201203 racquet sports industry

8/3/2019 201203 Racquet Sports Industry

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March 2012

Volume 40 Number 3 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Court Construction & Maintenance Guide


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DEPARTMENTS

R S I M A R 2 0 1 2

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Prince to open TennisInnovation Center

7 Gamma lays claimto the Black Racquet

8 10 and Under Tennishits consumers

8 Innovative incentivefor league play

8 New RZR racquetline from Gamma

9 New looks forBabolat frames, shoes

9 USTA Servesawards $1.5 million

10 Peoplewatch10 Ashaway introduces

Zyex Monogut string

11 March Into Tenniswith kids tennis events

12 Short Sets12 New Bolt frames

feature ZipStrip

13 US Open NationalPlayoffs return

4 Our Serve7 Industry News14 Pioneers in Tennis: Bob Caldwell

18 TIA News

21 Retailing Tip38 String Playtest: Pacific XCite 16L40 Your Serve, by Dr. Robert Heller

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

ContentsContentsFEATURES16 Grow the Game

with PlayTennis.comWith a simple message, this non-brand-ed hub is aimed at increasing thenumber of frequent players andboosting the tennis economy.

22 Support on the CourtThese sports bras offer structureand support for a physicallydemanding game.

COURT CONSTRUCTION& MAINTENANCE GUIDE

25 Senior StatusA lot has been said about courts forchildrenbut what about for playersat the other end of the spectrum?

26 Preventive TreatmentAs a facility owner or manager, youcan take small do-it-yourself steps to

help avoid bigger problems down theroad.

28 Color MatchingIf you havent yet lined courts for 10and Under Tennis, take a look at howeasily blended lines can fit in with yourexisting court colors.

30 Crack ShootingWhat can you do when you noticecracks in your asphalt courts? Here aresome options.

32 MarketplaceA quick look at some of the courtconstruction and maintenance productsavailable, many from the ASBAsannual trade show.


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AER-FLO.


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Our Serve

(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

Editorial Director

Peter Francesconi

Associate Editor

Greg Raven

Design/Art Director

Kristine Thom

Technical Editor

Jonathan Wolfe

Contributing Editors

Robin Bateman

Cynthia Cantrell

Joe Dinoffer

Greg Moran

Kent Oswald

Bob 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. Periodcal postage paid at

Vista, CA and at additional mailing offices (USPS

#004-354). March 2012, Volume 40, Number 3

2012 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 circulation

and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions

$25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send

address changes to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main

St., Vista, CA 92084.

RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA


Help the Sport, Help Yourself

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2012

Every business in this industry is important. When a

tennis business goes out of businesswhether its a

local tennis shop or facility, a manufacturer, a court

builder, a member of the tennis media, or a teaching pro

who realizes tennis just cant pay the bills anymoreour

sport suffers, and it points to a weakness in this industry

that we all need to be concerned about.Certainly the overall economy plays a big part in the challenges we

face. But, by supporting two key industry-wide initiatives, you can help

boost your business and your profits. Its a worthwhile two-way street:

You help support these initiatives, they help build growth for your busi-

ness. Im talking about 10 and Under Tennis and PlayTennis.com, two

initiatives that can help bring players, customers and members to your

business or organization.

10 and Under Tennis is a priority for the USTA, and industry partners

are on board, realizing that getting more kids into tennis has benefits for

everybody. The USTA and TIA have resources, most of them free, that can

help you reach out to kids and parents, bringing them into the game and

onto the path to regular and frequent play. That means more court time,

lessons, clinics, equipment purchases, tennis courts and it virtually

ensures customers for your business down the road.

PlayTennis.comour cover story this month (see page 16)is a

unique idea for this sport: Its a non-branded hub for all things tennis,

helping consumers easily get on the pathway to playing more. The goal

is to increase the frequent-player base, which is what drives this business.

The USTA and TIA have provided key resources and support to develop

PlayTennis.com, which will launch to consumers in May.

Importantly, tennis manufacturers, organizations, media and other

industry partners have all joined to make this brand neutral site the

simple URL for all things tennisall of these industry partners will be dri-

ving consumers to PlayTennis.com. Your support of PlayTennis.com is

important, and its a key to helping to increase your business. For tennis

providers and others, all you need to do is go to the site to register or

update your listing for free. It takes minutes, but your info then becomessearchable by consumers, who will be able to find your business or pro-

grams. And there is free marketing material at TennisIndustry.org/

playtennis that you can use to help drive consumers to PlayTennis.com.

With some simple moves on your part, you can position your busi-

ness, and the sport, for growth.

Peter Francesconi

Editorial Director


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,

THENEW F. FULL ACCfLERP/0A.S.T.' ' NSHAFT


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INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSI 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

R S I M A R C H 2 0 1 2

March 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Prince is opening an advanced tennis innovation center at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., the com-

pany announced, as part of a multi-year renewal agreement with IMG Academies. A statement from

Prince says: Under the terms of the new agreement, IMG Academies will become a prime catalyst of

Princes Whos Next philosophy, aimed at cultivating future champions and taking the game of all tennis

athletes to higher levels through leading-edge on-court weaponry, training, and complete athlete support

programs.

While Prince has played an important role in the advancement of our tennis program for many years,

said Sam Zussman, managing director of IMG Academies, we are looking forward to this next step, which will bring the best ofPrinces product and technical expertise to the heart of our campus.

The innovation center will be outfitted with state-of-the art product and performance-testing equipment, said Prince, and will

offer athletes a comprehensive approach designed to help them take their game to the next level, including customized product

fitting and product-concept testing activities.

Prince and IMG Academies also will collaborate on and off-site to offer athletes a comprehensive product, training and devel-

opment program, including talent scouting programs, training analysis and online information offerings for elite athletes and

tennis enthusiasts globally. The IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy has several hundred full-time tennis student-athletes, and thou-

sands more camp participants of all ages.

Gamma Lays Claim to the Black Racquet

O

n Jan. 25, Gamma revealed it had created the Black Racquet that generated a lot of interest

on the web and in social media the last few months. As we now know, the Gamma RZR lineconsists of five adult frames and one junior model (see page 8). But the marketing ideato create

consumer demand by putting all-black, unmarked frames in the marketplace, then unveiling the

Gamma connection (including a new Gamma logo and branding)stemmed from the interest that

was generated when staff playtested blacked-out prototypes.

Gamma Product Manager Chuck Vietmeier says the process began more than a year ago, when

the company used an independent research group to help develop a new racquet line from the

ground up. Keeping the development a secret, Gamma named the concept team Black Racquet

Labs and the new racquet line Black Racquet. The goal, says Vietmeier, was to create the most

aerodynamic racquet to date.

I used the prototypes all summer while playing tournaments and USTA league tennis, Viet-

meier says. We also used a select group of playtesters from across the country. I noticed that no

matter where I played there was a high level of curiosity in regards to the racquet I was using. Thefact that it looked different and that it was all-black generated lots of looks.

To continue generating buzz among players, Gamma, whose sales staff didnt even know about the new line, decided to play

on the Black Racquet theme and released a select number of racquets to consumers chosen to be testers. Vietmeier says word

went out on social media, and thousands of applications came in. Those picked received the Black Racquet, with no idea which

manufacturer was producing it.

Then in early January, dealers received Black Racquets shipped from Fromuth, again, not knowing Gamma was behind it.

Once dealers started to receive the packages, they called Fromuth and asked who was sending them, Vietmeier says. But no

one cracked. A hangtag on the frames instructed the dealer to visit blackracquet.com, and the website showed a clock counting

down to the unveiling.

The actual launch happened during our national sales meeting, he says. When we finally let our sales reps in on the secret,

they were totally surprised, not only how it was kept so quiet, but even the mere fact it was done by Gamma. We had a big meet-

ing-ending dinner while we watched the clock count down, and once it hit zero the reps were pumped. Our Facebook page wentwild. Now everyone knows who is responsible for Black Racquet.

Prince to Open Tennis Innovation Center at IMG Academies


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10 and Under Tennis HitsConsumers in Major Push

At the USTA Community Tennis Development

Workshop in New Orleans in January, Kurt Kam-

perman, the chief executive of Community Tennis,

stressed that the USTA will focus on fewer things

that will create bigger results, and do them better.In 2012, he added, that means concentrating on 10

and Under Tennis.

If youre only focused on adults, this is the year

you need to add kids. This is the opportunity of a

lifetime, he told the more than 700 community ten-

nis leaders who gathered for a weekend packed with

presentations on increasing tennis participation.

Kamperman said that over the last few years, the

USTA and the industry has been building the infra-

structure to deliver 10 and Under Tennis, speaking

mainly to the industry and tennis providers. But in

2012, the reach goes to general consumers.Kicking off the consumer push will be a partner-

ship that started Feb. 4 with Nickelodeon television

network, which reaches 100 million households.

The two stars of the new Nickelodeon program

How to RockCymphonique Miller and Max

Schniederwill be promoting 10 and Under Tennis,

including filming a spot for the USTA to air on the

show. Both stars also will be doing appearances for

10 and Under Tennis, including at select SmashZone

Tour stops.

The consumer reach continues with Youth Regis-

tration, held during the month of March and keying

on Tennis Night in America on March 5. On that

Monday night, the BNP Paribas Showdown will be

held at Madison Square Garden featuring Roger Fed-

erer vs. Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova vs. Car-

oline Wozniacki. The evening will be broadcast on

ESPN, says Kamperman, adding, Were going to

use the telecast as a commercial for 10 and Under

Tennis.

The SmashZone Tour, with interactive games for

kids, will again be on the road throughout the U.S.

in 2012, stopping at fairs and many non-tennis

events from March to October. SmashZone also will

be at select US Open Series events and the US Open.

Nickelodeon also sponsors the annual World-

wide Day of Play in September, in which kids are

urged to turn off the TV and computer and get out-

side and play. Kamperman said 10 and Under Ten-

nis will be an unofficial sponsor of that event, with

a goal of having 1,000 Play Days around the country

on that day.

The goal is to drive parents and young kids to

your program, Kamperman said of the 10 and

Under Tennis consumer push. For more informa-

tion, visit 10andundertennis.com.

M A R C H 2 0 1 2

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USTA Southern Section OffersIncentive for Adult Leagues

The USTA Southern Section is continuing an innovative

incentive program to help bring adults into USTA League

Tennis. Any tennis coach, team captain, local league coordinator or

other tennis enthusiasts in the Southern Section will be rewarded with

$200 when they add six new players to a new or existing team.The Southern League Growth Initiative is designed to promote play

in the USTA League Adult and Senior programs. For leagues that begin

in the 2012 calendar year, new players can be added at the 2.0, 2.5,

3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 levels. When six new players are added,

league captains or coaches just need to fill out a simple online claim

form (at southern.usta.com). The first 350 new teams in the USTA

Southern Section are eligible.

Gamma Unveils Six RZR Racquets

G

ammas newest racquetsas revealed at the end of Januaryare part

of the RZR line, which for months had been the subject of speculationas the Black Racquet. The frames are the RZR 98T, 98, 100T, 100, 110,

and 100 Jr. 26.

The goal of the RZR line was to develop the most aerodynamic rac-

quet available for all types of shots, says Gamma Product Manager

Chuck Vietmeier. Regardless of the angle of the racquet while hitting

grounds strokes, serves or volleys, the racquet always has an angle or an

edge cutting through the air. Most of the testers experienced improved

racquet-head speed with the RZR over their current frame.

Gamma says the RZR 98T is designed for serious players, who can hit

deep, penetrating strokes and big serves. It has a 98-square-inch head

and weighs 11.4 ounces. The RZR 98, with the same head size but weigh-

ing 10.6 ounces, is for players who prefer a lighter, more maneuverableframe.

The RZR 100T is designed for players who want to punish every ball

they hit from anywhere on the court, says Gamma. It weighs 11 ounces

with a 100-square-inch head. The RZR 100 weighs an ounce less, for

players who want more feel and racquet-head speed.

With a 110-square-inch head and weighing 9.5 ounces, the RZR 110 is

a lightweight,aerodynamically-shaped frame that Gamma says offers a

blend of power and control and slices through the air with ease for

greater comfort. The

junior model in the line

is the 26-inch-long

RZR 100 Jr. 26, at 100

square inches and 8.8

ounces. Visit gam-

masports.com.

RZR 98

RZR 98T

RZR 100

RZR 100 Jr. 26

RZR 100T

RZR 110


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USTA Serves Awards$1.5 Million in 2011

USTA Serves, the National Charita-

ble Foundation of the USTA, has

granted 41 community tennis and

education organizations in the U.S.

more than $400,000 in grants. Com-

bined with scholarship awards, USTA

Serves distributed more than $1.5million in 2011.

The bi-annual grant process, a

national initiative of USTA Serves,

was developed to provide disadvan-

taged, at-risk children with the

opportunity to learn to play tennis

and improve their academic skills in

a structured format, and to help

combat childhood obesity by pro-

moting healthy lifestyles. To date,

USTA Serves has awarded more than

$10 million to a variety of programsthat share those aims.

USTA Serves is thrilled to contin-

ue to support great organizations

throughout the country who go

above and beyond in their efforts to

make a difference in the lives of

Americas youth by using tennis as

a vehicle for change, says Mary Car-

illo, President, USTA Serves.

The grant recipients are chosen

by a Grant Proposal Review Commit-

tee comprised of USTA Serves boardmembers and USTA national staff,

with important input from USTA sec-

tions. Grants are awarded to pro-

grams that successfully combine

tennis and education and help chil-

dren pursue their goals and highest

dreams by leading healthier lives,

succeeding in school and becoming

healthier citizens.

For the complete list of grant

recipients, visit USTA Serves at

www.usta.com.

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

March 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9www.racquetsportsindustry.com

New Looks for Babolat Frames, Shoes

Babolat has updated the look of its Pure Drive racquets and

Propulse shoes for 2012. For the Pure Drive, Pure Drive Lite

and Pure Drive 107 frames, Babolat's cosmetic philosophy of

"light design" features bright flashes of color energizing a darker

background. The new-look Propulse 3 and Propulse Lady 3 contin-

ue the partnership with fellow French iconic brand Michelin for an

outsole with key grip and durability features. 877-316-9435 or

babolat.com


12/4410RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2012

M A R C H 2 0 1 2

IN

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Taylor Townsend, a 15-year-old from Stockbridge, Ga., wonboth the girls singles title and the doubles title at the Australian

Open, becoming the first American since Lindsay Davenport at the

1992 US Open to sweep junior titles at a Grand Slam event.

Townsend teamed with 15-year-old Gabrielle Andrews of

Pomona, Calif., to win the girls doubles.

Dunlop Tour squash team member Nick Matthew, playing withthe Biomimetic Evolution 130 racquet, captured his first-ever Tour-

nament of Champions title recently and won back the world No.

1 squash ranking. Dunlops Natalie Grinham of the Netherlands

won the womens title, with the Biomimetic Evolution 120.

Novak Djokovic, playing with the Head YouTek IGSpeed MP, won the Australian Open singles title

over Rafael Nadal in the longest final in a

Grand Slam, 5 hours, 53 minutes. On the

womens side, Victoria Azarenka won her first

Grand Slam title, with the Wilson Juice 100racquet.

RSI Contributing Editor Mary Helen Sprecher is the 2012 winnerof the PTRs Media Excellence Award. Sprecher is also the techni-

cal writer for the American Sports Builders Association, managing

editor of Sports Destination Management magazine, and a

reporter for a newspaper in Baltimore.

RSI Contributing Editor Robin Bateman is the 2012 winner ofthe USTA Southern Sections Marc Kaplan Media Excellence

Awardthe second time shes won that honor. Bateman, a volun-

teer on the USTA National Tennis in the Parks Committee, also is

the facilities coordinator for the John Drew Smith and Tattnall Ten-

nis Centers in Macon, Ga.

D.A. Abrams is returning to the USTA National staff as the newchief diversity and inclusion officer. He previously was the execu-

tive director of the USTA Eastern Section.

Former USTA President Stanley Malless passed away in January.He was a former president of the USTA Midwest Section and

served as USTA president from 1974 to 1976.

Tiffany Grayson, who led the tennis retail effort at PGA TourSuperstores the past two years, is leaving the company to focus

on family full-time. Her retailing expertise and guidance culminat-

ed with PGA Tour Superstores being honored with RSIs Mass Mer-chant of the Year Award in January.

Former pro player Chanda Rubin of Lafayette, La., will beinducted into the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame, along with the

Bill and Lorraine Meyers family of New Orleans.

John Burgess, the national sales manager for ReelSticks, passedaway in January from cancer.

PEOPLEWATCH

Ashaway Introduces Zyex

MonoGut Tennis String

Tennis string manufacturers have

been trying for years to reproduce

the exceptional playing characteristics

of natural gut. Now, Ashaway says that

goal may be in reach.

Ashaways newest tennis string is

Zyex MonoGut, which the company

says provides exceptional dynamic

stiffness and gut-like playability,

improved abrasion resistance, plus a

surface design that minimizes string

movement for better ball control.

"Like natural gut, our new Zyex

MonoGut string retains tension better than any other synthetic material," said Ashaway Vice

President Steve Crandall. "It provides exceptional energy returnmeaning powerand

also, like gut, it remains soft at higher tensions, reducing impact shock. This adds to comfort

and what we call 'soft power.' Zyex MonoGut contains no polyester. Its 100 percent Zyex

monofilament construction maximizes abrasion resistance and enhances string life."

Reports from early playtests have been extremely positive, Crandall added.

The 16-gauge Zyex MonoGut is designed for players seeking both gut-like playability and

superior durability in a solid monofilament string, as well as players using monofilament

strings in hybrid patterns. A natural gut-like tan in appearance, Zyex MonoGut is available

in 40-ft. sets and 360-ft. reels. Recommended stringing tension is up to 60 lbs.

Visit ashawayusa.com.

SoCal LosesBill Rombeau

Former USTA Southern Cali-

fornia President William

Bill Rombeau died Jan. 7 at

his home in California.

Rombeau was a USTA volun-

teer for more than 25 years,

serving as a USTA Section Dele-

gate and, from 1997 to 2008,

as president of the Southern

California section. He was also

a former president of the ballmachine company Sports

Tutor.

In lieu of flowers, the family

has asked that memorial con-

tributions be made to the Pacif-

ic Southwest Youth Tennis

Foundation, Los Angeles Tennis

Center, 420 Charles E. Young

Drive West, Los Angeles, Calif.

90024-9115, and to CurePSP,

30 East Padonia Road, Suite

201, Timonium, Md. 21093.


13/44March 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11



Hall, Hines BeginNew Roles at Dunlop

Dunlop announces new and

expanded roles for industry vet-

erans Steve Hall and Hunter Hines,

both based in the Greenville, S.C.,

office.Hall, who has been with the com-

pany since 2000, now assumes the

title of director of marketing for

Indoor Sports, where he'll oversee

squash, badminton and other indoor

sports. Hall will also lead the charge

in exploring additional categories in

which the company can grow.

Hines, who's been in the tennis

industry for over 10 years, assumes

the role of director of marketing and

product for tennis. He will oversee

traditional marketing duties such as

advertising, PR and social media,

but will also have a hand in con-

sumer and tour player product devel-

opment as well as tour player

signings, and will continue to be an

integral part of the Dunlop sales

management team.

Congratulations To the FollowingFor Achieving MRT and CS Status

New MRTs

Adam Palmer Cincinnati,OHTony Mendoza Centralia, WAMitch Case Torrington, CTJamie Venerys Cottesloe, West AustraliaGrayson Throckmorton San Antonio, TXJames Panadise San Antonio, TXEvan Howard San Antonio, TX

New CSs

Jarryd Woog Lakeland, TN

Ashaway Adds ZyMax 65Badminton String

Ashaway Racket Strings has rounded out

its ZyMax family of badminton strings

with the introduction of ZyMax 65, billed as

its most repulsive badminton string ever.

Utilizing a combination of high-tech materi-als and a proprietary ZyWeaVe core con-

struction, the new 22-gauge (0.65 mm)

string maintains tension better and gener-

ates more repulsive power than other bad-

minton strings on the market, according to

the manufacturer.

March Into TennisHost a Kids Event

The USTA is looking for tennis

providers to March into Ten-

nis with events geared to getting

kids into the game. With a key

multi-million dollar partnership

between the USTA and popular

kids TV network Nickelodeon,

providers who host a Youth Regis-

tration or Play Days event in

March, or start up a new Kids Ten-

nis Club, can reap benefits for

their business.

Facilities registering their kidsevents at USTA.com/coaches-orga-

nizers will receive USTA national

and local public relations support,

geo-targeted online advertising,

turn-key marketing materials, a

$50 event pack voucher, a down-

loadable how-to guide, and nation-

al promotion on Nickelodeon and

ESPN2 to drive children and par-

ents to local clubs. Events can be

held any time through the month

of March or beyond.


14/4412RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

M A R C H 2 0 1 2

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> Tennis Australia, California Prod-ucts Plexipave Division and Australian

Plexipave Inc. announced an extended

designation of Plexicushion Prestige as

the surface of the Australian Open

through 2017. We want the Aus-

tralian Open True Blue Plexicushion

court to become more and more preva-

lent throughout not only Australia but

Asia, says Steve Wood, CEO of Tennis

Australia.

> Doubles champions Mike and BobBryan started using the new Prince

Beast XP thermo-polyester string at this

years Australian Open in their EXO3

Rebel racquets.

> Former Babolat and Prince execMax Brownlee has signed an agree-

ment with Asics to sell racquets, shoes

and apparel to U.S. tennis specialty

shops with the Asics name. In addition,

Asics recently signed 2011 US Open

champ Samantha Stosur to a multi-year

deal. The company, known for its run-

ning shoes, currently has five tennis

shoe models. Tennis is one of Asics

Group's key priority categories in our

strategic growth plan to 2015, said

corporation Global President and CEO

Motoi Oyama.

> Total attendance at the 2012 Aus-tralian Open hit a record 686,006, sur-

passing the previous record set in 2010 by

more than 32,000 fans. Daily attendance

at 15 of the sessions set records this year,

including 80,649 on the middle Saturday,

a Grand Slam record for daily attendance.

Also, the official Wilson stringers strung

3,300 racquets.

> Fila has signed an endorsementagreement with Grand Slam finalist Vera

Zvonareva.

> Shortly before the Australian Openbegan, Tennis Channel and Verizon FiOS

TV reached a new multiyear carriage

agreement.

> Pro player Lisa Raymond has part-nered with apparel maker Eliza Audley.

The 2011 US open doubles champion

(with Liezel Huber) wore Eliza Audley

clothes at the Australian Open and will

wear the apparel at premier pro events,

including the upcoming 2012 London

Olympics. Eliza Audley clothing is carried

in over 130 retailers, boutiques and

country clubs. Visit elizaaudley.com.

> World No. 1 and Australian Openchampion Victoria Azarenka appeared

on The Ellen Degeneres Show on Jan.

31 and gave each audience member

tickets to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian

Wells, Calif.

> New Chapter Press says tennisauthor and historian Steve Flink is doing

some fast work to his upcoming book,

The Greatest Tennis Matches of All

Time, which is due out in June, to add

a chapter about the five-set 2012 Aus-

tralian Open singles final that Novak

Djokovic won over Rafael Nadal in nearly

six hours, the longest singles final ever at

a Grand Slam tourney.

> World TeamTennis is acceptingapplications from youth tennis players

with diabetes for the Novo Nordisk Don-

nelly Awards, which annually distribute

$25,000 in scholarships to male and

female athletes ages 12-21, who have

diabetes and play tennis competitively.

For details and to download an applica-

tion, visit WTT.com/DonnellyAwards.

SHORT SETS

New Bolt Frames Feature ZipStrip

The new Bolt racquet shifts flexibility away from the frame and into a

patented design called a ZipStrip, which works with the strings at ball

impact to improve the response of the racquet, says the company. The Zip-

Strip is a spring-like string support that flexes instead of the frame. Bolt says

the flex of the ZipStrip controls ball rebound speed, while the frame itself

remains firm and powerful, creating optimum precision and control, with

maximum power.

Bolt Sports LLC founder and director Brett Bothwell has a background in

architectural design and engineering and has played and coached in tennis for nearly 40 years. Hesays the ZipStrip acts like a shock absorber, responding to the ball impact before forces are trans-

mitted to the frame, while allowing the string bed to cradle the ball and launch it from the strings.

The company also says since the ZipStrips reduce stress in the string near the frame edge, it can

help reduce string breakage, too.

Bolt currently has two models available, the B98 and B100. The B98 is intended for advanced all-

court players who like a smaller head size (98 square inches) for maneuverability. It weighs 11.4

ounces and has an 18 x 20 string pattern. The B100 is suited for different types of players depending

on how its strung, says the company. It has a 100-square-inch head, weighs 10.8 ounces and has a 16 x 19 string pattern.

Two new light modelsthe B100.light and B98.lightwill be ready for market in mid-March, says Bothwell. Were ten-

nis professionals designing for professionals, and weve been building our pro network for over a year prior to our launch last

August. For more on Bolt, visit boltadvance.com.


15/44March 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13 www.racquetsportsindustry.com


US Open National PlayoffsReturn for 2012

The US Open National Playoffs will return

for a third year, with entries available

starting March 15 for all Sectional qualifying

tournaments. The US Open National Play-

offs will again include both mens andwomens singles and mixed doubles.

The USTA created the Playoffs to provide

an opportunity for players 14 years of age

and older to earn a berth into the US Open.

The mens and womens singles champions

earn a wild card into the US Open Qualifying

Tournament, held the week prior to the US

Open. The US Open National Playoffs mixed

doubles champions receive a main draw

wild card into the 2012 US Open.

Registration for the 13 sectional qualify-

ing tournaments begins on March 15 atwww.usta.com/tennislink. The entry fee is

$100 for singles and $120 for each mixed

doubles team ($60 per player). All competi-

tors must be USTA members.

For more information, visit USOpen.org/

NationalPlayoffs.


16/4414 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2012

Pioneers In Tennis


"Pioneers in Tennis," an occasional column in RSI, draws attention to trailblazers in the sport. Have someone to suggest?

E-mail [email protected].

Bob Caldwell:A Leader in Acrylic Surfacing

of the day," notes Junkin. "He believed

if you kept the standards high, you had

a better industry."

Caldwell continued to listen to what

his customers wanted, and the compa-

ny grew. "He was so passionate about

what he did," says Tucker. "He was

always trying to bring out products to

meet the needs of contractors. A lot of

the old productsthe asphalt emulsions

and other thingsweren't contractor-

friendly, and between Caldwell's visionand a really innovative chemist, the

company came up with some pretty

good products."

Caldwell's passion translated into

high standards for customer loyalty and

technical competence. Working with

him could be challenging, says Tucker,

but he was an excellent mentor. "He

was a greater risk-taker than you might

find in a corporate environment, and

like any innovator, he made plenty of

mistakes. He was bullheaded, but whenhe finally saw something was a mis-

take, he knew to stop."

He didn't mince words, either. "We

had this intercom system," says Tucker,

"and periodically, you'd get called in.

He could dress you down pretty well,

but you knew it wasn't personal. Still, I

would hear this voice: 'Tucker! My

office! Now! Oh, God, my stomach just

churns thinking of that."

In the late 1980s, Caldwell, now 98,

retired from the company, now known

as the Plexipave Sport Surfacing Sys-

tems division of California Products

Corp. The business has continued to

flourish, and both Junkin and Tucker

say Caldwell's presence remains.

"There's a loyalty that has tran-

scended Mr. Caldwell himself, and it

still resides in our company," says Tuck-

er. "His name is still evoked: 'Is that

what Bob Caldwell would do?'"

Mary Helen Sprecher

becoming known as Plexipave, and leaving

stucco behind. There were plenty of

challenges.

"They were not counting sales in the

thousands of gallons," says Tucker dryly.

"It was very hard to promote this prod-

uct effectively since we didn't deal directly

with consumers in most cases," Caldwell

noted. "The practical core of the market

lay in the hands of the coaches, the athlet-

ic directors, the club pros and the tourna-

ment directors."

The tennis boom had yet to occur, and

few (if any) business-to-business publica-

tions existed in sports. Caldwell realized he

had to reach the builders of tennis courts

who would ultimately be using the prod-

uct. In 1965, he worked with a group of

others in the industry to found, fund and

launch the U.S. Tennis Court & Track

Builders Association, which would later

become the American Sports Builders

Association. And while it served his net-

working needs, it also improved the indus-

try as a whole.

"He wanted people to be able to

exchange construction ideas so that you

ended up with a better product at the end

hen Bob Caldwell made

the jump from stucco to

sports surfacing, it might

have been a logical progression for a

man whose colleagues hailed him as a

visionary. "Oh, he always was. Bob

Caldwell is the reason I originally

wanted to work at California Prod-

ucts," says Art Tucker, vice president

of the company.

It was in the early 1950s that Cald-

well made his first business venture,buying a 25-year-old company called

California Stucco Products of New Eng-

land. The company was trying to

develop a stucco that would not fade

in the sunlight. It was a challenging

endeavor, and the geographic area

Massachusetts and surrounding

stateswas not a great market for the

product.

"Stucco really was not a money-

maker in this area," notes Joe Junkin, a

company director (and Caldwell's son-

in-law). It was just dusty, dirty stuff."

Caldwell was willing to look at other

options, and he encouraged his

chemists when they began experiment-

ing with acrylic paint. The paint, the

chemists noted, was bright and

durable. They applied it to a playground

surface to see what would

happen.

"The kids really liked it," says

Junkin. "And then the chemist woke up

one night and said, If I can put this on

a playground, why don't I try it on a

tennis court?'" Caldwell was in favor of

the idea, and a well-known Boston busi-

nessman agreed to apply the finished

product to his private court.

"After a rigorous three-month period

of research and development, they put

it down on his court," says Tucker. The

product was a success, but a measured

one. The company moved into the

paint and coatings business, ultimately

W


17/44


18/44

TIONAL TENNIS

TH " '" ' P f - 1 ) - ~ 1 ' 1 1 ' \ I ' S ((IM \ ' l "t i 'i" 'IJ"" IIIC''>""'!i,\tE ITH

'Tho nlfflt" P l . r ~ ~ m . . , , ~ c o m r . ~ . . . , u : \ llmiU'-11)' ' > ' i - c1rv.h:u thio; n\:;!IllIet em .he\ .e l h t ' ~ t. e~ h i e to 1nd l)"'l'l!'f'l. p"G(rJm!i, tc


19/44

1toC' p r b.mtll H du : 1 ~ - ~ ~ ~ l l f l h t . . < l(.()Clfl W1ltie dll\'


20/44

Retailers:Grow Your Business ,Grow the GameIn its ongoing effoft to grow the game and he4p tennis indl.tstrybusinessei succeed. t he TlA Is otftr1ng aVMiety of tools andresources tortennis retaile-rs tO u t H ~ In their day-to-day operationsto he lp p romote growth and susta lnabillty. Retailers a re a vital part ofthe industry, and;, healthy, proflt:tble and vibrant re-ta il base will helpboost key indus try pr09ram sar1d In itiatives.

Areas in w'hich theTIACOtltinues to offet support and benefits for reti!IICt'S h'l(ludc: matketplace re se.;.rch,bus iness tools, flr\d*&retaller listings, business newsand advice, actvoeacy and support.. and operation alsavings.Tennisrettt ilcrs arc encouraged to take advantageof the followingorrcri"9S and services from thenAto 9ive their business a competitive edqe in the ever-chan9 in9 J IH:t evotvi"9 tCf\nlsmarketplac,., se-rvces, o.foper.atio'l, -tC>rt.act \nb, and more ! Ib is tyStem recehtes


21/44

7 11A Reta I !Newsletter; K ~ e p upLt:J di. lk' 011 n : ~ c u n ; x . : ~ o ar:.{: i i < . " ' A A ~ .affe c.tt11g r e t a I ~ f 5 with the I lA'sn ' I M f n ~ y digi t l11 r t e ' i i ' ! t t ~

, . . - . . : . . a , : ~ ~ ~ ~

8 Retail ...Tips" Ard t les: TheSEe l i ~ ) ' u - u s e l!f;p5 are In eoteryjo:;s.I Ii' nfR$1M01p;:t1inP ;mdthe Ret.ll l'te';.rsI tte-.r.

9 R.ctail A J i s e s o s m ~ : n t s (pcrftlnm:d by Glusl;in Townley6ro111p); Jl'e Glu5kln ro\v i"ilt!')' Gn::ut:J developed the5pr.dillt;y Tcmni:. Rr:t ;'li I ":srJryjJrr.'o r Thrivr.a ; ' l l l ~ ~ , ; m !'!nl;5U fVI?'f to ln.elp VO l> ae-tam iiH! the llea lth of (Ollf 5t.creo ' I ~ C ) f l ~ Ml'3 th i t . r e n oJ .,-cu p r o e t ! ~ . , _ Ait.er completing too assessment suri'l!'f reta ilers areV I d ~ wi UI ll -1!1r

own "':SJ.Jr\lit t? {)r rr,.,we "a s s ~ s m e m t.epa rt .

10 EdutaM!ooa l Webtrlo.)r.!l:lndtJstry ~ ~ c ~ s. 'jharr:u,e:;, kt'cwedge hlh ! J : : 5 ~ t 1;1 4& mi m l'l'IJonline presen!t:ltionslh

t o n n Sf;


22/44



Retailing

This is part of a series of

retail tips presented by

the Tennis Industry

Association and written

by the Gluskin Townley

Group (www.gluskintownleygroup.com).

Hot or Not?Your sales reps often are an early indi-

cator of whats really hot and whats

not in your area, so make sure you tapinto this valuable knowledge every

time they make a call on your store.

Also, call or email them if you have a

question about how an item is doing in

your area so you can adjust and re-

plan if necessary.

If you are planning a store remodel-

ing or new retail space, your sales rep

can also be a great resource for store

layout and planning tips taken from

their knowledge and the other specialty

tennis retailers they visit every day.

When you sit with your sales reps

to work on your annual plan, be sure

to include clinics and product seminars

for your staffand even for customers!

Get your clinic and product seminar

needs on your reps calendar at the

same time you put the dates on your

planning calendar.

One last tip about working with

your sales reps: Ask them for recom-

mendations when you have a job

opening at your store. Sales reps hear

about who is available and they often

know potentially great employees who

want to get into specialty tennis retail.

Coming Up:Men vs. Women: Their different shop-

ping habits. w

need, either from their own network or

from the brand or brands they repre-

sent.

Including a calendar for each sales

rep in your annual plan is as importantas asking them to con-

tribute to your annual

planning calendar by

committing to provide the

resources you need to

support your sale or other

events being planned for

the coming year. Also,

ask your sales rep about

price discounts and the best terms to

help you with sales events, and get it

all on your planning calendar inadvance of the season.

Sales reps can be particularly help-

ful with product portfolio planning and

merchandising by making recommen-

dations about what to stock, and just as

importantly, what not to stock. Plan-

ning open-to-buy, special sale items

and purchases with your sale reps in

advance helps ensure you will have the

right products at the right time so you

provide outstanding customer service

throughout the selling season.Getting the right merchandise to

your store at the right time also means

working with your sales reps to re-plan!

No plan survives first engagement

and your sales reps can help you re-

plan to take advantage of opportunities

in merchandise selling above forecast,

by ordering more and replenishing

your shelves quickly while still in sea-

sonor cutting back on orders for

merchandise that just doesnt sell up to

your forecast expectations.

our independent and dedicated

manufacturer and brand sales

representatives are often overlooked

as real resources in todays fast-paced

retail marketplace. But for tennis spe-cialty retailers, they may

well be your best

resource.

Your sales reps are

vitally interested in your

retail success because

the better your business

does, the better they do.

They are educated and

trained by the companies and brands

they represent to provide you with

information and assistance to helpmake you more efficient and success-

ful. It is to your advantage to get more

of your sales reps time and attention

to help you with your businesses

needs.

Take the time to get to know and

connect with each one of your sales

reps. Determine how and when you

can utilize them as resources to assist

you with merchandise and budget

planning, to conduct clinics on the

products they sell to you, and todescribe product features to you and

your staff so you can close more sales!

Business Plan HelpOutline your annual business plan,

and then review it with each of your

key sales reps to get their reactions,

input and advice. If there is a piece of

industry data, specific product trend

or local information that you require

for your plan, ask your sales reps to

help by providing the information you

Y

For more tips, visit Ten-nisIndustry.org/Webinarsand download TIA retailwebinars for free, andcheck out the webinarschedule for 2012.

Manufacturer Reps:Your Best ResourceFor tennis retailers, your sales reps can provide

a wealth of information and assistance.



24/44

APPAREL

Everything about tennis has become technicalfrom racquets to

shoes and apparelso it figures that sports bras have become the

next product category to undergo the same transformation and

innovation.

Many tops and dresses now come with the convenience of built-in

bras for the female player, but some court warriors seek better struc-

ture and support for what has become a physically demanding game.

Here are a variety of sport bras for todays active womenmost of which

are geared to greater support than your average sports bra. Some players

will want to wear them strictly for activewear, while some may transition

them from the court to the gym and everyday wear.


SUPPORT ON

THE COURT

SUPPORT ON

THE COURTB Y C Y N T H I A S H E R M A N

ChampionChampions Spot Comfort High Support T-hole back bra has comfortable,

adjustable gel-cushioned straps, moisture-wicking and mesh panels for

cooling ventilation, non-chafe seams and hook and eye closure. 800-999-

2249/championusa.com

CW-XCW-X is the performance sports apparel branch of intimate apparel maker Wacoal. Its sports bras

are known for their anatomically engineered high performance. The VersatX Support Bra offers

strong support with adjustable Velcro shoulder straps and hook and clasp back closure. Mesh and

CoolMax/Lycra provide ventilation and moister-wicking. Available in different cup configurations,

it is suitable for high to low impact activities. [email protected]

Moving ComfortThe company Moving Comfort has long been a staple in the sports

bra category for different activities. Its most supportive Jubralee

Bra attaches hook and loop style in the back and offers maximum

support for players who leap for lobs and run the court. The front

adjustable straps offer comfort and the seam-free molded cups arebest for women seeking compression and encapsulation. 800-763-

6000/movingcomfort.com


25/44March 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23www.racquetsportsindustry.com

PureLimePureLimes bras have won awards for design and function, and its technical moisture-wick-

ing fabrics, comfortable padded shoulder straps and molded seam-free cups are favorites

among female athletes. The company introduced a compression sports bra that has a built-

in heart-rate sensor on the inside of the elastic, so there is no separate annoying sensor strap

to deal with. The sensors are also compatible with snap interface transmitters from othersports technology brands. 516-468-1722/purelime.com

Under ArmourUnder Armour, known for detail and perfor-

mance, has moved into the sports bra arena

in a serious way. The racerback Armour Bra

B has removable perforated molded cups

for support and shape. It offers a more cus-

tomized fit and mesh ventilation for cooling

in a variety of band and cup sizes. 888-727-

6687/underarmour.com w

SauconySaucony is a runners favorite known for

comfort and good support. Featured here

is the companys Ignite LT Bra, which

comes in a racer-back design with mois-

ture-wicking and mesh inserts for breatha-

bility. 800-282-6575/saucony.com


26/44



C O U R T C O N S T R U C T I O N & M A I N T E N A N C E G U I D E


A lot has been said about courts for children. But what about for

players at the other end of the spectrum? B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R

the fact that the baby-boomer population is aging shouldn'tcome as a surprise to anyone, and neither should the factthat those people want to continue playing tennis. Tennishas long been promoted as a lifetime sport, so much so that USTA

tournament play even includes age divisions up to 90!

According to statistics compiled by the Tennis Industry Associ-

ation, the 50-plus age group generally numbers between 3 and 4

million players, and is consistently one of the largest in the fre-

quent player population. With so many players obviously wanti-

ng to stay in the game, the question becomes: What can you do

to make sure they keep coming back?

Cfbl CsMake sure the court surface is comfortable to play on, say the

experts. Many builders promote soft granular surfaces like clay or

fast-dry, saying seniors find them more comfortable to play on.

The slower pace of such surfaces also lends itself to a strategy

game, and allows players to enjoy being on the court longer.

Soft courts (which also include natural grass and synthetic turf)

find favor among a wide range of players because they are easier

on joints, backs, feet and legs. Surfaces that allow players to slide

place less stress on joints when a player stops or turns. Grass, fast-

dry and clay also stay cooler in the summer and have little glare.

Synthetic turf does tend to hold heat.

Fast-dry and grass courts do require more daily maintenance

than a hard court. Synthetic turf will also require periodic brushing

and cleaning, so managers must weigh their ability to put in the

time to keep courts looking and playing their best. If a hard court

is being used, cushioned coatings can help make players comfort-

able. In addition, coatings can be formulated to grip the ball and

slow it down.

Wlc f SsOutside of the court surface, though, there are plenty of other

things to make tennis facilities more welcoming to senior players.

w Court furniture: Many senior players enjoy the social aspect of

tennis. For them, the tennis garden atmosphere will appeal.

This is a space between or next to the courts with shaded

benches or chairs and tables and other furniture, allowing

players to sit in comfort, and talk or watch other matches in

progress. A small refrigerator for bottled water is a nice

amenity, as is a wastepaper basket so that no debris winds up

on the court. Small lockers for keys, phones, etc. are always

nice.

w Vision: As we age, we all need more and better lighting.

Replacing damaged or burned-out lamps is necessary, and

will improve the quality of the game for all players, not justseniors. Something that can also help is making sure wind-

screens are well-placed in order to provide adequate contrast

to help players see the ball clearly. The court surface color

should likewise provide good contrast without being unneces-

sarily distracting. A court builder can provide more informa-

tion on color combinations that work well in various settings.

w Accessibility: Many individuals who have had to discontinue

their game, either temporarily or permanently because of

injury, arthritis, joint replacement surgery, etc., may enjoy

visiting with friends at the court. Make sure all paths leading

to the court comply with ADA rules concerning width, slope

and so forth, and that any gates they will have to pass

through are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair,

walker or crutches. Rest rooms should also be conveniently

located, and fully accessible.

w Welcoming atmosphere: Try to encourage a philosophy of

It's never too late to try tennis. Have a clinic for beginners,

and promote the fun, social aspect of the game, and the abil-

ity to keep fit and stay mentally sharp. Starting seniors on 36-

foot or 60-foot courts with the same low-compression balls

used for the younger set is a great way to bring them in and

get them moving around and having fun.

While it's never too early to get the next generation started

in this lifetime sport, its never too late to accommodate the

older generation. w

Senior StatuSSenior StatuSA lot has been said about courts for children. But what about for

players at the other end of the spectrum?

CourtesyofFast-DryCourts,PompanoBeach,FL


28/4426 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com


As a facility owner or manager, you can take small do-it-yourself

steps to help avoid bigger problems down the road.B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R

think of it as preventive medicinethe same way you'll geta flu shot for yourself or an anti-virus program for your

computer, you can take small steps that help avoid prob-

lems with your tennis courts. The best news? These low-cost (and

in some cases, no-cost) fixes can make a difference in the number

of times you have to call in a specialist to address problems. And

that translates into savings for you.

Kp i Cl"I regularly remind court owners to remove leaves and debris

from their court surface as soon as possible," says David Marsden

of Boston Tennis Court Construction in Hanover, Mass. "This

helps aesthetically as well as preventing stains on hard courts and

a growth medium on soft courts."

Leaves and dry debris can be removed from hard courts using

a leaf blower or a soft push broom. After a rainstorm, use the

same type of broom to remove wet leaves, twigs and any other

materials that can cause staining if allowed to sit on the court.

Pine cones should also be taken away immediately as they can

transfer sap onto a court, which can cause marking.

Ball hoppers now come in metal or plastic. If you're using

metal hoppers to pick up balls, check the bottoms or legs that

come in contact with the court surface. Rust or sharp edges can

damage or mark courts when pressed down or dragged across the

surface. A quick sanding-down of any rough edges and a touch-up

job with some rust-proof paint is a low-cost fix. Check the wheels

of carts and other equipment as well to make sure they'rerolling smoothly and not causing damage.

osd Ls"Another issue I regularly observe is the growth of grass or

accumulation of debris outside the fence," says Marsden.

"This is especially problematic on the low side of the court

because it slows or prevents water from draining off the sur-

face, which leads to puddles that leave silt and dirt along the

court edge."

Builders also advise cutting back tree roots before they

have a chance to sneak under court surfaces (or under walk-

ways leading to courts) and cause damage. If mulch is used in

landscaping, it should be kept off the court as well. Welcome

mats near the entrance to the courts can help trap debris.

FcWalk the perimeter of the courts and look for any problems

with fencing. Rust, snags, barbs or sagging rails should be

fixed immediately before they can worsen. Gates should

swing freely without touching the surface of the court, which

can scar it over time.

Some of the factors that contribute to gates that sag are

spectators who lean on the gate with one foot propped on the

bottom rail, children who swing on the gate, and players who

hang things (bags, etc.) on the gate itself. Provide benches to

Preventive

treatment

Preventive

treatmentAs a facility owner or manager, you can take small do-it-yourselfsteps to help avoid bigger problems down the road.

PhotocourtesyofBaselineSportsConstruction,LLC,Knoxville,TN



sit on, and places to put bags, and you'll help

eliminate many of the risk factors.

udfEveryone knows tennis shoes are the preferred

footwear on court since they have non-marking

soles. But of course, there are going to be begin-ners who don't yet have court shoes, as well as

just a few stubborn people who refuse to comply

with rules, even when they're posted.

Take care of shoe marks by using warm

water and a soft brush. If that doesn't work, call

the builder who installed the surface and ask for

recommendations for removing shoe marks.

(Many builders have a favorite home remedy

they'll be glad to share with you over the phone.)

Lee Murray of Competition Athletic Surfaces

in Chattanooga, Tenn., says he takes a fair num-

ber of calls about court stains, and that he alwaysrecommends a low-risk approach. "I am often

asked about using bleach and cleansers on court

surfaces. I tell court owners to just use water and

hose the area after scrubbing with a push broom

first. "

Many serious players have designated tennis

shoes, and will keep them in their locker or carry

them in their bag when they come to play, then

remove them when they're done playing. Some,

however, will wear their shoes from home to the

court, which opens the door to tracking dirt,

gravel and other particulate matter onto courts.Shoe cleaners that allow players to wipe off

debris as they come in will go a long way toward

helping keep courts clean.

D-i-YslfSome clubs ask members to drag hard courts

and sweep the lines after playing. It saves time

for the club personnel like the pro (who can con-

centrate on teaching) and staff (who can concen-

trate on working the desk and the pro shop). It

also gives players a sense of stewardship over

the court, and as a result, makes them more like-

ly to watch out for the facility as a whole.

Squeegees and sponge rollers can also be left out

for players on hard courts.

As a precaution, instructions should be post-

ed for use, and new players should be given a

quick lesson on how to use equipment so as not

to damage it or the court surface.

Ask players to let you know if they see any-

thing wrong on the courts, including the surface,

nets, posts, fence, divider curtains and more.

The more you encourage them, and thank them

for their input, the more active an interest they'll

take in helping to keep the facility looking nice.w

ad Fw D's...Keep in mind, there are certain things you shouldnt do to your courts or facility, but ratherlet a qualified court builder handle. What shouldn't you do?w Fill cracks. "Sometimes a court owner will try to save some money by filling the cracks on

their court. Often they will use a product not intended for filling cracks on a recreationalsurface which might cause tracking of oils across the court and possibly poor adhesion,says Marsden.

w Touch up court lines. If the playing lines look faded, call in a pro who can re-line yourcourts, and possibly add markings for 10 and Under Tennis while hes at it. There's nothingworse than a botched do-it-yourself line jobwhich can ultimately result in costly correc-tive work.

w Try to paint over marks, stains, etc. on the court with leftover surfacing product. Your courtwill wind up having a patchy, freckled appearance.

BelleMeadeCountryClub-2011:Photocour-

tesyofBaselineSp

ortsConstruction,LLC,

Knoxville,TN

TheQuarry-WelchTennisCourts2011:

PhotocourtesyofWelchTennisCourts,

In

c.,SunCity,FL


30/44



There are more than 5,000 courts in the U.S. designed for 10 and

Under Tennis, either as standalone 36- and 60-foot courts or with

blended lines on 78-foot courts. If you havent yet lined your courts

for 10 and Under Tennis, take a look at how easily blended lines can

fit with your existing court colors. And check out the facility assis-tance grants available from the USTA, which can pay for up to 75

percent of the cost of blended lines (visit usta.com/facilities).

CoLor

matChing

CoLor

matChing

Photos Courtesy USTA

Aerofit Health and Fitness, Bryan, TX Austin Tennis Center, Amarillo, TX

Baer Park, Reading, PA Blakeney Racquet and Swim Club, Charlotte, NC



Cedar Bluff Racquet Club, Knoxville, TN Cypress Lake, Madison, MS

Evert Academy, Boca Raton, FL Floyd Park Tennis Complex, Bainbridge, GA

Lexington County Tennis Center, Lexington, SC Sierra Vista, Albuquerque, NM

USPTA Headquarters, Houston, TX West Homewood Park, Homewood, AL




What can you do when you notice cracks in your asphalt courts?

Here are some options.

CraCK

Shooting

CraCK

ShootingB Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R

Cracks in asphalt tennis courts are unavoidable, and a nat-ural part of the aging process. Its safe to say that at some

point, every asphalt court will crack, no matter who built

it or where it is located.

But cracked tennis courts can be repaired. And while you

cant have a completely new court without reconstruction, you

certainly can have a court that looks better and plays better.

This is the second in an annual series RSI will be offering

about crack repair techniques. The first part of our series in the

March 2011 Court Construction & Maintenance Guide covered

proprietary crack repair systems. (That article is available in our

online archives at www.racquetsportsindustry.com.) This seg-

ment focuses on a variety of techniques court contractors use toaddress badly cracked courts.

Remember that there are many different types of cracks in

tennis courts, and that while some are relatively minor, others

can indicate more serious underlying problems. In addition, the

reason for cracking can vary from court to court, and cracks on

a court may have more than one cause.

To a court owner or manager, many cracks can look alike; a

tennis court contractor can examine the facility and diagnose the

underlying cause of the problem. Those who want to learn more

about types of cracking and causes can obtain a copy of the book

Tennis Courts: A Construction and Maintenance Manual, available

from ASBA. The book includes a diagram showing different court

problems, including various cracks and recommendations for

them.

As always, there is no one-size-fits-all (or even one-size-fits-

most) repair. Your choice of repair method should be predicated

on the type and extent of cracking your court has (and any

underlying problems), your budget and other factors.

There are several levels of repair. From the most simple to

the most complex, they are:

td Cck rpsSmall cracks on the court may be treated with a crack filler des-

ignated for use on tennis courts. This, says Pete Smith of the

CourtSmiths in Toledo, Ohio, "is the least expensive method." A

very small crack can be treated with a crack filler that is worked

into the crack so that it completely fills the space before the sur-face above is leveled so as not to create any irregularity.

The larger the crack, the more work is involved. "Generally,"

notes Smith, "the crack is cleaned out, filled partially with sand

and leveled with an acrylic crack filler. In northern climates, this

should be done before the freeze to help prevent moisture in the

sub-base."

However, he notes, putting a filler into any crack is a tempo-

rary fix. "This is more maintenance than anything else. It doesn't

cure the crack; it only helps retard the expansion of it. Cracks

will begin to open up again."

Larger cracks will require full-depth repair. After the crack is

cleaned out and all broken materials are removed, a contractorwill begin a multi-level repair. However, notes Smith, even this

is just a matter of time, since "cracks will begin to split by the fol-

lowing spring."

If this type of work is undertaken in several places on the

court, the surface may be left with a patchy, freckled appear-

ance. Contractors often will recommend resurfacing (the process

of applying thin coats of an acrylic tennis court resurfacer to the

court) and recoating to create a more pleasing appearance.

ovlysIn the case of a court where cracks are too numerous to perform

targeted repair, and where other problems exist such as an aging

or crumbling court, drainage issues, etc., a contractor may rec-

ommend a complete asphalt overlayin other words, laying a

new pavement over an existing one. The process may include,

first, the installation of a fiberglass or asphalt-saturated geotextile

membrane or a layer of stone screenings. Cracks generally

reflect up from the base to the surface of the court itself, and this

extra layer can help slow down this process. The contractor will

then install the new pavement in lifts, then recoat and re-line the

court.

While an overlay is an extensive repair, it is still a repair, and

is not defined as reconstruction (the process of removing one

tennis court and building another). Overlay systems will retard

reflective cracking and deterioration of the original pavement,

but to some extent, the condition of the remaining base will be

PhotocourtesyofGeneralAcrylics,Inc.,Phoenix,AZ

What can you do when you notice cracks in your asphalt courts?

Here are some options. B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R



an unknown quantity that may affect the newly laid court some-

where down the road.

Note: Another option may be a post-tensioned concrete over-

lay, which can significantly extend the life of the court.

C CvsOne tactic used to deal with severely cracked courts is conversion

to another surface. This may be done on a permanent or tempo-

rary basis. For courts with proper slope and drainage, the follow-

ing options may be considered. Advantages include quickinstallation and the ability to avoid making changes to the existing

landscape, fencing, net posts, light posts, etc.

w Modular surfaces: Interlocking tiles can be laid over an existing

pavement to give a court a like-new appearance and feel.

w Roll goods: A synthetic surface may be rolled out, in a manner

similar to a carpet, over a cracked surface, allowing play to con-

tinue without making changes to the court itself.

w Infilled turf systems: The synthetic turf market is growing

rapidly, and is becoming a viable option in tennis court use.

Note that if a new surface is laid over a badly cracked or unsta-

ble pavement, these problems may be apparent despite the pres-

ence of the new surface. For example, interlocking tiles laid overa deep depression on the original court will only create a bridge

over the low spot and may cause unpredictable bounces during

play.

rcscSome courts with multiple problems or profound structural fail-

ures are better off being reconstructed. While overlays and con-

versions may extend the life of these facilities, they cannot be

used as anything other than a temporary fix.

Reconstruction may include the removal of the existing

asphalt or concrete pavement, removal of base materials,

addressing underlying issues with the subgrade or drainage, fol-

lowed by regrading, reconstructing the base and pavement, and

finally resurfacing and relining the court. When reconstructing a

court, net posts must be removed and re-installed. A portion of

the fence may need to be removed to allow access for machinery,

or the entire fence may be removed and replaced. Other aspects

of the court including light poles, electrical conduits, etc. may also

be affected by the work.Note: The existing asphalt base, once removed, may be dis-

posed of, overlaid, or pulverized and reused as the base for a new

court. Pulverizing is often chosen, since the cost of recycling old

asphalt at an asphalt plant can be high, and many landfills do not

accept asphalt. A tennis court contractor will be aware of the

options that exist in your area.

If the court owner wants, once the base has been reconstruct-

ed, the court can be converted to a clay or fast-dry court, or to a

post-tensioned concrete court. Other options exist as well once a

stable base is in place. A contractor can provide more information

about the viability of all these options.w

The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) is a non-profit association helping designers, builders, owners, opera-

tors and users understand quality sports facility

construction. The ASBA sponsors informative meetings and

publishes newsletters, books and technical construction

guidelines for athletic facilities including tennis courts, run-

ning tracks, athletic fields and indoor structures. Available at

no charge is a listing of all publications offered by the Asso-

ciation, as well as the ASBAs Membership Directory. Info:

866-501-ASBA (2722) or www.sportsbuilders.org.




Heres RSIs quick look at some of the court construction andmaintenance products available for the coming year, from many

companies that displayed their wares at the trade show during the

ASBAs annual Technical Meeting in December.

marKetPLaCemarKetPLaCe

aP by LSiThe new AeroPro by LSI Courtsider Sports Lighting combines the science of vertical burn

design innovation with high performance reflector technology, says the maker. Using ver-

tical burn pulse start metal halide technology, LSI says the AeroPro provides up to 45 per-

cent more light output than conventional fixtures, with superior surface uniformity,

allowing for greater ball clarity and glare-free visual comfort. Its available in 1000W,

875W, and 750W pulse start metal halide versions. 800-436-7800 ext.3098/lsi-

industries.com

Heres RSIs quick look at some of the court construction andmaintenance products available for the coming year, from many

companies that displayed their wares at the trade show during the

ASBAs annual Technical Meeting in December.

Bllsd WdscAer-Flo Inc. recently re-introduced its patented Ballasted Windscreen to its deal-ers after five years of testing. Each 5- by 6-foot Tuffy Ballasted Windscreen unit

is attached to the fence (on alternating sides) with grommets at the top edge only;

the bottom end contains a 15 lb.-weighted PVC pipe to keep the windscreen ver-

tical in normal winds. For winds up to 95 mph, force reduction may approach 47

percent, says Aer-Flo, depending on fence post spacing, post diameter, pipe

gauge and steel quality. Hook-and-loop strips built into each units top allow it to

be rolled up in anticipation of high winds. 800- 823-7356/aerflo.com

Pfc C 300/500Creative Court Concepts Performance Court 300 and Performance Court 500 surfaces can be installed indoors or outdoors over asphalt,

concrete and rooftops. Both products are suitable for new or existing courts and work great over cracked courts, says the maker, sincethe new surfaces fully adhere to the existing surface, resulting in no dead spots and a true ball bounce. The PC 300 and PC 500 also

include a cushioned layer for added comfort and support. 203-410-6090


35/44


36/44

alBlsWelch Tennis Courts AlgaeBlaster controls algae on clay courts and is the only

algaecide/bactericide/fungicide labeled for treatment of clay and composition

material courts, says Welch. 813-641-7787/welchtennis.com

ams WdscsCoverSports USAs ArmorMesh windscreens feature IncrediSeal Heat-Sealed

Hems, which eliminates stitching and the possibility of thread breaks, open seams

or hems, says the manufacturer, and provides a cleaner look because there are no

pleats, stitches or black webbing on the hem. Other features include a 14-oz.

woven, extrusion vinyl-coated polyester fabric with excellent tear strength and

abrasion resistance, a five-year warranty and availability in 12 colors. TuffPrint

customization can add lettering and logos. 800-445-6680/coversports.com

Dply Sps ts SfcChallenger Industries is now offering an eight-year warranty on its

Duraplay Sports synthetic turf surfacing for tennis courts. The surface

is available in Sport Green and Red Clay colors, which simulate agrass/hard court and clay courts. 800-334-8873/duraplaysports.com

h-t Sps n PssWith feedback from customers, Har-Tru has redesigned its aluminum internal and external wind net posts

to make them easy to use, durable and safe, says the company. The internal wind post allows use of a stan-

dard 3/4-in. or 19-mm socket wrench to put up or take down the net in minutes. The external wind post

features an easy to remove handle for easy net installation and safe and easy adjustments. Both posts fea-

ture a welded lacing rod and are constructed of the highest grade aluminum with a powder-coated finish.

877-442-7878/hartru.com

mflx hCMatflex Corp.s new HomeCourt is a custom year-round sports complex tile

which comes in 16 colors. The maker say the tiles are engineered to provide con-

trolled lateral give during play for reduced leg stress and greater comfort, while

the narrow gauge ribs and low abrasion surface offer excellent traction while

reducing wear and tear on athletic equipment and footwear. 800-926-3539/mate-

flex.com



37/44

..!!i!'R _. -1JICU'illflllll(l QAMMIII'tml$



rbd ac SfcsAce Surfaces says Rebound Ace Montreal, which features a Nike Grind underlay-

ment, is the only permanent tennis court surface available that provides 59%

shock absorption. Ace Surfaces suggests combining the surface with the compa-

nys HARO Sports subfloor system for a long-lasting investment. Another product,

Rebound Ace Rome, is a portable tennis court (four people can assemble a full-

size court in less than four hours), most recently used at Nikes Clash of the Cham-

pions and the WTT Finals in Charleston, S.C. 407-865-6279/reboundace.com

SpBs by Sp CSportBase is designed for applications that require a temporary court in areas

where concrete is not feasible or practical, or when sustainable building is a con-

cern. A full court using SportBase can be installed in a matter of hours. It provides

a drainage solution superior to pervious concrete, says Connor Sport Court Inter-

national, along with excellent shock absorption. Made from 100 percent recy-

clable materials, Sportbase can be used in many different locations, including

freeze-thaw areas. 801-978-6208/sportcourt.com

tnt g n ts DvcCable Tension LLC offers the TNT Gauge (which stands for Tennis Netcord Tension), a device

that installs on the anchor hook on the outside of a net post and measures net tension. There are

two models, ensuring compatibility with all net posts with external anchors. The gauge has been

tested and used at events around the world, and in 2012, all 20 competition courts at the US Open

will have the device. It is available with club or team logos imprinted. 865-307-0474/tightcable.net

Spsed Xt Sl DMultiple asphalt or concrete courts in a series can be especially difficult to drain

when it rains, but The XT Slot Drain can provide a cost effective and solution,

greatly simplifying the design of such facilities, says the maker, SportsEdge.

Installed between courts or along fence lines, the linear drain intercepts sheet

flow coming the courts, then discharges the storm water to an in-line catch

basin then an adjacent storm drain. 800-334-6057/sportsedge.com w

Pfc Pddd ts SfcAction Floor Systems TC Pro high-performance urethane pad-and-pour

court system can be installed indoors or outdoors, over a new or existing

court surface. The company says an Action TC Pro court incorporating the

9mm base mat pad provides 32 percent more shock absorption along

with a 66 percent energy restitution. 800-746-3512/actionfloors.com


39/44


40/4438 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2012

String Playtest

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)

Number of testers who said it was:

much easier 0

somewhat easier 2

about as easy 27

not quite as easy 8

not nearly as easy 0

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)


much better 0

somewhat better 7

about as playable 10

not quite as playable 16

not nearly as playable 4

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other strings

of similar gauge)


much better 6

somewhat better 11

about as durable 20not quite as durable 0

not nearly as durable 0

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)

Playability 3.2

Durability 4.2

Power 3.3

Control 3.6

Comfort 2.7

Touch/Feel 2.8

Spin Potential 3.3

Holding Tension (17th overall) 3.6

Resistance to Movement (7th overall) 4.2

P

acific XCite is a new monofilament

polyester. XCite uses the patent-

pending PolyCite, which accordingto Pacific features a molecular structure

unlike that found in any other poly string.

Pacific tells us that the difference is that,

instead of a one-dimensional linear chain of

molecules, PolyCite has a multi-dimensional

molecular chain. One-dimensional chains

line up together to support impact stress

equally, while PolyCites multi-dimensional

chains distribute impact stress differentially.

This allows some molecules in PolyCite to

remain energized while the others are han-

dling the impact, resulting in maximumreturn of energy from the string to the ball.

XCite is the first Pacific string to use

PolyCite, and is manufactured in Germany.

According to Pacific, the benefits of

PolyCite in XCite are 25 percent greater

energy return to the ball, faster ball speed

off the strings, more spin, softer feel, and

improved tension maintenance.

XCite is available in 16 (1.30 mm) and

16L (1.25 mm) in pearl only (the color pro-

vides the magic as to why XCite works

the way it does, according to Pacific). It ispriced from $15 for sets of 41 feet, and

$240 for reels of 720 feet. For more infor-

mation or to order, contact Pacific at 941-

795-1789, e-mail [email protected], or

visit Pacific on the web at pacific.com.

IN THE LABWe tested the 16L gauge XCite. The coil

measured 40 feet. The diameter measured

1.26-1.28 mm prior to stringing, and 1.23-

1.24 mm after stringing. We recorded a

string bed stiffness of 74 RDC units imme-

diately after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wil-

son Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a

constant-pull machine.

After 24 hours (no playing), string bed

stiffness measured 68 RDC units, represent-

ing an 8 percent tension loss. 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 percent tension

loss. In lab testing, Prince Synthetic Gut

Original has a stiffness of 217 and a tension

loss of 11.67 pounds, while Pacific XCite

16L has a stiffness of 271 and a tension

loss of 15.33 pounds. XCite added 17

grams to the weight of our unstrungframe.

The string was tested for five

weeks by 38 USRSA playtesters, with

NTRP ratings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are

blind tests, with playtesters receiving

unmarked strings in unmarked packages.

Average number of hours playtested was

21.4.

Pacific recommends reducing tension

5-10% from your typical nylon reference,

and that is what we recommended to our

playtest team members.Out of the package, XCite feels smooth,


and has very little coil memo-

ry. The crosses glide nicely across the mains,

without being slippery to the touch. The

pearl color improves stringability, at least

in comparison to the spate of black strings

weve been receiving lately, due to the high

contrast between the string and the typicalblack grommet barrel.

One playtester broke his sample during

stringing, nine reported problems with coil

memory, five reported problems tying knots,

and one reported friction burn.

ON THE COURTOur playtest teams scores put Pacific XCite

clearly in the durability category of string.

XCite scored 7th best overall of the all the

strings weve playtested for publication in

Resistance to Movement, and 17th best

overall for Tension Retention. In addition,

our playtesters rated XCite well above aver-

age for Durability and Control. As a result,

Pacific XCites overall score is well above

average of the 160 strings weve tested to

date.

One playtester broke the sample after 14

hours of playtesting.

CONCLUSIONBased on the scores, Pacific XCite seems

best suited for big hitters who need a string

that doesnt send the ball into orbit, and can

take some punishment. Keep in mind that

we tested the 16L version; XCite also comes

as a 16-gauge string for what must be even

more durability and control. For those who

like XCite but prefer a higher gauge, stay

tuned, as Pacific tells us it is working on a

thinner version.

Finally, if Pacific XCite sounds like a

string your customers might like, contact

your Pacific representative. Pacific is plan-

ning an aggressive seeding program to intro-

duce players to XCite. Greg Raven

Pacific XCite 16L



String breakers and topspin players will havea blast with this one.4.5 male baseliner with moderate spin using

Boris Becker London strung at 56 pounds CP

(Gamma Zo Tour 17)

Outstanding control. This string makes for aheavy ball. Passing shots have pinpoint accura-

cy. Swing away! 5.0 male all-court playerusing Wilson BLX Pro Tour strung at 45 pounds

CP (Polyester 16)

Excellent power and spin, especially onser

201203 racquet sports industry

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