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



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.



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

[email protected]

Apparel Advertising

Cynthia Sherman

203-263-5243

[email protected]

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-

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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


For more on “Racket Up, America!”,

including free materials to help you

promote this to your customers, go to

playtennis.com/partner.



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

July 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7www.racquetsportsindustry.com

E X O 3 I G N I T E T E A M

E X O 3 B L U E

E X O 3 I G N I T E



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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.

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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


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.



J U L Y 2 0 0 9I N D U S T R Y N E W S


• 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




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.


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/200907-racquet-sports-industry 18/3616 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

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.



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.


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/200907-racquet-sports-industry 22/3620 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009

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


Weight: 46 lbs.

Ball Capacity: 200


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



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.



Weight: 44 lbs.

Ball Capacity: 150


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.



Weight: 48 lbs.

Ball Capacity: 300


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.


Dimensions: 28” x 22” x 18”Weight: 48 lbs.

Ball Capacity: 300


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



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


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.


details on the 2009 Distinguishedcility-of-the-Year Awards, contact ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or

[email protected].



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




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


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/200907-racquet-sports-industry 27/36July 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25www.racquetsportsindustry.com

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)


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)


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




“ 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


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



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


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


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


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/200907-racquet-sports-industry 31/36June 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29www.racquetsportsindustry.com

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



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

July 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31www.racquetsportsindustry.com



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.


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


DEAR USTA AND TIA LEADERS:

200907 Racquet Sports Industry

Documents

Transcript of 200907 Racquet Sports Industry