200601 racquet sports industry

8/8/2019 200601 Racquet Sports Industry

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/200601-racquet-sports-industry 1/52

January 2006

Volume 34 Number 1 $5.00 2006 USRSASTRING SURVEY

Our exclusive rankings, and

handy poster, will help you and your customers pick the right strings

2006 USRSASTRING SURVEY

Our exclusive rankings, and

handy poster, will help you and your customers pick the right strings

FACILITY OF THE

YEAR AWARDSSPRING WARM-UPS

SHOULD YOUR FACILITYHAVE A DEFIBRILLATOR?

THE INCH THATCHANGED TENNIS

BREAK THE CHAIN INCOURT FENCING

FACILITY OF THE

YEAR AWARDSSPRING WARM-UPS

SHOULD YOUR FACILITYHAVE A DEFIBRILLATOR?

THE INCH THATCHANGED TENNIS

BREAK THE CHAIN INCOURT FENCING



he latest findings of the annual Tennis Participation Study

show that 24.7 million Americans are playing tennis, the

most since 1992 and an increase of 1.1 million players, or

4.1 percent, versus 2004. And possibly more important for ten-

nis retailers and facilities, the study found that the number of fre-

quent players is up 8.8 percent from a year ago, to 5.2 million.

The boost in tennis participation is the latest in a string of

good news for the sport that includes increases in racquet and

ball sales and increases in viewership of tennis on TV.

Industry watchers were quick to praise the efforts of many

groups involved in tennis for coming together to help boost par-

ticipation in the U.S. “The collaborative efforts across the entireindustry are growing the game and positioning tennis for further

growth,” says Kurt Kamperman, the USTA’s chief executive of

Community Tennis.

“With all of the tennis constituents—includ-

ing manufacturers, retailers, teaching profes-

sionals, the TIA, and the USTA—focused on a

single goal, the sport is growing,” adds Jim

Baugh, president of the Tennis Industry Associ-

ation.

This is the fourth year of the massive Tennis

Participation Study, sponsored by both the TIA

and the USTA. More than 25,500 American

households were contacted for the study,

which is designed to quantify tennis par-

ticipation throughout the U.S. and to

identify opportunities to increase partici-

pation. The study, conducted by two

independent firms, The Taylor Research

& Consulting Group and Sports Marketing

Surveys, is the largest participation sur-

vey in sports.

For retailers and facility

managers, the increase in fre-

quent players is particularly

good news, since frequent

players—defined as those

who play 21 or more times a

year—are often described as

the “heart of the tennis mar-

ket.” These are the players,

says Baugh, who spend the

most on equipment, string-

ing, court time, lessons, etc.Going hand-in-hand with

the rise in frequent players is

an increase in the frequency

of play, called “total play

occasions,” which is driven

by the most avid tenins players. Total play occasion

rose 14 percent in 2005 and was up 23 percent ove

the past two years.

And in other good news for the industry, player retention ha

improved over the last two years, with 80 percent of players con

tinuing with the sport in 2005 versus 74 percent in 2004.

“We are seeing healthy indicators across the board in thsport as more people play tennis, more racquets are purchased

and more interest develops in the game,” says Baugh.

Many credit heavy investment by the USTA

in both initiatives to grow the game and in expo

sure for the sport as keys to the increase in par

ticipation. The USTA has funded, and continue

to fund, initiatives such as Tennis in the Parks

Tennis Welcome Centers, USTA League Tennis

and school and college tennis, along with majo

advertising campaigns for recreational and pro

fessional tennis, such as the US Open and U

Open Series.

I N D U S T R Y N E W SI N D U S T R Y N E W S

R S I J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6

I 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

TKey Findings o

the 2005 StudyQ 24.7 million America

are playing tennis, thmost since 1992 and4.1 percent increase 2004.

Q 5.8 million new playepicked up the game i2005.

Q There were 5.2 milliofrequent players in 2versus 4.7 million in2004.

Q Total play occasions wup 14 percent in 200the second straight ythe category increase

Q Player retention also

improved for the secstraight year, with 80cent of players continin the sport in 2005, sus 74 percent in 200

Racquets Sales Are UpQ Sales of junior racquets increased

20 percent in 2005, while sales of adult frames were up 14 percent.

Q Over the past two years, racquetshipments are up 29 percent inunits and 18 percent in dollars.

Q Premium racquet sales increased48 percent in 2005.

Tennis Participation Increases by 1.1 Million



J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6

I N D U S T R Y N E W

S

Wilson W6 Racquet Named“Editor’s Choice” by Tennis

Wilson’s new W6 racquet, designed specifically

for women, was named an “Editor’s Choice” in the

November/December 2005 issue of Tennis magazine.

The W6 is part of the new W line and uses Wilson’s nCode

technonogy.

Wilson says the nine racquets in its W line are engi-

neered to enhance a woman’s game with a unique con-

struction for increased power,

strength, and con-

trol and added

comfort fea-

tures. W rac-

quets have an

oval head shape

with longer main strings

for a larger sweetspot and a

new throat design offering greaterstrength and stability, the company says. The

racquets also feature distinctive cosmetics.

The nCode technology uses nano-sized silicon diox-

ide crystals to permeate the voids between carbon fibers in

the frame, resulting in added stability, strength, and power,

says Wilson. For every purchase from the W line, Wilson

makes a donation to the Breast Cancer Research

Foundation.

TTC Open Moves to Las Vegas

The 2006 Tennis Chan-

nel Open, a men’s

ATP pro event that

starts the week of Feb. 27,

will move to Las Vegas.

The tournament, founded in 1986, had been held in Scottsdale

Ariz. The move to Las Vegas marks the return of top-level pro

tennis to the region after a two-decade absence. Andy Roddick

has commtted to play the event.

The Tennis Channel Open will take place at the new Darling

Memorial Tennis Center, which features a 40-acre complex

with 23 courts, among them a 2,400-seat stadium court tha

will expand via bleachers to a 3,000-3,500 capacity during the

event. The grounds also include space for two additional

smaller stadium courts, which are currently being planned.

“The vision is to create a sort of ‘tennispalooza,’ an annua

tennis destination with tournament action and other tennis

related entertainment activities, and televise the heck out o

it,” says TTC Founder and President Steve Bellamy. “Las Vega

is providing resources and efforts toward this end, and after an

exhaustive selection process we’ve decided that the city pres

ents the best opportunity to build something spectacular tha

people are going to travel to experience each year.”

The Tennis Channel, which purchased the tournament from

IMG in February, says it plans to expand the event into a mul

tifaceted gathering unique to the tennis and sports-venue cal

endars. Plans currently entail an annual, 10-day event with

men’s, women’s, and juniors tournaments, surrounded by

ancillary events that center on tennis and the lifestyle of its

enthusiasts. This in turn would be supported by a number o

entertainment offshoots, including other sports events, the TTCsaid in a statement.

Dunlop Has New Management

Dunlop Sports has combined the ownership of the Dunlop

brand and the management of the Dunlop business. The

new arrangement, under London-based Sports World

Group Ltd., consolidates former licensing agreements into the

new Dunlop structure.

Dunlop, now operating as a fully integrated business, will

centralize its U.S. and Canadian racquet sports and golf units

under new management in Greenville, S.C. The new structure

will distribute product from its new Greenville and Ontario,

Canada, warehouses.

Dunlop Sports in

North America will

be known as Dun-lop Sports Group,

Americas (DSGA)

and will be led by Vice President and General Manager Robert

Sameski and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Ken

Daiss. Rounding out Dunlop’s leadership team are Steven

Zalinski, Dunlop’s director of sales–racquet sports; Chuck Pee-

bles, director of sales–Canada; Stephen Hall, director of mar-

keting–racquet sports; and Paul Balfour, director of

sales–national accounts and special markets.

New contact information for Dunlop Sports Group,

Americas is: 116 South Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC

29607; phone 800-768-4727, fax 800-766-8379.

PTR Members to ReceiveEmail Publications Free

Starting Jan. 1, full PTR members will receive Bob Lar-

son’s Daily Tennis and Tennis Celebs for free. Regular sub-

scriptions to the two publications would normally total

$144.

Daily Tennis, covering tennis news with sections such as

Tennis Business News, Pro Tour News, College News, and

Classified Ads, is delivered every business day via email.

Tennis Celebs is a weekly e-publication that reports on all the

big names in the game, including an Appearing Soon sec-

tion that lets readers know where their favorite players can

be spotted in exhibitions, clinics, or pro-ams.

“With Daily Tennis and Tennis Celebs, PTR members will

have the most current information available in the indus-

try,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. “I believe that these will

help PTR members be better tennis teachers.”

For more information on the publications, visit www.

dailytennis.com.



I N D U S T R Y N E W

Prince Introduces T9 Roadster Tennis Shoe

The new Prince T9 Roadster tennis shoe features

advanced moisture-wicking and quick-drying technolo-

gies to help keep players’ feet dry, says Prince Sports.

“The T9 combines an aggressive new look with

advanced wick-away technology for a lightweight

performance shoe that makes the play-

er look as cool as their feet feel,”

says James Lin, product manager

at Prince. “The Roadster is avail-

able in adult and junior sizes for

the player that appreciates a

lightweight performance shoe that

does not require a break-in period.”

The T9 Roadster is part of Prince’s

T-Series designed with a combination

of breathable synthetics and AIRmesh,

featuring forefoot lock-down overlays to

ensure stable footing, says the compa-

ny. The T9 was constructed for players seeking speed and agility on the court, with

the added benefit of a moisture-wicking, moisture-management system for comfort.

The shoe is available in men’s, women’s, and junior sizes and comes in two color-

ways for each gender. The adult shoes feature the PRC 1000 outsole compound that

provides a six-month outsole wear guarantee. Visit www.princesports.com for more

information.

PTR Launches PTR on Campus

T

he PTR has launched a new program to encourage college students to consider a

career in tennis teaching and coaching. PTR on Campus makes PTR certification

and membership available and affordable to full-time college students who areplaying for their school, are competing in USA Team Tennis on Campus, are majoring

in recreation, or who were high school tennis players with 4.0 NTRP.

A PTR on Campus Workshop was tested last year with the University of Wash-

ington women’s tennis team’s players, coaches, and former players and is now

rolling out nationwide. PTR on Campus will run from September through June and

be held at various universities around the country, including, Alcorn State, Brigham

Young, Colorado, Furman, Harvard, Ouachita Baptist, South Alabama, and South

Carolina State. More colleges and universities are being considered and added to

the program every week.

“There is a big void in the number of younger people teaching tennis today,” says

Dan Santorum, PTR’s CEO. “PTR on Campus addresses this issue and will help

ensure a younger generation of tennis teaching professionals will continue to growthe game.”

In an effort to grow the game, college students are offered the opportunity to

learn to teach tennis, obtain liability insurance, and maintain PTR membership at

prices most students can afford. In exchange, students are asked to give back to

their communities by providing 10 hours of free tennis lessons.

Through the education provided by the PTR on Campus program, students who

teach tennis can help pay their tuition, supplement their income, or save for the

future. In addition, they will be prepared for a full or part-time career in tennis if

they choose.

For further information regarding specific places and dates, college student dis-

counts, or to host a PTR on Campus Workshop, contact PTR Director of Develop-

ment Geoff Norton at 800-421-6289 or 843-785-7244 or email [email protected].

Sports InterActive GivesRetailers Web Store

Sports Inter-

Active is

helping deal-

ers create “an

effective websitestrategy, which

will dramatically

increase their

business,” says

founder Her b

Sweren, a former

Prince executive.

Sports InterActive is a web develop

ment and e-marketing company tha

among other things, provides tenni

clubs, pro shops, and specialty retailer

with online sales capabilities through an

“Online Tennis Mall.” Only dealers with

a retail storefront qualify for the Onlin

Mall component, and dealers receive

20 percent net margin for every sale on

the online mall. Order fulfillment is pro

vided by Fromuth Tennis.

“Most people agree that online sale

have become more of a traditional reta

outlet, so retailers have to find a way t

compete with that,” says Sweren. “Wit

Sports InterActive, anyone with a seri

ous tennis business now has everythin

needed to truly harness the commercia

power of the internet.”

Sports InterActive sites are powere

by the TIA’s TennisConnect.org sof

ware. A subscription to the Sports Inter

Active Premium SI Package for $89

month or the Specialty Dealer packag

for $79 a month will also include Ten

nisConnect.org, which allows facilitie

to create and manage their own web

sites, stay in touch with their members

schedule court time, match player

online, and more.Dealers purchasing a Sports InterAc

tive website become members of th

TIA and gain access to other benefit

offered to TIA members. For more infor

mation on Sports InterActive, contac

Sweren at 410-358-1304 or ema

[email protected], or vis

www.sports-interactive.net.



I N D U S T R Y N E W S

USPTA Installs NewNational Board of Directors

Ron Woods, the former executivedirector of the USPTA Texas Divi-sion, is the new

president of the USPTA’snational board of direc-tors. Woods, along withother national boardmembers, were installedduring the 78th USPTAWorld Conference onTennis, held in Septem-ber in Marco Island, Fla.

The new board will serve until Sep-tember 2007. In addition to Woods, theboard is comprised of: First Vice Presi-dent—Harry Gilbert; Vice Presidents—Tom Daglis, Randy Mattingley, PaulaScheb, and Mark Fairchilds; Secretary-Treasurer—Tom McGraw; Past Presi-dent—David T. Porter.

The board manages the USPTA’saffairs between meetings of the largerUSPTA executive committee, whichincludes the board, three past nationalpresidents and elected leaders fromeach of USPTA’s 17 domestic divisions.Board members are nominated by acommittee comprised of executive com-mittee members, and may be individu-ally opposed in a general membership

election.

Andy RoddickCalendar Hits ShelvesFor die-hard Andy Roddick fans, thenew 2006 Andy Roddick Calendar isavailable, featuring the tennis star infull-color, glossy photos on courtsthroughout the world. The calendar,

which retails for $13.99, will be dis-tributed worldwide through majorbookstores, office supply stores, andcalendar and gift stores, as well asonline at www.jfturner.com andwww.andyroddick.com.

• Mike Levy is the new chief marketing officer at

the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He joins the Hall of Fame

from the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, where he was senior vice president

of sales and marketing.

• Prince Sports has promoted Matthew Haley to regional vice president of

the Southern Region.

• For the second time in three years, brothers Bob and Mike Bryan finished

the year as the No. 1 doubles team on the ATP circuit. The Bryans, who won

the 2005 US Open doubles championship, have captured at least five titles a

year for four straight years. They’ve won 26 career titles together.

• Malaysian squash star Nicol David (above) won the British Open in October, less than two

weeks after signing with Prince Sports and switching to Prince’s O3 Tour squash racquet.

• Florida's Diana Srebrovic and UCLA's Ben Kohlloeffel captured the singles titles at the Inte

legiate Tennis Association National Indoor Championships at the Racquet Club of Columbus

Ohio. Collecting the doubles titles were Ohio State's Scott Green and Ross Wilson and Stan

ford's Alice Barnes and Anne Yelsey.

• Americans Chase Buchanan of Columbus, Ohio, and Brittany Augustine of El Segun-

do, Calif., overcame every challenge presented by fellow Head Team Elite members

at the second annual International Head Team Elite Cup held at the Sanchez-

Casal Academy in Barcelona, Spain. Both Buchanan and Augustine play

with the Head Flexpoint Radical MP. The International Head Team

Elite Cup brings together over 100 young tennis players

from more than 30 countries.

P E OP L EW A T C H



J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6I N D U S T R Y N E W S

Wilson to Distribute Luxilon Strings

Starting in 2006, Wilson Racquet Sports will bethe exclusive worldwide distributor of Luxilon

products. Belgium-based Luxilon makes monofil-

ament strings and other products. More than 800

tour pros use Luxilon, and it is the official string of the

ATP and WTA tours. Luxilon also is the official stringer

at several international events.

“Our partnership with Luxilon gives Wilson the

opportunity to leverage the strength of both brands

at retail,” says Brian Dillman, vice president of Wil-

son Racquet Sports. “Our extensive global distribu-

tion network through the Wilson and Amer Sports subsidiaries and distributors wil

play a major role in both companies’ future success.”

Luxilon products include strings for tennis, badminton, and squash. The compa

ny is the official stringer at the Nasdaq-100, China Open, Tennis Masters Cup, ATP

Junior Gold, and Luxilon Junior Cup.

In a statement, Wilson says the Luxilon string designations fit with Wilson’s cur-

rent strategic initiatives to increase its stringing presence at professional and ama-

teur tennis tournaments worldwide. In November, Wilson announced it will be the

official stringer at the US Open beginning in 2006.

The Luxilon portfolio includes high-tech string product lines such as Big Banger

which is used by more than 60 percent of the ATP Top 100 players and about 30 per-

cent of the WTA Top 100 players. Luxilon will continue to manage the string business

in brand strategy, promotions, and product development under the direction of Bob

Daelmans.

For more information, visit www.wilson.com.

Classic Turf Offers“4 Days to Playability”

Classic Turf Co.’s recent court

installation in Atlanta demon-

strates what company Founder

and President Tumer H. Eren says

is his product’s “four days toplayability.”

“The prefabricated Classic Turf

surface can be put down in four

days,” says Eren. “Weather permit-

ting, if you start an installation on

Monday, you’ll be applying the lines

on Thursday afternoon, and the

court will be ready for play on Fri-

day morning.”

Classic Turf recently was used

for the rooftop court at the Waverly

luxury condominiums in Miami.For the Atlanta installation in Sep-

tember, Eren says that once the

cracks in the original court were

filled and the uneven spots were

leveled, the cushioned Classic Turf

rubber mat was glued to the base

on Monday. Joints were scraped

and leveled on Tuesday, and the

first coat of acrylic was put down.

Color coating was applied on

Wednesday and Thursday, along

with the playing lines.

“The Classic Turf technology

allows the contractor to install the

3/8-inch prefabricated Classic Turf

System over the new or prepared

surface in four days, making the

tennis court playable,” says Eren.

“This technology saves a lot of time

for the contractor and the owner.”

Those interested in seeing a step-

by-step installation should visit

www.classicturf.org.

The patented rubber cushion

surface, which reduces joint stressfor players, is waterproof and

breathable, Eren says, and speed of

play can easily be adjusted and cus-

tomized to suit the customer.

“We’ve installed more than 3.5 mil-

lion square feet of Classic Turf

worldwide,” says Eren. “And we

guarantee that the surface won’t

crack.”

For more information, contact

Classic Turf at 800-246-7951 or

[email protected].

LaserFibre Offers New Line of Grips and Overgrips

LaserFibre reports fast growth in sales of its new TourFit TwinTone grips. Tim Sulli

van of LaserFibre says the TwinTone has been “outselling conventional grips at th

rate of 4 to 1,” with customers even removing stock grips from newly purchased

frames to install a matching TwinTone grip.

TwinTone is available in 16 color combinations, to

match and accent the racquet cosmetics. Not only can

teams and leagues match colors, the grip itself featuresa patented stitched, hidden hem that combines two

grips, providing added strength and a new comfortable

feel and texture than a conventional grip, says the

company.

Also new in LaserFibre’s line of grips is the Pro

Stock Series, a premium performance grip designed to

provide comfort, moisture absorption, and extra shock

absorption. And the TourFit Series of replacement

grips and overgrips is designed to enhance feel for the

contours of the racquet handle.

Both the TourFit and Pro Stock series feature Laser-

Fibre’s Advanced HydroTac Technology, which thecompany says creates millions of micro pores in the

polyurethane grip surface and utilizes moisture to

increase the tackiness of the grip. “The more a person perspires, the more the grip

grips back,” says the company, adding that the design also allows for quick evapora

tion of excess perspiration.

Suggested retail prices for Pro Stock grips is $8.99; for TourFit TwinTone grips

$9.99; for TourFit grips, $7.99; and for TourFit overgrips, $5.99. For more informa

tion call 888-895-2350 or visit www.laserfibre.com.



I N D U S T RY N E W

Tennis Service RepsSpread Across the U.S.

The new Tennis Service Repre-

sentative program got off to a

fast start in the fall. As of mid-

November, nearly 50 TSRs had been

hired by the USTA sections.

The Tennis Service Reps areunder the direction of Mark McMa-

hon, the USTA’s new national man-

ag er for TSRs, and wil l be a

“national sales force for tennis.”

The idea is for the TSRs to be well-

versed in programs and resources

available, so they can then assist

local providers in growing the game

at the grassroots level and increase

tennis participation.

To reach a TSR in your area,

contact your USTA section. Thenew TSRs, listed by section, are:

Caribbean: Carlos Torres, Cristina

Cruz

Eastern: Wayne Martin

Florida: Trina Singian, Matt Graham,

Rene Grifol, Kelly Tucker, Dede

Allen, Jeff Davis, Shelly Licorish-

Bynum, Janet Sprague, Susie Bessire,

Cheryl Rivera, Cathy Nordlund

Hawaii-Pacific: Madeleine Dreith

Intermountain: Susan Burke, David

Dunson, Chris Harris

Mid-Atlantic: Michelle Grover, Lynn

Gertzog, Susan Cook, Joe Wills,

Jamaane Jahi, Jamal Hicks

Middle States: Jeff Barger, Kelle Cun-

ningham, Justin DePietropaolo

Midwest: Steve Kakavetsis, Sue

Selke, Eric Nelson, Jim Amick

Missouri Valley: Jane Waterstradt,

Jodi Gordon, Connie Robertson, Dan

Bratetic, Laura Puryear

New England: Jeff Graham, Nakita

Zaharov

Northern: Hayley ShibleyNorthern California: TBD

Pacific Northwest: Gail Benzler,

Adam Rogers, Al Thomerson

Southern: Kevin Theos, Karen

Zuidema, Bill Dopp, Jason Miller, Bill

Phillips, Patrick Tibbs, Julie Oshiro-

Kenton

Southern California: Alison Roell,

Diane Brooks

Southwest: Gary Druckman

Texas: Eric Clay, Amanda Shaw,

Cindy Benzon, Laura Gilbert, Sal

Castillo, Simon Menchaca

Osborn Heads Up SalesDivision at Prince Sports

Charles Osborne is the new vice

president and USA national

sales manager for Prince

Sports, the company announced in

November.

Osborne will be responsible for

the national sales organization,

excluding key accounts. The region-

al vice presidents, with responsibil-

ity over the sales territories in the

West, North Central, and Southeast

regions, will report directly to him.

“Prince has had a great year,

from a sales and growth stand-

point, and Charlie has been an inte-

gral part of this since his arrival in

May,” says Prince Sports USA Pres-

ident Doug Fonte. “We look forward

to his continued success as he leads

the company in 2006 and beyond.”

Osborne joined Prince in May as

the regional vice president of the

North Central region, after nearly

20 years at Wilson Sporting Goods.

Squash Star FormsInitiative to Grow the Game

Canadian-born squash pro Jonathon Power

has formed a new squash marketing and

development initiative, SquashPower

(www.squashpower.com), to promote growth

in youth and adult squash. The newly

formed company’s mis-

sion is to edu-

cate, grow, and

empower the

squash community through educational pro-

grams, competitive growth, and player empow-

erment.

According to the World Squash Federation,

the game is played in more than 140 countries

by more than 20 million players. In the U.S.,

growth at the junior level has jumped 125 per-

cent over the past two years. Forbes Magazine

has rated the sport No. 1 for overall health andfitness. In Massachusetts, squash is one of the

fastest growing college and high school sports

of all time.

Jonathon Power has won 32 Professional

Squash Association Tour titles and is ranked as

the No. 2 player in the world. He is the most

successful squash player in North America.



J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6I N D U S T RY N E W S

Competitors Work Together to SolveCommunity’s Court Problems

The owners of the 100-condominium

Gran Liden Community in Sunapee,

N.H., needed help with their two hard

courts. They were in bad shape, with

cracks that kept coming back. Over the

life of the 35-year-old courts, the condo

owners and players had resorted to what

turned out to be short-term fixes. Now,

they wanted a permanent solution.

The community’s tennis players, all

over the age of 40, wanted a softer, more forgiving surface than hard courts

provided. Plus, they didn’t want to incur the costs and down time that might

come from tearing up the old asphalt and preparing the site.

“Clay was their first choice, but community members felt they weren’t

ready to invest in the equipment and annual maintenance costs that would be

required,” says Rick Burke of NGI Sports. “Also, they felt they would need to

add staff to continually work the clay to keep it playable.”Gran Liden turned to Arch Weathers of New England Rec Surfaces for help.

Weathers, who had worked on the community’s surfaces throughout the years,

contacted Bill Rompf, the tennis director at the International Tennis Hall of

Fame in Newport, R.I. A year earlier, the Hall of Fame had used a new prod-

uct, Nova’ProClay, to overlay an old asphalt court and provide a clay surface

for players.

Weathers thought Nova’ProClay was just what the Gran Liden players were

looking for. Even though the area licensee for the product was a local com-

petitor, John Lineberry of Lineberry Tennis, Weathers called him to discuss the

Gran Liden project. Then they both met with the community’s board of direc-

tors.

“We described the Nova’ProClay concept, which the board seemed to graspquickly,” says Weathers (above, right, with Lineberry). It was determined that

a thin, crushed-stone, pie-shaped overlay would be placed on top of the exist-

ing asphalt to decrease the slope and buffer the deteriorated surface. A light

sprinkler system would be installed. Then the Nova’ProClay base with 10 tons

of Har-Tru finish would be placed over the rock wedge.

“Now, they don’t need a roller, and there is no lengthy down time in wet

weather,” says Burke. “The courts are usable virtually year-round, and best of

all, they have a real clay court finish to play on.”

For more information, contact NGI Sports at 800-835-0033 or

[email protected], or visit www.novagrass.com.

Völkl Adds TwoFrames to BB Line

Völkl Sport America continues its newest

product line of frames designed by for-

mer champion Boris Becker with the

new BB1 and BB5 racquets, both available

Feb. 1. The frames join the previously

released BB10.

The BB1, weighing 9.0 ounces unstrung

is the lightest frame in the BB series. It also

has the largest head size, at 112 sq. in., andthe thickest beam width, at 29 mm., making

it the most powerful

racquet in the BB

range, says Völkl.

The company says

the racquet is ideal

for recreational

players 3.0 NTRP

and higher. Sug-

gested retail is

$160.

The new BB5combines an oversize

(105 sq. in .) wi th a

maneuverable swing

weight at a very afford-

able $130 suggested retail.

The frame, which weighs

9.4 ounces, also is for play-

ers at the 3.0 or higher

level.

For more information,

call 603-298-0314, email

[email protected], or visitwww.volkl.com.

PTR Symposium Feb. 18-24

The 2006 PTR International Tennis Symposium and $25,000 Championships

will be Feb. 18-24 on Hilton Head, S.C. The Symposium schedule includes

more than 40 presentations, a trade show, dinners, an awards

banquet, and more.

Register by Feb. 10 for $325 for PTR members,

$395 for nonmembers. After Feb. 10, it’s $375

and $425. Prices do not include Profession-

al Development Courses or tournaments

fees. The deadline for tournament entry

is Feb. 3. For more information or to

register, call 800-421-6289 or visitwww.ptrtennis.org.

New Flare-ItReshapes Grommets

Flare-It LLC introduces a product fo

grommet maintenance and repair that i

designed to “stop string damage before

it happens,” says the company. Flare-I

Grommet Wizard, which can be used on altypes of racquets, flares and re-shape

grommets to remove pressure points tha

can damage string. It also

wil l help keep newly

installed grommet strips

or individual repairs in

place. For USRSA mem-

bers, the introductory

price is $19.95 per unit.

Contact 502-329-7800 or

visit www.flare-it.com.



> Prince Sports’ O3 Technology received the

Popular Science “Best of What’s New”

Award, which recognizes top new products

and technologies. Best of What's New

awards are presented to 100 new products

and technologies in 12 categories: Auto

Tech, Aviation & Space, Cars, Computing,Engineering, Gadgets, General Innovation,

Home Entertainment, Home Tech, Personal

Health, Photography and Recreation.

> Tecnifibre has a new partnership with

Bridgestone for its tennis ball business and

ball factory in Thailand. The new company,

Bridgestone-Tecnifibre, says it expects capac-

ity at the Thailand factory to double within

two years to reach 24 million balls.

> Ashaway Racket Strings has introduced its

new Racket Strings Catalog, highlightingmore than 40 different strings for tennis,

badminton, squash, and racquet-

ball. The catalog also introduces

Ashaway's new Power Filament

Technology, or PFT, for badminton,

a proprietary design that creates a

unique filament surface layer to reduce string

movement and increase durability. For a copy

of the catalog visit www.ashawayusa.com.

> Head has relaunched www.head.com

with a new, cleaner look. The site features a

racquet advisor and includes information ontouring pros and all Head new products.

> Former world No. 1 player Jim Courier and

his company, InsideOut Sports and Entertain-

ment, are launching the Champions Cup

Series, a collection of U.S. tennis events fea-

turing tennis greats over the age of 30.

Events are slated for Naples, Fla., March 9-

12; Boston, April 27-30; Memphis, Oct. 5-8;

and Houston, Nov. 9-12. Visit

www.insideoutlive for more information.

SHORT SETSI N D U S T R Y N E W

> The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club in La

Jolla, Calif., will be the site of the 2006

Davis Cup first-round match between the

U.S. and Romania, Feb. 10-12. Three-day

series ticket prices range from $90 to

$375, with VIP packages available. Call

888-484-USTA.

> O2Athletics is the new Midwest sales

representatives for Reebok and Tecnifibre,

covering Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Ken-

tucky, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Wisconsin,

Michigan and western Pennsylvania. It

also represents Viking Athletics. Contact

Dave Ohlmuller, 847-283-0247 or ohl-

[email protected].

> The USTA board of directors recently

approved an investment to help keep the

Pacific Life Open in the U.S. The USTA will join other investors, including Tennis-

magazine owners George Mackin and

Robert Miller, in a planned buyout of

IMG’s 50 percent interest in the tourna-

ment.

> The USPTA Texas Division’s Southwest

Tennis Buying Show will be Feb. 10-11 at

The Woodlands Marriott Hotel and Con-

vention Center, at The Woodlands, Texas.

> Mercedes-Benz and the ATP have

extended their sports marketing partner-

ship another three years, through 2008.

Mercedes-Benz started its partnership as

the Official Car of the ATP in 1996. The car

company provides transportation at many

of the ATP’s 64 tournaments in 31 countries.

> The first USTA National Husband &

Wife Senior and Super Senior Grass Court

Championships, sponsored by The Tennis

Channel and Campbell’s, will be at Mis-

sion Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage,

Calif., March 6-12.

Bälle de Mätch is Official Apparel of Copper Bowl

Southern California-based Bälle de Mätch is the official apparel of the Copper Bowl

junior tournament. The event takes place in Tucson, Ariz., in January and attracts

more than 1,000 juniors every year.

“We are proud to be associated with this event, which will give us tremendous vis-

ibility with the best kids of all age groups from all over the country,” says Bälle de

Mätch co-owner and partner John Embree. The Copper Bowl is a USTA-sanctioned

Level III tournament on the National Junior schedule and attracts ranked boys and

girls 12’s to 18’s from around the world.

Bälle de Mätch apparel will be worn by the staff of the Copper Bowl and will be sold

on-site. It is also the Official Team Uniform of the Texas Tennis Coaches Association,

the Official Apparel Supplier for Orange County Tennis Association. For more infor-

mation on Bälle de Mätch, call 800-356-1021.

Vegas to HostCardio TennisFeeding Shootout

T

he USPTA will conduct a new

nationwide competition to find th

best tennis ball feeders in theU.S. The competitions, to be

held at e ach

USPTA division

convention dur-

ing the coming

year, will feature

Ca rd io Tenn is

Feeding Shootouts

among members of the USPTA. The win

ner from each division will be eligible t

compete in the national Shootout at th

USPTA World Conference in Las Vegas iSeptember.

The competition will allow teachin

pros to demonstrate the accuracy an

speed of their feeds for 60 seconds. Pro

will be asked to feed tennis balls in

specific pattern to three targets set up a

a net. Each pro will feed balls from

teaching cart while standing behind th

middle of the baseline, and the objectiv

is to get as many balls as possible into

the targets in one minute.

The pro who feeds the most balls int

the targets will be declared the Divisio

Shootout Winner and will go on to com

pete in the National Shootout at th

2006 USPTA World Conference, which i

set for Sept. 16 to 23 in Las Vegas. Th

Division Feeding Shootout winners wi

receive two cases of Pro Penn tenni

balls and round-trip airfare to the Worl

Conference.

USPTA President Ron Woods, is excit

ed about the Feeding Shootout. “We se

the Feeding Shootout as a great way t

highlight the art of feeding and to con

tinue to elevate USPTA’s focus on th

growth of Cardio Tennis,” he says. “Com

petitors from all USPTA divisions will b

competing to be named the best feede

in America.”



O U T S T A N D I N G F A C I L I T Y - O F - T H E - Y E A R A W A R D S

RSI and the ASBA bring you the best in tennis court construction.

We have again joined forces with the American Sports

Builders Association to bring you examples of excel-

lence in court construction.

Each year, based on entries submitted by an ASBA mem-

ber, whether a contractor, designer, or supplier, the associa-

tion selects outstanding tennis facilities that meet the

standard of excellence determined by the judging committee.

For the 2005 contest, 25 courts or tennis facilities were

deemed to be outstanding by the panel of judges. Two, how-

ever, were chosen for special honors: the Princeton Universi-

ty Tennis Complex in Princeton, N.J., was named the Tennis

Facility of the Year, and the indoor facility at Sunset Athletic

Club in Beaverton, Ore., was selected as the MultipurposeIndoor Facility of the Year.

The Princeton Tennis Complex, completed in July 2005,

added 15 new courts to the existing eight-court facility. The

new courts are in two groupings, one for faculty and alumni

use and the other for students. The student grouping is made

up of two court batteries of four and five courts, with a spec-

tator plaza between them. The faculty grouping is made

up of two three-court batteries, one of soft courts and

one of hard.

Between the two student batteries is a historic pavil-

ion that was relocated and reassembled from another

location on campus. The pavilion includes a water foun-

tain, emergency communications, and spectator areas

on two levels. The tight site conditions made it necessary

to use retaining walls rather than sloped landscaped

areas.

The Sunset Athletic Club indoor multipurpose facility

was an upgrade to the existing structure and included

three new indoor tennis courts, basketball courts, climb-ing wall, running track, and cardio and exercise rooms.

The high winter water table meant that an underground

drainage moat had to be built to direct water to a filter

and storage tube 4 feet in diameter and 400 feet long.

The project was completed in the winter of 2005.

—Peter Francesconi

Head of the Class

Princeton University TennisComplex, Princeton, N.J.Architect/Engineer: GLOBAL SPORTS & TENNISDESIGN GROUP, FAIR HAVEN, N.J.

Specialty Contractor: SPORTSLINE AND ALL STARTENNIS COURT CO.

Surface: CALIFORNIA PRODUCTS CORP.

Lighting: COURTSIDER SPORTS LIGHTING

Windscreens: J.A. CISSEL

Head of the Class



For details of the 2006 Outstanding Tennis Facility Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or

[email protected].

Q Chippewa Resort Tennis Facility, Manitowish

Waters, Wis. (Munson Inc.)Q Emory University Indoor Tennis Facility, Atlanta

(Lower Bros.)

Q Green Valley Country Club, Lafayette Hills, Pa.(Pro-Sport Construction)

Q Heathrow Country Estates Tennis Facility, Sorren-to, Fla. (Fast-Dry Cos.)

Q Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club, Dade City, Fla.(Welch Tennis Courts)

Q Lion’s Paw, Oakley, Utah (Welch Tennis Courts)

Q Oaks at Boca Raton Tennis Center, Boca Raton,Fla. (Welch Tennis Courts)

Q Ottawa Township High School, Ottawa, Ill.(Global Sports & Tennis Design Group)

Q Palencia Tennis Center, St. Augustine, Fla.(Welch Tennis Courts)

Q Residential Court, Gywnedd, Pa. (Pro-Sport Construction)

Q Residential Court, Harbour Island, Eleuthera,Bahamas (Fast-Dry Cos.)

Q Residential Court, Lemon Heights, Calif.(Zaino Tennis Courts)

Q Residential Court, Miami (Fast-Dry Cos.)

Q Residential Court, Norwell, Mass.(Boston Tennis Court Construction Co.)

Q River Oaks Country Club, Houston(Welch Tennis Courts)

Q Roxiticus Golf Club Tennis Facility, Mendham, N.J.(The Racquet Shop)

Q Sacred Heart Schools Tennis Facility, Atherton,Calif. (Beals Alliance Inc.)

Q Sandhills Community College Athletic Complex,Pinehurst, N.C. (Court One)

Q Sebastian Municipal Park Tennis Facility, Sebast-ian, Fla. (Fast-Dry Cos.)

Q St. George’s Senior Boys’ School, Vancouver, B.C.(Ocean Marker Sport Surfaces USA)

Q University of Alabama Outdoor Tennis Facility,Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Lower Bros.)

Q University of Hawaii at Monoa Tennis Complex,Honolulu (Applied Surfacing Technology)

Q Vanderbilt University Outdoor Tennis Facility,Nashville, Tenn. (Lower Bros.)

Taking the Prize In addition to the Princeton University Tennis Complex and the Sunset Athletic Club, these 23 locations were cho-

sen by the 2005 panel of judges for the ASBA as outstanding examples of court construction. You’ll read more about them in upcoming issues of

Racquet Sports Industry. (The nominating company is in parentheses.)

Indoor Multi-Purpose Facility at

Sunset Athletic Club, Beaverton, Ore.Specialty Contractor: ATLAS TRACK & TENNIS,TUALATIN, ORE.

Surface: CALIFORNIA PRODUCTS CORP.

Curtains/Divider Nets: M. PUTTERMAN & CO.

Tennis Nets: EDWARDS, DIV. OF COLLEGIATE PACIFIC

Other Supplier: ROBBINS INC.



2 0 0 6 S T R I N G S U R V E Y

What string is best for your customer? It’s a tricky question to

answer, since there are so many different strings out therethatallhaveuniquecombinations of benefits. Butonceagain,

we’ve gone right to the experts, the thousands of U.S. Racquet Stringers

Association members,and asked them to rate strings in three categories:

playability, durability, and com-

fort.

Our 29th annual string sur-

vey, which is on the poster

inserted into this issue of RSI,

is a compilation of survey

questionnaires sent in Sep-

tember to 2,500 randomly

selected U.S. members of the

USRSA (no chain stores).

Recipients were given a list of

every string on the market

and asked to rate the ones

they are familiar with from 1

to 10 in each of the three cat-

egories. Then an average

score was calculated for each

string in each category.

For a string to qualify for a

rating, the respondent must

have strung at least 20 sets of

that string in the past year.

This 20-set minimum ensures

that respondents are rating a

string they know something

about and that has some

vitality in the marketplace. For

some businesses, 20 sets may

represent 20 percent of their

total business, and for others,

1 percent. Some businesses

may only sell 20 sets of the

string; others may sell 500.

Each ranking, however, car-ries the same weight, and all

are included in the total sum and average for that string. We

added the scores from each respondent to obtain a sum for

that string, then divided the sum by the number of respon-

dents who rated it.

To ensure that strings with a reasonable breadth of distrib-

ution are included, each string must be rated on at least 12

questionnaires. We feel

that having at least 12

respondents allows us to

include enough strings by

enough manufacturers,

including smaller market

share companies. Too

high a number will mean

the survey results will only

include the top two or

three manufacturers.

Remember, the cate-

gory scores for each string

are averages of all the

respondents’ rankings for

a given string. Often,

these averages are very

close; the differences

between rankings can be

mere hundredths of a

point. Though only onestring can claim the top

spot in a category, many

of the strings close to

each other in ranking are

of equal stature. In prac-

tice, each of these strings

is one of the best of its

niche.

Hang our String Survey

poster in your shop and

let your customers deter-

mine which strings maybest help their games.Q

Brand 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 2000Wilson 23.2 22.0 21.9 23.8 21.6 30.5

Gamma 20.4 22.9 24.7 25.6 25.9 27.2Prince 19.8 19.6 19.8 19.2 20.7 23.7Head 9.4 7.7 7.4 7.3 4.0 7.0Babolat 9.3 7.2 7.1 6.1 6.9 6.3Tecnifibre 4.5 4.8 4.1 4.1 4.7 3.4Luxilon 3.6 3.4 3.0 - - -Ashaway 2.0 1.6 1.8 1.7 2.2 <1.0Gosen 1.6 1.8 1.9 1.9 3.2 1.4Forten 1.2 2.3 2.6 2.6 3.5 0.5Alpha 0.9 1.0 - - - -Kirschbaum 0.8 0.8 - - - -TOA 0.8 0.4 - - - -Dunlop 0.6 1.2 1.1 - - -

Klip 0.6 0.9 - - - -Others 2.3 2.3 4.6 5.2 4.4 -

Most Responses by Brand(percent)

Gauge 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 200016 64.6 62.0 62.4 61.9 58.9 54.817 24.5 28.2 23.1 26.2 27.0 31.816L 4.6 3.8 4.3 2.8 1.5 -

15L 3.8 4.3 5.7 5.9 7.8 11.118 1.9 1.3 1.4 1.8 2.9 0.915 0.6 - 0.5 - 0.8 0.817L - 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.619 - - 1.7 0.4 0.4 -18/17 - - 0.5 0.4 - -

Most Responses by Gauge(percent)

Our exclusive rankings, based on responses by USRSA members,will help you pick the right strings for your shop.

USRSA Members’

Choice Awards

USRSA Members’

Choice AwardsOur exclusive rankings, based on responses by USRSA members,will help you pick the right strings for your shop.



hen selecting a tennis club, potential members expect to

size up tennis courts, ball machines, locker rooms, and

other amenities. However, there is additional equipment

to consider: automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and other

medical gear.

“Just by the nature of the sport—where people can go from

complete rest to full-out activity, with some not exercising any

other way—there are going to

be some [cardiac] problemson a tennis court,” says

Stephen Tharrett, a former

senior vice president at Dal-

las-based ClubCorp and cur-

rently an e dit or of the

American College of Sports

Medicine’s Health/Fitness

Facility Standards and Guide-

lines.

When the publication’s

third edition is published in

April 2006, according toTharrett, it will recommend

the inclusion of AEDs in all

fitness centers, with the

intended effect of transform-

ing what has been a growing

trend into an industry standard. By 2010, he predicts installing

AEDs in sports facilities will be legislated beyond the current

states of Illinois, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, and

Louisiana. An AED is a computerized medical device that can

recognize whether a person’s heart rhythm requires an electric

shock, and uses voice prompts, lights, and text messages to tell

the rescuer how to deliver one.

W“It’s a natural part of a facility’s duty of care to its members,”

says Tharrett, noting that AEDs are joining traditional safety mea-

sures such as first aid kits, CPR-trained personnel, and even oxy-

gen masks for members experiencing difficulty breathing. “As

long as you provide appropriate training on modern equipment

that is serviced regularly, these devices are absolutely in mem-

bers’ best interest.”

As the national tennis director and

regional manager of two Tennis Corp.of America (TCA)-owned tennis clubs

in the Kansas City area, Ajay Pant says

he sets an example for his staff by par-

ticipating in emergency training

offered to all TCA employees.

“There’s a certain way you have to

push down on the abdomen when

doing CPR, and it took me a while to

get it,” Pant admits. “I’m the guy in

charge and it would have been easy for

me to let it go, but I held up all pro-

ceedings until I got it right. I wanted tosend the message that there can be no

shortcuts when safety is involved.”

In addition to CPR, according to

Pant, TCA clubs also train staff on

AEDs, first aid and infant CPR at facili-

ties with nurseries. Tennis pros who work with members out-

doors during the summer are taught to look for heat illness

symptoms such as hot, dry skin, change in skin color, hyperven-

tilation, and confusion. If a teaching pro suspects heat exhaustion

or sunstroke, for example, Pant says the lesson is immediately

ended (with the fee waived) so the member can be taken inside

for treatment.

B Y C Y N T H I A C A N T R E L L

HeartStart Onsite DefibrillatorPhilips Electronics

Emergency medicaldevices, such asdefibrillators, arereassuring to clubs

and their members.

Finding the Right

Treatment

Finding the Right

Treatment



“We train our staff on what to

look for because even when you ask

a member how they’re feeling, they

may say they’re fine,” says Pant.

“We adhere to strict policies, but we

believe our members appreciate it.”

Ed Brune, general manager and

tennis director of the IndianapolisRacquet Clubs, says the company’s

two facilities both have first aid kits,

with an employee in charge of keep-

ing each one fully stocked. He also

recently purchased an AED for each

site.

“I’ve been studying defibrillators for

two or three years, waiting for some-

thing to come along that’s easy to use

and cost-effective,” says Brune, noting

that the local fire department conducted

the training for his key employees. Withincreasing publicity surrounding AEDs—

not to mention about one-quarter of the

Indianapolis Racquet Clubs’ 3,000 mem-

bers over 50 years of age—Brune says it

was simply time to make the devices

part of the clubs’ standard equipment.

Ville Jansson, sports club manager at

Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho

Mirage, Calif., says his ClubCorp-owned

property is equipped with an AED, oxy-

gen, and first-aid kits containing antisep-

tics, sports injury-related bandages, and

“everything imaginable” at both the tennis and golf portions of

the property. The company strives for 100 percent employee

training in safety procedures including

AED usage, he says.

“It’s peace of mind for our mem-

bers,” says Jansson, a former ATP tour-

ing pro with 10 professional

tournament wins. “AEDs are coming

down in cost so these days, you see

them in a lot of places. It makes sense

for us to have them, too.”

Ron Woolard, the national director

for Athletics & Tennis at Dallas-basedClubCorp, says Mission Hills Country

Club is one of 79 ClubCorp sites that

were equipped with AEDs in 2002.

The investment of purchasing the

devices, servicing them, and dedicat-

ing employee hours to repeated certifi-

cations can be significant, Woolard

says. AEDs can range in price from

about $2,000 to $3,000, he notes, and

companies may opt to pay an addi-

tional monthly fee of approximately

$200 per site for an outside vendor to

keep AEDs in working order with

fresh pads and batteries, and alert

them to staff whose certifications are

set to expire.

“Though presently it is not legislat-

ed that clubs be equipped with AEDs,

ClubCorp felt because of the potential

of saving a life, that this initiative wasworth the investment for the compa-

ny,” says Woolard.

Helen Durkin, director of public

policy for the Boston-based Interna-

tional Health, Racquet and Sportsclub

Association (IHRSA), cautions clubs

and members alike from believing that

AEDs will save every life since they are

most beneficial in cases of sudden car-

diac arrest, where the heart actually stops

beating. Liability is another common con-

cern for clubs, she says, since GoodSamaritan laws for businesses have not

yet been enacted in all states.

“IHRSA is working hard to ensure that

all states that require AEDs provide ade-

quate coverage so these businesses aren’t

subject to liability by using these devices

or not using them,” says Durkin, noting

that 25 percent of IHRSA member clubs

surveyed in 2000-01 already had AEDs in

their facilities.

Durkin also notes that studies have

indicated that 85 percent of sudden car-

diac arrest cases occur in the home or hospital, with only the

remaining 15 percent spread out across airports, businesses,

jails, dialysis centers, gaming establish-

ments, golf courses, homeless shelters,

large industrial sites, nursing homes,

physician offices, shopping malls,

sports complexes, streets and high-

ways, trains and ferries, urgent care

centers, and utility trucks.

“There are plenty of club owners

who have gotten AEDs and tell stories

of how they’ve been used to save lives,

but in the case of an emergency, clubsshould still call 911 and follow their

first-aid protocol in case it’s not sudden

cardiac arrest,” Durkin says. For their

part, she adds, members shouldn’t

panic and cease exercising because

they’re afraid their heart will give out

on the tennis court.

“AEDs can be useful devices to have

on hand,” Durkin says, “but I’m con-

cerned that all this legislation is going

to perpetuate the idea that exercise is

more dangerous than it is.” Q

Where to Get AEDsA prescription was once required to purchase an

AED, but now the devices are offered over the

counter. Royal Philips Electronics offers two over-the-

counter models: the HeartStart OnSite Defibrillator

and the HeartStart Home Defibrillator.

For more information about AEDs, contact manufac-

turers such as the following:

Q Cardiac Science (www.cardiacscience.com)

Q Medtronic (www.medtronic.com)

Q Philips Medical Systems (www.medical.philips.com)

Q Zoll Medical (www.zoll.com)

Training is provided by manufacturers as well as by

the American Red Cross and American Heart Associa-

tion. Neither organization recommends one device

over another. For training information, contact your

local American Red Cross chapter or the American

Heart Association’s Heartsaver AED program at 1-

877-AHA-4CPR (1-877-242-4277).

ZOLL AED PlusZOLL Medical Corporation

PowerHeart AED G3Cardiac Science



The Master Pros:

Delivering aQuality Experience

ost head tennis professionals will confront tough chal-

lenges at some point in their careers. At times they’ll face

sagging membership, over-budget court repairs, staff

shortages, cranky bosses. But one of the most demanding tasks

a head pro can undertake is

one that few actually ever

will: launching a new tennisfacility.

In 2000, Lexington

County, S.C., had no tennis

program. And the area still

didn’t even have a home for

public tennis, as their prized

21-court Lexington County

Tennis Complex (LCTC)

wasn’t due to open until the

following summer. Then

came Jorge Andrew, hired

to be the facility’s first tennis director.

“Opening a new facility is difficult—you’re really starting

from scratch,” says Dan Santorum, CEO and executive director

of the PTR. “Getting the people to come is obviously a challenge,

but once they get there you have to make sure they have a quali-

ty experience. That’s one of the things Jorge excels at—making

sure that everybody that comes to his facility has a quality expe-

rience and is eager to come back.”

Andrew, designated a master pro by both the PTR and the

USPTA, was raised in Caracas, Venezuela. He played for and cap-

tained the Venezuelan Davis Cup team, and reached No. 76 in

the world rankings in the late 1970s. He later worked as a tennis

director at clubs in Venezuela and Florida before being tapped

for his post in Lexington County.

From six months before the LCTC opened, Andrew was

already planning the details for what would quickly become one

of the most successful tennis programs in the southern U.S. One

of his primary goals was to relentlessly find new players and

make them stay.

“We have beginner clinics that start every four weeks,”

Andrew says. “Then we try to put those beginners right into the

leagues. Officers of the Lexington Area Tennis Association are

right at the facility, so in just a few minutes we can get you all

the information you need, sign you up over the internet, put

you in a league and you’re ready to play.”

The strategy has worked. In just four years, the num-

ber of league tennis teams at the LCTC has increased from

20 to 45. Impressive numbers? That’s just for the adults.“Our most successful program is the After School Ten-

nis Club,” Andrew says. “It has three levels. At level one,

we give them a racquet and a can of balls. Level two, it’s a

little more advanced lessons. Level three, they play match

es every Friday. After that, we start to encourage them to

play tournaments.” The after-school club has a consistent

attendance of 50 to 80 kids per four-week session.

Other junior play at the LCTC includes the Junior Chal-

lengers, which exclude all players ranked in Top 25 in 10-

and-under, and the Top 50 in other divisions. “We host

tournaments like that so that our people who started here

can develop here,” Andrew says. As for those top-rankedplayers? They can still compete in the ITF World Junior

Championships, which the LCTC hosts in November.

“People ask me all the time, ‘How can we get a pro-

gram going—do we need more junior programs, do we

need to have more courts, do

we need to spend more

money?” says Jeff Hawes, first

vice president of the USPTA

Southern Division. “The answer

is that first and foremost you

need to have a leader. You

need to have somebody who is

dynamic in their personality,

dynamic when it comes to pro-

moting, dynamic when it

comes to their teaching skills.

And Jorge definitely has all

those traits. That’s what makes

him stand out in this industry.

“Jorge is one of the best pro-

fessionals in our association.

Lexington County wasn’t even

on the map until he got there,

and he made an impact just by

getting people involved.” Q

B Y C H R I S N I C H O L S O N

This is the second of six installments on the

teaching pros who hold Master Pro certifi-

cations from both the PTR and the USPTA.

Creating aQuality Experiencfor PlayersQ Develop programs to cater to ev

age group and every player leve

Leave no one behind.

Q At the end of beginners’ classes

don’t let those new players go—

try to get them signed up in

leagues, where they’ll have fun

with their new skills and keep

playing tennis.

Q Make the facility attractive in ev

way possible: Keep it clean and

well-decorated, and make sure

everything is in working order.

M

For pro Jorge Andrew in South Carolina, it’s all about getting peopleinvolved—and coming back for more.

Delivering aQuality Experience



he 2006 USTA Community Tennis

Development Workshop comes to

Hollywood, Calif., Feb. 3 to 5 with a

full slate of workshops and seminars

designed to educate, encourage and

inspire tennis leaders and coordinators.

For teaching pros, facility and park man-

agers, and anyone else whose mission

and livelihood involves getting more peo-

ple playing the game, if you could go toonly one workshop this year, this just

may be the one you should attend.

The annual CTDW, in the opinion of

many who have attended previous work-

shops, is one of the most useful events

for those who actually deliver tennis at

the grassroots level. For those involved in

tennis programming—whether at a Com-

munity Tennis Association, park and rec

program, private facility, school, or

more—the opportunity to expand your

knowledge, and your business, at the

CTDW is a worthwhile investment.

Last year, the event brought nearly

700 people from around the country to

Destin, Fla. The USTA has now realizedthe value of what the CTDW is able to

provide, and the impact that it can have

on tennis participation, and so the orga-

nization has been pumping more

resources into the conference.

Workshop sessions address every-

thing from customer relations,

to how to teach tennis to vari-

ous groups, to building positive

relationships, to starting a non-

profit organization, how to deal

with volunteers, and much

more. This year, there also will

be “pre-workshop sessions” (at

additional cost) that are all-day

bonus sessions that go in-depth

on various topics, such as pro-

posal writing and developing a

fundraising plan.

And again the CTDW will offer “Court-

side Consultants,” allowing attendees to

sign up for a 25-minute slot to discuss

their organization with experienced con-

sultants and featured speakers.

There also will be an exhibit area and

a “Great Idea Gallery,” along with an

evening Awards Banquet. The theme for

this year’s CTDW is “Heroes Among Us,”

designed to honor those who have

shaped community tennis around the

country. This year, the CTDW will feature

discounted registration for CTAs and

National Junior Tennis League Chapters

and Programs.

How to FixYour GameAt the 2006 CTDW, you’ll find people, seminars and ideas that can help your business—and help the game grow.

T

For more on the CTDW, visit

www.usta.com/communitytennis. Q

CTDW Registration and HotelThe USTA has different registration plans for the CTDW.

For the full workshop, individual registration is $295 before

Jan. 6 and $350 after. For more information on the CTDW,

or to register, visit www.usta.com/communitytennis.

Room rates for workshop registrants at the Renaissance

Hollywood Hotel are $155 per night and must be booked

directly with the hotel by Jan. 2. Contact 800-HOTELS-1,

323-856-1200 or www.renaissancehollywood.com.

Wanted: Great Ideas Do you have a “great idea” for tennis? At the CTDW, the USTA

wants to feature great ideas. To submit one, visit www.usta.com/communitytennis.

Keynote SpeakerJim MacLaren

Keynote speaker for the

2006 CTDW is the inspi-

rational Jim MacLaren,

who received the Arthur

Ashe Courage Award

during the 2005 ESPYs,

given to athletes who

embody a toughness of spirit and never-give-up attitude. MacLaren also spoke at the 2005

Tennis Teachers Conference in August in

New York to a very enthusiastic audience.

MacLaren was involved in two would-be

fatal accidents. The first, at age 22, resulted

in the loss of his left leg; the second, 10

years later, left him an incomplete quadri-

plegic. Each time, Jim has used sheer force of

will and awe-inspiring courage to come

back—the first time to become the fastest

amputee athlete in the world, and now, as

an individual with an amazing story to share

How to FixYour Game



science

The modern game of tennis is played at a

furious pace compared with the old days

when everyone used wood racquets. Just

watch old film from the 1950s and you

will see that the game is vastly different.

Ken Rosewall and Lew Hoad barely broke

into a sweat. Today’s game has players

grunting and screaming on every shot,

calling for the towel every third shot, and

launching themselves off the court with

the ferocity of their strokes. The differ-

ence is obviously due to the change from

wood to graphite racquets, which hap-

pened during the late 1970s and early

1980s. Everyone concluded that graphite

racquets were much stronger, lighter, and

more powerful, while the players them-

selves somehow became taller, stronger,

and fitter. How else could the game have

changed so drastically?

RACQUET WIDTH, SPIN,

AND POWER

The real reason for the change is moresubtle. It’s because racquets got wider.

Wood racquets were always 9 inches

wide and 27 inches long, so players could

check the 36-inch height of the net by

putting one racquet on top of another.

Today’s players can’t do that. Most rac-

quets are still 27 inches long, but they are

now 10 to 12 inches wide. They are also

lighter, which means they are less power-

ful, but it also means that players can

swing them faster, which they need to do

just to get back the power they lost when

they became lighter.

When players started swinging their

racquets faster, they noticed an interest-

ing effect—they generated more topspin

on the ball. A ball with topspin dives

down more steeply into the court after it

passes over the net compared with a ball

without spin. Players noticed that the ball

went in more easily, despite the fact that

the ball was hit at about the same speed

as with their old wood racquets. So they

started hitting the ball even harder, which

made the ball spin faster, and it still went

in. Not only that, the added swing veloci-

ty wasn’t resulting in mis-hits, due to the

larger sweet zone and extra inch or two of

frame clearance.

So what did they do next? The extra

frame clearance allowed players to start

swinging upwards at the ball to get even

more spin, and they rotated the racquet in

their hand to a Western grip in order to

swing at even steeper angles to the ball.

That grip gave them problems with their

backhand, so they had to grip the handle

with the both hands to tilt the frame back

into a vertical position. The faster they hit

the ball, the faster it spun, and the faster

it spun, the harder they could hit it. That’s

why players today usually have both feet

off the ground when they hit the ball, and

it’s why they need to grunt and scream.

Players were given an inch in the

1970s and they took a mile. The ball now

spins 4 or 5 times faster than it did before

the 1970s. An increase in just one inch

allowed an amazing increase in spin due

to steeper, faster swings and a tilting of

the racquet forward by up to 5 degrees,

all without clipping the frame. An exam-

ple will make this very clear.

FIVE TIMES THE SPINWhen a ball bounces off the court it

acquires topspin, even if it had no spin

before it hit the court. In fact, it spins

faster than most players can generate

themselves when they hit a topspin

return. In order to return the ball with top-

spin, a player needs to swing the racquet

both forwards and upwards and fast

enough to reverse the direction of the

spinning ball. If the player doesn’t reverse

the direction of the spin, then the ball will

be returned with backspin—it is still spin-

ning in the same direction but traveling in

the opposite direction back over the net.

Suppose, for example, that the ball

spins at 3,000 rpm (50 revolutions/sec)

after it bounces off the court. That is a

typical amount of spin when a ball hits the

court at around 30 or 40 mph. Returned

with a wood racquet, a player won’t be

able to swing up at a very steep angle

without clipping the frame. He will still be

able to reverse the spin, but he will get

only 200 rpm or so of topspin by swing-

ing the racquet upwards fairly rapidly at

about 20 degrees to the horizontal. A

change in spin from 3,000 rpm back-

wards to 200 rpm forwards is a change of

3,200 rpm, which is a relatively big

change, but it is only enough to return

the ball with a small amount of topspin.Now suppose the player switches to a

10-inch racquet and swings up at 30

degrees to the ball. The player can do that

and can also tilt the racquet head forward

by about 5 degrees, with even less risk of

clipping the frame than with a 9-inch

wood racquet being swung at 20 degrees

with the head perpendicular to the

ground. In this way, the player will be able

to change the spin by about 4,000 rpm

instead of 3,200 rpm, with the result that

the spin changes from 3,000 rpm of

backspin to 1,000 rpm of topspin. The

result is therefore a factor of five increase,

from 200 rpm to 1,000 rpm, in the

amount of topspin. That’s an amazingly

big effect considering that the racquet

increased in width by only one inch, or by

only 11 percent.

WHY WIDTH MATTERSA 9-inch wide racquet swung with the

strings in a vertical plane has about 8

inches of string in the vertical direction

and about one-half inch of wood above

and below the strings. A 10-inch racquet

swung in the same way has about 9 inch-

es of string in the vertical direction. The

ball is just over two and one-half inches in

diameter, so 3.1 balls can fit across a 9-

inch racquet and 3.5 balls can fit across a

10-inch racquet. If the 10-inch racquet is

tilted forward 27 degrees, then the

strings extend 9 inches diagonally and 8

inches vertically, as shown in Figure 1. The

racquet can therefore be swung upwards

at 27 degrees or tilted forward by 27

The Inch ThatChanged Tennis Forever B Y R O D C R O S



degrees, and it will then present to the

ball exactly the same area of string as a 9-

inch racquet. No one tilts the racquet for-

ward by as much as 27 degrees, but they

now swing up into the ball at angles of

30 degrees or more to generate topspin.Tilting the racquet head forward slightly

generates even more topspin.

Giving a player an extra inch of width

allows the player to swing up at a steep-

er angle or faster or both. In that case the

ball slides further across the strings, so

you really do need that extra inch. A

change in 4,000 rpm rather than 3,200

rpm is therefore not surprising given the

extra speed, angle, and tilt made possi-

ble by the extra one inch of width.

Going from a 10-inch to an 11-inch

racquet does not deliver another huge

increase in topspin. The reason is that if

players tried to increase the upwardspeed of the racquet any more than they

do now, the ball would sail over the

baseline. They can do that for a topspin

lob, but the forward speed of the rac-

quet and the ball remains relatively small

for a topspin lob. An 11-inch racquet will

work better for topspin lobs but not for

any other shot. On the other hand, 9-

inch racquets were only just over the

limit of being able to generate any top-

spin at all. Give a 9-inch graphite racquet

to a player today and the result would be

some serious clipping of the frame every

few shots, though perhaps not as many

as “old-timers” might expect since mod-ern players are so practiced and skilled at

steeper swings.Q

Further details are described in the new book “Technical Tennis: Racquets, Strings,Balls, Courts, Spin, and Bounce” by Rod Crossand Crawford Lindsey, available from book store web sites or from the publisher at www.racquettech.com.

27



Klip Lightning scored well above average

in Playability and Power, no matter which

way you string it, and with nylon in the

mains and gut in the crosses it scored we

above average for Holding Tension and

Resistance to Movement. In every othercategory, Lightning scored above average

Klip Lightning 16string PLAYTEST

Lightning is one of Klip’s “Pro Doubles”

(hybrid) strings, combining its Legend nat-

ural gut with its Excellerator nylon.

Klip’s Legend natural gut is 100 per-

cent Australian top grade gut. Excellerator

is a high-end multifilament, with 30 per-

cent more fiber than most other multifila-

ments, due to a unique bonding of the

filaments that uses less glue, providing

more of a gut-like feel.

According to Klip, Lightning is designed

for players looking for the power and com-

fort of natural gut, at a fraction of the price.

Lightning is available in 16 and 17 in

natural only. It is priced from $20. For more

information or to order, contact Klip at 866-

554-7872, or visit www.klipstrings.com. Be

sure to read the conclusion for Klip’s special

offer to USRSA members.

IN THE LAB

We tested the 16-gauge Lightning “both

ways,” that is, with the gut in the mains

and Excellerator nylon in the crosses, and

with the Excellerator nylon in the mains andthe gut in the crosses. We recorded a

stringbed stiffness of each string combina-

tion immediately after installation at 60

pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x

18 pattern) on a constant-pull machine, and

then retested after 24 hours (no playing).

Our control string, Prince Synthetic Gut

Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units

immediately after stringing and 71 RDC

units after 24 hours, representing a 9 per-

cent tension loss. See the table for our mea-

surements of the 16-gauge Klip Lightning

we playtested. Lightning added 15.5

grams to the weight of our unstrungframe.

The string was tested for five weeks

by 65 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-

ings from 3.5 to 6.5. These are blind

tests, with playtesters receiving unmarked

strings in unmarked packages. We

instructed one team to install the gut in

the mains, and the other to install the

nylon in the mains.

We found Klip Legend natural gut

slightly dry-feeling and slightly rough, as

always, and the Excellerator about normalfor a multifilament nylon. It is slick enough

that it glides with little friction against the

natural gut, and there is virtually no coil

memory. Our playtesters, however, report-

ed a bit more trouble installing Lightning

than Klip’s Screamer natural gut hybrid

(see RSI June 2005), which means our

playtesters found that installing Klip Light-

ning is comparable in difficulty to

installing Klip X-Plosive (see RSI January

2005).

ON THE COURT

Once again, these playtests show that

adding a little natural gut to the mix

results in a satisfying playing experience.

EASE OF STRINGING Gut M’s Nylon M’s

(compared to other strings)

Number of testers who said it was:

much easier 0 0

somewhat easier 5 4

about as easy 21 9

not quite as easy 10 13

not nearly as easy 1 2

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)


much better 1 7

somewhat better 8 5

about as playable 13 5

not quite as playable 9 8

not nearly as playable 3 3

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other strings

of similar gauge)


much better 3 4

somewhat better 19 6

about as durable 5 7

not quite as durable 4 6

not nearly as durable 3 4

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)

Playability 3.5 3.6

Durability 3.6 3.4

Power 3.5 3.6

Control 3.5 3.6

Comfort 3.4 3.3

Touch/Feel 3.2 3.2

Spin Potential 3.3 3.2

Holding Tension 3.2 3.6

Resistance to Movement 3.3 3.7

Legend natural gut Excellerator nylon

Coil measurements 20’ 21’3”

Diameter unstrung 1.33-1.34 mm 1.31-1.32 mm

Diameter strung 1.28-1.30 mm 1.25-1.26 mm

RDC stringbed stiffness new 76 78

(gut mains, nylon crosses) (nylon mains, gut crosses)

RDC stringbed stiffness after 24 hours 70 72


Tension loss 6 RDC 6 RDC

Tension loss % 7.89% 7.69%

Average playtest duration 19.57 hours 17 hours


Gut mains/ Nylon mains/nylon crosses gut crosses

Broke during stringing 3 1

Excess coil memory 8 6

Difficulty tying knots 5 2

Friction burn 2 5



“ This string has just the right amount of pop. Very lively without being

springy. A 17 gauge in this string would be fantastic for spin/touch players.

The 16 gauge used in this test showed no signs of wear during the test.”4.5 male all-court player using Völkl Tour 10 strung at 62 pounds CP (Tec-

nifibre NRG2 17/18)

“ Obviously, this is a natural

gut/synthetic hybrid. I have never

played with the gut in the mains

and the nylon in the crosses, so

this is a new experience for me.

And you know what? It is awe-

some! Although my racquet feels a

lot more head-heavy, the power

and touch are well worth it.”6.0 male all-court player using

Völkl C10 Pro strung at 63 pounds CP (Gamma Live Wire XP 17)

“ Great hybrid with all the prop-

erties that I like: Comfort, control,

and playability. When you hit a groundstroke, you can count on the ball

going where you aim. I would recommend this to other high-NTRP

players.”5.0 male all-court player using Head Liquidmetal Radical strung at 57

pounds LO (Prince Synthetic Gut 17)

“ This is a very good string. The feel, the ball grab, and the control are

outstanding. The cross strings started to fray a bit, but the strings hold ten-

sion very well and really don’t seem to move all that much. I am eager to

learn the name of this string.”5.5 male serve-and-volleyer using Wilson Pro Staff Blitz strung at 59

pounds CP (Natural gut 16 or 17)

“ I am very impressed with this string. It is overall one of the best

playtest strings I have received. Right from the beginning the control,

comfort, feel, and spin potential were better than my normal string.

The durability also exceeded my normal string’s.”4.0 male all-court player using Head i.X5 OS strung at 55 pounds CP

(Wilson NXT 16)

“ Excellent string! It has durability

and feel.”5.0 male all-court player using Pro

Kennex 7g strung at 63 pounds LO

(Prince Polygut 17)

“ The gut section of this string is

the key. It has great feel and good

power. I would buy this great

combo.”5.0 male all-court player using Wil-

son nCode strung at 63 pounds LO

(Wilson NXT 16)

“ An outstanding combination!

Exceptionally quiet during play. I am particularly impressed by the

lack of movement despite the low tension I use. The wear is obvious-

ly better than an ‘all gut’ stringing, but the response is as good as or

better than any gut I’ve used. This could be a very fine string for a

wide range of levels and ages. I can easily see senior players using

this string, especially if they haven’t used gut before. The synthetic

crosses seem to crisp up the feel even at low tensions. Great teaching

string, too!”5.0 male serve-and-volleyer using Pro Kennex K15 PSE strung at 44

pounds LO (Gamma Durablast 16)

For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com.

“This was an excellenttwo-piece string. The mains

seemed to be natural gut, so I was excited about

playing with this sample. Unfortunately I put a

kink into the mains while stringing and it broke

after 1 hour of playing time.”

4.0 male all-court player using Gamma Diamond Fiber

M6.5 strung at 70 pounds LO (Tecnifibre NRG2 17)

(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

strung either way, so that in overall

scores, Lightning with nylon mains was

well above average, while with gut mains

it was above average.Just as impressive, Lightning with

nylon mains garnered an impressively high

average vote for playability compared to

our playtesters’ favorite strings, while

Lightning with gut mains really impressed

our playtesters for durability, compared to

other strings of similar gauge.

TESTERS TALK

CONCLUSION

In playtest after playtest, our testers indi-

cate that there is a lot to like in Klip’s

natural gut hybrids. This may not be sur-prising, given how well natural gut plays,

but one interesting aspect is that Klip’s

natural gut hybrids seem to offer superior

performance whether configured with

the natural gut in the crosses, or in the

mains.

As Klip points out (and it bears

repeating), this superior performance

comes at a discount compared to using a

full set of natural gut. This discount

comes not only in the form of the initialpurchase price, but also in terms of the

increased longevity of a hybrid set com-

pared to a pure natural gut string job.

And, depending, on how ill-at-ease you

are stringing natural gut, there’s also the

time benefit that comes from the often

faster installation of a synthetic compared

to the natural gut.

If you think that Klip Lightning might

be for you, Klip is offering USRSA mem-

bers a special deal: Buy three sets, and get

the fourth set free. —Greg Raven Q

Gut mains/nylon crosses Nylon mains/gut crosses

Average playtest duration 14.75 hours 19.24 hours

Broke during play 8 7

Break hours 1, 4, 4, 5, 13, 20, 35, 36 4, 7, 7, 7.5, 9, 10, 12



t h e E X P E R T Sask

POWER PADS

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT the

dampeners that are used at thethroat of racquets. Not the regular

dampener on the stringbed, but material

that is placed between the frame and string

at the holes. What is the purpose of these

dampeners, and where do you get the

material?

THESE “DAMPENERS” ARE called

“power pads.” They are usually made

of sections of rawhide, although you can

use rolled-up scraps of leather grips or inner

tube, depending on howprofessional you want the

installation to look. If you

don’t have a leather store

nearby, or an old, heavy-

duty leather belt that you

can cut up, Grand Slam

Stringers

(www.grandslamstringers.com) sells strips

of leather that are just the right thickness,

already cut to width.

Power pads are typically used in two

locations on the racquet. The first is—as

you’ve noticed—inside the throat, on the

center mains, where they are said to

change the feel of the racquet, ostensibly

due to a very small amount of “give” com-pared to having the string on a hard, solid

grommet strip. This is probably where the

“power” appellation comes from.

The second location is on the first two

holes outside of the throat, where the

mains have to go through the frame at a

sharp angle. Here, the power pads are

most beneficial because they increase the

radius around which the string must bend,

reducing breakage.

It’s worth noting that there are manu-

facturers offering power-pad-like benefitson select frames, such as Yonex with its

Muscle Power grommet system, and

Babolat with its Woofer system.

Because the leather used in power

pads is virtually always a different color

than the frame of the racquet, use a per-

manent marker to tint the leather

to match the frame prior to instal-

lation.

SWINGWEIGHT

I’M CONFUSED ABOUT swingweight.Let’s say I have two different racquets,

one of which weighs 320 grams and has

a swingweight of 300, and one that

weighs 300 grams and has a swingweight

of 320. Which is going to feel heav-

ier, the lighter racquet with the

higher swingweight, or the heavier

racquet with the lower swingweight?

Q

A Q

A

Your Equipment Hotline



SWINGWEIGHT IS A measurement of racquet

performance that is often ignored by play-

ers—assuming they even know about it in

the first place—because it seems complicat-

ed, and it is difficult for the average person

to measure. However, it can have a greater

impact on how a racquet “feels” in play

than the “pick-up weight,” which is what

you feel when you grab a racquet by thehandle and hold it horizontally.

A typical tennis stroke involves swinging

a racquet around a point of rotation that is

itself also moving. That is, you are both

rotating the racquet, and “translating” it

through the air. (You “translate” the racquet

without rotation on a punch volley, for

example: The entire racquet moves forward

but the head does not rotate relative to the

grip.)

When swinging your two racquets

around a fixed point of rotation, the one

with the higher swingweight will feel heav-

ier. When translating your racquets, the rac-

quet with the higher mass will feel heavier.

For strokes that involve rotation and transla-

tion, you will feel a combination of swing-

weight and mass, although the amount of

the contribution of the mass will depend to

an extent on the angle at which you are

holding the racquet relative to the court sur-

face.

Keep in mind that racquet balance also

changes as you change weight and swing-

weight. For racquets weighing the same, the

higher the swingweight, the higher the bal-

ance point will be, as you can see in theaccompanying table. In your case, the lighter

racquet with the higher swingweight has

close to even balance, while the heavier rac-

quet with the lower swingweight is head

light.

If you want to delve more into swing-

weight and effect of other racquet character-

istics, check out our books, Technical Tennis

and The Physics and Technology of

Tennis.

360-DEGREE ROTATION

WHY DO SOME STRINGING

machines have the tension head so

high that it’s in the way, so you can’t

rotate the racquet 360 degrees?

WHEN YOU PULL TENSION ON the string

with the tension head at the same level as

the stringbed, you don’t have the friction

of the string rubbing against the grom-

met. The lower the friction, the more

accurately the string can be tensioned.

This is why on some of the more expen-

sive electronic machines, the tension head

actually rises up to the level of the

stringbed during the tensioning process,

lowering again after tensioning to allow

racquet rotation.

If you want to get really technical, you

also get some tension loss due to the

“cosine effect,” which comes from the

difference in angle between the string and

the angle at which you pull the string,

which is whatever angle there is between

the edge of the frame and the tension

head. Stringing machines with the tension

head at stringbed level, and those with

tension heads that rise up during tension-

ing, pull with less angle between the

stringbed and the tension head, reducing

both the friction and the cosine effect, for

greater accuracy.

—Greg Raven Q

Q

A

Wt (gm) Swingweight(kg•cm2)

Bal. (cm)

300 289 32.7

300 299 35.0

300 359 37.3



form. This log includes make, model, and

condition of the frame. Also in the log we

list the string manufacturer, string gauge,

string length, string type, the stringing

machine used, the reference tension, and

finally the stringbed stiffness, which we

measure immediately after each string

job. For our own records, we note the

frame dimensions before the racquet isloaded in the stringing machine and after

the job is completed.

Once the customer specifies a

stringbed stiffness, we can consult our log

and arrive at an approach that yields

results within a point or two of the cus-

tomer’s desired stringbed stiffness. Our

string jobs are guaranteed to please the

customer. We probably have less than 1

percent come back. Other shops should

be able to do the same!

5 sets of Prince Premeir with SoftFlex

16 to:

Dr. Carl Love, Albany, OR

—Greg Raven Q

Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA mem-

bers, and appearing in this column, have all been gath-

ered into a single volume of the Stringer’s

Digest—Racquet Service Techniques which is a benefit of

USRSA membership. Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA,

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or email

[email protected].

STRINGER’S GLOVES

I don’t like using pliers on tie-off knots. I

tried wrapping the string around my

forefinger twice, but quickly learned that

is a mistake. So I tried a leather work

glove, which is loose fitting and slips on

and off with ease. I have a better feel on

how much I need to pull to cinch up the

tie off, and I think it's faster than usingpliers. Right-handers can even sell the

extra glove on Ebay as a “left-handed

racquet stringer’s glove,” and vice versa.

Wilson US Open Club Bag to:

David Haskins, CS, Modesto, CA

HELP YOUR STARTING KNOT

The knot at the start of the cross strings,

when two-piece stringing, can some-

times get pulled into the grommet when

you tension the first cross string. This

especially happens if you're using a 17-or 18-gauge string. Before you apply

tension, place a starting clamp on the tail

of the knot. You'll find you won’t lose

half the knot in your grommet, and

you’ll have better tension accuracy on

the first cross string.

Gamma T-Shirt & Hat and 5 sets of

Gamma Zo Power 16L to:

Mike Trinchitella, Mahopac, NY

MARKETINGTRACKING STRINGBED

STIFFNESS

I find that serious tennis players are begin-

ning to realize the importance of a rac-

quet's stringbed stiffness. As Crawford

Lindsey noted in the February 2005 RSI,

there are two problems with establishing a

universal stringbed standard: The cost of

an instrument to measure stringbed stiff-ness, and difficulty stringing an unfamiliar

racquet with an unfamiliar string to hit a

target stringbed stiffness.

The cost issue is not so bad, as there

are now stringbed testing instruments on

the market that cost less than a high-end

racquet. As for the second issue, we don’t

have a problem with it in our operation.

We keep a log on each string job we per-

200601 racquet sports industry

Documents