January 2006

Volume 34 Number 1 $5.00

2006 USRSA
STRING SURVEY
Our exclusive rankings, and
handy poster, will help
you and your customers pick
the right strings

FACILITY OF THE
YEAR AWARDS
SPRING WARM-UPS
SHOULD YOUR FACILITY THE INCH THAT
HAVE A DEFIBRILLATOR? CHANGED TENNIS
BREAK THE CHAIN IN
COURT FENCING
 R S I J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6

INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS

Tennis Participation Increases by 1.1 Million Key Findings of

T
he latest findings of the annual Tennis Participation Study households were contacted for the study,
show that 24.7 million Americans are playing tennis, the which is designed to quantify tennis par- the 2005 Study
most since 1992 and an increase of 1.1 million players, or ticipation throughout the U.S. and to  24.7 million Americans
4.1 percent, versus 2004. And possibly more important for ten- identify opportunities to increase partici- are playing tennis, the
nis retailers and facilities, the study found that the number of fre- pation. The study, conducted by two most since 1992 and a
quent players is up 8.8 percent from a year ago, to 5.2 million. independent firms, The Taylor Research 4.1 percent increase over
The boost in tennis participation is the latest in a string of & Consulting Group and Sports Marketing 2004.
good news for the sport that includes increases in racquet and Surveys, is the largest participation sur-  5.8 million new players
vey in sports. picked up the game in
For retailers and facility 2005.
managers, the increase in fre-  There were 5.2 million
quent players is particularly frequent players in 2005,
good news, since frequent versus 4.7 million in
players—defined as those 2004.
 Total play occasions were
who play 21 or more times a
year—are often described as up 14 percent in 2005,
the “heart of the tennis mar- the second straight year
ket.” These are the players, the category increased.
 Player retention also
says Baugh, who spend the
most on equipment, string-
improved for the second
ing, court time, lessons, etc. straight year, with 80 per-
Going hand-in-hand with cent of players continuing
the rise in frequent players is in the sport in 2005, ver-
an increase in the frequency sus 74 percent in 2004.
of play, called “total play
occasions,” which is driven
by the most avid tenins players. Total play occasions
rose 14 percent in 2005 and was up 23 percent over
the past two years.
ball sales and increases in viewership of tennis on TV. And in other good news for the industry, player retention has
Industry watchers were quick to praise the efforts of many improved over the last two years, with 80 percent of players con-
groups involved in tennis for coming together to help boost par- tinuing with the sport in 2005 versus 74 percent in 2004.
ticipation in the U.S. “The collaborative efforts across the entire “We are seeing healthy indicators across the board in the
industry are growing the game and positioning tennis for further sport as more people play tennis, more racquets are purchased,
growth,” says Kurt Kamperman, the USTA’s chief executive of and more interest develops in the game,” says Baugh.
Community Tennis. Many credit heavy investment by the USTA
“With all of the tennis constituents—includ- Racquets Sales Are Up in both initiatives to grow the game and in expo-

 Sales of junior racquets increased

ing manufacturers, retailers, teaching profes- sure for the sport as keys to the increase in par-
sionals, the TIA, and the USTA—focused on a ticipation. The USTA has funded, and continues
20 percent in 2005, while sales of
single goal, the sport is growing,” adds Jim adult frames were up 14 percent. to fund, initiatives such as Tennis in the Parks,

 Over the past two years, racquet

Baugh, president of the Tennis Industry Associ- Tennis Welcome Centers, USTA League Tennis,
ation. and school and college tennis, along with major
shipments are up 29 percent in
This is the fourth year of the massive Tennis advertising campaigns for recreational and pro-
units and 18 percent in dollars.
Participation Study, sponsored by both the TIA fessional tennis, such as the US Open and US
and the USTA. More than 25,500 American  Premium racquet sales increased Open Series.
48 percent in 2005.

January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7

INDUSTRYNEWS J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6
Wilson W6 Racquet Named
“Editor’s Choice” by Tennis
W
ilson’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 greater
strength 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.
Dunlop Has New Management
D
unlop 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.
8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006
TTC Open Moves to Las Vegas
T
he 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 that
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 annual
tennis destination with tournament action and other tennis-
related entertainment activities, and televise the heck out of
it,” says TTC Founder and President Steve Bellamy. “Las Vegas
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 that
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 of
entertainment offshoots, including other sports events, the TTC
said in a statement.
PTR Members to Receive
Email Publications Free
S
tarting 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.
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Prince Introduces T9 Roadster Tennis Shoe Sports InterActive Gives

Retailers Web Store
T
he new Prince T9 Roadster tennis shoe features

S
advanced moisture-wicking and quick-drying technolo- ports Inter-
gies to help keep players’ feet dry, says Prince Sports. Active is
“The T9 combines an aggressive new look with helping deal-
advanced wick-away technology for a lightweight ers create “an
performance shoe that makes the play- effective website
er look as cool as their feet feel,” strategy, which
says James Lin, product manager will dramatically
at Prince. “The Roadster is avail- increase their
able in adult and junior sizes for business,” says
the player that appreciates a founder Herb
lightweight performance shoe that Sweren, a former
does not require a break-in period.” Prince executive.
The T9 Roadster is part of Prince’s Sports InterActive is a web develop-
T-Series designed with a combination ment and e-marketing company that,
of breathable synthetics and AIRmesh, among other things, provides tennis
featuring forefoot lock-down overlays to clubs, pro shops, and specialty retailers
ensure stable footing, says the compa- with online sales capabilities through an
ny. The T9 was constructed for players seeking speed and agility on the court, with “Online Tennis Mall.” Only dealers with
the added benefit of a moisture-wicking, moisture-management system for comfort. a retail storefront qualify for the Online
The shoe is available in men’s, women’s, and junior sizes and comes in two color- Mall component, and dealers receive a
ways for each gender. The adult shoes feature the PRC 1000 outsole compound that 20 percent net margin for every sale on
provides a six-month outsole wear guarantee. Visit www.princesports.com for more the online mall. Order fulfillment is pro-
information. vided by Fromuth Tennis.
“Most people agree that online sales
have become more of a traditional retail
PTR Launches PTR on Campus outlet, so retailers have to find a way to
compete with that,” says Sweren. “With

T
he PTR has launched a new program to encourage college students to consider a
Sports InterActive, anyone with a seri-
career in tennis teaching and coaching. PTR on Campus makes PTR certification
ous tennis business now has everything
and membership available and affordable to full-time college students who are
needed to truly harness the commercial
playing for their school, are competing in USA Team Tennis on Campus, are majoring
power of the internet.”
in recreation, or who were high school tennis players with 4.0 NTRP.
Sports InterActive sites are powered
A PTR on Campus Workshop was tested last year with the University of Wash-
by the TIA’s TennisConnect.org soft-
ington women’s tennis team’s players, coaches, and former players and is now
ware. A subscription to the Sports Inter-
rolling out nationwide. PTR on Campus will run from September through June and
Active Premium SI Package for $89 a
be held at various universities around the country, including, Alcorn State, Brigham
month or the Specialty Dealer package
Young, Colorado, Furman, Harvard, Ouachita Baptist, South Alabama, and South
for $79 a month will also include Ten-
Carolina State. More colleges and universities are being considered and added to
nisConnect.org, which allows facilities
the program every week.
to create and manage their own web-
“There is a big void in the number of younger people teaching tennis today,” says
sites, stay in touch with their members,
Dan Santorum, PTR’s CEO. “PTR on Campus addresses this issue and will help
schedule court time, match players
ensure a younger generation of tennis teaching professionals will continue to grow
online, and more.
the game.”
Dealers purchasing a Sports InterAc-
In an effort to grow the game, college students are offered the opportunity to
tive website become members of the
learn to teach tennis, obtain liability insurance, and maintain PTR membership at
TIA and gain access to other benefits
prices most students can afford. In exchange, students are asked to give back to
offered to TIA members. For more infor-
their communities by providing 10 hours of free tennis lessons.
mation on Sports InterActive, contact
Through the education provided by the PTR on Campus program, students who
Sweren at 410-358-1304 or email
teach tennis can help pay their tuition, supplement their income, or save for the
hsweren@sports-interactive.net, or visit
future. In addition, they will be prepared for a full or part-time career in tennis if
www.sports-interactive.net.
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 geoff@ptrtennis.org.

January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

INDUSTRYNEWS J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6

Head Offers New Ashaway Introduces New

Flexpoint Team Series Technology For Badminton
H
ead’s new Flexpoint Team Series of frames

are designed for players who demand a lot
from their racquet, says the company.
Designed for both medium and long swing styles,
the Team Series offers slightly lighter weights, larg-
er sweetspots, and a little extra power, says Head.
The Flexpoint Instinct Team has a more open
string pattern for added spin. It weighs 9.3 ounces
and has a 105-sq.-in. head size and an even bal-
ance. Suggested retail price is $170.
The Flexpoint Radical Team
has a 102-sq.-in. head,
weighs 9.9 ounces, and is
slightly head light. It also
has a more open string pat-
tern. Suggested retail is
$190.
Flexpoint technology,
A
shaway’s newest badminton strings feature a new “Power Filament
Technology” design that the company says increases durability and
reduces string movement.
“This is a significant advance in
string technology for badminton
that will allow players to push their
game to the limit,” says Ashaway
Vice President of Marketing Steve Crandall of the new string technology.
“What we’ve done with PFT is create an entirely new surface element in
the jacket of the string by incorporating a proprietary power filament.
This increases shuttle control and playability, and optimizes power.”
Ashaway is developing two new series of PFT strings which the com-
pany says will be announced in coming months. For more information,
visit ashawayusa.com.
Mike Wilson to Lead Völkl Tennis

says Head, offers players of
all levels control with no loss
of power. Two small holes at the
3 and 9 o’clock positions are cra-
dled within dimples to create a
“flexpoint” when the ball makes
contact with the strings, which cups
the ball to make sure it leaves the
strings at the angle intended, with
no loss of power, says the company.
Flexpoint frames also feature Liq-
uidmetal technology.
For more information, visit www.head.com.
Considine Named New Wilson
President
C
hris Considine is the
M
ike Wilson is the new vice president of sales for Völkl Tennis, replac-
ing Chris Pearson, who has left the company. Wilson has been the
New England regional territory manager for Völkl Tennis for the past
five years.
For more than 20 years, he was New England territory manager for such
brands as Prince, Donnay, Pro Kennex, and Reebok. His new duties will
include directing the sales force, product development, and inventory con-
trol. He also will work closely with Völkl Tennis’ Director of Promotions and
Marketing Sarah Maynard.
“I look forward to working with our loyal customer base and appreciate
their support,” says Wilson. “With the introduction of our new DNX tech-
nology in the DNX V1 Mid-plus and Oversize [in late summer 2005] and the
launch of the Boris Becker by Völkl BB10 [introduced in the fall], Völkl Ten-
nis continues to develop and produce the finest, high-quality German-engi-
neered racquets in the marketplace today.”
Wilson can be reached at 800-264-4579, x. 7277, or at mwilson@volkl.com.
Wilson is Official Stringer for US Open

W
new president of Wil- ilson Racquet Sports will be the Official Stringer at the US Open
son Sporting Goods, beginning in 2006. Wilson will be the on-site stringer for all Open
including the global Racquet players, which equates to about 3,000 racquets strung during the
Sports, Golf, and Team Divi- week-long qualifying tournament and the two-week Open.
sions, parent company Wilson says the multi-year US Open deal represents a new strategic
Amer Sports Corp. direction for the company to increase its stringing presence worldwide.
announced in November. The company says it will announce stringing agreements with other
Amer Sports says it events at a later date.
expects the appointment “We identified key tournaments around the world to develop a mutu-
will consolidate the overall direction of the brand al partnership to help grow our stringing business and add value to their
and “provide greater efficiencies to the business event, and the US Open is an ideal fit for Wilson,” says Brian Dillman,
units,” enabling Wilson “to communicate a more vice president of Wilson Racquet Sports.
consistent brand message to the consumer and “Wilson is a valued partner of the US Open and has provided the Offi-
trade channels.” cial Ball for more than two decades,” says Jim Curley, USTA managing
Considine has been with Wilson for over 24 director of tournament operations and US Open tournament director.
years. He has led the Team Sports Division since “We expect Wilson to elevate the quality of service provided to the more
1994. than 800 athletes who compete in all aspects of the US Open.”

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Andy Roddick
Calendar Hits Shelves
For die-hard Andy Roddick fans, the
new 2006 Andy Roddick Calendar is
available, featuring the tennis star in
full-color, glossy photos on courts
throughout the world. The calendar,
which retails for $13.99, will be dis-
tributed worldwide through major
bookstores, office supply stores, and
calendar and gift stores, as well as
online at www.jfturner.com and
www.andyroddick.com.
E W AT C H
PEOPL
• 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 Intercol-
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
USPTA Installs New Elite Cup brings together over 100 young tennis players
from more than 30 countries.
National Board of Directors

R
on Woods, the former executive
director of the USPTA Texas Divi-
sion, is the new
president of the USPTA’s
national board of direc-
tors. Woods, along with
other national board
members, were installed
during the 78th USPTA
World Conference on
Tennis, held in Septem-
ber in Marco Island, Fla.
The new board will serve until Sep-
tember 2007. In addition to Woods, the
board is comprised of: First Vice Presi-
dent—Harry Gilbert; Vice Presidents—
Tom Daglis, Randy Mattingley, Paula
Scheb, and Mark Fairchilds; Secretary-
Treasurer—Tom McGraw; Past Presi-
dent—David T. Porter.
The board manages the USPTA’s
affairs between meetings of the larger
USPTA executive committee, which
includes the board, three past national
presidents and elected leaders from
each of USPTA’s 17 domestic divisions.
Board members are nominated by a
committee comprised of executive com-
mittee members, and may be individu-
ally opposed in a general membership
election.

January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 INDUSTRYNEWS J A N U A R Y
Classic Turf Offers
“4 Days to Playability”
C
lassic 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 to
playability.”
“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 stress
for 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
sales@classicturf.org.
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006
2 0 0 6
LaserFibre Offers New Line of Grips and Overgrips
L
aserFibre 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 the
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 features
a 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 the
company 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.
Wilson to Distribute Luxilon Strings
S
tarting in 2006, Wilson Racquet Sports will be
the 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 will
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.
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Tennis Service Reps Squash Star Forms Osborn Heads Up Sales

Spread Across the U.S. Initiative to Grow the Game Division at Prince Sports

T C
he new Tennis Service Repre-

C
anadian-born squash pro Jonathon Power harles Osborne is the new vice
sentative program got off to a has formed a new squash marketing and president and USA national
fast start in the fall. As of mid- development initiative, SquashPower sales manager for Prince
November, nearly 50 TSRs had been (www.squashpower.com), to promote growth Sports, the company announced in
hired by the USTA sections. in youth and adult squash. The newly November.
The Tennis Service Reps are formed company’s mis- Osborne will be responsible for
under the direction of Mark McMa- sion is to edu- the national sales organization,
hon, the USTA’s new national man- cate, grow, and excluding key accounts. The region-
ager for TSRs, and will be a empower the al vice presidents, with responsibil-
“national sales force for tennis.” squash community through educational pro- ity over the sales territories in the
The idea is for the TSRs to be well- grams, competitive growth, and player empow- West, North Central, and Southeast
versed in programs and resources erment. regions, will report directly to him.
available, so they can then assist According to the World Squash Federation, “Prince has had a great year,
local providers in growing the game the game is played in more than 140 countries from a sales and growth stand-
at the grassroots level and increase by more than 20 million players. In the U.S., point, and Charlie has been an inte-
tennis participation. growth at the junior level has jumped 125 per- gral part of this since his arrival in
To reach a TSR in your area, cent over the past two years. Forbes Magazine May,” says Prince Sports USA Pres-
contact your USTA section. The has rated the sport No. 1 for overall health and ident Doug Fonte. “We look forward
new TSRs, listed by section, are: fitness. In Massachusetts, squash is one of the to his continued success as he leads
Caribbean: Carlos Torres, Cristina fastest growing college and high school sports the company in 2006 and beyond.”
Cruz of all time. Osborne joined Prince in May as
Eastern: Wayne Martin Jonathon Power has won 32 Professional the regional vice president of the
Florida: Trina Singian, Matt Graham, Squash Association Tour titles and is ranked as North Central region, after nearly
Rene Grifol, Kelly Tucker, Dede the No. 2 player in the world. He is the most 20 years at Wilson Sporting Goods.
Allen, Jeff Davis, Shelly Licorish-
successful squash player in North America.
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 Shibley
Northern 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

January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

 INDUSTRYNEWS J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6

Competitors Work Together to Solve New Flare-It

Community’s Court Problems Reshapes Grommets

F
lare-It LLC introduces a product for

T
he owners of the 100-condominium grommet maintenance and repair that is
Gran Liden Community in Sunapee, designed to “stop string damage before
N.H., needed help with their two hard it happens,” says the company. Flare-It
courts. They were in bad shape, with Grommet Wizard, which can be used on all
cracks that kept coming back. Over the types of racquets, flares and re-shapes
life of the 35-year-old courts, the condo grommets to remove pressure points that
owners and players had resorted to what can damage string. It also
turned out to be short-term fixes. Now, will help keep newly
they wanted a permanent solution. installed grommet strips
The community’s tennis players, all or individual repairs in
over the age of 40, wanted a softer, more forgiving surface than hard courts place. For USRSA mem-
provided. Plus, they didn’t want to incur the costs and down time that might bers, the introductory
come from tearing up the old asphalt and preparing the site. price is $19.95 per unit.
“Clay was their first choice, but community members felt they weren’t Contact 502-329-7800 or
ready to invest in the equipment and annual maintenance costs that would be visit www.flare-it.com.
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. Völkl Adds Two
Weathers, who had worked on the community’s surfaces throughout the years,
contacted Bill Rompf, the tennis director at the International Tennis Hall of Frames to BB Line

V
Fame in Newport, R.I. A year earlier, the Hall of Fame had used a new prod- ölkl Sport America continues its newest
uct, Nova’ProClay, to overlay an old asphalt court and provide a clay surface product line of frames designed by for-
for players. mer champion Boris Becker with the
Weathers thought Nova’ProClay was just what the Gran Liden players were new BB1 and BB5 racquets, both available
looking for. Even though the area licensee for the product was a local com- Feb. 1. The frames join the previously
petitor, John Lineberry of Lineberry Tennis, Weathers called him to discuss the released BB10.
Gran Liden project. Then they both met with the community’s board of direc- The BB1, weighing 9.0 ounces unstrung,
tors. is the lightest frame in the BB series. It also
“We described the Nova’ProClay concept, which the board seemed to grasp has the largest head size, at 112 sq. in., and
quickly,” says Weathers (above, right, with Lineberry). It was determined that the thickest beam width, at 29 mm., making
a thin, crushed-stone, pie-shaped overlay would be placed on top of the exist- it the most powerful
ing asphalt to decrease the slope and buffer the deteriorated surface. A light racquet in the BB
sprinkler system would be installed. Then the Nova’ProClay base with 10 tons range, says Völkl.
of Har-Tru finish would be placed over the rock wedge. The company says
“Now, they don’t need a roller, and there is no lengthy down time in wet the racquet is ideal
weather,” says Burke. “The courts are usable virtually year-round, and best of for recreational
all, they have a real clay court finish to play on.” players 3.0 NTRP
For more information, contact NGI Sports at 800-835-0033 or and higher. Sug-
info@novagrass.com, or visit www.novagrass.com. gested retail is
$160.
The new BB5
PTR Symposium Feb. 18-24 combines an oversize

T
he 2006 PTR International Tennis Symposium and $25,000 Championships (105 sq. in.) with a
will be Feb. 18-24 on Hilton Head, S.C. The Symposium schedule includes maneuverable swing
more than 40 presentations, a trade show, dinners, an awards weight at a very afford-
banquet, and more. able $130 suggested retail.
Register by Feb. 10 for $325 for PTR members, The frame, which weighs
$395 for nonmembers. After Feb. 10, it’s $375 9.4 ounces, also is for play-
and $425. Prices do not include Profession- ers at the 3.0 or higher
al Development Courses or tournaments level.
fees. The deadline for tournament entry For more information,
is Feb. 3. For more information or to call 603-298-0314, email
register, call 800-421-6289 or visit tennis@volkl.com, or visit
www.ptrtennis.org. www.volkl.com.

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006


SHORT SETS
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.
>Bridgestone
Tecnifibre has a new partnership with
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.
>newAshaway Racket Strings has introduced its
Racket Strings Catalog, highlighting
more 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 on
touring 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.
Bälle de Mätch is Official Apparel of Copper Bowl
S
outhern 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.
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.
>representatives
O2Athletics is the new Midwest sales
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-
dave1@sbcglobal.net.
>approved
The USTA board of directors recently
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.
>TennisTheBuying
USPTA Texas Division’s Southwest
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.
>WifeTheSenior
first USTA National Husband &
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.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Vegas to Host
Cardio Tennis
Feeding Shootout
T
he USPTA will conduct a new,
nationwide competition to find the
best tennis ball feeders in the
U.S. The competitions, to be
held at each
USPTA division
convention dur-
ing the coming
year, will feature
Cardio Tennis
Feeding Shootouts
among members of the USPTA. The win-
ner from each division will be eligible to
compete in the national Shootout at the
USPTA World Conference in Las Vegas in
September.
The competition will allow teaching
pros to demonstrate the accuracy and
speed of their feeds for 60 seconds. Pros
will be asked to feed tennis balls in a
specific pattern to three targets set up at
a net. Each pro will feed balls from a
teaching cart while standing behind the
middle of the baseline, and the objective
is to get as many balls as possible into
the targets in one minute.
The pro who feeds the most balls into
the targets will be declared the Division
Shootout Winner and will go on to com-
pete in the National Shootout at the
2006 USPTA World Conference, which is
set for Sept. 16 to 23 in Las Vegas. The
Division Feeding Shootout winners will
receive two cases of Pro Penn tennis
balls and round-trip airfare to the World
Conference.
USPTA President Ron Woods, is excit-
ed about the Feeding Shootout. “We see
the Feeding Shootout as a great way to
highlight the art of feeding and to con-
tinue to elevate USPTA’s focus on the
growth of Cardio Tennis,” he says. “Com-
petitors from all USPTA divisions will be
competing to be named the best feeder
in America.”
January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15
 OUTSTANDING FACILITY-OF-THE-YEAR AWARDS

Head of the Class

RSI and the ASBA bring you the best in tennis court construction.
e have again joined forces with the American Sports tator plaza between them. The faculty grouping is made

W 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 Multipurpose
Indoor 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-
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

Princeton University Tennis

Complex, Princeton, N.J.
Architect/Engineer: GLOBAL SPORTS & TENNIS
DESIGN GROUP, FAIR HAVEN, N.J.
Specialty Contractor: SPORTSLINE AND ALL STAR
TENNIS COURT CO.
Surface: CALIFORNIA PRODUCTS CORP.
Lighting: COURTSIDER SPORTS LIGHTING
Windscreens: J.A. CISSEL

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006

 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.

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.)
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.)

For details of the 2006 Outstanding Tennis Facility Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or
info@sportsbuilders.org.

January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31

 2006 STRING SURVEY

USRSA Members’
Choice Awards
Our exclusive rankings, based on responses by USRSA members,
will help you pick the right strings for your shop.
hat string is best for your customer? It’s a tricky question to are included in the total sum and average for that string. We

W answer, since there are so many different strings out there added the scores from each respondent to obtain a sum for
that all have unique combinations of benefits. But once again, that string, then divided the sum by the number of respon-
we’ve gone right to the experts, the thousands of U.S. Racquet Stringers dents who rated it.
Association members, and asked them to rate strings in three categories: To ensure that strings with a reasonable breadth of distrib-
playability, durability, and com- ution are included, each string must be rated on at least 12
fort. questionnaires. We feel
Our 29th annual string sur- Most Responses by Gauge that having at least 12
vey, which is on the poster (percent) respondents allows us to
inserted into this issue of RSI, include enough strings by
is a compilation of survey Gauge 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 2000 enough manufacturers,
questionnaires sent in Sep- 16 64.6 62.0 62.4 61.9 58.9 54.8 including smaller market
tember to 2,500 randomly 17 24.5 28.2 23.1 26.2 27.0 31.8 share companies. Too
selected U.S. members of the 16L 4.6 3.8 4.3 2.8 1.5 - high a number will mean
USRSA (no chain stores). 15L 3.8 4.3 5.7 5.9 7.8 11.1 the survey results will only
18 1.9 1.3 1.4 1.8 2.9 0.9 include the top two or
Recipients were given a list of
15 0.6 - 0.5 - 0.8 0.8
every string on the market three manufacturers.
17L - 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.6
and asked to rate the ones Remember, the cate-
19 - - 1.7 0.4 0.4 -
they are familiar with from 1 18/17 - - 0.5 0.4 - - gory scores for each string
to 10 in each of the three cat- are averages of all the
egories. Then an average respondents’ rankings for
score was calculated for each Most Responses by Brand a given string. Often,
string in each category. (percent) these averages are very
For a string to qualify for a close; the differences
rating, the respondent must Brand 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 2000 between rankings can be
have strung at least 20 sets of Wilson 23.2 22.0 21.9 23.8 21.6 30.5 mere hundredths of a
that string in the past year. Gamma 20.4 22.9 24.7 25.6 25.9 27.2 point. Though only one
This 20-set minimum ensures Prince 19.8 19.6 19.8 19.2 20.7 23.7 string can claim the top
that respondents are rating a Head 9.4 7.7 7.4 7.3 4.0 7.0 spot in a category, many
Babolat 9.3 7.2 7.1 6.1 6.9 6.3 of the strings close to
string they know something
Tecnifibre 4.5 4.8 4.1 4.1 4.7 3.4 each other in ranking are
about and that has some
Luxilon 3.6 3.4 3.0 - - -
vitality in the marketplace. For of equal stature. In prac-
Ashaway 2.0 1.6 1.8 1.7 2.2 <1.0
some businesses, 20 sets may Gosen 1.6 1.8 1.9 1.9 3.2 1.4 tice, each of these strings
represent 20 percent of their Forten 1.2 2.3 2.6 2.6 3.5 0.5 is one of the best of its
total business, and for others, Alpha 0.9 1.0 - - - - niche.
1 percent. Some businesses Kirschbaum 0.8 0.8 - - - - Hang our String Survey
may only sell 20 sets of the TOA 0.8 0.4 - - - - poster in your shop and
string; others may sell 500. Dunlop 0.6 1.2 1.1 - - - let your customers deter-
Klip 0.6 0.9 - - - - mine which strings may
Each ranking, however, car-
Others 2.3 2.3 4.6 5.2 4.4 - best help their games.Q
ries the same weight, and all
January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33
 Finding the Right
Treatment
Emergency medical
devices, such as
defibrillators, are
reassuring to clubs
and their members.
BY CYNTHIA CANTRELL

W
hen selecting a tennis club, potential members expect to “It’s a natural part of a facility’s duty of care to its members,”
size up tennis courts, ball machines, locker rooms, and says Tharrett, noting that AEDs are joining traditional safety mea-
other amenities. However, there is additional equipment sures such as first aid kits, CPR-trained personnel, and even oxy-
to consider: automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and other gen masks for members experiencing difficulty breathing. “As
medical gear. long as you provide appropriate training on modern equipment
“Just by the nature of the sport—where people can go from that is serviced regularly, these devices are absolutely in mem-
complete rest to full-out activity, with some not exercising any bers’ best interest.”
other way—there are going to As the national tennis director and
be some [cardiac] problems regional manager of two Tennis Corp.
on a tennis court,” says of America (TCA)-owned tennis clubs
Stephen Tharrett, a former in the Kansas City area, Ajay Pant says
senior vice president at Dal- he sets an example for his staff by par-
las-based ClubCorp and cur- ticipating in emergency training
rently an editor of the offered to all TCA employees.
American College of Sports “There’s a certain way you have to
Medicine’s Health/Fitness push down on the abdomen when
Facility Standards and Guide- doing CPR, and it took me a while to
lines. get it,” Pant admits. “I’m the guy in
When the publication’s charge and it would have been easy for
third edition is published in me to let it go, but I held up all pro-
April 2006, according to ceedings until I got it right. I wanted to
Tharrett, it will recommend send the message that there can be no
the inclusion of AEDs in all shortcuts when safety is involved.”
fitness centers, with the HeartStart Onsite Defibrillator
In addition to CPR, according to
Philips Electronics
intended effect of transform- Pant, TCA clubs also train staff on
ing what has been a growing AEDs, first aid and infant CPR at facili-
trend into an industry standard. By 2010, he predicts installing ties with nurseries. Tennis pros who work with members out-
AEDs in sports facilities will be legislated beyond the current doors during the summer are taught to look for heat illness
states of Illinois, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, and symptoms such as hot, dry skin, change in skin color, hyperven-
Louisiana. An AED is a computerized medical device that can tilation, and confusion. If a teaching pro suspects heat exhaustion
recognize whether a person’s heart rhythm requires an electric or sunstroke, for example, Pant says the lesson is immediately
shock, and uses voice prompts, lights, and text messages to tell ended (with the fee waived) so the member can be taken inside
the rescuer how to deliver one. for treatment.

34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006

 “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 Indianapolis
Racquet 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. With
increasing 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-based
ClubCorp, 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
ZOLL AED Plus
ZOLL Medical Corporation
PowerHeart AED G3
Cardiac Science
diac arrest cases occur in the home or hospital, with only the
remaining 15 percent spread out across airports, businesses,
Where to Get AEDs
A 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:
 Cardiac Science (www.cardiacscience.com)
 Medtronic (www.medtronic.com)
 Philips Medical Systems (www.medical.philips.com)
 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).
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 was
worth 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 Good
Samaritan 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-
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, clubs
should 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.” 
January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35
 The Master Pros:

Delivering a
Quality Experience
For pro Jorge Andrew in South Carolina, it’s all about getting people
involved—and coming back for more. BY CHRIS NICHOLSON

M
ost head tennis professionals will confront tough chal- leagues. Officers of the Lexington Area Tennis Association are
lenges at some point in their careers. At times they’ll face right at the facility, so in just a few minutes we can get you all
sagging membership, over-budget court repairs, staff the information you need, sign you up over the internet, put
shortages, cranky bosses. But one of the most demanding tasks you in a league and you’re ready to play.”
a head pro can undertake is The strategy has worked. In just four years, the num-
one that few actually ever ber of league tennis teams at the LCTC has increased from
will: launching a new tennis 20 to 45. Impressive numbers? That’s just for the adults.
facility. “Our most successful program is the After School Ten-
In 2000, Lexington nis Club,” Andrew says. “It has three levels. At level one,
County, S.C., had no tennis we give them a racquet and a can of balls. Level two, it’s a
program. And the area still little more advanced lessons. Level three, they play match-
didn’t even have a home for es every Friday. After that, we start to encourage them to
public tennis, as their prized play tournaments.” The after-school club has a consistent
21-court Lexington County attendance of 50 to 80 kids per four-week session.
Tennis Complex (LCTC) Other junior play at the LCTC includes the Junior Chal-
wasn’t due to open until the lengers, which exclude all players ranked in Top 25 in 10-
following summer. Then and-under, and the Top 50 in other divisions. “We host
came Jorge Andrew, hired tournaments like that so that our people who started here
can develop here,” Andrew says. As for those top-ranked
This is the second of six installments on the players? They can still compete in the ITF World Junior
teaching pros who hold Master Pro certifi- Championships, which the LCTC hosts in November.
cations from both the PTR and the USPTA. “People ask me all the time, ‘How can we get a pro-
gram going—do we need more junior programs, do we
to be the facility’s first tennis director. need to have more courts, do
“Opening a new facility is difficult—you’re really starting
from scratch,” says Dan Santorum, CEO and executive director
we need to spend more
money?” says Jeff Hawes, first
Creating a
of the PTR. “Getting the people to come is obviously a challenge, vice president of the USPTA Quality Experience
but once they get there you have to make sure they have a quali- Southern Division. “The answer
ty experience. That’s one of the things Jorge excels at—making is that first and foremost you for Players
sure that everybody that comes to his facility has a quality expe- need to have a leader. You Q Develop programs to cater to every
rience and is eager to come back.” need to have somebody who is age group and every player level.
Andrew, designated a master pro by both the PTR and the dynamic in their personality, Leave no one behind.

Q At the end of beginners’ classes,

USPTA, was raised in Caracas, Venezuela. He played for and cap- dynamic when it comes to pro-
tained the Venezuelan Davis Cup team, and reached No. 76 in moting, dynamic when it
don’t let those new players go—
the world rankings in the late 1970s. He later worked as a tennis comes to their teaching skills.
try to get them signed up in
director at clubs in Venezuela and Florida before being tapped And Jorge definitely has all
leagues, where they’ll have fun
for his post in Lexington County. those traits. That’s what makes
with their new skills and keep
From six months before the LCTC opened, Andrew was him stand out in this industry.
playing tennis.
already planning the details for what would quickly become one “Jorge is one of the best pro-
of the most successful tennis programs in the southern U.S. One fessionals in our association. Q Make the facility attractive in every
of his primary goals was to relentlessly find new players and Lexington County wasn’t even way possible: Keep it clean and
make them stay. on the map until he got there, well-decorated, and make sure
“We have beginner clinics that start every four weeks,” and he made an impact just by everything is in working order.
Andrew says. “Then we try to put those beginners right into the getting people involved.” Q

36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006

 How to Fix
Your Game
At the 2006 CTDW, you’ll find people, seminars and ideas
that can help your business—and help the game grow.
T
he 2006 USTA Community Tennis the grassroots level. For those involved in
Development Workshop comes to tennis programming—whether at a Com-
Hollywood, Calif., Feb. 3 to 5 with a munity Tennis Association, park and rec
full slate of workshops and seminars program, private facility, school, or
designed to educate, encourage and more—the opportunity to expand your
inspire tennis leaders and coordinators. knowledge, and your business, at the
For teaching pros, facility and park man- CTDW is a worthwhile investment.
agers, and anyone else whose mission Last year, the event brought nearly
and livelihood involves getting more peo- 700 people from around the country to
ple playing the game, if you could go to Destin, Fla. The USTA has now realized
only one workshop this year, this just the value of what the CTDW is able to
may be the one you should attend. provide, and the impact that it can have
The annual CTDW, in the opinion of on tennis participation, and so the orga-
many who have attended previous work- nization has been pumping more
shops, is one of the most useful events resources into the conference.
for those who actually deliver tennis at Workshop sessions address every-
thing from customer relations,
CTDW Registration and Hotel to how to teach tennis to vari-
ous groups, to building positive
The USTA has different registration plans for the CTDW.
relationships, to starting a non-
For the full workshop, individual registration is $295 before
profit organization, how to deal For more on the CTDW, visit
www.usta.com/communitytennis. Q
Jan. 6 and $350 after. For more information on the CTDW,
with volunteers, and much
or to register, visit www.usta.com/communitytennis.
more. This year, there also will
Room rates for workshop registrants at the Renaissance be “pre-workshop sessions” (at
Hollywood Hotel are $155 per night and must be booked additional cost) that are all-day Keynote Speaker
directly with the hotel by Jan. 2. Contact 800-HOTELS-1,
323-856-1200 or www.renaissancehollywood.com.
bonus sessions that go in-depth
on various topics, such as pro-
Jim MacLaren
Keynote speaker for the
posal writing and developing a
2006 CTDW is the inspi-
fundraising plan.
rational Jim MacLaren,
And again the CTDW will offer “Court-
who received the Arthur
side Consultants,” allowing attendees to
Ashe Courage Award
sign up for a 25-minute slot to discuss
during the 2005 ESPYs,
their organization with experienced con-
given to athletes who
sultants and featured speakers.
embody a toughness of spirit and never-give-
There also will be an exhibit area and
up attitude. MacLaren also spoke at the 2005
a “Great Idea Gallery,” along with an
Tennis Teachers Conference in August in
evening Awards Banquet. The theme for
New York to a very enthusiastic audience.
this year’s CTDW is “Heroes Among Us,”
designed to honor those who have MacLaren was involved in two would-be
shaped community tennis around the fatal accidents. The first, at age 22, resulted
country. This year, the CTDW will feature in the loss of his left leg; the second, 10
discounted registration for CTAs and years later, left him an incomplete quadri-
National Junior Tennis League Chapters plegic. Each time, Jim has used sheer force of
and Programs. will and awe-inspiring courage to come
back—the first time to become the fastest
Wanted: Great Ideas Do you have a “great idea” for tennis? At the CTDW, the USTA amputee athlete in the world, and now, as
wants to feature great ideas. To submit one, visit www.usta.com/communitytennis. an individual with an amazing story to share.

38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006

 science
The Inch That
Changed Tennis Forever
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 more
subtle. 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
40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006
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 SPIN
When 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
BY ROD CROSS
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 MATTERS
A 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

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
27
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 upward
speed 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 Cross
and Crawford Lindsey, available from book
store web sites or from the publisher at
www.racquettech.com.
January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 41
 string PLAYTEST

Klip Lightning 16
Lightning is one of Klip’s “Pro Doubles” surements of the 16-gauge Klip Lightning
we playtested. Lightning added 15.5
(hybrid) strings, combining its Legend nat-
grams to the weight of our unstrung
ural gut with its Excellerator nylon. frame.
Klip’s Legend natural gut is 100 per- The string was tested for five weeks
cent Australian top grade gut. Excellerator by 65 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-
ings from 3.5 to 6.5. These are blind
is a high-end multifilament, with 30 per-
tests, with playtesters receiving unmarked
cent more fiber than most other multifila- strings in unmarked packages. We
ments, due to a unique bonding of the instructed one team to install the gut in Klip Lightning scored well above average
the mains, and the other to install the in Playability and Power, no matter which
filaments that uses less glue, providing
nylon in the mains. way you string it, and with nylon in the
more of a gut-like feel. mains and gut in the crosses it scored well
We found Klip Legend natural gut
According to Klip, Lightning is designed above average for Holding Tension and
slightly dry-feeling and slightly rough, as
for players looking for the power and com- Resistance to Movement. In every other
always, and the Excellerator about normal
fort of natural gut, at a fraction of the price. category, Lightning scored above average,
for a multifilament nylon. It is slick enough
Lightning is available in 16 and 17 in
that it glides with little friction against the
natural only. It is priced from $20. For more
natural gut, and there is virtually no coil EASE OF STRINGING Gut M’s Nylon M’s
information or to order, contact Klip at 866- (compared to other strings)
memory. Our playtesters, however, report-
554-7872, or visit www.klipstrings.com. Be Number of testers who said it was:
ed a bit more trouble installing Lightning
sure to read the conclusion for Klip’s special much easier 0 0
than Klip’s Screamer natural gut hybrid
offer to USRSA members. somewhat easier 5 4
(see RSI June 2005), which means our
about as easy 21 9
playtesters found that installing Klip Light-
IN THE LAB ning is comparable in difficulty to
not quite as easy 10 13
We tested the 16-gauge Lightning “both not nearly as easy 1 2
installing Klip X-Plosive (see RSI January
ways,” that is, with the gut in the mains OVERALL PLAYABILITY
2005).
and Excellerator nylon in the crosses, and (compared to string played most often)
with the Excellerator nylon in the mains and Gut mains/ Nylon mains/ Number of testers who said it was:
the gut in the crosses. We recorded a nylon crosses gut crosses much better 1 7
stringbed stiffness of each string combina- Broke during stringing 3 1 somewhat better 8 5
tion immediately after installation at 60 Excess coil memory 8 6 about as playable 13 5
pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x Difficulty tying knots 5 2 not quite as playable 9 8
18 pattern) on a constant-pull machine, and Friction burn 2 5 not nearly as playable 3 3
then retested after 24 hours (no playing). OVERALL DURABILITY
Our control string, Prince Synthetic Gut (compared to other strings
Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units
ON THE COURT of similar gauge)
Once again, these playtests show that Number of testers who said it was:
immediately after stringing and 71 RDC
adding a little natural gut to the mix much better 3 4
units after 24 hours, representing a 9 per-
results in a satisfying playing experience. somewhat better 19 6
cent tension loss. See the table for our mea-
about as durable 5 7
not quite as durable 4 6
Legend natural gut Excellerator nylon
not nearly as durable 3 4
Coil measurements 20’ 21’3”
Diameter unstrung 1.33-1.34 mm 1.31-1.32 mm RATING AVERAGES
Diameter strung 1.28-1.30 mm 1.25-1.26 mm From 1 to 5 (best)
RDC stringbed stiffness new 76 78 Playability 3.5 3.6
(gut mains, nylon crosses) (nylon mains, gut crosses) Durability 3.6 3.4
Power 3.5 3.6
RDC stringbed stiffness after 24 hours 70 72
Control 3.5 3.6
(gut mains, nylon crosses) (nylon mains, gut crosses)
Comfort 3.4 3.3
Tension loss 6 RDC 6 RDC
Touch/Feel 3.2 3.2
Tension loss % 7.89% 7.69% Spin Potential 3.3 3.2
Average playtest duration 19.57 hours 17 hours Holding Tension 3.2 3.6
(gut mains, nylon crosses) (nylon mains, gut crosses) Resistance to Movement 3.3 3.7

42 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006

 TESTERS TALK

“ 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.
“ 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,
The 16 gauge used in this test showed no signs of wear during the test.
” comfort, feel, and spin potential were better than my normal string.
4.5 male all-court player using Völkl Tour 10 strung at 62 pounds CP (Tec-
nifibre NRG2 17/18)
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)

“ 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.
” kink into the mains while stringing and it broke
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,
“This was an excellent “ Excellent string! It has durability
two-piece string. The mains
and feel.
”
5.0 male all-court player using Pro
Kennex 7g strung at 63 pounds LO
seemed to be natural gut, so I was excited about (Prince Polygut 17)
playing with this sample. Unfortunately I put a
“ The gut section of this string is
the key. It has great feel and good
power. I would buy this great
after 1 hour of playing time.”
4.0 male all-court player using Gamma Diamond Fiber
combo.
”
5.0 male all-court player using Wil-
son nCode strung at 63 pounds LO
M6.5 strung at 70 pounds LO (Tecnifibre NRG2 17)
(Wilson NXT 16)

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)
“ 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 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-
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
sion very well and really don’t seem to move all that much. I am eager to string, too!
”
learn the name of this string.
”
5.5 male serve-and-volleyer using Wilson Pro Staff Blitz strung at 59
5.0 male serve-and-volleyer using Pro Kennex K15 PSE strung at 44
pounds LO (Gamma Durablast 16)
pounds CP (Natural gut 16 or 17)
For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com.
(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

strung either way, so that in overall CONCLUSION repeating), this superior performance
scores, Lightning with nylon mains was In playtest after playtest, our testers indi- comes at a discount compared to using a
well above average, while with gut mains cate that there is a lot to like in Klip’s full set of natural gut. This discount
it was above average. natural gut hybrids. This may not be sur- comes not only in the form of the initial
Just as impressive, Lightning with prising, given how well natural gut plays, purchase price, but also in terms of the
nylon mains garnered an impressively high but one interesting aspect is that Klip’s increased longevity of a hybrid set com-
average vote for playability compared to natural gut hybrids seem to offer superior pared to a pure natural gut string job.
our playtesters’ favorite strings, while performance whether configured with And, depending, on how ill-at-ease you
Lightning with gut mains really impressed the natural gut in the crosses, or in the are stringing natural gut, there’s also the
our playtesters for durability, compared to mains. time benefit that comes from the often
other strings of similar gauge. As Klip points out (and it bears faster installation of a synthetic compared
to the natural gut.
Gut mains/nylon crosses Nylon mains/gut crosses If you think that Klip Lightning might
Average playtest duration 14.75 hours 19.24 hours be for you, Klip is offering USRSA mem-
Broke during play 8 7 bers a special deal: Buy three sets, and get
Break hours 1, 4, 4, 5, 13, 20, 35, 36 4, 7, 7, 7.5, 9, 10, 12 the fourth set free. —Greg Raven Q

January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 43

 ask the EXPERTS
Your Equipment Hotline
POWER PADS
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT the
Q dampeners that are used at the
throat 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?
A 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 how
professional 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
44 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006
(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 benefits
on 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
Q 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-
A ier, the lighter racquet with the
higher swingweight, or the heavier
racquet with the lower swingweight?
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 the
handle 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
A 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

Wt (gm) Swingweight Bal. (cm)

(kg•cm2)

300 289 32.7

300 299 35.0

300 359 37.3

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 the
accompanying 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

Q and The Physics and Technology of

Tennis.

360-DEGREE ROTATION

January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 45

 tips and TECHNIQUES
Readers’ Know-How in Action
WRONG SIDE SHORT SIDE
REVISITED
I wanted to expound on the tip offered by
Albert Lee in the February 2005 RSI. The
tip, titled "Wrong Side Short Side," can
also be used when using the Around-the-
World (ATW) technique. When I string one
of the Rollers models, I put the longer side
of the string on the "short side" of the rac-
quet, where the tie-off hole is. After string-
ing the seventh main using the short side, I
string the top cross and tie off. With the
long side, I string the bottom cross, contin-
ue up the other side to complete the
mains, and start the crosses from the top at
the second cross. It works very well.
Gosen T-Shirt and 5 sets of Gosen OG
Sheep Micro Super JC 16 to:
Steve Huff, Mechanicsville, VA
Editor’s note: The ATW technique Steve
mentions is not the same as the ATW
technique shown in our Racquet Service
Techniques book. The ATW technique
46 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2006
Steve uses (which is also known as the
box pattern) is different for each rac-
quet configuration, but one common
aspect is that you have to be careful
weaving the bottom cross: If the rac-
quet has an even number of crosses,
the bottom cross is woven opposite the
weave of the top cross. If the racquet
has an odd number of crosses, then the
bottom weave is the same as that of
the top cross.
FIX A DRIFTING
STRINGMETER
If you’re one of those stringers who uses a
Stringmeter, you know that after years of
use, your Stringmeter can start to slip, and
gauge settings drift when you twist the
tool to take a reading. The solution is to
remove the outer measurement ring, take
some Akempucky or other stringer's wax
and coat the running grooves for the ring.
Replace the ring and you're done. The wax
provides enough friction to keep the
stringmeter settings where you put them,
making your meter good for a few more
years.
5 sets of Head FiberGel Power 16 to:
Albert Lee, MRT, Potomac, MD
CHECKING FOR CRACKS
When inspecting a racquet for problems
before stringing, always run your hand
around the frame of the racquet. Cracks are
often hard to see, but are always easy to feel.
5 sets of Ashaway Composite XT
Pro 16 to:
Kane Fasolo, Perth, Australia
Editor’s note: Broken edges of carbon
graphite can be extremely sharp, and you
don’t want to slice your hand open on a
shard of graphite. Instead of using your
bare hand, use a tissue or light rag. Not
only will the tissue or rag snag on the
edge of the crack, but it may even leave
behind some material, which will allow
you better to see where the crack is.
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 using
pliers. 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
MARKETING
TRACKING 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-
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 is
loaded 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
greg@racquettech.com.
January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 47