 (1.28 mm) gauge Black
Code. The coil measured 40 feet. The
diameter measured 1.29-1.32 mm prior
to stringing, and 1.25-1.28 mm after
stringing. We recorded a stringbed stiff-
ness of 76 RDC units immediately after
stringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson Pro
Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a con-
stant-pull machine. After 24 hours (no
playing), stringbed stiffness measured 65
RDC units, representing a 14 percent ten-
sion loss. Our control string, Prince Syn-
thetic Gut Original Gold 16, measured 78
RDC units immediately after stringing
and 71 RDC units after 24 hours, repre-
senting a 9 percent tension loss. Black
Code added 16 grams to the weight of
our unstrung frame.
The string was tested for five weeks
by 36 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-
ings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind
tests, with playtesters receivingunmarked strings in unmarked packages.
Average number of hours playtested was
29.8.
Out of the package, Black Code feels
thin compared to other 16-gauge strings,
although some of this perception may be
due to the slimming effect of the color.
Before, during, and after stringing, we
had no idea that Black Code is five-sided
rather than cylindrical. If you roll it
between your fingers, though, you can
feel the flats, and you can see the sidesunder a microscope. Black Code doesn’t
have much coil
memory, especially for a poly. Tec-
nifibre recommends reducing the refer-
ence tension by five percent when
installing a “full” poly string job, which is
what we recommended to our playtest
team.
No playtester broke his sample dur-
ing stringing, four reported problemswith coil memory, five reported prob-
lems tying knots, and one reported fric-
tion burn.
ON THE COURTWhat impressed our playtest team the
most about Tecnifibre Black Code was
its Resistance to Movement, where it
earned the highest score to date, putting
it first place in this category. Our
playtest team was also impressed by
Black Code’s Spin Potential, giving it ascore good enough for 8th place of the
strings we’ve tested, and Durability,
where it comes in as the 14th best string
we’ve tested to date (right behind Tec-
nifibre Pro Redcode). Our playtesters
also gave Black Code ratings that were
well above average for Playability,
Power, Control, and Holding Tension.
These scores resulted in Black Code
placing 14th overall of the 133 strings
we’ve playtested to date.
Two of the playtesters broke the
sample during the playtest period, both
at three hours.
CONCLUSIONYou expect poly-based strings to score
highly on Durability, Control, Resistance
to Movement, and even Spin Potential,
but you have to wonder how long string
manufacturers can keep improving in
these and other categories? We hope
that Tecnifibre continues to amaze us
with their future products.
As highly as Tecnifibre Black Code
Tecnifibre Black Code 16
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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“ This is a very durable string with mini-
mal string movement. It compares favorably
to the best polyesters on the market.”
5.0
male all-court player using Prince Turbo
Shark MP strung at 62 pounds LO (Luxilon
Big Banger Alu Power 16L)
“Bite is unreal. Tons of pop. While volleys
could be a little more crisp, I’m definitely
considering a switch.”
6.0 male all-court
player using Wilson K Blade strung at 52
pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 16)
“ This is the best feeling poly I’ve ever
tried. Power is sufficient and volleys are
crisp. Before this test, I could not imagine
switching to polyester.”
4.5 male all-court
player using Volkl V1 Classic strung at 58
pounds CP (Babolat Tonic+ Ball Feel 15L)
“ Even with my dense pattern, the bite
and power are pronounced. The pocketing
definitely adds a sense of control.”
5.0
male all-court player using Wilson K Six One
(76 Holes) strung at 56 pounds LO (poly-
ester/nylon 16/17)
“ Very crisp feel. Spin is effortless and it
doesn’t cause string movement. There is
noticeable pop on ground strokes andserves. Holds tension very well.
”4.5 male
all-court player using Wilson K Six One (68
Holes) strung at 45 pounds CP (Luxilon M2
Pro 16L)
TESTERS TALK
“ Reducing the tension by 5 percent makes this
a very playable poly. Compared to its peers, this
string seems to offer better feel and touch.”
5.0
male all-court player using Wilson K Six One (76
Holes) strung at 57 pounds LO (Wilson Ultimate
Duo 16)
“ Great durability and control. Spin generation
and power are unspectacular.”
4.5 male all-
court player using Babolat Pure Drive strung at 60
pounds (Gamma TNT2 16)
“ This is an extremely durable string with very
little string movement. Spin potential is decent,
but comfort, touch, and power are lacking.”
4.0
male baseliner with moderate spin using Wilson K
Zen Team FX strung at 50 pounds CP (Wilson
Sensation 17)
“ This string is recommended to power baselin-
ers with bionic elbows and shoulders.”
5.5
male all-court player using Prince Triple Threat
Warrior MP strung at 58 pounds CP (Monofila-
ment Nylon 15L)
FREE PLAYTEST
STRING PROGRAMTecnifibre will send a free set of
Black Code 16 to the first 500 USRSA
members who cut out (or copy) this
coupon and mail it to:
Offer expires 15 July 2009
Offer only available to USRSA
members in the US.
Name:
USRSA Member number:
Phone:
Email:
If you print your email clearly,
we will notify you when your sample
will be sent.
USRSAAttn: Tecnifibre String Offer,
330 Main Street,Vista, CA 92084
or fax to 760-536-1171,or email the info below to
stringsample@racquet tech.com
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
For the rest of the tester comments, visit
www.racquetsportsindustry.com.
scored, it is a bit of a surprise that it did-
n’t score even higher. Several of the
playtesters remarked favorably on the
comfort and feel of the string, but this is
not reflected in the overall scores for
these two categories.
It’s also a little surprising that none
of the playtesters commented on the
color. Aside from the fact that the black
looks snappy, it’s nice that it stays on
the string and doesn’t transfer to the
balls. As for stencil ink, Tecnifibre plans
to offer a light-colored ink for use on
Black Code (and other dark-colored
strings).
If you think that Tecnifibre Black
Code might be for you, fill out the
coupon to get a free set to try.
—Greg Raven Q
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MARKETINGPLAYTEST RESULTS
I’ve come up with a way to use infor-mation in the playtest reports to help
me market strings to current and
prospective restringing customers.
Over the years I’ve found that people
tend to like simplified comparisons of
strings when choosing a new string,
so I reduce down the scores in the
Overall Playability and Overall Dura-
bility sections of the playtest report to
single numbers. To do this, I add up
the votes in each category for “Not
Nearly as Good” and “Not Quite asGood,” and subtract them from the
sum of “Much Better” and “Somewhat
Better.” For the votes that have
appeared in playtests from this year,
this gives me a table that looks like
the following chart.
This allows my customers to see
immediately when a manufacturer has
REEL GOOD TIPI use in excess of 20 reels of different
strings. It was always a problem havingto store them without having to fish the
end out of the reel. I found that the
backs to pins, earrings, etc. work great.
They are available at Michaels Crafts and
other arts and craft stores. Just put one
on the end and, when you need the
string again they come off without any
problem. I would suggest you keep some
extras, as they are small and have a
habit of "walking away" when not on the
reel.
5 sets of Ashaway Crossfire 17 to:
Vince Chiarelli, MRT
28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009
Tips & Techniques
sacrificed playability for durability, or
vice versa.
5 sets of Babolat Xcel Premium 16 to:
Dr. Carl Love, Albany, OR
Editor’s note: It’s great that this works
for you, and it does provide another wayof looking at the playtest report data.
You can do much the same thing without
going through the math just by compar-
ing the Rating Averages we publish for
Playability and Durability. Also, while
playability and durability are each impor-
tant, so are the other seven categories on
which our playtest teams report.
Readers’ Know-How in Action
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Overall OverallString playability durabilityWilson (K) Gut Pro 16 -9 5
Head ETS 16 -7 9Prince Premier LT 17 1 -7Wilson Hollow Core 16 -2 -3Luxilon M2 Pro 1.25 -7 28Gamma TNT2 Tour 16 -9 11Tecnifibre Black Code 16 -13 22
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KNOT SAFETYAs everyone knows sometimes you just
have to grab the pliers to pull a knot
tight. Too little pressure you can't cinch
up the knot. Too much, a broken string
and possible punch in the nose. Just
take your electric grinder or fine file and
round off the sharp edges of all your pli-
ers. No more broken string. Your nosemay or may not look better.
5 sets of Gamma Synthetic Gut with
WearGuard 16 to:
Bob Thomas, Homosassa, Fl
TEMPORARYTOOL STORAGEI like to straighten the cross strings as I
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA
members, and appearing in this column, have all
been gathered into a single volume of the Stringer’s
Digest—Racquet Service Techniques which is a bene-
fit of USRSA membership. Submit tips to: Greg
Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or
email [email protected].
go, and to save wear and tear on my fin-
gers I use an offset awl. To keep the awl
handy while I work, I just use the
stringbed as an awl stand.
5 sets of Head Sonic Pro 17 to:
L. Hodges, Lucerne Valley, CA
START AT THE ENDSI always cut the ends of the string on a
diagonal before installation, but rather
than uncoiling the string and then chasing
down the ends, I trim the ends first, and
then uncoil the string.
5 sets of Wilson Enduro Pro 16 to:
Steve Webster, Lytle Creek, CA
REDUCE FRICTION
ON CROSSESAfter completing the mains on a two-piece
string job, I install the second cross first,
then go back and weave the first cross.
This way, I avoid pulling the full length of
the crosses across the mains any more
than I have to.
5 sets of Prince Lightning XX 16 to:
Thomas Le, San Jose, CA
Editor’s note: Stringers can combine this
technique with David Broderick’s technique
of trimming the length of the cross string
as you go (December 2000), or use the two-
piece 50/50 technique. —Greg Raven Q
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racquet in combination with your hand.
The first moment will change depending
on where you grab the racquet, but this
is not a “playing” characteristic: It mostly
represents what the racquet feels like
when you pick it up in the store, which is
why it is also referred to as the “pick-up
weight.” Adding mass toward the tip of
the racquet to change the first moment
will also change the overall weight andthe balance, but not at the same rate (or
direction) that you will be changing the
hitting weight, recoil weight, center of
percussion (COP), etc. For example, if
you choke up just two centimeters on
the handle, you’ll have to add 10 grams
at the tip of the racquet to get back your
swingweight. Your racquet weight, bal-
ance, COP, and recoil weight will be up,
and your hitting weight will be down.
From a technical point of view, learn-
ing to play two-handed off of both sideswould be a better compromise than
choking up on the racquet.
Your other alternative is to add mass
to the frame to get back some of the
swingweight you lose by choking up, and
then adapt to the differences in racquet
feel and playability.
MODIFYINGBUILTIN DAMPENERS
I JUST BOUGHT A RACQUET that
I like a lot, but I do not like thedampener that came with it. The
supplied dampener not only attaches to
the strings, but also seems to be an inte-
gral part of the racquet, the way it nes-
tles into the frame at the throat. Is it safe
to remove this dampener, or at least trim
it so I can use my own dampener? I’ve
never seen a dampener like this on any
other racquet.
EVEN THOUGH THE FRAME
seems to be designed to work
only with the dampener in place, if the
dampener doesn’t provide any structural
benefit to the frame or protection to the
string, you can trim or discard the stock
dampener as you see fit. Our recommen-
dation would be to set aside the stock
dampener rather than modifying it, as
you might have a difficult time finding a
replacement down the road if you ever
want to sell the racquet.—Greg Raven
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Rac-
quet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].
A
Q
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An Open Letter About RegionalTennis Magazines
Thanks to your programs and initia-
tives, tennis participation through-
out the U.S. in 2008 continued its
growth on every level. More players (near-
ly 26.9 million) took to the courts last year
than at any time in the past 15 years,
according to annual research by the TIA
and USTA. Total player participation in
2008 grew by more than 7 percent fromthe previous year, continuing a trend that
has shown a nearly 12 percent increase
since 2003.
Unfortunately, while the number of
players has increased, the number of
regional tennis magazines serving them
has not. Like newspapers throughout
America, regional tennis publications are
struggling to survive amid declining ad rev-
enues and increasing operating costs. Sev-
eral, such as Northeast Tennis Magazine,
Tennis Midwest and Play Tennis Florida,have already died. Some have suspended
publication, such as Sun Tennis Magazine.
Tennis Week discontinued printed editions
and appears online only.
The survivors are reducing staff,
assignments and payment to contributors,
pages and frequency of publication. USTA
Magazine, for example, which at one point
was published 12 times a year, now has
only four smaller issues a year, offering
minimal local and state coverage. It carries
occasional 8-page inserts for the New Eng-
land, Southern and Eastern sections.
The rapid decline and possible extinc-
tion of regional tennis magazines would be
a great loss to American tennis.
Why? Because only these magazines
cover tennis players, officials, events,
issues and trends in their respective states,
sections or regions with depth and breadth
as well as skill and passion. To increase
participation and retain players, tennis
must do it on the local level, and that’s
exactly what these sharply focused maga-
zines do.
As a key part of the “tennis infrastruc-
ture,” they run stories that bigger national
magazines won’t run. And they promote
programs on a much more personal, grass-
roots level. In short, they help bring in play-
ers, and they keep current players
“engaged.”
Moreover, regional tennis magazines
typically are the most effective and eco-nomical way for local tennis shops and facil-
ities to advertise and stay in business. And
national advertisers can place co-op ads in
regional magazines listing local shops that
carry their products.
“The real leaders, the real heroes of ten-
nis are at its grassroots,” former USTA Pres-
ident Alan Schwartz wrote in the
January/February 2005 USTA Magazine.
“This sport, this association, evolves from
the ground up.” Regional tennis magazines
have chronicled these grassroots tennis
heroes and their vital work since the 1970s.
Tennis Hall of Famer Bud Collins once
pointed out that if it weren’t for the tennis
media (writers, broadcasters, PR people and
photographers), no one would even know
about pro tennis players. Bud’s powerful
point applies even more to amateur tennis.
Millions of players, their families, volun-
teers and fans are involved in recreational
tennis, high school and college tennis, sec-
tional tournaments and more. The most
effective way to publicize these areas is
through regional magazines. This medium
becomes more vital than ever because ten-
nis coverage in daily newspapers is steadily
decreasing.
The rush to digital media to spread the
grassroots tennis message through e-
newsletters may save money in the short
term, but it’s not the ideal vehicle for many
audiences in the long term. Think about it.
We are inundated by junk e-mail, and we
often delete e-newsletters without even
looking at them, or we simply let them get
buried in our overloaded inbox. An e-
B Y P A U L F E I N A N D J I M M A R T Z
Paul Fein, a recipient of 25 writing awards, is
a USPTA teaching pro, former top 10-ranked
New England player, and lifetime USTA
member. Florida Tennis founder and publish-
er-editor Jim Martz won the USTA’s national
Media Excellence Award, is a vice president
of the U.S. Tennis Writers' Association and
formerly was the tennis writer for the Miami
Herald for 18 years.
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009
newsletter is a one-shot deal, and then it’s
lost. The permanence of a printed maga-
zine that you first glance at, then read and
re-read and often keep for months far sur-
passes an ephemeral e-newsletter.
We urge the USTA, with its $190 million
annual budget, and the TIA to assist region-
al tennis magazines, both USTA-affiliated
sectional publications and those unaffiliat-ed magazines. Here are some suggestions:
1. Outright grants of $15,000 to $25,000
each, depending on the need.
2. Full-page advertisements at reasonable,
reduced rates promoting USTA events,
such as Davis Cup and Fed Cup and
USTA Pro Circuit tournaments.
3. High-quality inserts promoting the US
Open Series, US Open tickets, USTA
Membership Days at pro tournaments,
National Tennis Month, Tennis Welcome
Centers, QuickStart Tennis, USTA books,
videos and attire, and other USTA pro-
grams, projects and products.
Your visionary strategies have made
tennis the fastest-growing participation
sport (among 40 researched) since 2000,
and the success of grassroots tennis
depends on many dedicated and enlight-
ened people and organizations continuing
to work closely. Therefore, we urge you to
address this crisis with reason and pru-
dence. If the USTA and TIA act now, you
can help save regional tennis magazines in
America before it’s too late. Q
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to [email protected] or faxthem to 760-536-1171.
Your Serve
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
DEAR USTA AND TIA LEADERS:
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