MAINTENANCE HEALTH & FITNESS TEACHING PROS SELLING SUCCESS

Courts closed? Use Cardio Tennis USTA, PTR, USPTA How you can
down time to get your continues to connect are working together service and retain
facility in shape fitness with racquets to raise the bar existing customers

PREPARING TO
June 2020 / Volume 48 / Number 6 / $5.00

RETURN
With the sport still on hold in many areas,
the tennis industry unites to help
formerly Tennis Industry
businesses, facilities and pros bounce back.

1
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 www.tennisindustrymag.com

Contents June 2020

DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve
Tennis industry responds to
6
16
Industry News
Racquet Tech
coronavirus challenges
P. 4, 6, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 40
18 Tennis Technology
19 USRSA Education
20 Business Management To aid in the fight against the coronavirus, the indoor courts at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis
Center supported a 350-bed temporary hospital facility, while Louis Armstong Stadium was a staging
34 Selling for Success area for distributing 25,000 meal packages a day.
38 Tips & Techniques
39 Ask the Experts
40 Your Serve,
by Angelo Rossetti

INDUSTRY NEWS
6 USTA pledges $50 million
to support tennis industry
6 Key elements to help
the tennis industry
8 Former USTA Prez Adams
reveals positive virus test
8 ITF, ATP, WTA to create
$6 million pro relief fund
9 Peoplewatch
10 Pro-Kennex introduces
new pickleball paddles
10 Laver Cup canceled, but
rescheduled for Boston 2021
10 'PTR Hour' launched on
social media in April
11 Short Sets
11 USTA cancels 2020
COVID-19 MAINTENANCE CARDIO TENNIS TEACHING PROS
Semiannual Meeting
12 USTA extends suspension
Rallying Fill Your Heart-Pumping A Standard
on events through May the Industry Down Time Fitness Solution
13 First tennis exhibition to have
no crowd, use PlaySight While the coronavirus With businesses Cardio Tennis, now The USTA, PTR and
continues its global shut down, now may managed by the USPTA are finding
14 Har-Tru hard-court surface attack, a united be the time to get USTA, continues to common ground
tapped for WTT season tennis industry your racquet sports encourage fitness and to raise the bar for
14 USTA picks Laykold as has launched a facility in prime shape a connection credentialing
official surface of US Open counteroffensive. to bounce back. to racquets. teaching pros.
P. 22 P. 26 P. 28 P. 32

C OV E R : S H U T T E R S T O C K ; T H I S PA G E C O U RT E S Y U S TA

PLUS
p.41

42 From the CEO: Serving You

During the Pandemic
48 51 55 58
Rincon Brothers Practice (At FAQ on USTA How to Manage 47 The Peak of Our Profession
Make the Most Home) Makes Support for Scoreboard Has So Much to Offer
of Careers on Perfect Certified Teaching Pressure 57 2020 World Conference:
the Court Professionals See You in New Orleans!

60 Career Development
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020 www.tennisindustrymag.com

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 OurServe
PUBLISHER
EDITOR'S NOTE JEFF WILLIAMS

In Unity, We Have Strength EDITOR

PETER FRANCESCONI

With Tennis Industry United and key MANAGING EDITOR

SCOTT GRAMLING

support from the USTA, the sport is CREATIVE DIRECTOR

IAN KNOWLES

pulling together to save itself. SENIOR EDITOR

ED McGROGAN

ART DIRECTOR
CRHISTIAN RODRIGUEZ

O
 
PRODUCTION EDITOR
ANDREA WOO

n the tennis court, players implement a comprehensive, collaborative SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR

look to their strengths action plan that addresses key segments BOB PATTERSON

to help them gain an
advantage. As an industry,
we also need to look to our
strengths, as we try to work through this
unprecedented time and come out safely
on the other side.
of the tennis industry,” according to the
mission statement.
The aim of Tennis Industry United is to
advise and assist individuals and busi-
nesses in this industry during this crisis
and “to ensure that the industry, its busi-
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
CYNTHIA CANTRELL, PEG CONNOR,
DAVID LASOTA, JUDY LEAND, KENT OSWALD,
CYNTHIA SHERMAN, MARY HELEN SPRECHER
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
BOB KENAS, DAVID KENAS

For a long time, we as an industry have
been challenged to work together for the
good of the whole. Now, it is imperative
that we all pull together.
And that is our strength—in this critical
time for our industry, we can put aside
differences and be unified in our purpose.
This crisis is proving that we
need to be thankful and
supportive that the USTA is
in this industry’s corner and is
ness and its people are well-positioned for ASSOCIATE EDITOR
a successful resurgence once this crisis is TIM McARTHUR
behind us.”
This effort has been led by the USTA, EDITORIAL DIRECTION
10TEN MEDIA
and specifically its new CEO Michael
Dowse, who comes from the tennis RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
industry and who, even before this crisis 250 Park Avenue, Ste 825, NY NY 10017
consumed the country, has made it known 646-381-8735
info@tennisindustrymag.com
he is all about focusing on growing recre-
ational tennis. Now, more than ever, his ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
focus is our imperative. JOHN HANNA
I have made no secret that I am a 770-650-1102, x125
cheerleader for our sport. With this crisis hanna@knowatlanta.com
on top of us, I, for one, feel lucky and more
confident having the support of the USTA
APPAREL ADVERTISING

bringing its resources to bear behind this industry.

on the survival of tennis.
The coronavirus crisis has put a lot in
perspective, in both business and in life.
Issues and disputes that seemed to take
up a lot of time and energy before now
just seem, well, petty. We have a collec-
tive challenge ahead of us—the survival
of our sport—and from where I sit, we are
collectively and collaboratively addressing
that challenge.
In the May issue, I talked about an
industry task force formed with part-
ners and stakeholders to work together,
“brand-free,” to keep the tennis business
alive. That effort now has a name: Ten-
nis Industry United. And it has a united
purpose: to work together “to develop and
Yes, the USTA is one of the richest
national governing bodies in sport, and
yes, because of that, it has at times been a
target of criticism. But this crisis is proving
that we need to be thankful and supportive
that the USTA is in this industry’s corner
and is bringing its resources to bear on the
survival of tennis.
There is strength in unity. Together, as
one brand, we’ll get through this. Fighting
this battle as a unified force will make us
stronger for the future.
Peter Francesconi
Editor
Peter@TennisIndustryMag.com
CYNTHIA SHERMAN
203-558-5911
cstennisindustry@gmail.com
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
year: monthly, January through August with combined
issues in September/October and November/
December, by Tennis Channel, Inc., 250 Park Avenue,
Suite 825, New York NY 10017. Periodical postage paid
in Duluth, GA and at additional mailing offices (USPS
#004-354). June 2020, Volume 48, Number 6 © 2020
by Tennis Channel, Inc. All rights reserved. Racquet
Sports Industry, RSI and logo are trademarks of Tennis
Channel, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising:
770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation and editorial:
646-381-8735. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S.,
$40+ elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to Racquet Sports Industry, 250 Park Avenue, Suite
825, New York NY 10017. Racquet Sports Industry is
the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA and ASBA.
Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/Racquet
Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our website
at TennisIndustryMag.com for free digital versions.

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020 www.tennisindustrymag.com

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IndustryNews
IndustryNews Information to help you run your business
COVID-19
USTA Pledges $50 Million
to Support Tennis Industry
I
n mid-April, the USTA an-
nounced a comprehensive suite
of programs with a commitment
of more than $50 million to sup-
lotto.sportlife.us | 484.261.2100
port the tennis industry during the
Covid-19 pandemic. It’s the second
phase of ongoing efforts that the organi-
zation is developing in concert with the
U.S. tennis industry to provide immedi-
ate relief to businesses, spur recovery,
and help the rebuilding process.
In the first phase in March, the
industry came together for Tennis
Industry United, a collaboration of the
USTA, TIA, USPTA, PTR, ITA, major
endemic media partners and others, to
assess overall industry needs and make
recommendations for industry sectors,
especially tennis providers, that need
immediate relief.
In this second phase, the USTA and
its partners will offer specific economic
assistance packages, increased support
to navigate government assistance for
6 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
facilities and coaches, access to indus-
try leaders, daily educational webinars
and phone support to help individuals
emotionally impacted from Covid-19.
Community tennis remains the organi-
zation’s top priority, with $35 million in
commitments allocated toward “grow
the game” programming through 2021.
The extent of this future support will
be determined by the financial perfor-
mance of the 2020 US Open and the
impact that the current pandemic has
on the event.
The USTA identified more than
$20 million in savings by instituting
salary reductions for USTA manage-
ment, eliminating programs in market-
ing, Player Development and operations,
and deferring all non-essential capital
projects.
“Helping tennis facilities, com-
munity tennis programs and teaching
professionals navigate the multitude
of government grants and loans was of
immediate importance,” says USTA CEO
and Executive Director Michael Dowse.
“The foundation of our sport begins
with these stakeholders and we need to
ensure they can weather the storm and
remain viable as the storm recedes. This
is all about ‘relief, recovery and rebuild’
for our industry.”
Key Elements to Help
the Tennis Industry
Here’s a look at key steps, equating to a
$50 million commitment in spending, that
will provide support and assistance to grass-
roots tennis and will engage the U.S. tennis
ecosystem.
• Grow the Game Commitments: The USTA
National office will provide $35 million to
community tennis programming in 2020
and 2021. The funds are distributed through
the 17 USTA Sections to get the money closer
to grassroots decision makers and to fund
grassroots tennis programs.
• USTA Facility Grants: This funding is
expected to total more than $5 million and
will come from USTA National and USTA
Sectional offices.
• Certified Tennis Professional Membership
Grants: Expected to exceed $2.5 million,
these grants will ensure that tennis profes-
sionals will be able to renew their annual
membership dues moving into 2021.
• USTA Foundation Operating Grants: The
foundation will provide $5 million in operat-
ing grants to grassroots tennis and educa-
tion organizations supporting underserved
communities through the NJTL network.
• Legal Expertise: This will provide links
to identify and claim government support
through the CARES Act at the website
tennisindustryunited.com.
• Hosting of Tennis Offerings: One easily
accessible site, tennisindustyunited.com,
www.tennisindustrymag.com
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IndustryNews
INDUSTRY PEOPLE
Former USTA
Prez Reveals
Positive Test
for Covid-19
F
ormer USTA President Katrina
Adams revealed in April that
she had tested positive for
coronavirus and is now doing her part
to donate her plasma to save others.
“I was lucky. I was infected early in
March, before the NY numbers
skyrocketed and panic arose,” Adams
wrote on social media. “I had minor
symptoms, body aches and an undetect-
ed fever that broke during the night. I
tested positive and didn’t really suffer.”
Adams went into isolation after
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8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
Adams recovered from
coronavirus and has been
donating her plasma, which is
high in Covid-19 antibodies.
finding out she had been in contact with
someone who had contracted the virus,
canceling a trip to Switzerland for an
ITF board meeting.
“The brighter side is that I then be-
came a candidate to donate my plasma
to save the lives of others, as my anti-
bodies are extremely high,” the 51-year-
old said on Instagram.
®
play more. win more.
®
will host all tennis offerings from key
tennis organizations.
• Professional Development: Free
access to online continuing professional
development for facility owners,
managers and pros at tennisindus-
tryunited.com.
• Coping With Emotional Impact: This
entails free phone support for indi-
viduals in the industry through Aetna,
the USTA’s health provider, by calling
1-833-327-AETNA and referencing USTA.
• Dedicated Email Address: The email
address covidsupport@usta.com has
been created to respond to specific que-
ries regarding Covid-19.
• Daily Updates, Guidance and Blog: At
www.tennisindustryunited.com.
• Free Website Builder Tool: Provided by
the USTA, this communication tool will
include marketing and content resources
for facilities and pros.
ITF, ATP, WTA to Create
$6 Million Pro Relief Fund
The leaders of tennis’s governing
bodies announced the creation of a
more than $6 million relief fund to
help lower-ranked players weather
the crisis created by the coronavirus
pandemic.
While details were still being ne-
gotiated in late April, the fund is ex-
pected to include $1 million contribu-
tions from each of the four Grand Slam
tournaments: the Australian Open,
the French Open, Wimbledon and the
US Open. The ATP and WTA tours are
also expected to contribute close to
$1 million each. The ITF, which over-
sees many lower-level pro tourneys
and the Davis Cup and Fed Cup team
events, will also contribute.
The fund will be administered by
the ATP and WTA and is expected to
primarily benefit men’s and women’s
players ranked outside of the Top 200
in singles. The pro tours have been on
C O U RT E S Y U S TA
hiatus since early March due to the
pandemic.
“Especially outside the Top 100, a
lot of guys tend to make their living on
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 IndustryNews

People
Watch
USTA President Patrick Galbraith was
among a group of sports leaders consult-
ing with the White House on the status of
their respective sports and leagues.
Spain’s Manolo Santana and Australia’s
Fred Stolle have been awarded the ITF’s
highest honor, the ITF Philippe Chatrier
Award, given to individuals or organiza-
tions that have made significant contribu-
tions to the sport of tennis both on and off
the court.
Wianno Club in Osterville, Mass.,
has named David DiSesa as Director of
Racquets. A graduate of Florida State Uni-
versity and a USPTA certified professional,
DiSesa joins Wianno after serving as Head
Tennis Professional at The Misquamicut
Club in Watch Hill, R.I., for the past five
summer seasons.
World No. 57 Lucas Pouille of France has
joined the Babolat Team and will play with
the Pure Drive Racquet.
Wilson has signed global padel star
Fernando “Bela” Belasteguín to its Advi-
sory Staff. Belasteguín will collaborate with
Wilson and co-design a signature padel
collection of products, including a paddle
line, accessories, apparel and footwear. He
will also contribute insights and test future
Wilson padel products.
East Chop Tennis Club in Martha’s
Vineyard, Mass., has hired Jennifer
Gelhaus as its new tennis director for the
2020 summer season. BeyondTheBase-
lines.com, which will continue to assist
and advise the club, was hired to manage
and conduct a nationwide search.
The latest tennis book from New
Chapter Press is Juan Martin del Potro: The
Gentle Giant, the first English-language
book on the Argentine tennis great,
written by tennis writer Sebastian Torok.
The book, available at amazon.com, tells
the story of one of Argentina’s greatest
tennis players and the most important
of his generation. The original version of
the book was published in Spanish under
the title El Milagro Del Potro.

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www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

IndustryNews
News

Pro-Kennex's Ovation
Touch and Pro Touch a week-to-week basis,” Christopher
paddles use an energy
transfer system to Eubanks, a 23-year-old American
reduce vibration. ranked 238th on the ATP Tour, told
The New York Times. “So any kind of
financial assistance would allow us to
be able to maintain our necessities. I
think having the peace of mind, know-
ing we have rent and food covered and
money to train, would be very helpful.”
PICKLEBALL

Pro-Kennex Introduces
2 Pickleball Paddles

T
he latest pickleball paddles from Pro-Kennex are the oval Ovation Touch
and the conventionally rectangular Pro Touch, both with a suggested retail
price of $169. The company says its paddles utilize an embedded energy
transfer system in the core to help reduce vibration.
Pro-Kennex says its engineers worked with head of paddle development and
pickleball champion Steve Dawson to create paddles with a texture-free face that
increases friction as the ball meets and leaves the paddle, an updated edge guard to
reduce drag and vibration, and honeycombed polypropylene cores.
For more information, visit pro-kennex-pickleball.com or call 760-473-3069.

2020 Laver Cup Canceled,

But Slated for Boston 2021
Laver Cup organizers have canceled
the 2020 event, originally scheduled
for Boston in September. The move was
prompted by changes to the international
tennis calendar, which created a sched-
uling conflict with other major tennis
events, notably the French Open, which
moved from its May start to Sept. 20 of
this year.
“We know our passionate fans will be
disappointed that they have to wait an
extra year for the Laver Cup in Boston, but
this is the responsible course of action,”
Tony Godsick, Laver Cup chairman, said
in April.
The Laver Cup will make its Boston
C O U RT E S Y P R O - K E N N E X ; G ET T Y I M A G E S

debut next year—the fourth edition of

the event will be held at TD Garden from
Sept. 24-26, 2021.
Fans who purchased tickets or pack-
ages for this year’s event can either keep
their tickets (which will remain valid for
Laver Cup 2021) or receive a full refund.

‘PTR Hour’ Launched

on Social Media in April
The PTR says more than 2,000 peo-
ple signed on to the inaugural “PTR

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020 www.tennisindustrymag.com

 IndustryNews

Short
Sets
Following the severe impact on its busi-
ness from the coronavirus pandemic,
Adidas recently received approval from
the German government to participate in
KfW, Germany’s state-owned development
bank. The company will receive about $3.3
billion.
Tokyo Olympics organizers have resched-
uled the Summer Games to July 23 to Aug.
8, 2021, almost exactly a year after the
games were originally slated to start. The
Paralympics will be Aug. 24-Sept. 5, 2021.
Due to the circumstances surrounding
Covid-19 and the current tennis climate,
the USTA is suspending all applications for
Fall 2020 USTA Awards. The hold includes
all Outstanding Facility Awards and the
Featured Facility Award.
Officials for Slinger Bag say they’ve ful-
filled all 2,650 pre-orders of the tennis ball
launcher in the U.S. and Canadian markets
and will now concentrate on fulfilling pre-
orders from Europe, Asia and the rest of the
world. In addition, Slinger Bag announced
in April its inaugural global distribution
agreement with Japanese sporting equip-
ment distributor Globeride Inc.
The 13-court Boulevard Tennis Club in
Vero Beach, Fla., is working with SBW As-
sociates and BeyondTheBaselines.com as
it seeks to restructure the club operations
and staffing requirements and plan for
the post Covid-19 economy.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is the
official hotel partner of the International
Tennis Hall of Fame.
Ping-pong may hold promise as a
form of physical therapy for Parkinson's
disease. People with Parkinson's who
participated in a ping-pong exercise pro-
gram once a week for six months showed
improvement in their Parkinson's symp-
toms, according to a preliminary study
released recently that will be presented
to the American Academy of Neurology.

Hour” broadcast on Facebook, held on

April 9. The interview program, offered
every Thursday in April, looked into the
lives and insights of current and former
players and coaches.
PTR President and Rogers Cup
Tournament Director Karl Hale and
fellow PTR Board member Lynne
Rolley, a former top ranked player and
award-winning coach, conducted the
interviews for PTR Hour. The inaugural
show featured interviews with James
Blake, John Isner and Pam Shriver. Sub-
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sequent shows featured Jim Courier,

Gigi Fernandez, Milos Raonic, Roberto
Bautista Agut, Felix Aliassime, Belinda
Bencic, Lindsay Davenport, Brad Gil-
bert and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
USTA Cancels 2020
Semiannual Meeting
The USTA has canceled its Semiannual
Meeting & Conference (SAM), which had
been scheduled for Sept. 5-7 in New York
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City, during the US Open. As of late April,

the USTA was still continuing to plan for
CALL FOR A CERTIED CONTRACTOR IN YOUR AREA!
the 2020 US Open, slated for Aug. 31 to
Sept. 13.
In a message to USTA staff and
info@ritewaytennis.com | 1-877-5 RiteWay
volunteers on April 18, USTA President www.ritewaytennis.com
Patrick Galbraith said, “In light of ongoing

www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

IndustryNews
concerns regarding the Covid-19 pandemic
and current restrictions and concerns over
mass gatherings, the one thing we know for
certain is that, at best, [the Open] will be far
less profitable than prior years. Given the
clear financial implications, we have made
the hard decision to forgo the live Semian-
nual Meeting & Conference. … Canceling will
result in significant savings for USTA Nation-
al as well as Sectional Associations, Districts
and other attendees.”
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
Galbraith emphasized the need to
“keep the information and communica-
tion flowing so that we remain connect-
ed as an organization and are ready to
resume play when the time comes to do
so.” The USTA plans to provide “virtual
components” of the SAM.
Mouratoglou to Start
Independent Tennis League
Patrick Mouratoglou, who coaches
Serena Williams, says he is starting
an independent tennis league based
at his academy in Nice, France, that
will have professionals play matches
without spectators. The league was
expected to start May 16.
Mouratoglou(above) calls his ven-
ture the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, or
UTS. the plan is to livestream 10 match-
es per weekend for five weekends in
May and June. Because of the corona-
virus, the ATP and WTA pro tours have
been on hold since March and won’t
resume until at least mid-July.
In the first match, No. 10 David
Goffin of Belgium, a three-time Grand
Slam quarterfinalist, was slated to face
No. 103 Alexei Popyrin of Australia.
USTA Extends Halt
on Events Through May
The USTA announced in April that, due
to the Covid-19 virus, and after discus-
sions with the USTA Medical Advisory
Committee, it will extend the suspension
of USTA sanctioned products and events
through at least May 31.
The suspension includes: Adult and
Junior Tournaments, USTA Leagues, USTA
Junior Team Tennis, USTA Social Leagues,
Team Challenge, Team Tournaments,
USTA Schools programs, Tennis on
Campus and Wheelchair events.
Category 1 and Super Category 2
National Adult Tournaments with an ITF
status, all ITF Junior events, all Junior,
Adult and Wheelchair L1 - L3 events,
and all USTA Pro Circuit and professional
events will be suspended through July
12. Also suspended is the National
Standings List (NSL) for Adult, Junior
and Wheelchair play. The NSL published
on March 18 will serve as the most
current until competition resumes.
“The impact of Covid-19 has been felt
across the tennis landscape, and it is our
goal to ensure that the sport is able to be
played in a safe and healthy fashion at
G ET T Y I M A G E S
the parks and facilities throughout the
country once the pandemic subsides,”
said USTA President and Chairman of the
Board Patrick Galbraith.
www.tennisindustrymag.com

PROFESSIONAL TENNIS
First Tennis Exo to Have
No Crowd, Use PlaySight
I
n a glimpse of what might
become the norm over the
rest of the 2020 season,
the first exhibition event
in tennis’ new world was slated
to be played in Germany on May
1. The main attraction was a
match between No. 239 Dustin
Brown of Germany and No. 332
Jan Choinski of Britain.
The Telegraph in the U.K.
reported that the relaxation of
Germany’s Covid-19 lockdown
has allowed tennis to resume
in three of Germany’s 16 states,
including Rhineland-Palatinate,
where the Tennis Point Exhibi-
tion Series was arranged.
The format consists of 32
1.27
mm
1.22
mm
40 ft 360 ft 720 ft
[ 16 gauge ] [ 17 gauge ]
set
www.tennisindustrymag.com
IndustryNews
matches over four days, all
played behind closed doors,
with the content broadcast by
the Tennis Channel and the
scores streamed for betting.
Travel restrictions limited
the event to local players; there
are no participants ranked in the
Top 100.
During the matches—on
indoor clay at the Base
Tennis Academy near the town
of Hohr-Grenzhausen—there
will be only three people on
court: the two competitors and
a chair umpire. PlaySight, which
does not need an operator, will Germany's Dustin
Brown is scheduled to
be used to supply images for the play in an exhibition
broadcast. event in May.
reel reel
June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13
IndustryNews

USTA Picks Laykold As

Official US Open Surface
The USTA officially announced in
March that, following an extensive RFP
process, Laykold has been selected as
the new court surface for the US Open
and the USTA Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center. The new agreement is in
place for five years.
The Laykold courts will be manufac-
tured by Advanced Polymer Technol-
ogy (APT), a member of Sport Group,
COURT CONSTRUCTION the world’s largest business dedicated

Har-Tru Hard-Court Surface to sports surfaces. APT has a fully

integrated global supply chain, from

Tapped for WTT 2020 Season raw materials to installation, which the
USTA says will allow for consistency in
quality control, playing performance

H
and sustainability.
ar-Tru Sports Coatings will be the official playing surface of World Team- Laykold also provides court surfaces
Tennis for the 2020 season. A longtime leader in clay court surfaces, Har- for many professional tennis events
Tru is partnering with WTT as the official hard-court provider. and professional tennis exhibitions
Har-Tru’s hard-court surface—Har-Tru Sports Coatings—will be used for all WTT around the world, including the Miami
matches during the league’s regular season, scheduled for July 12 to 31, including Open and New York Open. The USTA
the season-ending championships Aug. 1 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. has previously utilized Laykold at
“This is a very exciting time for Har-Tru,” says Tracy Lynch, vice president of three Fed Cup ties held in the United
sales and marketing. “We are excited to be partnering with WTT.” States.

C O U RT E S Y H A R -T R U S P O RT S C OAT I N G S

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020 www.tennisindustrymag.com

RELIEF. RECOVER.
REBUILD.

In these unprecedented times, everyone in the tennis industry is facing

challenges. That’s why the tennis industry has come together to analyze
the needs and concerns of all involved in our sport, collaborating on
programs that provide both immediate and longer-term support.

TennisIndustryUnited.com is your go-to destination for information, insights,

and resources. Access blogs, podcasts, webinars and more from a variety of
business and industry experts—all designed to help you stay in the game.

PODCASTS BLOG WEBINARS

Insights and Expert insights from You’ve got
information to help industry leaders. questions; we’ve
you tackle these A new view. got answers.
tough times.

TENNISINDUSTRYUNITED.COM
www.tennisindustrymag.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE
It’s in the Details
To keep your players’ racquets
playing their best, pay attention to
grommets and bumper guards.
By Bob Patterson
Executive Director, USRSA
G
rommets are a vital part
of the racquet. Over the
years, we’ve seen innova-
tions from various manu-
facturers introducing
new shapes, materials and other ways
to improve the performance of these
underappreciated protectors of string.
While shapes and materials may
contribute to enhanced performance of
a racquet, the bottom line is grommets
are an integral liaison between the two
major components of the racquet: the
frame and the strings. In today’s mod-
ern, ultra-light, thin-walled graphite
frames, the grommet provides much-
needed protection from the string.
At the same time, they also provide
protection to the strings.
When composite and metal racquets
first emerged, grommets were essential,
as the sharp edges of the drilled holes
would cut through nylon or gut strings.
The RAB Fittex replacement
grommet system can help
if just one or two barrels
need to be replaced.
16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
Racquet Tech
That is still true with modern racquets,
but now the protection goes both ways.
I’ve seen a split grommet that allowed
the string to contact the thin walls of a
graphite frame—and the string won the
battle by slicing through the graphite
material like a saw, ruining the frame.
This is becoming more frequent now
that frame walls are thinner, and many
strings are more durable.
All grommets will eventually wear
out and need to be replaced. Most mod-
ern grommets are attached to a strip to
align them and make installation easier.
Generally, there are four pieces: the
headguard, two side pieces, and one in
the throat of the racquet. Other designs
may have the strips divided into more
pieces to facilitate installation or ac-
commodate unique frames.
It’s important to note that grommet
strips are generally uniquely molded
to fit a particular frame, so be sure the
part you have is the correct part for the
frame you’re working on.
When the bumper guard is severely
worn, or there are grommet barrels that
are shot, it’s time for a replacement. But
often, there may be only one or two bar-
rels that are bad. It is possible to replace
only the damaged barrel, which may
be useful if a customer is using an old
racquet that no longer has replacement
parts available. The RAB Fittex replace-
ment grommet system (distributed
by Alpha and other outlets) has been
around for decades and can easily help.
The grommet gives the
frame much-needed
protection from the string.
At the same time, grommets
also provide protection
to the strings.
In the RAB system, replacement bar-
rels come in a variety of diameters, from
2 mm to 4.7 mm, and in lengths suitable
for all racquet types and applications.
The individual grommet barrels are
tapered and have thin “fins” at the base
to seat the new barrel in place and keep
it from slipping through.
To best utilize these replacement
barrels, you’ll need the RAB Grom-
met Grinder tool—a simple awl-like
device with a serrated spiral tip that,
when inserted in the damaged grom-
met barrel and twisted, will sever the
barrel cleanly from the strip. Then you
can insert the appropriate replacement
grommet. Depending on the placement
of the new grommet, you may need to
trim the length with your cutting pliers
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y B O B PAT T E R S O N/ U S R S A
to match adjacent barrels, once it is
fully installed.
If you’ve replaced a grommet or two,
you’ll still want to be cautious dur-
ing the stringing process so as not to
dislodge the new barrels. But once the
racquet is fully strung, the new barrels
will stay put firmly.
So be ready for a quick and easy
grommet repair and save the headache
of premature string breaks—or, worse
yet, damaged frames. •
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 WE SUPPORT OVER
250 LOCAL GRASSROOTS,
NJTL CHAPTERS,
AND THE 160,000
KIDS THEY SERVE

The National Junior Tennis and Learning Network was

created as a way to gain and hold the attention of young people,
with the hope of teaching them the importance of character,
getting an education and becoming productive citizens.

Now more than ever we need your help to support the next
generation of tennis players and leaders across the country.
Today we ask you to stand with us, and please consider
making a donation or getting involved to help kids
on and off the court in your local community.

DONATE:
ustafoundation.com/donate
GET INVOLVED:
email us at njtl@usta.com
Photo courtesy of Kings County Tennis League, a chartered NJTL chapter supported by the USTA Foundation. The USTA Foundation Incorporated (“USTA
Foundation”) provides grants and scholarships for programs that combine tennis with education to enrich the lives of under-resourced youth. USTA Foundation
is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt, not-for-profit, charitable and educational organization. IRS ID #13-3782331. A copy of USTA Foundation’s most recent annual report is
available by contacting USTA Foundation Incorporated at 70 West Red Oak Lane, White Plains, NY 10604 or the New York State Attorney General Charities Bureau
at 120 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10271. ©2020 USTA Foundation Incorporated, 70 West Red Oak Lane, White Plains, New York 10604. All rights reserved.
 Tennis Technology
MOBILE APP
High Tech
Bleachr’s unique TennisONE App,
designed for 'all things tennis,' wins
Tennis Industry Innovation Challenge.
B
leachr LLC’s TennisONE
App is a mobile hub for
all things tennis—provid-
ing live scoring, AI “ball
tracer” technology, player
stats, social games and other tennis
content—and was the winner earlier
this year of the fifth Tennis Industry
Innovation Challenge.
“The new TennisONE app is a fresh
approach to help unite the sport by
bringing together tennis players, fans,
tournaments and industry organiza-
tions into one mobile platform,” says
Kristin Geer, CEO of Bleachr. “The
app’s predictive social games are
revolutionary in how they will directly
connect sponsor brands to the highly-
desirable tennis demographic.”
Bleachr partners with a number of
18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
professional events, including the
Miami Open, Western & Southern Open
in Cincinnati, Rogers Cup in Montreal
and Toronto, Paris Masters, Winston-
Salem Open, BB&T Atlanta Open and
Hall of Fame Open.
While the coronavirus has for now
shut down pro tournaments, the
­TennisONE App has changed to live-
streaming players and industry leaders
on a forum called “Changeover Chat.”
The fifth edition of the Tennis Indus-
try Innovation Challenge, sponsored by
the Tennis Industry Association, was
held at the Racquet & Paddle Sports
Show in Orlando, Fla. Three finalists,
chosen from an online application
process, presented five-minute pitches
about their new product or service to a
panel of judges, and in front of an
audience of tennis and racquet sports
leaders, in a Shark Tank-like competi-
tion. Geer made the pitch for Bleachr’s
TennisONE App (bleachr.co), which
beat out Hydrogen Sports’ Proton and
Mojjo’s PLAYR.
The runner-up, Hydrogen Sports’
Proton (hydrogensports.com) is a ro-
botic ball machine that is less than half
the size and weight of other ball ma-
chines, and smart enough to automati-
cally aim shots. The user taps the court
location on a mobile phone and selects
the ball’s speed and spin.
PLAYR’s Mojjo (mojjo.io) is a unique
technology based on image process-
ing and Artificial Intelligence that is
capable of analyzing a match “on the
fly.” The system is intended for clubs,
academies and schools, and uses a
touch-screen computer and two fixed
cameras on the court. A smartphone
can be synchronized as a third camera.
The Innovation Challenge was cre-
ated by former TIA Executive Director
Jolyn de Boer. There were 21 applicants
for the fifth edition of the Challenge,
which was moderated by Carlos Salum,
president of Salum International
Resources, a leadership performance
strategy consultancy based in Char-
lotte, N.C. The panel of judges included
Mike Barrell, coach for more than 30
years and the director of evolve9; Louis
Foreman, founder and chief executive
of Enventys Partners; Dr. Stuart Miller,
senior executive director of Integrity &
Development at the ITF; Keith Storey,
president of Sports Marketing Surveys;
and Maik Burlage, a former ATP tour
player who is the CEO and co-founder
of technology company Wingfield.
The first Tennis Industry Innovation
Challenge was held in March 2017 and
was won by Tennibot (tennibot.com), a
robotic tennis ball collector. The second
Challenge, held in August 2017, was won
by In/Out (inout.tennis), a line-calling
device that fits on any netpost.
The third Innovation Challenge, in
April 2018, was won by Tweener Light-
ing (tweener-lighting.com), a unique
LED system that attaches to existing
fencing. The fourth Challenge, in Janu-
ary 2019, was won by Sparc (playsparc.
com) by CCP Games, a virtual reality
game. •
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 USRSA Education
PROFESSIONAL STUDY
Service Guide
Use downtime during the coronavirus
crisis to polish your craft with the USRSA
Racquet Professional Study Guide.
By Bob Patterson
Executive Director, USRSA
S
hutdowns and self-isolation
mandates continue to reach
throughout the U.S., and
many experts agree that
opening back up again will
be a slow process. I work from home, so
I thought this would not really affect me
very much. But after many weeks, I’ve
found that I spend my days trying to
find new things to do.
I’ve also spoken with a lot of our
USRSA members about how their lives
have changed. Many are completely
shut down while others may be string-
ing a racquet every now and then.
But several members are using this
time to polish their craft. A great place
to start is reviewing the USRSA Racquet
Professional Study Guide, our “how-to”
guide to servicing racquets—from
www.tennisindustrymag.com
beginners to seasoned professionals.
Through the years, it’s been tweaked,
updated and expanded to make sure it’s
current. The study guide is available for
USRSA members at RacquetTech.com.
USRSA Study Guide
For beginners, the study guide provides
a step-by step process for stringing a
racquet, but once you have that tackled,
we take you further. There are in-depth
sections on racquet technology to help
you understand the physics of how a
racquet performs, and how factors such
as weight, balance, head size, swing
weight and other characteristics affect
performance. There is also a section
on string technology to help stringers
understand how the material, gauge,
tension and construction of string
works with the frame to affect perfor-
mance. In addition to racquet stringing,
there are sections on gripping, handle
resizing and racquet customization.
For those new to the industry, the
Racquet Professional Study Guide helps
you get off on the right foot. Using the
guide along with personal training from
one of our Master Racquet Technicians
will set you on the path to professional-
ism. During these days of social distanc-
ing, you may have to set up a video link
with an MRT or wait until things get
back to normal, but utilizing the down
time to study and learn the proper tech-
niques will be time well spent. If you
haven’t yet taken the certification exam,
now is the time to prepare.
If you are an experienced racquet
stringer/technician and may already be
certified, you probably haven’t looked
at the study guide in quite a while. Since
the guide is continually updated, you’ll
find a lot of new information that will
be useful for your business.
USRSA Certifications
The USRSA offers three levels of cer-
tifications for professionals in racquet
service. The Professional Racquet Advi-
sor (PRA) certification is designed for
anyone in a position to offer advice on
racquets and strings but who doesn’t ac-
tually perform the services. This is ideal
for pro shop staff and teaching pros.
The focus of the PRA exam is on racquet
and string technology and provides the
applicant with all the knowledge and
tools needed to properly fit a player
with the best racquet for their game.
The Certified Stringer (CS) certifica-
tion assures that the stringer can prop-
erly string and grip a racquet as well as
advise the player on choosing the right
string and tension for their needs.
The Master Racquet Technician
(MRT) is our highest and most presti-
gious certification. It encompasses all
the materials in both the PRA and CS
exams plus a more in-depth dive into
racquet customization and racquet and
string technology. For more on these
exams and study materials, visit www.
RacquetTech.com.
We are all anxious to get back to work,
but in the meantime, use your time to
step up your game. •
June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19
 Business Management
PLANNING AHEAD
Getting to the Other Side
At some point, this crisis will pass.
Are you preparing your business to
emerge ready to face the new reality?
By Bob Patterson
I
grew up hearing my parents
talk about their childhood
during the Depression. Of
course, I could never really
begin to comprehend what
that must have been like.
Right now, as I’m writing this while
cocooned in my home, businesses
are shuttered in an effort to thwart
the spread of coronavirus. To say that
what our world is now experiencing
is unprecedented would be a vast
understatement. For many of us, it’s
rather surreal, unlike anything we
20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
have ever encountered before.
But it brings me back to the only
reference that I have in my lifetime of
a serious interruption to business and
normal life as we knew it.
In 2001, I operated a thriving retail
tennis business that had begun in 1985
as a stringing service in my home. On
the morning of Sept. 11, my wife and I,
along with our business partner, were
in the office of our attorney. My partner
was retiring and we were finalizing the
paperwork of the buy-out. The meeting
was distracted, to say the least, as the
Despite the dire situation we're
in right now, things will get
better and business will return—
and you need to prepare your
business for the next phase.
news stories of what was happening at
the World Trade Center and the Penta-
gon unfolded.
We managed to finish our meeting
and we returned to the store as the sole
owners of our growing business. At
the end of that first day, our sales were
down by more than 80 percent. Over
the next week, business was even worse,
as people were glued to their TVs, won-
dering what would come next. Normal
had gone out the window.
By the end of that first week, our
weekly sales total was about half of what
our daily average would normally be.
For two weeks, we had several days with
zero sales—not a single customer came
in. Normally, at that time of year we had
averaged stringing about 35 racquets a
day, but our bins were empty.
It was hard not to panic. I had just
committed to a loan to buy out my
partner and now I was wondering if
my business, which had been growing
for more than a decade, would even
survive. I began to make plans to lay off
employees and try to save the business.
It had only been a week, but the losses
were piling up. I knew I would have to
start making cuts the next week to have
any hope of survival.
We opened the store on Saturday,
Sept. 22, expecting the worst. In those
11 days, though, operating with virtu-
ally no customers, we decided to clean,
reorganize and rearrange the store. If
we were going to go down, we’d go down
looking our best.
But then a customer came in. Then a
second one. Within an hour of open-
ing, we were bustling. And it continued
throughout the day. That Saturday,
we set a record for sales—doing more
business in that single day than we
had in an entire week of the previous
year. The next week, the brisk business
continued, and we finished the month
of September with a 12 percent increase
over the previous year.
Why am I telling this story? Because,
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 Use social media and other outlets to reassure your clients that as soon as
the courts open up, you will be there for them.
despite the dire situation we’re all in
right now, things will get better. Things
will recover.
I realize, of course, that our current
situation is different in many ways, but
the bottom line is that eventually busi-
ness will return, and that means you
need to be making plans to be ready.
Of course, right now, first and fore-
most, you need to do whatever you can
to remain safe and get through this pan-
demic. But also, start preparing your
business for the next phase.
For instance, now is the perfect time
to review your business plan. Look at
what was working in your business
before all this happened, and especially
www.tennisindustrymag.com
look at what wasn’t working the way
you feel it should have been. Then make
plans to change things as needed. Capi-
talize on your strengths and discard or
change things that were underperform-
ing. Are there new things you consid-
ered in the past but were always too
busy to implement? Now is a great time
to examine how new procedures might
work, and put in place plans to make
those changes.
Also, consider what we did back in
2001: If you’re like most people with a
small business, it’s probably well past
time to give your store or shop a thor-
ough cleaning. I bet you’ve had it
on your to-do list for years. Consider
rearranging merchandise or customer
flow in your store to better utilize the
space and make things more accessible.
During this downtime, it’s important
to stay in touch with your customers.
Use social media and other outlets to
reassure your clients that as soon as
the courts open up, you will be there
for them. Haven’t done much on social
media? Again, with time at home, now is
the time to learn.
Once we emerge from this, I predict a
surge in business. Will you be ready? •
Former retail shop owner Bob Patterson
is the executive director of the U.S.
Racquet Stringers Association.
June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21
COVID-19 VIRUS
Rallying
the Industry
While the coronavirus continues its
global attack, a united tennis industry
has launched a counteroffensive.
By Judy Leand
The coronavirus pandemic persists,
but the U.S. tennis industry, led by
the USTA, has initiated a three-
phased response aimed at providing
immediate relief, spurring recovery
and helping the industry rebuild
when the crisis passes. To augment
the effort, the USTA will provide $50
million in funding.
Initiatives run the gamut, from the
formation of a collaborative industry
working group dedicated to providing
help for tennis facilities, community
22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
programs and teaching pros in need
of economic assistance, to converting
parts of the USTA Billie Jean King Na-
tional Tennis Center into a temporary
hospital and food distribution center.
“This is all about ‘relief, recovery
and rebuild’ for our industry,” said
USTA CEO and Executive Director
Michael Dowse.
The USTA found that, as of March
23, about 85 percent of tennis clubs
had been closed in the U.S. and the
number was destined to climb, putting
most teaching pros out of work.
“Without our tennis facilities and
our teaching pros, we would not have
an ability to grow the sport,” Dowse
said during a recent media conference.
In late March, the USTA unveiled
the first phase of its plan: the creation
of Tennis Industry United, a collabo-
ration of the USTA, TIA, USPTA, PTR,
ITA, major endemic media partners
and others that are tasked with assess-
ing overall industry needs and making
recommendations for sectors that
need immediate relief.
On April 16, the USTA announced
Phase II, which focuses on provid-
ing financial assistance to help get
facilities and teaching pros back up
and running. In total, the USTA is
investing $50 million into the first
two phases of relief and recovery. The
USTA has also made it a priority to
commit $35 million to its 17 sections.
To accomplish all of this, the or-
ganization has identified more than
$20 million in savings through salary
reductions, eliminating programs in
marketing, Player Development and
operations, and deferring all non-es-
sential capital projects. Phase III will
concentrate on the rebuild.
“As we move into Phase III, we’ll be
focusing on growing the game again
and also working with our peers at
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 In late March, the USTA unveiled the first phase of its plan: the creation of
Tennis Industry United, a collaboration of the USTA, TIA, USPTA, PTR, ITA,
major endemic media partners and others.
Louis Armstrong Stadium at the
USTA National Tennis Center
was turned into a staging
area to prepare and distribute
25,000 meal packages a day to
patients, workers and children.
the ATP, WTA, Grand Slam boards
and ITF,” said Dowse. “We’re working
closely with them to put a package
together for lower-ranked tennis pro-
fessionals on both the ATP and WTA
tours, as we know they have suffered
significant financial hardship.”
Retailer Woes
The Covid-19 emergency has dealt
a massive blow to tennis specialty
retailers, too—and some may never re-
cover. Across the country, the govern-
mentally mandated closures of these
“non-essential” shops have taken a
severe financial and psychological
toll that extends through all parts of
the business, from leases, staffing and
operations to vendor relations and
customer retention.
“This is a tragedy of monumental
proportions and it will take a Her-
culean effort for me and my fellow
retailers to come back from this,” said
one East Coast-based store owner,
who preferred to remain anonymous.
“We need tremendous help from
our landlords and vendors. For the
sake of the tennis business, survival
is key. None of us are capitalized to
any great degree, so a pause like this
is catastrophic. Especially after going
through the winter months in the
Northeast, which is our slowest quar-
ter, to be put out of business in April
and May is a hardship.”
The situation is also harsh for
Player’s World of Sports, located in
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
PHOTO COURTESY USTA
“March and April are usually our
two busiest months, but this year
they’re a total wipeout,” said owner
Tom Jilly. He noted that many retail-
ers with whom he’s spoken are not
seeing any real cuts or forgiveness in
rent, but are working with landlords
www.tennisindustrymag.com
to defer and amortize payments.
Then there are vendor relationships.
“For hardgoods such as racquets
that don’t go out of style, vendors are
extending terms. But for soft goods,
primarily apparel, it’s more difficult,”
Jilly said. “A lot has already been on
sale online, which is a lose-lose for
vendors and brick-and-mortar retail-
ers. Luckily, we stopped delivery of
most summer [softgoods] in April.”
Adding to the frustration is the fact
that many vendors’ offices are closed.
“It’s hard to get ahold of someone
to discuss invoices because nobody’s
open,” noted Jilly, who adds that all
product launches are on hold for now.
During the shutdown, the store
remained connected to its customers
via social media, and filled curbside
orders that mainly consisted of string-
ing, tennis ball and pickleball sales.
“We operated for four hours a day
and nobody was allowed into the store
to shop. These sales were less than 5
percent of what they were last year,”
noted Jilly.
On a brighter note, Player’s World of
Sports reopened on April 21, in accor-
dance with strict guidelines including
social distancing, sanitizing surfaces
and steaming apparel.
“Customers are not trying on as
much apparel as in the past, and store
traffic will be slow for a while. We’re
located in a tourist area but hotels are
still closed. Locals can play a little bit,
but things will pick up more as private
clubs start to open,” Jilly said. “I’m
waiting to see tourism rebound be-
cause it’s 50 percent of my business.”
Going forward, Jilly intends to
make some changes to the business.
“I’ll back off a lot of the fashion
clothing and will carry more staples
and basic stuff unless manufacturers
can guarantee that the new prod-
uct won’t end up at T.J.Maxx or get
dumped online,” he said.
US Open and National Tennis Center
Through all of this turmoil, one im-
mediate glimmer of hope rests on the
viability of this year’s US Open. As of
press time, the USTA had set a time-
frame of June to decide whether or
not to go ahead with the tournament.
“Obviously, our ambition is to run
the tournament,” said Dowse. “It’s the
engine that drives our organization,
our governing body.”
However, he was also adamant that
the health and welfare of the players,
fans and staff would take precedence.
For this reason, the USTA formed a
medical advisory group of doctors that
consults with the organization on a
regular basis, and will help to deter-
mine whether it will be safe to hold
the tournament.
The event’s home at the USTA Billie
Jean King National Tennis Center
in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., under-
went a remarkable transformation in
early April with the construction of
a 350-bed hospital facility. New York
City’s Emergency Management office
coordinated the transformation of 12
courts at the NTC’s Indoor Training
Center into almost 100,000 square
feet of supplemental hospital space.
Separately, Louis Armstrong
Stadium, the second-largest stadium
on the grounds, is being utilized to
prepare and distribute up to 25,000
packages of meals every day, with each
package consisting of two days’ worth
of breakfast, lunch and dinner for
patients, workers and children.
“The Covid-19 curve is going in a
positive direction for the city,” Nation-
al Tennis Center COO Danny Zausner
said in late April, “but we’re not yet
prepared to shut this down. We’re cau-
tiously optimistic that by June 1, the
conversation will be different.”
But Zausner remains optimistic
about the future for tennis.
“Tennis is a sport played on a large
court and the players are naturally
distanced. Tennis could be a leader
in showing others how to play sports
safely,” he said. “Hopefully sooner
rather than later, tennis will reemerge
across the country, and we can start
the rebuilding process.” •
June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23
 COVID-19

PLAYING TENNIS SAFELY

PLAYER TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The USTA recognizes that the coronavirus has been affecting different parts of the country in different ways and with different timing.
We therefore believe it will be possible for people to return to playing tennis safely in some cities and states sooner than in others.

The Federal Government issued guidelines on April 16 for “Opening Up America Again” at WhiteHouse.gov/OpeningAmerica.
By following these guidelines as well as those of local governments and health agencies, facilities and players will be able to make
informed decisions as to when play can recommence.

If you live in a community where stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders have been lifted or modified, and if your locality meets the
standards in the Federal Guidelines, then tennis, if played properly, can be a great opportunity for you to relieve stress, socialize with
others and provide much-needed exercise. Of primary importance is taking every precaution to help keep all participants safe.

Because tennis does not require any direct person-to-person contact, players can enjoy the many physical and mental benefits that
tennis offers so long as you practice social distancing by keeping six feet apart from other players to ensure you are in a safe exercise
environment and follow other safety recommendations included here.

Although there is no specific evidence that tennis balls can spread COVID-19, we know that contamination by respiratory droplets
from an infected person can potentially survive on hard surfaces up to three days. If you choose to play tennis, be sure to practice
these safety tips and recommendations.

BEFORE YOU PLAY

• Make sure that your state and region allow tennis play, satisfy the Federal Government’s gating criteria (as outlined in the
“Opening Up America Again” guidelines) and have entered Phase One of the Phased Comeback.
• States and regions with no evidence of a rebound and that satisfy the gating criteria a second time may proceed to Phase Two of
the Phased Comeback, in which all individuals, when in public recreation areas, should maximize physical distance from others.
• Be aware that although restrictions are eased when your state and region move from Phase One to Phase Two or Phase Three
of the Phased Comeback, safety precautions must remain in place until there is a universal vaccine or effective treatment for
the coronavirus.
• The USTA Medical Advisory Group highly recommends competitive players ease their way back into play prior to competition.
Given the layoff from competing, players will be more susceptible to under-training, over-use and other injuries. The USTA
strongly recommends at least three weeks of on court and off court conditioning before competition begins.
• Arrange to play only with family members or others who live in your household or with individuals who are considered to be low risk.
• Do not play if any of you:
 Are exhibiting any symptoms of the coronavirus: mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and difficulty breathing, or
other symptoms identified by the CDC.
 Have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
 Are a vulnerable individual and your state and region is in Phase One or Phase Two. A vulnerable individual is an elderly
individual and/or an individual with serious underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure, chronic lung disease,
diabetes, obesity, asthma and those whose immune system is compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer and
other conditions requiring such therapy. (For states and regions in Phase Three, a vulnerable individual can resume public
interactions, including playing tennis, but should practice physical distancing.)

COVID-19 | PLAYING TENNIS SAFELY | PLAYER TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

PREPARING TO PLAY USE FOUR BALLS OR SIX BALLS
• Protect against infections: Although unlikely, it’s possible that a tennis ball
 Wash your hands with a disinfectant soap and water (for 20 seconds can transmit the COVID-19 virus, as virtually any
or longer), or use a hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily hard surface can transmit the disease. So here
available, before going to the court. is an extra precaution you can take to keep safe
 Clean and wipe down your equipment, including racquets and water when playing tennis:
bottles. Do not share racquets or any other equipment such as • Open two cans of tennis balls that do not
wristbands, grips, hats and towels. share the same number on the ball.
 Bring a full water bottle to avoid touching a tap or water fountain
• Take one set of numbered balls, and have
handle.
your playing partner take a set of balls from
 Use new balls and a new grip, if possible.
the other can.
 Consider taking extra precautions such as wearing gloves.
 If you need to sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue or upper sleeve. • Proceed with play, making sure to pick up
 Arrive as close as possible to when you need to be there. your set of numbered balls only. Should a
 Avoid touching court gates, fences, benches, etc. if you can. ball with the other number wind up on your
side of the court, do not touch the ball with
WHEN PLAYING your hands. Use your racquet head or feet
to advance the ball to the other side of the
• Try to stay at least six feet apart from other players. Do not make physical
court.
contact with them (such as shaking hands or a high five).
• You should consider not playing doubles, which could lead to incidental
contact and unwanted proximity. If you do play doubles, avoid all
incidental contact, NO Bryan Brothers Chest Bumps and NO whispering
to each other from a close distance to strategize.
• Avoid touching your face after handling a ball, racquet or other
equipment. Wash your hands promptly if you have touched your eyes,
nose or mouth.
• Avoid sharing food, drinks or towels.
• Use your racquet/foot to pick up balls and hit them to your opponent.
Avoid using your hands to pick up the balls.
• Stay on your side of court. Avoid changing ends of the court.
• Remain apart from other players when taking a break.
• If a ball from another court comes to you, send it back with a kick or with
your racquet.

AFTER PLAYING
• Leave the court as soon as reasonably possible.
• Wash your hands thoroughly or use a hand sanitizer after coming off
the court.
• Do not use the locker room or changing area. Shower at home.
• No extra-curricular or social activity should take place. No congregation
after playing.
• All players should leave the facility immediately after play.
©2020 USTA.
 COURT
MAINTENANCE
2020
FACILITY MAINTENANCE
Fill Your
Down Time
With business shutdowns due to the
coronavirus, now may be the time to get
your facility in shape to bounce back.
By Mary Helen Sprecher
With businesses on hold and stay-
at-home orders in place due to the
coronavirus, lots of people have lots
of time right now. So, what’s a good
and productive use of that time? For
facility owners, putting your courts
in order, so they’re ready to go when
your facility is open for business again.
Unfortunately, given the circum-
stances, there might not be (a) much
of a budget for drastic improvements,
(b) many people available to do those
improvements or (c) the oppor-
tunity to do as much as you’d like,
improvement-wise. But assuming you
can overcome these challenges, these
guidelines may help. Be sure, though,
to check to make certain all state
mandates are being followed—and
first and foremost, be safe.
Small Touches That Add Up
A facility that looks pulled together
and appears inviting isn’t always the
product of one sweeping change.
Sometimes, it is the combination of a
number of relatively simple improve-
ments. Here are some places to make
those changes:
Take a look at your courts’ wind-
screens. Are they fastened evenly?
26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
Are there any areas that are torn or
worn or otherwise in need of repair or
replacement? Make a list and check
with your windscreen company if you
need to place any orders.
Examine the fence and repair sag-
ging rails or gates that don’t swing
cleanly. Make sure all fence posts and
top finials are in place.
Spend some time pulling your
divider curtains into place. Does the
overhead cable sag? It may need to
be tightened. Check the directions
or consult with the manufacturer or
with your tennis court contractor for
information on the proper attachment
point for the cable, as it requires a
fair amount of tension to keep it from
drooping and looking messy.
Curtains should be checked to make
sure they slide easily and freely. All
hooks should be in place and operat-
ing cleanly. Repair minor snags or
holes in the curtains, or if it’s in poor
shape overall, order a new one.
Nets and Posts
Net posts can benefit from being
removed and touched up with a
rustproof paint. Replace any nets that
have holes or tears and spend some
time adjusting the tension so that all
nets present an even, attractive overall
look. Center straps and anchors
should be inspected as well.
In some cases, outdoor courts have
been closed to the public, with the
gates locked and nets taken down. In-
spect and repair what you can. While
these may not be ideal circumstances,
working on any aspects that you can
control will better position your facil-
ity to meet players’ needs when the
doors reopen.
On the Surface
A new color coating for your hard
courts might be on your wish list. In
some locations, construction work
such as court surfacing is still a safe
option; in other locations, resurfacing
or recoating courts may need to wait
until conditions improve.
In the meantime, concentrate on
giving the court a good spring clean-
ing. Power-washing (either done by
the court contractor or in accordance
with that contractor’s directions) can
make a surface look surprisingly clean
and bright. Check in advance, as this
may not be suitable for all surfaces.
If your cleaning abilities are lim-
ited only to addressing a few stains
here and there, a variety of brand-
name products are available, and
are designed specifically for tennis
court use. In all cases, contact a court
contractor, since different stains may
require different treatments. Check
with a contractor before using any
soap, cleaner or method, no mat-
ter how mild, since a discolored or
bleached surface can be difficult, if not
impossible, to remedy effectively.
If the court surface is generally free
of stains, keep away anything that has
the potential to cause surface stain-
ing or problems—this includes leaves,
pine needles, pollen and dirt—by using
a leaf blower or a soft push broom.
Make sure mats or shoe cleaners are
located at the entrance to each court.
Make sure squeegees, rollers or
anything else that will be needed once
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 Once your facility is open for business again, it’s likely
there will be a demand for court time for both tennis and pickleball—
and clubs and facilities need to be ready.

courts open and play resumes are
available and conveniently located.
On soft courts, a pre-season recon-
ditioning, top dressing and new line
tapes will be required before opening
for the year. In some areas, this has al-
ready been performed; however, if the
courts have been closed in the interim,
they will need extra care to bring them
back to playing condition. Consult
your court contractor for advice.
Take the time to make sure each
court has the maintenance equipment
it requires, such as drag brooms, line
sweepers and shoe cleaners, read-
ily available and in the proper place.
If you’re short on equipment or if
anything is broken, now is the time to
order what you need.
Accessories and Amenities
Light fixtures should be inspected and
any repairs made. Lighting for tennis
and pickleball courts must adhere to
specific standards, so take the time to
do light meter readings in specified
locations around the courts.
Set aside some time to inspect
courtside benches, tables and other
furniture. Make certain they sit firmly
and do not rock—players will notice,
avoid them and complain. If tables or
benches have umbrellas, make sure
they are easy to raise and lower and
are in good working order. Make sure
there are plenty of courtside waste
baskets as well as trash cans in view-
ing areas as well.
Inspect equipment such as ball
carts, hoppers and ball machines,
pop-up nets, drill equipment and any-
thing else that is regularly used when
courts are open. If anything needs to
be repaired or replaced, now is the
time to do that.
If you’ve been meaning to hang
signs that list court rules (anything
from reservation policies for court
time to rules regarding court-specific
shoes), this is the time to order them.
It’s almost certain, too, that new social
distancing or cleanliness policies will
need to be put in place, and on signs
placed in your facility.
Another good use of downtime is
learning as much as possible. The
American Sports Builders Association
has two publications available: Pickle-
ball Courts: A Construction & Main-
tenance Manual and Tennis Courts:
A Construction and Maintenance
Manual. Both are excellent resources
and can provide extensive informa-
tion on design, construction, mainte-
nance, repair, accessories, amenities
and more. Both are available from the
ASBA website at sportsbuilders.org
and can be purchased in either hard
copy or as a downloadable PDF. •

www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27


HEALTH & FITNESS
Heart-Pumping Fitness
Cardio Tennis, now managed by the
USTA, continues to encourage fitness
and a connection to the sport.
By Kent Oswald
C
ardio Tennis is celebrating
its quinceañera. Launched
in 2005 through a joint ef-
fort by the Tennis Industry
Association and the U.S.
Tennis Association, the tennis-based
fitness program has found a home in
facilities throughout the world.
Managed for 14 years by the TIA,
a 2019 agreement brought Cardio
Tennis into the USTA’s newly created
Program Development department
within Community Tennis. The USTA
then hired Michael Harper as Cardio
Tennis manager, based at the USTA
28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
Cardio Tennis
National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
Harper, a TIA Global Cardio Tennis
Training Team member since 2009, has
plans for the USTA to answer one ques-
tion regarding growth: “How can we
support [all] programs that are running
tennis-based fitness?”
Harper says he recognizes that the
success of the branded product at in-
spiring a “tennis as fitness” movement
has encouraged others to adapt the
ideas. He does not envision his program
changing how it teaches Cardio Tennis,
but he believes that when the goal is to
encourage fitness and a connection to
Launched by the TIA and
USTA in 2005, Cardio Tennis
is now offered at facilities
throughout the world.
tennis, flexibility is desirable.
For example, in an attempt to be
more inclusive and recognizing that
heart monitors have been for some the
most controversial of the course’s eight
parts, there is consideration about
relaxing it as a requirement. The struc-
ture of the course won’t change, but
there will be no mandate around how it
has to be delivered.
Unlike juniors, or league play, or high
performance—all of which have specific
forums where specialists can share best
practices or work together on profes-
sional development—Cardio Tennis is
not a featured industry sector. Harper’s
vision, and the USTA’s goal, is to change
that, and make it a more robust product
that facilities and teaching pros can use
throughout the industry.
That is the bird’s-eye view of where
Cardio Tennis is going. On the ground,
it has proven itself time and again.
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y U S TA
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 The retention rate for Cardio Tennis is very high. Once we draw
players in, they rarely leave the program. It’s a great crossover for many players
adding to their current clinics or lessons.
Upper St. Clair, Pa.
As much as the backhands of Roger
Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak
Djokovic can vary—except in terms of
effectiveness—so can the people who
successfully teach Cardio Tennis—
except in terms of dedication.
“The passion I have for Cardio
Tennis and love of this product is what
makes the Upper St. Clair [Pa.] Tennis
Development Program so strong,” says
TRX/Cardio Tennis Director Marcy
Bruce.
Bruce teaches the members of her
staff to bring passion and consistency
to each class, along with their own
personality and style. She teaches them
to follow the formula she learned from
former TIA Cardio Tennis Global Edu-
cation Director Michele Krause and
others in order to create a group energy
and contagion that keeps players com-
ing back.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Retention is consistently mentioned
as one of the benefits of successful
Cardio Tennis programs, sometimes
even before the extra revenue from
putting more players on a court. For
Bruce’s suburban Pittsburgh club, “The
retention rate is very high. Once we
draw players in, they rarely leave the
program. It’s a great crossover for many
players adding to their current clinics
or lessons.
“We usually draw players who played
college and high school tennis and want
to come back to play the game and may
be a bit rusty,” Bruce adds. “They tend
to start with Cardio Tennis and abso-
lutely love the experience. Why? They
get lots of touches on the ball and raise
their confidence playing the game they
once played at a high level through high
school or even in college.”
In pre-coronavirus times, the
10-court facility (six covered in winter)
would host about eight Cardio Ten-
nis classes each week. Whether day or
evening, the structure varied slightly,
based on the attendees. Mixed in are
“new to cardio” classes, in addition to
sessions geared for players in the 2.5 to
3.5 range, along with classes calibrated
for players at 4.0 and above who have
been participating in Cardio Tennis
training for a while. Generally, six
to eight people are on one court, but
two-court, two-instructor sessions can
engage up to 18 players at one time.
The result, says Bruce, is a program
that has been an attractive offering.
“As far as the future,” she says, “I
think we will continue to be consistent
and fill the classes we offer.”
Genesis Health Clubs
A particular benefit of Cardio Tennis
is how adaptable it is to circumstances,
whether this means different numbers
of players showing up for a session,
different skill levels of the players, a
change in available court space, or even
changed social circumstances.
With respect to current health
concerns, Mike Woody, national tennis
director of the Midwest chain Genesis
Health Clubs, believes, “Cardio Tennis
will provide a health outlet for players
to get a workout and still maintain so-
cial distancing. ... We need to remem-
ber that a tennis court occupies almost
7,200 square feet of space.”
As business gets back to normal,
Woody envisions building on what has
been a successful offering. Many of the
individual Genesis clubs—which mix
tennis, fitness, programs like yoga and
Cardio Tennis has the
potential to be the most
lucrative class for both the
individual teaching pro
and the facility.
June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29
 This obviously hit a nerve . People wanted to work out and tennis was an incredible way
to do it at any model. Cardio Tennis as a product did very well even during the recession, with
17 percent participation growth over the last 10 to 15 years.

general health awareness—run eight to
10 Cardio Tennis sessions a week, dur-
ing morning, afternoon, evening and
weekend hours when court time is not
at a premium.
Chainwide, according to Woody,
“Cardio Tennis has impacted our court
utilization and increased revenues at
our club.” For a club offering players of
all ages and skill levels beginner clin-
ics, stroke clinics, league play, private
instruction, junior tennis and special
events, Cardio Tennis still managed to
fill programming gaps and engage both
members and staff.
Woody, like others who run these
programs, is clear on the need for the
staff to believe in these programs and
to see them as complementary and
not contradictory to traditional tennis
offerings. The key, he says, is having “an
energizing professional who believes
in the program and is passionate about
providing a healthy, safe workout.”
To further differentiate what Cardio
Tennis is and isn’t, Genesis uses the
“orange Cardio Tennis ball” in order
to enhance enjoyment for all levels of
players. The clubs also utilize heart rate
monitors to let players record their
workout and inspire them to work hard
and stay safe.
Times may change, and the program
will adapt, but Woody is constant in
his belief in the program’s benefits, be-
cause for Genesis, it serves as “a bridge-
builder between a lifelong sport and
fitness/cardiovascular training. Cardio
Tennis brings the fun and surprise to
working out.”
Crooked Creek, Milton, Ga.
According to Rebecca Jameson, a
member of the Cardio Tennis Global
Training Team, Cardio Tennis is, “a
cornerstone of any well-rounded tennis
program.” Specifically, for the 11-court
residential tennis facility that Sceney
Tennis manages at Crooked Creek in
Milton, Ga., it has been part of building
a unique culture.
“Veteran attendees take new players
under their wing to show them the
ropes,” Jameson says. “More advanced
players often partner up with beginners
to even out the competition. Creating a
supportive and fun environment akin
to other boutique fitness studios has
been critical to the continued success
of the program.”
The Crooked Creek residential facility
experience has proven an effective way
to bring new players into the program.
“People bring partners, spouses,
teammates, family members and friends
to class knowing that this individual will
have a positive experience, regardless of
skill level,” Jameson says.
During normal times in the Atlanta

P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y U S TA

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020 www.tennisindustrymag.com

Michael Harper (at center in
photo below) is the USTA's
Cardio Tennis manager,
working with Cardio Tennis
trainers Thiago Santos and
Rebecca Jameson.
suburb, the club would offer five classes
a week, with morning classes com-
prised of stay-at-home parents or those
who work from home, and the weekend
and evening sessions drawing competi-
tive tennis players seeking a fitness
workout to add into their drill and
instruction sessions.
From a business standpoint, Cardio
Tennis has the potential to be the most
lucrative class for both the individual
pro and the club. Classes can be format-
ted to cater to higher ratios of players.
“We regularly have classes of up to 16
people on two courts,” Jameson says.
“Retention rates are also quite high;
around 80 percent of the attendees in
any given class participate in at least
one Cardio Tennis class a week, and
many of them participate in drills and
lessons as well.”
Jameson knows what works for her
club, but is clear-eyed about the need
www.tennisindustrymag.com
for adaptation. “Every club is different,
and it is important for pros to be able
to recognize and adapt to the unique
demands of their club,” she says.
“Cardio Tennis can be adapted
to specific groups of players, from
beginners to seniors. The key is in the
delivery.”
Life Time
Health and wellness brand Life Time’s
National Tennis Director Ajay Pant has
been supportive of Cardio Tennis since
the very beginning.
“This obviously hit a nerve. People
wanted to work out and tennis was an
incredible way to do it at any model,”
Pant says. “Cardio Tennis as a product
did very well even during the recession,
with 17 percent participation growth
over the last 10 to 15 years.”
An avowed fan of the original model,
Pant oversees different variations of
Cardio Tennis throughout Life Time’s
153 clubs (32 of which have significant
tennis offerings), 400 teaching pros
and 352 courts. Clubs can run the origi-
nal model, targeting new players with
a half-hour complementary orienta-
tion, but also focused on the social and
health aspects for 3.0- and 3.5-level
players. A few clubs use a Life Time
trademarked curriculum for HIIT, the
high-intensity interval training that
has blossomed from the Cardio Tennis
tree and lets players run and hit and
run some more.
Teaching pros at some clubs adapt
the standard model to their personality,
preference and audience, for example
using different music, or choosing red
instead of orange balls. A model used
specifically with a smaller court and
red balls finds favor with a “healthy ag-
ing” demographic. And a Cardio offer-
ing at some clubs once or twice a week
in the morning (provided at no charge)
puts players on multiple courts with
movement and a rotation through a
circuit of mass drills that offers a great
workout, sending the message that
clubs care about their members and
not everything is a financial transac-
tion. Not coincidentally, this provides a
retention boost.
Primarily because Pant believes in
the health benefits for some players of
not just “doing tennis as tennis,” as well
as the revenue and retention benefits,
Life Time “absolutely, unequivocally
will look to expand.” He advocates oth-
ers reach out to their tennis audience
with this type of exercise regiment, as
well as use Cardio Tennis as a way to
encourage new players to feel more
comfortable with traditional tennis.
Considering the anecdotal evidence,
his own experience and his club’s num-
bers, Pant is adamant: “We should be
embracing more and more tennis that
embraces the fitness aspect.” •
June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31
 Teaching Professionals
PRO CERTIFICATION
Standard Solutions
The USTA, PTR and USPTA are finding
common ground to raise the bar for
credentialing teaching pros.
By Kent Oswald
 A
key to growing tennis is
ensuring that teaching
professionals, who are
tasked with introducing and
retaining players, are at the top of their
games. To that end, and in collabora-
tion with both the U.S. Professional
Tennis Association and Professional
Tennis Registry, the USTA says it will
roll out core competency requirements
for teaching pros.
The rollout is planned for 2021, but
now, with the uncertainty surrounding
the effects of the coronavirus pandem-
ic, that timeline may change.
“We interviewed a large segment of
stakeholders in the industry,” explains
USTA-U Senior Manager Steve Keller.
“To increase standards and become
comparable with other coaching
systems [in terms of certification], we
felt it was critical to make an impactful
change by improving the delivery sys-
tem of the game, attract more people
into teaching the sport, and raise the
quality of the instruction.”
The USTA-U teams have been build-
ing the framework, including content
access, for the new requirements. The
time frame for certification of new pros
may take nine to 12 months to com-
plete, and would include approximately
1,500 hours of education (including
eight days of face-to-face instruction),
another 250 or so hours of online in-
struction, and a combination of another
1,200 hours of work experience that
includes on-the-job training, work with
a professional mentor, and attendance
at professional development events.
“We want to ensure entry-level
instructors are competent in delivering
quality coaching principles to begin-
ning to low-intermediate players of all
ages,” says Keller.
In addition to a grounding in the
basics of technical and tactical in-
struction, Keller says, “The tennis
professional of tomorrow is going to
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 be well-rounded by adding areas such
as an introduction to officiating; how
to create and manage teams and run
tournaments; working with wheelchair
and adaptive players; apply sports sci-
ence; and incorporate technology into
education, to name a few.”

Setting the Standards

It is an ambitious agenda, and anyone
familiar with tennis is aware of the
delicate balancing act it can be to get
all stakeholders on board for such a
far-reaching change to the status quo.
Fortunately, there appears to be
common ground among the USTA, PTR
and USPTA.
Both teaching professional orga-
nizations were already investing in
new programs that were using recent
advances in sports science to bolster
the preparation and education of their
membership. And while the USTA We felt it was critical to make an impactful change by
believes that, as the national governing
body, part of its role is to “set the stan-
improving the delivery system of the game, attract more people
dards,” the actual certifying agencies into teaching the sport, and raise the quality of the instruction.
each see their mission as taking their
membership to new heights.
Recognizing the need to continue to With research that suggests half of as it will require work experience
improve the process for their 16,000 this country’s teaching pros are not yet along with continuing education
members, as well as those who will certified, Parkkonen explains that, “The requirements,” he explains.
come through the ranks in the future, big challenge is for the clubs to buy into The requirement for additional time
the PTR introduced a new Level 1 path- this program and insist on only hiring and education to complete certifica-
way for coaching certification this past certified pros.” He looks forward to the tion compared to the past is because, as
year. In addition to updating all the USTA wielding its influence with clubs Viancos notes, “The amount of com-
shared information regarding junior regarding the hiring of more certified petition for consumer time and dollars
development through school play and teaching pros at those locations. is extremely high. Also, consumers are
into bettering the adult tennis player more sophisticated when it comes to
experience, the PTR increased the Benefits to Pros and Clubs shopping and activity experiences.”
number of hours of face-to-face educa- The USPTA has conducted over 150 cer- Continuing education and profes-
tion necessary for certification. The tification exams based in specific teach- sional development are big pushes, but
2020 plan is for a new Level II pathway ing criteria, ranging from teaching skills right now the focus for the introduc-
as well. But even with that, the organi- to sports science to business concepts, tion of more robust standards will be
zation is ready for more. and COO Fred Viancos sees opportuni- to those new to the profession. Keller
“We 100 percent believe in [this ties for his group’s 15,000 members is adamant that getting everyone to
USTA initiative] as an organiza- through working with the USTA. work together will make sure players—
tion,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. “Our membership will benefit from whether taking lessons on public courts
“Coaches are excited about this. This higher standards,” Viancos says. “Each or through their club membership—will
is something we have really wanted professional [will become] more famil- receive premium instruction from those
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y U S TA

to see, in terms of raising the level of
professionalization in the sport.”
PTR COO Brian Parkkonen says that
instead of being put off by the higher
standards, new coaches coming into the
game will see the raised standards “as
opportunities, not challenges.”
iar with newer and modern trends.”
Like everyone in the industry, Vian-
cos acknowledges today’s challenges in
terms of how much teaching pros need
to know in order to thrive in an increas-
ingly complex recreation marketplace.
“New certification will be extensive,
knowledgeable in the newest methods,
content and educational standards.
“We feel entry-level coaches will be
set up for a more successful start at the
beginning of their career,” Keller says,
“rather than have them go from place
to place to learn their craft.” •

www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33

 Selling for Success
FACILITY MANAGEMENT
Closing the Deal
Retaining customers, prospecting for
clients and getting players to take more
lessons are critical to your business.
By Greg Lappin
I
n previous articles of our
“Selling for Success” series,
which began in the March issue,
we discussed the foundational
ideas of the selling process and
how to navigate through the opening
part of the customer interaction. In this
article, we’ll focus on the closing part
by discussing ideas to retain customers
and maintain repeat business.
Selling: Tips for Retention
While bringing new customers and
players into tennis is essential for the
sport’s overall growth, research shows
that for businesses, it can cost five
times as much to attract a new cus-
34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
tomer than to keep an existing one. In
addition, according to management
consulting firm Bain & Company,
increasing customer retention rates
by 5 percent can increase profits by 25
percent to 95 percent.
So, how can you best service and
retain existing customers?
• 1 / Identify the client’s goals and
needs. Show them programs that will
deliver the solution(s) to help them
achieve their goals. Match your pro-
grams to what will fulfill their needs
or be a benefit to them. Don’t feel
you need to show a member all of the
programs offered unless they ask for
it. Instead, focus on the ones that will
achieve their goal.
• 2 / Focus on why the program you are
suggesting will be their solution. What
will it provide for them and how will it
help them achieve their goal? Tell them
what they can expect, and what the
experience will be.
• 3 / Don’t put yourself on sale. You
don’t need to haggle to get a customer
to engage. If the program you offer
provides value and achieves their goal,
they will engage. It is when we try to
sell programs that don’t fit a customer’s
needs that we lose them.
• 4 / Create challenges and targets
for your clients. People become more
engaged when they have targets to
achieve. Once the targets are achieved,
this opens an opportunity to set new
ones and sell more products and ser-
vices. It also gives your client a sense of
achievement.
• 5 / Give customers a value-added
experience. Customers feel more
loyalty when they receive more than
they expected or thought they paid for.
An example is being moved to first class
when you paid for a coach airline ticket.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 If you coach a drill or a league team, there will generally be a few
in the group who want more attention. Let the players know that if anyone wants to work
on a concept more, you can certainly set up a personalized drill.

Make sure you identify your
client's goals and needs,
then show them programs
and solutions that will help
them achieve those goals.
Many times, an added-value experi-
ence can be created for little or no mon-
ey. Remember your customer’s name.
Send an email. Give them a handout
explaining the drill. Allow free ball
machine use during down times. Offer
to critique a match. Keep a record of
their sizes and favorite items in the pro
shop, then call them when new items
come in, saying, “Mary, we have a new
shipment of dresses, I want you to be
the first to know! I’ll set aside some in
your size.” Brainstorm with your staff
on how you can “up your game.”
Prospecting: Interaction Is Key
Some clients will, of course, come to
you on their own for lessons. But other
lessons and clinics can be created, with
your suggestions. For example:
• If you’re giving a group lesson, you
may need to say to a participant: “We
don’t have time to work on the mechan-
ics of your serve in this group, but we
can fix that in a private lesson before
the next group lesson.”
• Between lessons, engage in conversa-
tion with participants in the lounge.
“How is your game? How is that fore-
hand coming along? Have you added
spin to your second serve yet? Have you
mastered getting the first two balls in
on points?” Sales are a numbers game.
The more interaction, the more success.
• If you coach a drill or a league team,
there will generally be a few in the
group who want more attention. Say,
“If anyone wants to work on this
concept more, we can certainly set up
a personalized drill.” Nothing asked,
nothing gained.
• A fertile area for lessons is with
juniors before big tournaments. Do not
be afraid to speak with them about how
they can improve their play.
• Playoff matches that advance teams
to USTA League sectionals and nation-
als are usually very close in score—a
few points either way can mean ad-
vancing or going home. Every team, as
well as high-school players just before
their seasons begin, should be offered a
mental toughness training camp.
• Set up tennis information kiosks in
your facility to showcase your tennis
programs.
Closing: Inviting Them Back
The last piece in the selling chain is to
ask the customer to sign up for the next

www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35


private or group lesson. Asking for the
close can be uncomfortable. Tennis
pros may feel:
• They are imposing on or overstepping
the customer relationship by asking
them to take another private lesson.
• That the person may react in a nega-
tive way.
• That their lessons are not worth what
is being charged.
While asking for the next lesson may
be a point of difficulty for many pros,
it shouldn’t be. It’s time to change that
perception, and make asking for the
close a strength.
A “close” is the process of asking a
customer to begin a program or renew
their activity. If the concept of “asking
for the close” sounds too aggressive,
then view the process as an invitation:
You are inviting your customer to con-
tinue doing something they enjoy.
What is important to understand when
asking for the close?
• At the end of a lesson, players expect
36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
to be asked to take another. This will
not offend them. It’s critical that pros
understand this. You are providing
players with expertise or an activ-
ity that they are seeking. Realize and
believe you will be doing them a favor
when you meet their needs.
• Tennis is an excellent product, so be
confident in its worth. We all know that
tennis can provide amazing benefits to
players—physical, mental, emotional
and social.
• Tennis lessons are very reasonable
in cost. Think of it as an exchange
of value—your service is equally as
valuable to the amount of money the
member will pay for it. This should help
you get over the obstacle of asking for
money (or asking for the sale).
• Participants are there because they
made a positive decision. They were
not dragged there. They are eager to get
started or continue.
• Develop a personal, comfortable
way to ask for the close. Come up with
phrases that you are confident with.
Be prepared to ask your
players to renew their
activity and take the next
lesson or clinic.
Develop different sentences for differ-
ent lesson and program types so you
are ready for every situation. Being pre-
pared and able to ask players to renew
their activity with a phrase that easily
flows will put you at ease and improve
your retention rate. This will get easier
and more comfortable for you each
time you do this. For example:
– “That was significant improvement.
I feel with another lesson we can really
nail down your second serve.”
– “Your daughter is ready to advance to
the next level. That group meets
Tuesdays. I hope that works for you.”
– “We have a spot in the Monday or Tues-
day drill. Which works better for you?”
– Be bold: “In our next lesson, we can
work on …”
– Assume your player plans on taking
another lesson. “You are doing really
well. What time works for you for the
next lesson?”
• Give the A/B solution. Don’t ask if
they want to sign up. Instead offer
solutions: “Would you prefer to take a
private lesson one or two times a week?
Would the Cardio Tennis drill Monday
or Wednesday work better for you?”
Steer them to an answer and a program.
• Think through what would make a
client take a private lesson or join a
team. What is their major need? This is
the key. Ask, listen and understand the
prospect's needs and be formulating
in your head, “How can I meet/exceed
this person’s needs?” Remember, you
are selling the benefits of tennis—the
benefits of your lessons and programs.
• Use facts to overcome an objection.
“Taking a private lesson on your serve
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 If asking for the close is new to you and may be out of your comfortable zone,
view this as developing a new skill. You are inviting someone to have fun and improve.
Enjoy the process of becoming comfortable asking for the close.

to add some spin will increase your
consistency by 25 percent.”
• Speak a language consistent with
their social style. Understand clients.
Tailor your conversation to their world
view. If they are amiable, say, “You are
new to our club. We have a tennis mixer
every Saturday morning for your level
of play. You can meet new friends, get
some hitting partners.” If they are driv-
ers, tell them, “In my drill, we hit a lot
of balls with directed goals and you will
get that exercise you are looking for.”
For analytical types, say, “I can explain
exactly why that’s happening and give
you a plan to conquer it.”
THERE IS ALWAYS TIME TO PLAY.
• Be wise to their body language. Pick Future articles in this series will con-
up on their nonverbal cues so you can tinue to provide a clear and comprehen-
close the deal at the best opportunity. sive selling program for you and your
staff to help bring in players and retain
If asking for the close is new to you your customers.
and may be out of your comfortable
zone, view this as developing a new Greg Lappin is a
skill. Again, you are inviting someone highly respected
to have fun and improve. Enjoy the pro- tennis and athletic
cess of becoming comfortable asking club developer, man-
for the close just as you do when you ager and owner. He
are working on your game or learning a has won many awards
new teaching method. for tennis program-
You can be comfortable and success- ming, club operations
ful prospecting and asking for the close. and design. Greg has been a presenter
Have fun with it, and you’ll see your at multiple IHRSA, USPTA, PTR, ATP,
lessons increase. WTA, TIA and USTA conferences.

iGENIE Ball Machine

FREE
iGenie
DEMO

TM

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Stan Oley, Product Marketing Specialist

HalfPage-InsideTennis.indd 1 11/17/19 2:19 PM

www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 37

 Tips&Techniques
Marketing
Opportunity
The butt cap is a small but very visible
part of the racquet. Manufacturers
place their logo on it—which players
then use, by spinning the racquet to see
what side the logo lands on, to deter-
mine who serves at the start of a match.
It is also a good place to market your
own business. Placing a sticker with
your company name or logo on the butt
cap can draw attention. Brad Cranford
uses the space to promote his status as
a USRSA Master Racquet Technician.
“I started using the labels to promote
my professionalism,” Cranford says.
“I downloaded the MRT logo from
the USRSA website, and I print with
a Brother PT-D600 labeler. I use the
24mm size label.
“After printing out the label, I align
it on the butt cap trap door. I put pres-
sure on the label with my fingers to
embed a cut-out template. I turn over
the label, exposing the template, and
use scissors to trim it. I have only done
it on recessed trap-door butt caps.”
You should make sure your client is
OK with this, before placing a sticker
that is permanent or hard to remove.
5 sets of Babolat SG SpiralTek 16 to:
Brad Cranford, MRT
Greenville, S.C.
38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
Factors Affecting
String Performance
When a professional player has
racquets strung, he or she most likely
takes into account surrounding condi-
tions, including the type of stringing
machine available, the type of ball
being used, court surface and weather.
Weather is one of the most important
factors. If the outside temperature is
colder, most pro players will lower the
string tension; if the temperature is
going up, they will raise it.
For most recreational players, these
factors will likely have less of an impact,
since, unlike the pros, they aren’t re-
stringing racquets for every match. But
all players should be aware of and con-
sider the weather and outside tempera-
tures, which can affect string tension.
As the weather gets colder, strings
become less resilient and the player
will feel the firmness of the string bed.
This is why, going into winter, a player
should restring at a lower string ten-
sion. Not only will the strings feel better
in the cold temperatures, but the lower
tension will put less stress on the arm,
reducing the likelihood of injury. The
pros—they are just like us.
5 sets of Yonex PolyTour Air 16L to:
Roger Gough, MRT
Davis, Calif.
With customer permission,
create your own labels to
affix on the butt caps of
racquets to help promote
your business.
Many Uses
for This Tool
As racquet technicians, we keep the
tools we need close at hand, and one
thing I keep very close is masking tape.
It has many uses, is easy and clean to
handle, is removable without residue,
and is cheap. It comes in many widths,
but I prefer a 2-inch-wide roll.
Masking tape is great to seal and
label a string package when you have
used only half a set for a hybrid; it’s
good for labeling a reel when you are
nervous about writing on it; it’s great
for marking a crack, or a bad area on a
grommet, to show your client.
Tape may not be a tool you think of
having on hand during the stringing
process, but it should be. 
5 sets of Dunlop NT Max Plus to:
Dave Heilig, MRT
Chapel Hill, N.C.
C O U RT E S Y B R A D C R A N FO R D
Tips and Techniques submitted since
1992 by USRSA members and appearing
in this column have been gathered
into a searchable database on
www.racquettech.com, the official web-
site of the USRSA. Submit your tips to
Bob Patterson at bob@racquettech.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 AskTheExperts
The Case of the Missing
Tension Tester—and a
Helpful Solution
Q: I recently saw another technician
using the Beers ERT Tension Tester
on a freshly strung frame. I decided
that I should be using something to
check my own string jobs, but I can't
find a source for this handy device.
A: To our knowledge, the Beers units
have not been produced for at least a
couple of years. When they first became
scarce, we contacted the manufacturer
and were told that production would
resume soon. However, more than
two years have passed and subsequent
requests for information have gone
unanswered. It seems that U.S. dealers
for the product have no more informa-
tion than we received. Currently, I am
not aware of any similar products being
manufactured, but if anyone knows
otherwise, please let us know.
I found that many technicians are
using the RacquetTune App for smart
phones. It is available for both iPhones
in the App Store and from Google Play.
We tested this app years ago when it
was first introduced and found it to be
amazingly accurate. It uses the sound
generated by tapping the strings to cal-
culate tension. The one drawback was
www.tennisindustrymag.com
that it was susceptible to interference
from background noise, but otherwise it
was a very useful tool. (The app also has
an interactive swing weight calculator
and a stiffness calculator.) Recording a
reading from a freshly strung racquet is
useful in showing your clients the de-
cline in tension over time and use, even
if the strings look fine.
RacquetTech.com
Racquet Specs
Q: I have questions about the specs
on the USRSA’s racquet spec search
feature. Were the specs always listed
as strung, or were some originally
unstrung? Is there a good way to cal-
culate the unstrung specs and/or how
much weight and swing weight was
added by stringing? And what string
is generally used for the specs? Lastly,
The RacquetTune App for
smart phones calculates
string tension, swing
weight and stiffness.
are the specs based on one sample
racquet or more than one?
A: These are all great questions.
Although it states on RacquetTech.
com that all measurements listed are
made with a strung racquet, some
people are still confused since they
get specs from the manufacturer or
another source that may be on an
unstrung frame.
When comparing racquets, strings
or any other piece of equipment, it is
very important to make sure that all
other things are equal—meaning that
all measurements are taken the same
way. Our specs have always been done
on strung racquets.
Strings generally add about 15 to
17 grams to the weight of the racquet
and about 30 swingweight units,
depending on the string. We don’t use
any specific string for the specs, just
whatever the manufacturer puts in the
racquet they send to us, or what string
we have available to string if they are
received unstrung. The specs are mea-
sured on one sample racquet provided
to us, so keep in mind that it may differ
slightly from other listings you may
find, even for a strung racquet.
Most manufacturers have a gener-
ous tolerance, and so the same model
racquet may vary in weight by as much
as 10 grams or more. This, of course,
may also affect the racquet balance
and its swingweight.
While we might get much more ac-
curate numbers by measuring a large
number of each racquet model and
then producing an average, that sim-
ply isn’t feasible. Our random method
of measuring one racquet has proven
pretty trustworthy for comparing one
racquet to another. 
We welcome your questions. Email them
to bob@racquettech.com.
June 2020 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39

CUSTOMER CARE
The New Normal for Tennis
The keys to bringing back tennis
and facilities focus on customer
communication, care and confidence.
By Angelo Rossetti
W
e need to get back
to the basics. As
the coronavirus
pandemic contin-
ues, we must keep
in mind that if we don’t have custom-
ers, we don’t have a business.
It brings to mind a quote I came
across by Theodore Roosevelt:
“Nobody cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.”
As an industry, we need to demon-
strate how much we care in order to
successfully rebound and restart from
the havoc brought on by our current
situation. Restarting is scary. Rebrand-
ing is costly. But re-inventing yourself
is necessary.
There are three keys to successfully
bringing your business back, and they
all focus on your customers.
40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2020
YourServe
Customer Communications
It would be reckless to simply go back
to “business as usual” and not have new
and improved processes and precau-
tions in place. It’s more like “business
as unusual.”
You’ll need to communicate more.
Show empathy. Demonstrate trust
through your actions and responsive-
ness. Customers want to choose activi-
ties that are “safe,” or at least “safer”
than others. Tennis can be that sport.
Tennis and golf provide a socially safe
distance by nature, with certain modi-
fications. While we have seen guidance
on those modifications from key orga-
nizations in the sport, they’ll also need
to be determined on a club-by-club
basis. Once determined, they need to be
front and center in your new marketing
plan. Inform your membership of what
new changes you are instituting, and
adhere to them.
Customer Care
Show your players, members and cus-
tomers that you truly care. Before you
try to sell them on anything, ask how
they’re doing. Implement regular com-
munications to check in on how they
are, and to direct them to resources to
help with the new challenges we face.
We need to inspire people to stick
with tennis, and we need to inspire new
players to try it out safely. Inspiration
comes from within, and so does care.
Care more.
Customer Confidence
Building customer trust is more impor-
tant than ever. People are on edge. Your
customer is dealing with issues they
have never dealt with before.
If you make promises, make sure
you keep them—it will foster customer
trust and customer loyalty. If make-
ups, credits or refunds are part of your
plan, then make sure to communicate
that to your members before they ask.
Be proactive with what’s important to
them, rather than reactive.
In the movie Jerry Maguire, Tom
Cruise’s character wrote a mission
statement in the middle of the night
titled, “The Things We Think and Do
Not Say: Thoughts of a Sports Attor-
ney.” His statement ended with this:
“Let us start a revolution. … I am pre-
pared to die for something. I am pre-
pared to live for our cause. The cause is
caring about each other. The secret to
this job is personal relationships.”
If you aren’t mindful of these things,
then “your” customers will soon be-
come someone else’s customers. •
Angelo A. Rossetti
is the author of
“TENNACITY: The
Tenacious Mindset
On & Off the Court.”
He’s also serves as
the director of tennis
at Weston (Conn.)
SHUTTERSTOCK
Racquet Club.
We welcome your opinions and comments.
Email info@tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
 Rincon Brothers
Make the Most of
Careers on the Court

How We’re Serving

You During the
Coronavirus
Pandemic
John R. Embree, USPTA CEO

Practice (At Home)

Makes Perfect
Joe Dinoffer, USPTA Master Professional
 USPTA From the CEO
How We’re Serving You During
the Coronavirus Pandemic
B y the time you read this, it will
have been over two months since
I sent out my first message about the
coronavirus and how it was impacting
our staff, our membership and the
industry as a whole. It is almost
impossible to comprehend what has
happened in our country over the last
several months, let alone what our sport
is facing.
Our goal during this unprecedented
time is to provide as much information
as possible while exhibiting proactive
leadership. I would like to share with you
what steps we have taken to guide our
membership as best as we can and help
answer as many questions as possible.
Two task forces were created with
the intent to bring opinion leaders
and subject matter experts together to
provide assistance to tennis-teaching
professionals and the industry at large.
Photo credit: Kevin Karczewski / USPTA
42 - ADDvantage Magazine June 2020
John R. Embree, USPTA CEO
The first was an internal USPTA Task
Force spearheaded by Patrick Kearns,
our Mid-Atlantic Division Executive
2. Create a support group on
Facebook where members can
socialize, ask questions of their
Director. Under President Feisal Hassan’s peers and see postings of articles
leadership, we were able to engage a dozen and information that could help
USPTA leaders from across the country them during this crisis.
who have met regularly and accomplished
the following: 3. Post information on
uspta.com/HowToPrepare on
1. Offer free education on the coronavirus, how to file for
TennisResources.com so members unemployment, applying for
can knock off their continuing SBA loans and more. Over the
education requirement for this cycle last several months, this page has
and use the time to improve how they become a virtual library of facts and
would deliver instruction to their best practices for our members.
customers when we begin to recover.
The USPTA task force continues to
This gesture was very well-received
gather information and will remain
by our members. Additionally,
intact until it is deemed to be no
Master Professional Jorge Capestany
longer necessary. A series of webinars
generously offered members access
were conducted in late April with
to the educational content on his
mental health experts and with one
website, TennisDrills.tv.
of the best leaders in our sport, Doug
Cash, about what members can do to
navigate the complex process of filing
for unemployment and SBA loans.
He also spent time advising pros how
to prepare for the “new norm” for
clubs and facilities and what to expect
when we are back in action. I want to
personally thank those members that
have contributed so mightily to this
task force.
The second task force was pulled
together by the USTA and involved
key stakeholders in our game (USTA,
USPTA, PTR, ITA and TIA). This group
has worked diligently to provide useful
 From the CEO USPTA

“
...the USTA is developing a
plan to provide financial aid
where it is needed the most.
information for facilities, teaching
professionals and players. Leaders with
expertise in these respective areas were
gathered into smaller groups with specific
deliverables to accomplish.
Three pulse surveys were created that
provided insight into what is happening
in the marketplace. One was distributed
to the entire industry, a second dedicated
to just tennis-teaching professionals and
third to specialty retailers. The response
rate was fantastic from each segment
of the business and has helped identify
areas of need.
Based on the feedback, the USTA has
developed a plan to provide financial aid
where it is needed the most. As of this
writing, we are in the initial stages of
developing a holistic approach to support
the infrastructure responsible for
One thing is certain: when we do
come back, tennis is going to look
much different than it did before the
pandemic. We may have to take a
different approach with large groups
in programs such as cardio tennis and
junior camps, and social gatherings on
the court or in the clubhouse as we know
them may also change. We will look to
experts in the medical community for
guidance so we can keep our clients safe
when we return to normalcy.
Finally, I want to quote Intermountain
Division President Andy Zodin, who wrote
the following in his President’s message in
the latest Intermountain newsletter:
At a time like this, I realize that
leadership is critical, but summoning the
proper words and advice doesn’t come
“
and break back. Do we always break
back and win? No, not always. But in
this case, I do feel that we will compete
our butts off, which we have no choice
but to do right now. So here’s the sound
strategy: don’t be a hero, don’t force it,
stay close to home, wash your hands,
respect your opponent (we’ll call him
COVID-19), and be patient! It’s now time
to play our best version of high IQ tennis,
where playing smart is paramount to
victory. Our careers AND lives depend on
it. You got this. Let’s go!
I could not have said it better myself.
Well done, Andy! *
ain Preside
m ount nt A
ter nd
In y
A
Zo
TP

din
delivering our sport. But by the time this easy. Pretending to have all the right
US

has been printed, you will have heard how answers is not an option, because nobody
we will help clubs, facilities and teaching has them. Saying that everything will be
Photo credit: USPTA

professionals get back on their feet.
In addition, there was a medical
task force that worked as a subset
of the larger industry group. On
April 3, the USTA issued a statement
recommending that tennis play be
“paused” until further notice. The
USPTA supported this decision and, at
the time of this writing, continues to
recommend that tennis professionals
stop teaching until the medical
community advises otherwise.
fine, or back to normal by so-and-so date,
would likely be very inaccurate, so forget
that, too. BUT....saying we’re in this
together, and that our sport has helped
us become stronger physically, mentally
and emotionally...those are words I can
stand by. Tennis pros, by and large, are
fortunate, because our sport continually
forces us to deal with adversity, which in
turn teaches us HOW to battle through
tough times. Down a set and a break?
Dig deep, come up with a sound strategy

June 2020 ADDvantage Magazine - 43

20-0146_US_ADDvantage_Magazine_March_Print_Ad_1625x10875_TE_FNL.indd 1
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The Peak of Our Profession
Has So Much to Offer
T he USPTA Master Professional
rank continues to be the pinnacle
of tennis-teaching and has no equal
in the profession. When I became a
Master Professional, I was amazed at
how welcoming and passionate this
group was and how much they wanted
to give back to the USPTA. Their
commitment and sense of duty to our
Association was clear.
I remember when I decided
that I wanted to become a Master
Professional. I was at the USPTA World
Conference and attended seminars by
several esteemed speakers and Master
Professionals. I knew then that these
were indeed masters of the profession
and I made it my mission to join them.
I started working on my education
requirement and serving on division
boards, but honestly, it wasn’t until I
became a USPTA Tester that I started
compiling the documents I would need
for my Master Professional application.
I always believed USPTA Testers were
the “Top Guns,” and I saw it as my duty
to achieve this level of certification.
I was intimidated as I first began
the process. I needed to find records
and documents, and I needed to write
educational articles. So I enlisted the
help of two colleagues – Bunny Bruning
and Alan Cutler – to help me along. As
is the case with all our members, the
Master Professionals were there to
guide me, and since then, I have always
offered a helping hand.
Currently, I chair the Master
Professional Committee alongside
Gary Trost, USPTA Past President
USPTA CEO John Embree (left) presents Jason Hazley (right) as a new Master
Professional at the 2019 World Conference in Las Vegas.
Mark Centrella. But as I look back,
I wish I had started compiling my
application materials and gotten
involved in volunteering with the
USPTA earlier in my career. I hope you
will see all the opportunities becoming
a Master Professional provides and that
you will take on the challenge.
So, how do you apply?
You can view the Master Professional
application requirements at uspta.com.
When I started my application, I was
surprised that I already had enough
materials in a few areas to start. Make
sure you keep track of articles you’ve
written and had published. Check your
continuing education report by logging
into My USPTA.
It’s also important to reach out to
a Master Professional as a mentor.
The USPTA has several wonderful
mentorship initiatives to connect
young members with more experienced
fellow coaches to guide you. We Master
Professionals would be happy to help
June 2020
USPTA
Photo credit: Gustavo Reyes / USPTA
you get to the finish line.
Becoming a Master Professional
will open career opportunities to you
that weren’t there before, as many
successful general managers look to us
to fill important leadership roles.
There are many Elite Professionals
that don’t realize how close they are
to becoming Master Professionals.
I hear from many members that
the requirements to complete the
application are too demanding, or that
they don’t have time. They’re right, the
application is demanding. But to reach
the very top, it must be demanding.
So to you Elite Professionals, I hope
you start working on your applications!
And to all other Professionals, start
keeping track of any articles you
write, education you earn and other
opportunities to volunteer with the
USPTA. I hope to see your application
soon! *
ADDvantage Magazine - 47
 USPTA
Rincon Brothers Make the Most
of Careers on the Court
Lucas Casás, USPTA Communications
E duardo Rincon doesn’t remember
when the members at his local
tennis club complained about his
older brothers taking up too much
court time.
He was too young, but the complaints
motivated his father to build his kids a
tennis court at their countryside home
in Duitama, Colombia.
“This wasn’t your Roland Garros type
of clay court,” Eduardo’s older brother
Mario said. “It was dirt with some rocks
and your basic machinery to flatten it
out and some red clay on top of it and
lines and a very basic net and fences.
That was crucial in our development.”
“He came up with his own style of
building different layers of different
materials and then the top layer, of
course, it was ground brick,” added
eldest brother Jose. “It worked
out beautifully, actually. It was all
his invention.”
Jose and Mario, 50 weeks apart in
age, spent formative years on that
court. Their father served as coach
and sparring partner. He seized
opportunities to put his boys on the
court with adults, and soon they
Photo courtesy of Jose Rincon
Eduardo ( left), Jose (middle) and Mario (right) at the 2019 Orange Bowl in
Miami.
48 - ADDvantage Magazine June 2020
started holding their own against
them. Then, he started sending them
to tournaments around Colombia and
South America, and from there came
attention from colleges and universities
in the U.S.
“He wore many hats in the process
of us becoming college tennis players,
professional tennis players and teachers
of the game,” Mario said. “We owe our
tennis careers to him pretty much.”
The brothers eventually made it
to North Greenville College in South
Carolina, where they won the junior
college national championship in
1986 and 1987 along with another
Colombian, Augusto Solano, a USPTA
Elite Professional.
Jose played two years at USC Upstate
in Spartanburg. Mario went on to
become an All-American at Kentucky
and played 10 years on the ATP Tour.
He earned a career-high world ranking
of 193 and played in all four Grand
Slams, including the main singles draw
of the US Open.
“It was a great ride,” Mario said.
“Tennis brought us very far and it’s
been wonderful.”
Photo courtesy of Jose Rincon
Eduardo Rincon practices on the
court his father built at their home in
Duitama, Colombia
A great stepping-stone
As Mario played professionally, Jose
put his degree in physical education
to use and started working at the
Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in
Bradenton, Fla.
Meanwhile, Eduardo, who is almost
10 years younger than Jose, attended
the academy as a student, and Mario
came in periodically to train.
“It was such a great stepping-
stone for all of us,” said Jose, a
USPTA Elite Professional.
“That’s where [Eduardo] developed
his game,” Mario added. “We were doing
different things while at the academy
and I tell you what, that was so valuable.
To this day, we keep in touch with many
of our friends.”
One of them was Raul Ordoñez,
a close friend of the brothers who
passed away in March after a long
battle with ALS.
“Raul is one of the greatest players to
play the game who never won a Grand
 USPTA

coaching, but the brothers agree that

Photo courtesy of Jose Rincon

their father, Mario Sr., now 83, instilled

Eduardo ( left), Mario (middle) and Jose (right) at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis
Academy in Bradenton, Fla., in 1992.
Slam,” Mario proclaimed. “That guy left
a mark on everybody’s life, certainly on
the three of us.”
At Bollettieri’s, Jose trained the likes
of Tommy Haas, Petr Korda, Anna
Kournikova and so many more.
Mary Pierce, just beginning her
illustrious career, hired Jose to be her
fitness coach. He joined Sven Groeneveld
and Bollettieri himself on her coaching
staff and was with Pierce when she won
the Australian Open in 1995.
coach at the University of Alabama and
spent time at Arkansas, Kennesaw State
and Georgia Tech before taking over as
head coach at Presbyterian College.
Mario, USPTA Elite Professional, is
an assistant coach at the University of
Louisville after 12 seasons as head coach going to hit volleys out of the air. You
of the Miami Hurricanes.
“There has never been a doubt in
my life about wanting to do something
[other than coaching] after I
finished playing competitively,”
in them his passion for tennis.
Today, tennis helps maintain strong
family bonds.
In addition to the three brothers,
they have a sister, Maria Cristina, the
third of five kids, in Colombia, and
Juan, the fourth, in Argentina. Juan’s
son “is going to be a terrific tennis
player,” Jose said.
Eduardo is married with two
daughters that both “love the sport,”
he said. Mario has three daughters, and
his middle daughter’s team won the
Georgia high school state championship
in 2018.
“[Eduardo’s] little girls cannot get
enough tennis,” Mario said, his voice
beaming with pride in his nieces. “If
they don’t have access to a tennis court,
they are going to play on grass, they’re
cannot keep these girls away from
playing tennis.”*

Photo courtesy of Jose Rincon

Pierce was inducted into the
International Tennis Hall of Fame in
September 2019, and Jose was among
her invited guests at Newport, R.I.
“It was a magnificent event,” he said.
“That is something I will never forget.”
4-and-a-half to 84
Eduardo earned a scholarship to
Valdosta State in Georgia, where he
was a two-time All-America selection,
and enjoyed a seven-year career on
tour. He represented Colombia at five
Davis Cups.
When his playing days ended, he still
felt that competitive flame inside. After
watching his father and older brother
succeed as coaches, the next step in his
career was obvious.
Eduardo, a USPTA Professional,
spent three years as a women’s assistant
Mario said.
For the last 12 years, Jose has
run the Magnolia Lakes Tennis
Club in Port Saint Lucie, Fla.,
where his “youngest student is
4-and-a-half and my oldest is
84.” He’s also coached junior
teams at USTA zonals and
nationals.
“I’ve never seen a coach handle
as many players as my brother
Jose has on the court,” Mario
said. “Sometimes he has 18
players and he manages for every
player to be on the move, to be
enjoying the game, to be engaged.
That’s something very difficult
to do.”
Eduardo mentioned his
Eduardo with his daughters Ana Maria (12)
competitive spirit and love for and Kathryn (9) at the USTA National Campus
the game as his motivation for in Lake Nona, Fla.

June 2020 ADDvantage Magazine - 49

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 Master Professional Corner USPTA

Practice (At Home) Makes Perfect

Joe Dinoffer, USPTA Master Professional

F or decades, golfers have been

hitting plastic balls into a net in
their backyards for practice. They have
also been putting in their living rooms
and offices. They work on their swings
and invest in training aids to improve.
With the recent spread of the
coronavirus, many tennis clubs and
school programs are closed for a
prolonged period of time, leaving
tennis players to look for ways to
practice at home. If golfers can do it, so
can we!
like to play better. The challenge is
that all of us plateau or get stuck at
one point or another. It may just be
someone’s forehand that stagnates,
or their serve or possibly even their
whole game. This lack of improvement
comes from a limitation in technique,
movement, mental strength or all
three.
Therefore, if we as tennis professionals
can help players improve, the water
level of the whole industry rises and
everyone experiences more success. You
might say, “Well, I am a good teacher.
And, if they want to improve, they need
to pay for lessons.” Sorry to be blunt, but
this is NOT the right attitude. Let’s list
a typical tennis club’s revenue sources:
memberships, lessons, court fees,
pro shop sales, racquet stringing, ball
machine rentals, tournament entry fees,
league play and more.
continued on page 53

Photo coursety of Joe Dinoffer

Before any teaching professionals
think, “But, Joe, then fewer people will
take lessons!” consider these two points:

1. One of the main reason people

stop playing tennis is frustration.
They don’t improve quickly
enough, stagnate at one level of
play and then quit.

2. The longer someone stays in the

sport, the healthier the industry
becomes. The more people
play, the more our own tennis
businesses grow. We need to work
together to keep them playing!
How? By helping them feel good
about themselves. How? By
helping them improve as much and
as fast as possible.

I am sure we can all agree on these

two points. They are universal truths in
tennis and in life. Every player would

June 2020 ADDvantage Magazine - 51

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 Master Professional Corner USPTA

combination of visual and kinestetic

Photo courtesy of Joe Dinoffer

learning styles.
When we focus on just one of these
learning styles, we are hampering our
students’ ability to fully grasp what
we are teaching. This is why aids, or
guidance systems, can be so important.

Here are real-life examples:

• When we are led to stand in line
to enter a concert or check-in at
the airport, this is visual guidance.

• When we demonstrate proper

stroke technique and have the
student emulate and “feel” the
movement, this is primarily
kinesthetic guidance.

• When we give our players

instructions on using positive
words and self-talk, this is
auditory guidance.

A quick online search for tennis

The conclusion? More players result
in more revenue in many different
areas.
Over the course of the last 100 years,
golf pros have encouraged golfers to
practice at home. By and large, tennis
pros have not. I believe that we, as the
heart of the tennis coaching industry,
have failed our industry in this way.
But there’s good news – there are
solutions! They are readily available
and really work. Several studies have
proven that training aids accelerate
learning and improvement by 200%
proactive to help our students learn training aids will bring up dozens of
faster, both during lessons and by options for players to practice. You
seriously emphasizing some amount can check out more great training aids
of practice at home in addition to on- at www.OnCourtOffCourt.com. *
court practice sessions.
Here’s what I found out after 40
years of research and clinical testing
on literally thousands of tennis players
in lessons that I have taught:
Each one of us learns most
efficiently with one of or a
combination of the three predominant
learning styles: visual (seeing),
kinesthetic (feeling), and auditory
Photo courtesy of Joe Dinoffer

compared to just hearing verbal (hearing). My own clinical study with

instructions. This is a fact. 50 tennis participants revealed that
How does this work? We, as teaching 98% of all tennis players learn best
professionals, need to be more in an environment that taps into a

Joe Dinoffer is a USPTA Master Professional and has won numerous regional and
national awards of distinction. He is the author and editor of nine books and more
than 20 DVDs, as well as 500 video clips on YouTube. Joe has been a frequent speaker
at national and international tennis conferences, having presented at more than 300
different conventions. He is the founder and president of www.OnCourtOffCourt.com.

June 2020 ADDvantage Magazine - 53

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 USPTA

FAQ: USTA Support for Statement from

Certified Teaching USPTA CEO
Professionals John R. Embree
USPTA Members –
The USTA announced they are going How do certified tennis-teaching
to help certified tennis-teaching professionals qualify for this support? On April 16, the USTA announced
Many details still have to be its plan to provide significant
professionals with their membership
finalized but... financial support towards 2021
dues renewal moving into 2021. What
1. The offer is for certified tennis membership dues for certified
does that mean?
professionals in good standing professionals of fully accredited
The USTA wants to help certified
who are actively teaching tennis-teaching associations.
tennis-teaching professionals
tennis and reside in the U.S. We applaud USTA’s foresight
recover from the impact caused
2. Safe Play compliance in helping tennis-teaching
by the COVID-19 pandemic. To
(including a background professionals with their certification
this end, the USTA announced
screen) will be a requirement. and professional development. This
they will be supporting certified
3. Certain continuing education grant will help our pros as they get
tennis-teaching pros with their
requirements will need to back to work and focus on attracting
dues renewal moving forward
be met. and retaining more tennis players.
into 2021. There are many details
4. There will be a good faith effort We realize that there will be a
still to be worked out over the
requested of those certified number of questions surrounding this
next several weeks; however,
professionals who qualify announcement. We will be working
the USPTA, PTR and USTA
to help rebuild our game by collaboratively over the next few
are already engaged in these
bringing in new players. weeks to work through those details
discussions. More information
and we’ll keep you apprised as soon
will be forthcoming.
as there are definitive plans.

... ?
What about the other USPTA/PTR
categories - are they eligible? If there are further questions,
Will the USTA be sending a check to
No, this is for certified tennis please contact me at
each certified tennis professional to
professionals that are actively John.Embree@uspta.org.
help cover their membership dues
teaching. Master Professionals We believe that these are strong
renewal?
and other elite categories will be steps that will help the tennis
No, the USTA is working directly
included, but this is not meant for community at large, and specifically
with USPTA and PTR and will
Honorary, Retired or Recreational tennis-teaching professionals.
be subsidizing member dues

!!!
renewal through those two Coaches and other non-teaching
categories. Thank you.
national organizations.

June 2020 ADDvantage Magazine - 55

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USPTA

How to Manage
Scoreboard Pressure
Joel Myers, USPTA Elite Professional

P oints in tennis are not created

equal. Within each game, there are
multiple score variations that require
the careful navigation of risk and
reward. Players often use two types
of patterns: primary and secondary.
Each is important in creating and
capitalizing on scoreboard pressure.
Primary patterns of play are low risk,
high reward sequences that hurt your
opponent the most. It could be a tried-
and-true slice serve wide to the deuce
court followed by a groundstroke to the
open court, or an inside-out forehand
approach shot to your opponent’s
backhand, or a body serve and then
attacking the backhand. These patterns
of play are your go-to when you need
a point. The downside is that you can’t
run these patterns all the time or your
opponent will get smart and predict
these attacks.
Secondary patterns of play are
counter sequences that are usually
a little bit riskier, but yield a high
reward and get your opponent
thinking about when you will use it
again. Paul Annacone has referred
to these as “investment strategies”
because using them even once can
pay off big later in the match, as your
opponent will be thinking about when
you will use them again, sometimes
even if you are unsuccessful.
Examples of secondary patterns are
the kick-serve-and-volley wide to the
ad court and volley to the open court,
or chip-and-charge to the backhand
on a second serve return, or running
around a second serve and attacking
big with the forehand. Although these
tactics are unlikely to win you the
match if you use them as your primary
patterns, mixing them in at the right
time can win you the big points at the
crucial moments of a match.
So how do you keep your
opponent off the scent without
totally abandoning a pattern that is
successful? You let the scoreboard
dictate when you will use a primary or
secondary pattern.
Let’s look at the implications of
winning any given point.
I have grouped the game scores into
three categories: base points, set-up
Base Points
0-0
15-0 or 15-15
Set-Up Points
30-30 or Deuce
30-15
30-0
Ad Points
40-30 or Ad-In
40-15
40-0
points and ad points. Base points have
the least significance to the outcome of
the game and ad points are obviously
the most important, but it is often the
player who plays the best set-up points
that wins the match. Why? Because
winning the set-up points puts your
opponent at risk of losing the game and
that adds pressure.
As Brad Gilbert writes in his
must-read book Winning Ugly, “All
players are tense when something is
at risk. Pressure will be layered on
your strokes and confidence, and to
some degree pressure paralyzes most
recreational players.”
When a set-up point arises, most
Win the first base point.
Win to create a set-up point.
Win to create game point.
Win to create 2 game points.
Win to create 3 game points.
Game point.
Double game point.
Triple game point.

58 - ADDvantage Magazine June 2020

 USPTA

and influenced the returner

Graphic courtesy of Nuanchan Aphichanyatham

of the time you will want to use your
primary patterns of play to give
yourself the best chance of winning.
If you can do that and get to an ad
point, you have the option of using
a secondary pattern knowing that
your opponent will be playing less
freely and more timidly under the
pressure that any miss will lose them
the game. Certainly, you must weigh
your position in the set score and how
to go for low-percentage
line alley, resulting in an
unforced error. Debbie and
Vivian used scoreboard
pressure to perfection and
stole the match.
Developing winning
primary and secondary
patterns of play are
the beginning stages of
becoming a smarter tennis
player. Recognizing the
score and when to use those
hesitant using signals, especially under patterns gives you the best chance to
the pressure of a third-set tiebreaker, put your opponent under scoreboard
but this is exactly where they can be pressure. Good luck and see you on
most effective. At the business end of the courts.*
the tiebreaker and having not used any
signals leading up to this point, the
ladies used a fake sign on a big point
Roger Federer (left) strategizing with doubles partner Stefanos Tsitsipas (right) at the
2019 Laver Cup in Geneva, Switzerland.

Graphic courtesy of Sonia Alves-Polidori

much you need the game, but the more
you are ahead in the set, the more
secondary patterns of play you can use.
This will keep your opponent off their
game and allow you to keep winning
points when you need to.
Ad points create scoreboard
pressure on your opponent and keep
it off you. This is the time to take
advantage of your opponent’s position
in the game knowing they will not
be swinging freely. Especially with
recreational players and inexperienced
juniors, mixing up the play and using
secondary patterns often leads to
unforced errors and free points.
Recently, two ladies I coach found
themselves serving on an ad point in
a third-set tiebreak for their USTA
doubles match. Over the last year, we
have been working on using signals
on the serve (poach or fake) to get Joel Myers is the Tennis Director at Manchester Grand Hyatt and Sheraton Hotel
into their opponents’ heads a little bit & Marina in San Diego. He is also a teaching professional for the City of Coronado.
and create some easy volleys or errors Originally from Australia, Joel is a USPTA Elite Professional and has been a member
from the returner. Most players can be for nine years.

June 2020 ADDvantage Magazine - 59

USPTA Career Development
Career Development
USPTA Certification Testing Dates
June 1.............................................. Omni La Costa Resort and Spa
Carlsbad, CA
June 4-5.................................. West Hills Racquet and Fitness Club
Portland, OR
June 5-6..........................................................Tanoan Country Club
Albuquerque, NM
June 6....................................................................... Wakonda Club
Des Moines, IA
June 6-7.......................................................... Atlanta Athletic Club
Johns Creek, GA
June 6-7................................................. San Antonio Country CLub
San Antonio, TX
June 6-7..................................................... Rush Copley Healthplex
Aurora, IL
June 7....................................................... Haig Point Tennis Center
Hilton Head, SC
June 13........................................................................ Atlantic Club
Manasquan, NJ
June 14-15................................................... Burbank Tennis Center
Burbank, CA
June 15-16.................................................... Claremont Club & Spa
Berkeley, CA
June 19-20...................................................... Tucson Country Club
Tucson, AZ
June 20-21...................................................Biltmore Tennis Center
Coral Gables, FL
June 21................................................................. ACAC Midlothian
Midlothian, VA
June 22...................................... Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center
Minneapolis, MN
Exam reservations must be made by calling the USPTA World
Headquarters at 407-634-3050 ext. 2 at least 21 days prior to
the dates listed. Each date includes an exam and upgrade. PTCA
I is included in the two-day exam. Exam cancellations must be
received no later than 14 days before the exam, or a cancellation
fee will be charged accordingly.
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President................................................................. Feisal Hassan
First Vice President.............................................Richard Slivocka
Vice Presidents...............Lane Evans, Mark Faber, Trish Faulkner,
Jason Gilbert, Bill Mountford
Immediate Past President............................................ Gary Trost
CEO...........................................................................John Embree
Legal Counsel........................................................George Parnell
60 - ADDvantage Magazine June 2020
2020 USPTA Division Conferences
May 1-3 Eastern...................International Tennis Hall of Fame.
. POSTPONED - Newport, RI
May 1-3 New England.......... International Tennis Hall of Fame
. POSTPONED - Newport, RI
May 14-16 Southern.................................... Atlanta Athletic Club
. POSTPONED - Johns Creek, GA
May 15-17 Southwest........................... Grand Canyon University
. CANCELLED - Phoenix, AZ
May 28-31 Florida...................... Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club
. POSTPONED - Naples, FL
June 5-6 Pacific Northwest............................... Linfield College
. CANCELLED - McMinnville, OR
June 13-14 Hawaii...............................................Punahou School
. CANCELLED - Honolulu, HI
Sept. 21-25 USPTA World Conference...................Hilton Riverside
. New Orleans, LA
Visit www.uspta.com for a complete listing of certification and
educational opportunities
• Wheelchair • Pickleball
• Padel • RacquetFit
• Platform
Visit TennisResources.com to find hundreds of exclusive
educational and instructional videos, audio material, articles
and drill diagrams related to all levels and aspects of the game
of tennis. The user friendly video interface is great for watching
on a desktop or mobile device and makes it easy to #GetYourSix
wherever you are!
ADDVANTAGE MAGAZINE
ADDvantage is published monthly by the United States
Editor..................................................................................Lucas Casás
Professional Tennis Association.
Layout/Design............................................................Kevin Karczewski
Editorial Assistance ............................Alegna Hollis, Ramona Husaru, The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of
the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage
Sid Newcomb, Fred Viancos, Ellen Weatherford
Circulation.................................................................... Trevor Trudelle or the United States Professional Tennis Association.
USPTA World Headquarters Copyright© United States Professional Tennis
11961 Performance Dr. Association, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction
Orlando, FL 32827 of any portion of the magazine is not permitted
800-887-8248- www.uspta.com without written permission from the USPTA.
yonextennis yonex_tennis yonex_tennis
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