200608 Racquet Sports Industry

August 2006Volume 34 Number 8 $5.00

Software to Keep YourFacility HummingApparel: Tennis

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R S I A U G U S T 2 0 0 6Contents

August 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

ContentsINDUSTRY NEWS

7 Volkl introduces DNX1 with“Power Arm”

7 Dunlop forms “D-Squad”for top juniors

8 Babolat launches ergonomicracquet grip

8 PTR, Special Olympics releasecoaching guide

9 Head offers new cars inAirflow promotion

10 Wilson announces stringingpartnership

10 Prince O3 technology winsdesign award

10 Balle de Match is officialapparel brand for WTT

11 Jorge Andrew honored byUSPTA Southern

11 Quickie donates tenniswheelchair to PTR

12 USPTA World Conferencein September

12 Lee Tennis to host IndoorClay Conference

16 Stringing machine accessoryeliminates crushing

2006 GUIDE TO STRINGING MACHINES

23 First-String PlayersOur tips and exclusive guide will help you generate more revenue from yourstringing business.

27 Stringing Machine Selection GuideUse our comprehensive chart to help you choose the right stringing machine foryou and your customers.

DEPARTMENTS

4 Our Serve

40 French Open Equipment Log

43 String Playtest: Pacific X-Force 18

46 Tips & Techniques

48 Your Serve, by Bob Heller

Cover photo: Stephen Whalen Photography

FEATURES

20 Tennis Fashions That “Fit”Apparel manufacturers continue to stretch the boundaries between court time andoff-court/fitness/cardio activities.

35 Connect With Your CustomersFor a facility in Georgia, TennisConnect software is helping out all aspects of theirbusiness.

fter more than 20 years in the tennis spotlight, Andre

Agassi, now the U.S.’s grand ambassador for the sport,

has announced that he will retire after this year’s US Open.

The New York stage is a fitting place for Agassi to take his

final professional bow; the Open is America’s—and the

world’s—biggest tournament, and Agassi was twice a winner

on the hard courts at Flushing Meadows.But it’s about more than just winning. Agassi has come to define grace,

hard work, class, and the spirit of giving back. (Since 1994, his Andre

Agassi Charitable Foundation has raised more than $60 million to provide

recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk children.)

Sure, in his early years, as a big-haired teenager, Agassi cared little for

convention or for the sport’s governing structures. But we all watched him

grow, and not only transform himself, but also the game as a whole. And

while it’s hard to quantify how the presence of big-name pros influence

the recreational game, we somehow know that Agassi’s giant impact has

helped make more people aware of the sport, and brought more players

to the courts.

This past May, I was fortunate to meet Agassi at a Head/Penn event in

Las Vegas, where he and his wife, Steffi Graf, introduced the new Metallix

and Airflow racquets. I asked him if, after he retires from the pro game,

he will somehow stay involved in the sport, whether through any of the

tennis organizations or other means. His response: “I certainly hope to.

This game has given me so many opportunities.”

It was encouraging to hear. There are plenty of great people involved

in this sport, but there’s always room for more. And who could be better

at promoting tennis, spreading its benefits, and getting more people to

play, than someone of Agassi’s stature. And it’s all for the right reasons,

too.

Peter Francesconi

Editorial Director

P.S.: RSI has done it again! For the third year in a row,

we’ve won an Apex Award for Publication Excel-

lence, in the category “Magazines & Journals—

Printed Four-Color.” Thanks especially to the

staff and contributors listed on our masthead

(right), and to all those who help and support

this publication.

Our ServeCarrying On

(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

PublishersDavid Bone Jeff Williams

Editor-in-ChiefCrawford Lindsey

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate EditorGreg Raven

Design/Art DirectorKristine Thom

Contributing EditorsCynthia Cantrell

Rod CrossKristen DaleyJoe DinofferLiza Horan

Andrew LavalleeJames MartinChris NicholsonBob Patterson

RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCorporate Offices

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171

Email: [email protected]: www.racquetTECH.com

Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time

Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna

770-650-1102, [email protected]

Apparel AdvertisingCynthia Sherman203-263-5243

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly Januarythrough August and combined issues in Septem-ber/October and November/December by TennisIndustry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.Periodicals postage paid at Hurley, NY 12443 and addi-tional mailing offices. August 2006, Volume 34, Num-ber 8 © 2006 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rightsreserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logo aretrademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phoneadvertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation andeditorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in theU.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,Vista, CA 92084.

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY August 2006

A

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

INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSR S I A U G U S T 2 0 0 6

I N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S


Volkl Introduces New DNX1 With “Power Arm”

Unlike a car or a computer, a tennis racquet is a comparatively simple device. So it’s hard to pic-ture where the next radical design change will come. But now Volkl has come out with itsnewest frame, the DNX1, featuring a rad-looking “Power Arm” that sprouts from the handle

and supports the stringbed. Volkl says the Power Arm creates a “pocket” for the ball on impact, thenhelps to “catapult” it back over the net.

The racquet design actually has been in the works for a number of years, says Sarah Maynard,Volkl’s director of marketing and promotions. “The problem was there was no material strongenough to make it work,” she says. That prob-lem, though, has been solved with theintroduction of the new DNX material,she adds.

“DNX is a new form of carbon,”Maynard says. “Carbon fibers nor-mally are planar, but DNX mole-cules are tubular, which makesthem stiffer and stronger in alldirections, not just in one direc-tion.”

Three new racquets use DNXtechnology: the DNX1 with PowerArm, and the more normal-look-ing DNX9 and DNX10 Mid. May-nard says the material is at the 3and 9 o’clock positions for betterstability and on the throat rightabove the grip, to help providepower. “On impact, the areaabove the grip normally tends tobend,” she says. “But DNXwon’t allow it to give as much.

On the DNX1, the Power Armextends out and is, essentially, thethroat of the racquet, in line withthe string bed. When a ball impactsthe strings, the Power Arm goes backwith the stringbed, creating a “pocketeffect,” says Maynard, and causing less impacton the arm and more “grab” on the ball. “You get a lot of spin and a lot of control,” she says.

That’s the “backward phase.” In the “power phase,” the Power Arm acts as a catapult to helplaunch the ball, says Maynard. The Power Arm itself is made mostly of DNX, and that, combinedwith the fact that it is aligned with the stringbed, won’t allow the stringbed to bend or warp, sheadds, so that shots stay true.

What’s been the reaction so far? “Dealers who have tried the frame love it,” Maynard says. “Asof early July, when we released the DNX1, we sold out of the frame, and we’ve stepped up pro-duction for more.” Visit www.volkl.com or call 800-264-4579.

Dunlop Announces “D-Squad” For Top JuniorsDunlop Tennis is launching anew program for the U.S.’s topjunior players. The “D-Squad”initiative will provide Dunloptennis equipment and programsupport to leading junior play-ers (ages 10 to 18) whodemonstrate excellence in everyelement of their game, says thecompany.

“Players selected for the Dun-lop Tennis D-Squad representthe best of the best in their per-formance on and off the court,”says Fallon Koon, Dunlop’s Jun-ior Tennis program manager.Juniors who want to apply forDunlop’s D-Squad should [email protected].

The program will reward juniorsranked in the top 50 nationally,based on quarterly rankings setby the USTA. Qualifying juniors,who must be USTA members,must play a minimum of fivesanctioned national tourna-ments throughout the contractyear.

For top-tier juniors, Dunlop saysit will provide racquets, travelbags, tennis accessories, andmore. Specific product packageswill be tailored to individualplayers’ needs and levels ofcompetitive performance. Inaddition, D-Squad members willbe featured in national mediaactivities and at key events.

“These players are the stars,”Koon says. “And we want tohelp them reach their fullpotential.”

Head size: 115 sq. in.Weight (unstrung): 8.8 oz.Length: 27.8 in.String Pattern: 16 x 17Suggested Retail: $290Recommended for: 2.0 players and higher

Head size: 98 sq. in.Weight (unstrung): 10.9 oz.Length: 27 in.String Pattern: 16 x 19Suggested Retail: $180Recommended for: 4.5 players and higher

Head size: 93 sq. in.Weight (unstrung): 11.6 oz.Length: 27 in.String Pattern: 16 x 19Suggested Retail: $190Recommended for: 4.5 players and higher

DNX10 Mid

DNX9

DNX1 with Power Arm

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Babolat Launches Ergonomic Grip

Babolat has launched the Smart Grip, which the company says is thefirst racquet handle shaped to fit the player’s hand. The ergonomichandle places the entire

hand in contact with the grip,which Babolat says will providemore power, more control, andmore comfort.

“Every part of the tennis rac-quet has evolved over time—thematerials, the shape and size ofthe racquet head, and even thelength of the handle—except theshape of the handle,” says MaxBrownlee, general manager ofBabolat USA. “This is surprisingbecause all players, regardless oftheir skill level, consider the rac-quet as a natural extension oftheir arm, yet nothing had beendone to improve the handleuntil now.”

Babolat introduced the SmartGrip on two racquets in June:the 112-square-inch Aero Blastand the 110-square-inch Drive ZOS. Both also feature Babolat’s Cortex System for vibration dampening.For more information, visit www.babolat.com or call 877-316-9435.


Midtown TennisClub Hosts World’sLargest CardioTennis ClassOn June 9, 186 players rangingin skill levels from NTRP 1.5 to3.5 raised their racquets andtheir heart rates in the world’slargest Cardio Tennis class atMidtown Tennis Club in Chica-go. The class was part of Mid-town’s patented Tennis in NoTime program, offered annuallyby the club. Twenty-three Mid-town professionals hosted theevent, led by Butch Staples andMichael Mahoney, Midtown’shead professional and generalmanager. The club reports thatfollowing the class, the playersreplaced the calories theyburned with a buffet dinner andsocial served by the club.

PTR, Special OlympicsRelease Specialized TennisCoaching Guide

The PTR and Special Olympics Inc. have col-laborated on the new Special Olympics TennisCoaching Guide. The 40-page spiral-bound

book, which includes a CD, is a step-by-stepguide for beginner and volunteer SpecialOlympics coaches to grasp the basics of teachingtennis to the Special Olympics athlete.

“We hope this guidewill encourage more PTRteaching professionals tobecome involved in Spe-cial Olympics tennis intheir communities,” saysGeoff Norton, PTR direc-tor of development. “Andit will serve as a greatresource for those whoalready are.”

The guide is availablefree through PTR Head-

quarters. It can be ordered online at www.ptrtennis.org or by calling 800-421-6289 or 843-785-7244. PTR is the Official Tennis TrainingPartner for Special Olympics.

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


L E T T E R S

We welcome your letters and comments. Please email them to [email protected] or fax them to 760-536-1171.

To the Editor:

I enjoyed the “Our Serve” editorial (“Grab Every

Opportunity You Can”) in the July issue of RSI. I

couldn't agree with you more on the importance of

education for teaching professionals and coaches.

The USPTA has 17 divisions that offer educational

activities and trade shows that are open to not only

our members, but also nonmembers or anyone in

the tennis industry, no matter what their affiliation.

As examples, the USPTA Midwest Division does

a fantastic job of co-hosting a divisional conference

with the high school coaches associations in the

Midwest. Their events feature great seminars and

speakers. And the USPTA Texas Division holds the

Southwest Tennis Buying Show in February and

August every year, in conjunction with the USPTA

Texas Division annual conference and Mid-Year

Meeting. This show, along with the educational

offerings, was a great success this past February as

there was record attendance at both the confer-

ence and Southwest Tennis Buying Show.

This is a great indicator that tennis is growing

and with the entire tennis industry working togeth-

er, hopefully we can continue our growth.

Ron Woods

President, USPTA

To the Editor:

I read “The Soft Sell” in the May issue

about transition tennis balls, and the com-

ments throughout the article were great.

Tennis, like many things in life, has a difficult

time accepting or adopting change.

In USTA Northern California, we believe

in the transition balls so much we developed

an all-volunteer-based Junior Team Tennis

Leagues. The leagues would not be possible

without the equipment. We call the pro-

gram 6-TENNIS and it is being well received.

We have 15 spring leagues (over 500 play-

ers) in progress or just completed and plan

on many more in operation this fall.

Adopting scaled-down versions of tennis

and using the games-based approach to

teaching is allowing the kids to be success-

ful, be part of a team, play the game almost

immediately and create more interest in our

sport.

Thanks again for spreading the word

about transition balls.

Jim Coyne

Director of Junior Tennis

USTA Northern California

Head Offers New CarsIn Airflow Promotion

One lucky consumer and one pluckyretailer will each drive home with anew Chrysler Crossfire sports

coupe, thanks to a promotion fromHead for its new Airflow racquets.

Until Oct. 15, consumers who demoan Airflow racquet will receive a ticketfrom the retailer that enters them intothe Airflow Demo Program Sweep-stakes, making them eligible to win theCrossfire. But Head has two vehicles togive away, and the second one will goto the retailer who has the most con-sumers demoing the racquets.

In related promotions, Head is alsorunning demo days in 15 marketsthroughout the summer. The three Air-flow frames, designed for women play-ers, were introduced in May. For moreinformation, visit www.head.com/usademoprogram.

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Wilson AnnouncesStringing Partnershipwith RPNY Tennis

Wilson Racquet Sports has part-nered with RPNY Tennis to pro-vide stringing services for select

ATP and WTA tournaments throughout2006. The partnership, which began inMarch as the exclusive stringer at TheTennis Channel Open, continuedthrough the 2006 Wimbledon Champi-onships as the official stringer for all Wil-son and Luxilon players at thetournament.

Wilson will also be the official stringerfor the 2006 US Open. RPNY will assistWilson in providing stringing services forall US Open players, which equates toapproximately 3,000 racquets strungduring the three weeks of the event.

RPNY Tennis, based in New York,specializes in stringing and customizingfor both professional and recreationalplayers.

Former ASBA Chairman Kevin Smith Dies

Kevin F. Smith, a former chairman of the U.S. Tennis Court and Track BuildersAssociation (now the American Sports Builders Association) passed away inApril. He was 80.

Smith was a principal in The CourtSmiths of Toledo, Ohio, and active in thetennis and track business. A Certified Tennis Court Builder, he also served asUSTC&TBA Tennis division president and ethics chairman. In 2002, he wasawarded the association’s Industry Merit Award. He is survived by his wife of 55years, Patricia, seven children, and 22 grandchildren.

Prince O3 Tech Wins Design Award

Prince O3 Engineered Technology has won a Bronze Industrial Design Excel-lence Award (IDEA) in the Consumer Products category, recogniz-ing it as an outstanding consumer product design for

2006.“The IDEA Award is given to products that show

exceptional design and engineering, and it is aprivilege for our company to have been hon-ored with this outstanding award,” saysGeorge Napier, chairman and CEO of Prince.“At Prince, we live an ongoing commitmentto give consumers an exceptional tennis expe-rience through advanced technology and engi-neering.”

Decisions for the 2006 IDEA Awards were basedupon design innovation, benefit to the user, benefit to thebusiness, ecological responsibility, and aesthetics and appeal. TheIDEA competition, sponsored by BusinessWeek and the IndustrialDesigners Society of America, awarded a total of 499 entries this year. Acomplete list and analysis of each recipient ran in the June 30 edition ofBusinessWeek.

The technology on Prince O3 racquets enlarges the string holes into giant“O-Ports,” which Prince says expands the sweetspot up to 54 percent, allow-ing for more consistent shots. Top pros Maria Sharapova, Nikolay Davydenko,and Guillermo Coria play with O3 racquets, and the O3 Silver and O3 Hybrid Hor-net were named Editor’s Choice winners by Tennis magazine.

For more information, visit www.princetennis.com.

Bälle de Mätch Is Official Apparel Brand for WTT

Bälle de Mätch has become the official apparel for World TeamTennis. The multi-year agreement includes WTT recreational and junior leagues, and beginning in2007, the 12-city WTT Professional League. The company will supply uniforms

for tournament staffing, ball kids, league directors, and WTT staff.“[WTT co-founder] Billie Jean King is one of the most dynamic leaders and true

innovator for the sport,” says John Embree, Bälle de Mätch co-owner and partner.“I am so inspired by what she has done for tennis and what World TeamTennishas meant to the industry.”

“Bälle de Mätch is always on the leading edge of tennis apparel design and theiredgy, non-traditional look fits in well with WTT’s unique brand of tennis,” saysWTT CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss.

For more information on Bälle de Mätch, call 949-574-7300 or 800-356-1021.



Andrew Honored byUSPTA Southern Division

Jorge Andrew,the director ofoperations at

the Lexington Coun-ty Tennis Complexin Lexington, S.C.,was named USPTASouthern Division

“Alan Henry Tennis Professional ofthe Year” during the division’s con-vention at Tunica National TennisCenter and Grand Casino VerandaHotel in Tunica, Miss., recently.

Andrew is a USPTA Master Pro-fessional, President of the USPTASouth Carolina Chapter, and VicePresident of USTA South Carolina.He also serves on two USTANational Committees and oneUSTA Southern Section Commit-tee, is the chairman of the Nation-al Cardio Tennis Speakers Team,and is a member of theHEAD/Penn National SpeakersBureau Team and National Adviso-ry Staff.

Quickie Donates Tennis Wheelchair to PTR

Sunrise Medical has donated a new Quickie Match Point tenniswheelchair to the PTR, which will use the wheelchair to help able-bodied tennis teaching professionals learn the nuances of the

wheelchair game.“It is imperative that able-bodied participants in our wheelchair

instructing workshops experience the chair firsthand,” says PTRDirector of Development Geoff Norton. “Understanding chair mobili-ty, as well as stroke production from a wheelchair player’s perspec-tive, is just not the same without familiarity with the equipment. Withthis generous donation, PTR can now assure that a sport chair will beavailable no matter where weconduct these clinics.”

Kathryn McDougal, theQuickie ambassador programmanager, and Scott Cross-white, regional sales directorfor Quickie, helped organizethe donation. Crosswhite andhis Quickie team support theannual PTR/ROHO Wheel-chair Tennis Championshipsby supplying a repair tent forthe players’ athletic chairs.

Colorado Club InstallsTwo Red Clay Courts

Columbine Country Club near Denver has installedColorado’s first two American Fast Dry red claycourts. The new clay courts are the final phase of

a renovation program involving five other post-tensionhard surface courts. L.E. Renner Sports Surfaces ofDenver was the general contractor for the project. Theclay courts feature a sub-surface irrigation system, saysCCC’s head tennis pro, Terry Boyle.

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12 Named to USTA Summer Collegiate Team

Twelve of the U.S.’s top college men and women players were named recently tothe 2006 USTA Summer Collegiate Team, which is administered by the USTA andthe Intercollegiate Tennis Association.The team—an elite training program for the top American collegiate tennis play-

ers that began in 1996 and is funded by the USTA—is designed to expose players tothe USTA Pro Circuit in a team-oriented environment during the summer. The teamparticipated in events in July, coached by Bryan Shelton, women’s head coach atGeorgia Tech, and Kent Kinnear, assistant men’s coach at Illinois.

This year’s team includes: Matt Bruch, Stanford; Travis Helgeson, University ofTexas; John Isner, University of Georgia; Bryan Koniecko, Ohio State University;Sheeva Parbhu, Notre Dame; Todd Paul, Wake Forest; Audra Cohen, University ofMiami; Amanda Fink, University of Southern California; Amber Liu, Stanford; KristiMiller, Georgia Tech; Lindsey Nelson, University of Southern California; and AnneYelsey, Stanford.


Lee Tennis to Host Indoor Clay Conference

Lee Tennis, the manufacturer of Har-Tru, will host its Third Annual Conferenceon Indoor Clay Courts Aug. 28-29, at the Congressional Country Club inBethesda, Md. The conference is designed to bring together leading experts to

discuss construction and maintenance issues regarding indoor clay courts.Topics will include the latest research on surface compaction, maintenance

tools and techniques, irrigation, and structures. The conference will consist ofclassroom presentations, panel discussions, and on-court demonstrations. Addi-tionally, attendees will tour several indoor facilities and participate in Q&A sessionswith the facility managers and maintenance personnel.

The event is designed for anyone managing, maintaining or consideringinstalling indoor clay courts. For more information, contact Pat Hanssen at 1-877-4HARTRU or [email protected].

New DVD Series From Annacone, Tennis Mag

Hosted by Paul Annacone, coach of pro Tim Henman and former coach of PeteSampras, Tennis Magazine’s Tactical Tennis DVD package focuses on identify-ing and maximizing key tactical situations on court. In each of the four DVDs—

Know Your Own Game, Beat the Baseliner, Neutralize the Net-Rusher, and Attack theAll-Court Player—Annacone explains tactics and counters for every situation. Alsoincluded are 43 drillsand practice games forimproving match-specif-ic strategy. IndividualDVDs are $22.92, or thefour-DVD set is $86.95.Visit

Follow the Open at Home

Can’t make it to Flushing Meadowsthis year for the US Open? You canstill get with the program—the

2006 US Open souvenir program, that is.The official tournament magazine con-tains 256 pages filled with action photos,player bios, inside stories, and more. Toorder your copy, visit USOpenShop.org.

USPTA World ConferenceHits Vegas Sept. 18-23

The 2006 USPTA World Conference onTennis will be Sept. 18 to 23 at theFlamingo Las Vegas. The event also will

include a Tennis Buying Show on Sept. 21.Nearly 1,500 tennis pros, industry lead-

ers, manufacturers, and others are expect-ed to attend. The conference also will offermore than 35 seminars and courses, alongwith nighttime parties, a silent auction andthe USPTA International Tennis Champi-onships.

The agenda, speakers list, and registra-tion information is available at www.uspta.org or by calling 800-877-8248.



• Charles C. Mulcahy,the founder of the Milwaukee

Tennis & Education Foundation, hasstepped down after 31 years as presi-

dent of the award-winning organization.The new president will be MTEF boardmember David Pelisek.

• Six people were inducted recently intothe USTA New England Section TennisHall of Fame: Russ Adams of Reading,Mass., Alan Chandronnait of Bow, N.H.,Andrea Voikos Door of Scituate, R.I., Dr.Robert Leach of Weston, Mass., Kay Ruelof Portsmouth, N.H., and the late AnnRogan of Needham, Mass. In addition,Art Goldblatt of Norwalk, Conn., receivedthe Gardner Ward Chase MemorialAward for outstanding contributions totennis in New England.

• Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal werehonored recently with 2006 LaureusWorld Sports Awards. Federer collectedSportsman of the Year honors for the sec-ond year in a row, while Nadal claimedthe Newcomer of the Year award.

• Martina Navratilova and Don Budge willbe inducted into the “Court of Champi-ons” at the 2006 US Open. The Court ofChampions celebrates the legacies of thegreatest singles champions in the historyof the US Open and US Championships.

• Jacco Eltingh, a former No. 1 doublesplayer, has been re-elected to the ATPBoard for a three-year term. In addition,the ATP has appointed a new playercouncil, with members Ivan Ljubicic,James Blake, Olivier Rochus, ThomasJohansson, Paul Goldstein, Davide San-guinetti, Bob Bryan, Kevin Ullyett, YounesEl Aynaoui, Martin Garcia, David Adamsand Ricardo Piatti.

• James R. Cochrane of Great Britain isthe 2006 recipient of the InternationalTennis Hall of Fame’s Golden Achieve-ment Award, presented annually on aworldwide basis to individuals who havemade important contributions to tennisin the fields of administration, promo-

tion, or education and have devotedlong and outstanding service to

the sport.

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> The American Sports Builders Associ-ation Technical Meeting will be Dec. 1-4at the Plaza Hotel and Spa in DaytonaBeach, Fla. For more information, visitwww.sportsbuilders.org, call 866-501-ASBA, or email [email protected].

> The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel inDixville Notch, N.H., has joined the list ofresorts offering exclusive benefits forUSTA members. Contact the resortdirectly at 800-255-0600 or visitwww.thebalsams.com. For more infor-mation about the USTA Resort & Campprogram, login atwww.usta.com/membership.

> Hawk-Eye Innovations Limited, thecompany behind the line-calling tech-nology that will be used in this year’s USOpen and US Open Series tournaments,has been acquired by the British cricketpublisher Wisden.

> Tennis legend Stan Smith and 2006Tennis Hall of Fame inductee PatrickRafter will take part in a doubles exhibi-tion on July 16 at the International Ten-nis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., inconjunction with the Campbell’s Hall ofFame Tennis Championships and Induc-tion Weekend. Visit www.tennisfame.com for more information.

> The Tennis Channel has re-launchedand upgraded its website with a newlook and enhanced features, includingtennis travel, broadband video andexpanded advertising space. The newwww.TennisChannel.com introduceslifestyle content that complements simi-lar programming found on TTC, says thenetwork. Visitors can find local hittingpartners, select instructors, and searchfor tennis courts, among other choices.

> ATPtennis.com, the official websiteof the men’s pro tour, has launched anew “Doubles Revolution.” Theredesigned web section is dedicated toATP doubles.

> Klip has revamped its website,www.klipstrings.com. The site includesthe latest news from Team Klip, the lat-est products, and a chance to entermonthly Web contests.

> The Eastside Racquet Club in Man-

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lius, N.Y., won an Excellence Award atthe Eighth Annual Small BusinessExcellence Awards, held in late June inSyracuse, N.Y. The family-owned clubwas nominated by Adirondack Bankand used SBA financing in 2005 torenovate both the facility and the ten-nis program.

> The PTR’s TennisPro magazinerecently won two national APEX Excel-lence Awards. Editor and PTR Directorof Communications Peggy Edwardsreceived the Magazine & Journal Writ-ing APEX Award for the Septem-ber/October 2005 issue, and ArtDirector Angie van Zuylen earned aDesign & Layout award for theNovember/December 2005 issue.

> Head/Penn has won Mattel’s“Rookie of the Year” award as the topnew licensee for the Barbie brand.Mattel, which has more than 100licensees, lauded Head for its Barbieco-branded racquet. “We’ve had somuch fun with this Barbie brand,”says Greg Mason of Head/Penn. “It’sone of those things that girls identifywith.”

> The U.S. Davis Cup team, led byCaptain Patrick McEnroe, will take onRussia on red clay Sept. 22-24 at theOlympic Stadium in Moscow.

> Proceeds from the sale of J-Blockmerchandise, developed by JamesBlake and Nike, during the US OpenSeries and the US Open will go to theUSTA Tennis & Education Foundation.Merchandise will be available at theevents as well as in tennis specialtyshops, and on TennisWarehouse.comand JamesBlakeTennis.com.

> The USTA Tennis & Education Foun-dation will hold its fourth annual Pro-Am fundraiser Sept. 8, during the USOpen. Eight amateur participants willbe paired with eight tennis championsfor the tennis experience of a lifetime.Fee to participate is $7,500, and allproceeds go to support the USTAT&EF. For information or to register,contact the Foundation at 914-696-7223 or foundation @usta.com.


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USRSA MEMBER CLASSIFIEDSTENNIS PROFESSIONALS NEEDED to take aCaribbean Vacation! You work 3 hours per dayand receive 5-star all inclusive accommoda-tions for yourself and 1 guest. Contact DeniseCox 678-778-4673; www.fitbodiesinc.com

FOR SALE: Czech Sports CT750 floor modelracquet stringing machine. This machine hasbeen modified with a Wise electronic 2086 lin-ear string puller which never has to be cali-brated as it’s self calibrating. The CT750 has asix point mounting system for most racquets.It includes a foot pedal for the Wise 2086.Tools not included. The original price for theCT750 was $750,Wise electronic linear 2086string puller was $700 and foot pedal $50.$700 + shipping. Please contact Tom Albert@ 410-757-4728.

FOR SALE: Babolat Star 3: Completely Recon-ditioned by Tennis Machines Inc. $2500 +Shipping. Please Contact Russ Sheh @ 760-641-3983.

Gentle Jaws Stringing MachineAccessory Eliminates String Crushing

Gentle Jaws is a nosecone or "diablo" accessory that mounts easily on anystringing machine to minimize damage to strings caused by slippagethrough the tension jaws. As described in the Machine Selector Guide on

page 26, a nosecone functions as follows: "The string is wrapped around thenosecone before it is put in the tension head, allowing the tension head togrip the string more gently and ensuring the string enters the tension jaws atthe the same angle each time." According to Gentle Jaws developer John Zed-nick, the accessory "will speed up your stringing and improve the quality ofyour work. This will lead to more satisfied customers and increased profits."For more information, contact John Zednick, 919-859-6788.



USTA to House Top Jun-iors, RelocatePlayer Development

The USTA has joined with the Evert Ten-nis Academy in Boca Raton, Fla., toprovide year-round housing for top jun-

ior players for the first time, launching anew era in the program's mission to devel-op the next generation of American tennischampions.

Working with the USTA, the Evert Acad-emy will construct a new on-site facilitythat will serve as the national headquartersfor USTA Player Development. The USTA isexpected to move Player Developementfrom Key Biscayne, Fla., to the Evert TennisAcademy by September 2007.

As part of the new arrangement, theUSTA will for the first time offer playerhousing for promising young players aged14 to 18. The Evert Tennis Academy is run

by Chris Evert and John Evert, andfeatures 23 tennis courts, including

14 clay courts and nine hardcourts, with 14 courts lightedfor night play.

or the coming seasons,apparel manufacturerswill continue to stretch

the boundaries betweencourt time and off-court/fitness/cardio activi-ties with pieces that havecrossover appeal whileusing technical fabrics tohelp athletes perform bet-ter. The newest piecesreflect the growing trendin both fitness and fashion,combining the latest mois-ture- wicking performancefabrics and high-fashionpatterns and colors.

—Cynthia Sherman

FTENNISFASHIONSTHAT “FIT”

APPAREL


TAILTennis and fitness play nicely together inTail’s newest multi-use apparel. Bright sparksof color—“just short of neon,” says Tail’sBrad Singer—are coming through, and newlines feature such colors as copper and pink,midnight blue, and “hot lava” (pink, black,and white). Tail, which is producing CardioTennis-specific clothing, has also introduced

a cardio skort forthe “hard-bodygirl.” For clothesthat move easilybetween on- andoff-court wear,the company alsohas “powercapris” and anovelty “i” jacketwith a place tohold an iPod.www.tailinc.com;800-678-8245

POLOFor fall, Polo brings out its RLX linefeaturing more technical poly-hybridmoisture-management fabrics and the Her-itage line sporting the trademark polo pony.The fabrications are a rich, mercerized mois-ture-wicking cotton of navy, deep greens,white, and charcoal on the men's side.877-229-6341.

LE COQ SPORTIFLe Coq Sportif is back in the game withinnovative, functional fashion-plus designs.Hot sellers for fall and winter are the men'sPolo in electric blue, black and “glow” cou-pled with black shorts in an absorbent pique100 percent Poly QuickDry fabric. For thewomen, le Coq plays up the active themein pink-lavender and “Dusk” (blue) shadeswith a color-block tank paired with aDusk skirt in a moisture-wicking poly-lycra blend. Available through Polo at877-229-6341.

DIADORADiadora employs Meryl microfiber DiaDry inits "EVS" (engineered venting system) fab-rics, which is mesh located where the body

produces the most heat. Colorways include pair-ing up yellows, blacks, oranges and grays, aswell as updating traditional navy, red, and whitehues. www.diadoraamerica.com; 800-252-5415.

TENNISFASHIONSTHAT “FIT”

BOLLEBolle, whose apparelgenerally features amore “traditional” fit,introduces bright, activecolors in more printsthan ever before. Madeof a poly/spandex, theseoutfits are moisture-wicking and featurefashion details such asmesh, unique trims,embroidery, and hard-ware. www.bolle.com;800-222-6553

LEJAYLejay’s new Cardio Ten-nis Heartbeat line for fit-ness/tennis featureshigh-performance nylon lycrafabrics that are lightweight,quick-drying and designedto conform (without con-stricting) and move withthe body. Available inPink Synergy andBlue Synergy colorcombinations,pieces featuremesh and metal-lic details for thetank and AceBorder skirt withbuilt-in shorts.www.lejay.com;800-932-7535


KAELINKaelin does chic with its new Bijou andStargazer collections, offering dazzlinghues of blues and yellows and uniquecolor blocking patterns. The garments aremade from Meryl microfiber nylon, offer-ing performance and moisture manage-ment. www.diadoraamerica.com;800-252-5415.

LBH, LILY’S,AND WIMBLEDONFor LBH, Lily’s, and Wimble-don, spring is all about colorand texture balanced with tradi-tional whites. The LBH lineplays up dynamic strong, high-contrast colors. The Lily's line ismore playful and feminine,emphasizing prints. And crisp,classic looks embody the Wim-bledon collection. For men’sapparel, Wimbledon introducesan expanded line featuring knitpolos, tees, woven shorts, andjackets in “G-Cool” performancefabrics, which LBH says putsthe performance “at the fiberlevel.” www.lbhgroup.com;800-421-4474

My father used to tell me, “You only get one chance tomake a first impression. Make sure it is a good one.”While my dad was sharing this pearl of wisdom about

life in general, the old adage is very applicable to your racquetservice business.

Whether you are a home stringer with only a few clients,a large retail store with thousands of customers, or somethingin between, you have to make a good impression to attractand retain customers.

Competition in today’s marketplace is abundant anddiverse, regardless of the size or scope of your operation. Sohow do you compete? What can you do to separate yourselffrom your competitors? How do you make that good firstimpression? The answer to all three questions can besummed up with one word: “professionalism.”

If everything you do exudes professionalism, your cus-tomers will take notice and you will reap the rewards of aloyal customer base that will not only continue to do businesswith you, but also will sing your praises to everyone theyknow.

The First ImpressionWhen a potential customer walks into your business, what istheir first impression of your racquet service operation? Isthere even any evidence of its existence?

Often, racquet service is tucked into a back room or a des-olate corner away from the traffic flow. The stringingmachine and other tools of the trade should be proudly dis-played front and center so that there is no doubt that profes-sional racquet service is available. The stringing machineitself should command attention.

David Pavlich, owner of North Shore Tennis in Mandeville,La., believes that the stringing operation should be very visi-ble in your store or pro shop. “Make sure that your machine

and other equipment is in good shape and has a ‘wow’ fac-tor,” he says. “I have a Babolat Sensor in my store, front andcenter. It is big, modern-looking, and quite attractive. I havea regular customer who calls it the ‘Starship Enterprise’!”

Make an InvestmentIf your machine doesn’t have the “wow” factor or looks a bitworn and dated, you may want to consider investing in a newone. I use the word “investment” simply because that is whata machine purchase is—it should pay you dividends for manyyears to come.

Regardless of the size of your racquet service operation,your stringing machine is vital to the success of the business.Like any investment, you should analyze your needs and doas much research as possible and then make your decisionbased on what makes good business sense for you.

There are about as many options in stringing machines asthere are stringers in the world, and choosing the right onecan be a daunting task. Once you look at your particularneeds, then you can utilize the information in this issue aswell as the machine reviews and comparison charts availablefrom the USRSA website, www.racquettech.com. You canevaluate and compare the various functions, designs, andworkability of many of the machines available in today’s mar-ket and decide what would best serve your business.

Return on InvestmentAnother reason for making the investment in a new machineis simply the return on that investment. If you do your home-work and invest in the right machine for your operation,you’ll reap the rewards with increased business for years tocome.

With the proper set-up and attention, racquet stringingand racquet service should be the most profitable aspect of

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

FIRST-STRINGPLAYERSFIRST-STRINGPLAYERSOur tips and exclusive guide will helpyou generate more revenue from yourstringing business.

Our tips and exclusive guide will helpyou generate more revenue from yourstringing business. B Y B O B P A T T E R S O N , M R T


your retail operation. Most pro shops and retailers make 70percent to 80 percent gross profit on racquet service.Wouldn’t you love to get those margins on racquet, appar-el, or shoe sales? With such profit-generating potential,why wouldn’t you place a major emphasis on your racquetservice operation? And, why wouldn’t you invest in goodequipment?

You may not be able to afford the most expensivemachine on the market, but you should select the machinethat best meets your needs. Then, make it the centerpieceof your business. Whether a new machine is in your bud-get or not, at least make sure yourmachine and the surroundingwork area are neat and clean inappearance.

As with any busy workspace, itis easy to allow clutter to accumu-late. Tools and other items shouldbe stored in an orderly manner.Finished racquets and racquetsawaiting service should be separat-ed and neatly stored. Your workarea should always project a pro-fessional image.

Expert StaffingAnother important aspect of pro-fessional racquet service is theexpertise of your staff. Your equip-ment is only as good as the per-sonnel who use it and provideservice to your customers. Themost impressive racquet servicearea in the world will not be uti-lized if it is manned by an inexpe-rienced employee with little or notraining.

The personnel in your racquetservice area should be experiencedand well-trained in all aspects ofracquet service. Ideally, eachshould be certified through the USRSA as CertifiedStringers, if not Master Racquet Technicians.

At North Shore Tennis, Pavlich is a staff of one, but heproudly touts his MRT status and has built a loyal followingfrom players in the New Orleans area. “I run ads on thelocal cable channel highlighting my experience. I am theonly MRT in the area and that fact is mentioned in thecommercial,” says Pavlich.

As true professionals, it is essential that your racquettechnicians be able to answer questions and guide cus-tomers in string selection, tension and racquet customiza-tion. If your operation sells racquets, they should alsoknow about and be able to assist customers with racquetselection. Being certified as an MRT will ensure that thestaff keeps up to date on the latest racquet technologiesand are able to provide customers with the best possibleservice.

Finishing TouchesWith a first-class presentation, top-notch personnel, and pre-miere customer service, the only thing left is adding amenities.Paying attention to the details will keep your customers comingback and telling their friends about the great service theyreceived in your establishment.

“We put our finished racquets in a poly bag with our storelogo on it,” says Grant Morgan of String n’ Swing in Memphis.“It costs us a few cents for each one, but the customers reallylike it. They see the pros pulling fresh racquets out of the polybags on court and it makes them feel just as important.”

Pavlich is also a proponent of the polybags. “It gives a professional impressionand it actually protects the racquet tosome extent,” he says. “And becauseeach bag has our logo on it, we get anon-court advertisement every time a cus-tomer pulls out a fresh racquet.”

Offering faster turn-around than yourcompetitors is another way to makeyour customers choose your business.Knowing that they can depend on get-ting their racquet serviced and be backon the court is important to a busy play-er. Offering an express service, even ifyou charge an extra fee, will certainly setyour service apart.

“I guarantee 24-hour turnaround,”says Pavlich. “I also offer Express Ser-vice: $5 for four-hour service and $10 forone-hour service. Our customers knowthat we will go out of our way to accom-modate their needs.”

Keeping accurate service records isanother plus for your customers, accord-ing to Tim Strawn of Baseline RacquetSports in Roanoke, Va. “I label each rac-quet with the date of service, string, andtension,” says Strawn. “I also keeprecords of every string job. My cus-tomers appreciate the fact that I can tell

them what string and tension they were using over the last sev-eral years.”

Putting forth the extra effort to make your racquet service asprofessional as possible will pay big dividends to your bottomline. “Know your product, both racquets and strings,” saysPavlich. “Also learn as much as possible about the technologyso that you can better assist your customers. Being able to tella customer why one string does what it does in a specific framegoes a long way in instilling confidence and comfort in aprospective customer.”

Investing in a professional racquet service operation, and allthat it entails, will pay big dividends for your business.�

Master Racquet Technician Bob Patterson of Birming-

ham, Ala., owns Players Choice Tennis and the racquet

customization company Racquetmaxx. In 2005, he was

named RSI’s Stringer of the Year.

What YourCustomers Should KnowA little knowledge can go a long way, and for yourcustomers, providing them with some basic informa-tion about strings and stringing may help generatemore interest in your stringing and customizationbusiness.

When it comes to restringing, the basic rule of thumbstill applies: A player should restring as many timeseach year as he or she plays each week. But betteryet, check the string tension regularly and suggestthey restring each time their racquet loses 20 to 30percent of its freshly strung value.

A few other general guidelines that you should makesure your customers are aware of include:

� Lower string tensions generate more power.� Higher string tensions produce more ball control.� Fewer strings will generally produce more power.� Thinner string generally produces more power.� A longer string will generally produce more power.� Thinner strings generally produce more spin.� A more open stringbed tends to generate more spin.� Pre-stretching string before installation will generallyreduce the amount of tension lost after stringing.


uying a stringing machine is one of the mostimportant purchases you can make for your busi-ness. It is also one of the most difficult. With theplethora of machines, technologies, and features

available, selecting a machine is a daunting task.Our Stringing Machine Selection Guide will guide you

through the minefields and help you choose the bestmachine for your business. Below we explain the essentialmachine features, and the chart on pages 28-31 displays thefeatures of almost every professional machine on themarket.

MOUNTING SYSTEMSThe chart lists machines with 2-, 4-, 5-, or 6-point mountingsystems. This refers to how many places they support theframe. There are many subtle differences in mounting sys-tems. The three most common types of mounting systemsare the 2-point, 4-point and 6-point, though each of them issafe.

6-Point Mounting. Fans of 6-point systems will tell you thatmore points of contact must be better. Six-point systems dosupport the frame in more places, which means it is a littleeasier to lock the racquet in place so it does not slide backand forth during stringing. It also allows a better view of thegrommets at the head and throat of a racquet. Six-point sys-tems can require fewer adapters for frames of differentshapes. Finally, some of these systems have side arms thatcan be adjusted simultaneously, making it easier to center aracquet.

2-Point & 4-Point Mounting. Fans of two-point and four-point systems suggest that it is quicker to mount a racqueton a these machines because there are fewer mountingpoints to be adjusted. They will also say that these systemsoffer more support at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock, (the twomost important points to support), because the amount ofsurface contact with the frame is greater at these locations.

Turntable Lock. This allows you to stop the turntable in oneposition. Helpful for calibrating, tying knots, and stringingO3 and Rollers frames.

360o Rotation Turntable. Allows you to turn the racquet allthe way around during stringing.

3-D Rotation Turntable. Allows the turntable to tilt so thateach string gets pulled straight through the grommet. Thisis designed to reduce the friction ofthe string against the grommetwhen tension is being pulled.

TENSIONING SYSTEMSThere are two main types of tensioning sys-tems available today—lockout and constantpull. Lockout means that the machine pullsthe string to the desired tension and thenlocks the length of the string until you clampit and release the tension head. So, as soon asyou lock the length of the string, it starts equalizingand losing tension. Constant-pull machines pull the stringto the desired tension, but when the string startsto equalize and lose tension, it pulls a littlemore to stay at reference tension. Constant-pull machines generally achieve slightly high-er stringbed stiffness (we find the differenceto be about 5 percent to 10 percent).

Drop Weight. These machines use a lever(with a weight attached to it) to pull tensionon each string. Moving the weight on the bardetermines how much tension it pulls. Thesemachines qualify as constant pull because the weightcontinues to pull the string as the string stretches.

Hand Crank. Tension is pulled by handcrank. These machines lockout when thedesired tension has been reached.

Electric. These machines require electrici-ty to pull tension. Most of these machines areconstant pull, but a few allow you to choosebetween constant-pull and lockout modes.Some offer multiple pull speeds and a pre-stretch mode.

B

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

AlphaEquinox

BabolatStar 5

ATSTraveler


Linear Pull & RotationalTensioners. Machines that pulltension in a straight line awayfrom the machine are said to be lin-

ear pull. The alternative is a rotationaltensioner, which wraps the stringaround a spool, then rotates thespool to pull tension on the string.

Diablo/Nosecone. The string iswrapped around the diablo ornosecone before it is put in the ten-sion head, allowing the tension headto grip the string more gently and

ensuring the string enters the tensionjaws at the same angle each time.

Foot Tension. Foot-activated tensionhead.

Manual Calibration. Allows you to adjust(correct) the pulling force manually, asopposed to a few machines that aredesigned to calibrate themselves automati-

cally.

Diamond CoatedTension Head. Gripsthe string with lesspressure.

Tension Sets. Three types: dial tension set,+/- key tension set, and numeric keypad.

Knot Tensioning. The machine canbe instructed to pull the last stringbefore a knot tighter than the refer-ence tension to allow for the tensionthat is lost between the clamp andthe knot.

CLAMPING SYSTEMSThe clamping system is meant to

hold strings in the racquet under ten-sion. If clamps slip, or allow strings to slipthrough them, a string job can be ruined.There are many different clamps, but we

will only discuss three here.

Flying Clamps. These clamps are notattached to the machine. They useone string to hold tension on another

string. They generally do not hold tension asconsistently as the other two types ofclamps. The low price tag makes them

attractive to new stringers testing thewaters.

Fixed Clamps that Swivel. Theseclamps are attached to the machineand can be turned in any direction,especially helpful when stringingfan patterns. They also allow youto switch from main strings tocross strings without having toremove and replace glide bars. There aretwo kinds: dual swivel, dual action fixedclamps that require you to lock two levers toclamp a string; and dual swivel,single-action fixed clamps thatrequire you to lock one lever.360º glide bar clamps areclamps that rotate 360 degrees,but they are mounted on glidebars. Single swivel fixed refers tomachines with only one clampattached to the machine. Machineswith this type of clamp will gener-ally require a starting clamp or fly-ing clamp for part of each stringjob.

Fixed Clamps that Don't Swivel. These areclamps that are attached to themachine by glide bars, but canonly be turned in two directions(90 degrees and 0 degrees).These require removing and reposi-tioning glide bars to switch from mainstrings to cross strings.

Diamond Dust. Holds a string with lesspressure, avoiding string crushing but canscar surface of string if they are adjusted tooloosely and allow the string to slipthrough them.

WEIGHTCategories indicate whether themachine weighs less than 50pounds, between 50 and 75 pounds,or over 75 pounds. Heavier machinescan be more stable and solid, but theycan be less convenient when moving ortraveling.

TOOLS INCLUDEDThis final category indicateswhich supplies and tools areincluded with the machine.For descriptions of eachtool, see pages 9-10 of theUSRSA Racquet ServiceTechniques book. �

Klipper440-CS

Mutual PowerHercules 650

Prince3000


TecnifibreTF-8000

Wise2086 Professional ETH

SAMProMaster

Silent PartnerOpus

YonexES5 Pro

PacificDigital X8

Gamma8800 Els


Tennis

Racquetball

Squash

Badm

inton

StandIncluded

StandAvailable

TableTopStandard

TableTopOp

tional

Sports

HeightAdjustable

Height

2-Point M

ounting

4-Point M

ounting

5-Point M

ounting

6-Point M

ounting

TurntableLock

360º

RotationTurntable

3-DTurntableRotation

Drop

Weight

FullClutch-Drop

RachetSystem

-Drop

Hand

Crank

2-SidedCrank

Electric

MultipleSpeedPull

ConstantPull

Lockout

Prestretch

LinearPull

Warranty(years)

Price(MSRP)ModelBrand

TensioningMounting

601F $219 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x602F $269 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x602S $379 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x603GB $549 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x604S $569 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x603S $699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x607 $799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

String Pal $129 5 x x x x x x x x x X x x x x x x x x x xPioneer DC Plus $399 5 x x x x x x x x x x x X x x x x x x x x x x x x xRevo 4000 $549 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAxis Pro $749 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xApex II $995 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xEclipse $1,149 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xEquinox $2,495 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Super Stringer II $135 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTraveler $189 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Sensor $5,200 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSensor Expert $8,500 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xStar 5 $3,000 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

X-2 $139 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xProgression 602 $299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-6 $329 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xProgression 602 FC $469 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-6 FC $499 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xProgression ST II $629 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-ST $659 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x5003 w/6pt $799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x5003 w/2pt SC System$999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xProgression Es II+ $899 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-Es $949 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x6004 w/6pt $1,199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x6004 w/2pt $1,199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x6500 Els w/6pt $1,699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x6500 Els w/2pt $1,699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x5800 Els w/6pt $1,999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x5800 Els w/2pt $2,199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x8800 Els w/6pt $3,299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x8800 Els w/2pt $3,299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x8500 Els $2,999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Klippermate $145 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xKlippermate Bad’ton $155 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x280-CS $245 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x440-CS $445 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

AGwww.gutermanintl.com800-343-6096

Alphawww.alphatennis.com800-922-9024

ATSwww.atssports.com800-866-7071

Babolatwww.babolat.com877-316-9435

Gammawww.gammasports.com800-333-0337

Klipper USAwww.klipperusa.com800-522-5547


FootPedal Tension

Activator

Automated

TensionRelease

Diablo/Nosecone

Rotational Tensioner

Pounds

&KilosTension

Manual CalibrationAdjustable

Self-Calibrating

Diam

ondCoatTensionHead

Grip

Knob/Dial Tension

Setting

Plus/Minus

TouchPadTensionSet

FullKeypad

TensionSetting

Flyin

gClam

psFixedClam

pson

GlideBars

Tensioning

NoToolNeeded

toAdjustClam

psToolTray

ReelRack

Cabinet w

ithDraw

ers

LevelingPads

onBase

Under 5

0lbs

Clamping

50-75lbs

Over75

lbs

Calibrator

StartingClam

pDiagonalCutters

Needlenose

Pliers

Weight

Self-ElevatingLinearPull

LED/LCDTensionDisplay

KnotTensioning

RemovableElectricTensioner U

nit

DualSw

ivel D

oubleActionFixed

DualSw

ivel SingleActionFixed

360Degree

Clam

pson

GlideBars

SingleSw

ivel Fixe

dClam

pDiam

ondDu

stClam

psAutomated

Base

ReleaseClam

psMagnetic

AutoClam

pBase

Release

Cover Included

StringMeasurer

Built-in

Ruler

Racquet S

tand

Tools Included

Awl

Flyin

gClam

pAssemblyInstructions/Video

OwnersManual/Video

GuidingAw

lBentNose

Pliers

AssemblyTools

Flyin

gClam

pStartingPins

Extra Features

601F $219 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x602F $269 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x602S $379 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x603GB $549 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x604S $569 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x603S $699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x607 $799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

String Pal $129 5 x x x x x x x x x X x x x x x x x x x xPioneer DC Plus $399 5 x x x x x x x x x x x X x x x x x x x x x x x x xRevo 4000 $549 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAxis Pro $749 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xApex II $995 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xEclipse $1,149 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xEquinox $2,495 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Super Stringer II $135 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTraveler $189 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Sensor $5,200 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSensor Expert $8,500 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xStar 5 $3,000 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

X-2 $139 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x xProgression 602 $299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-6 $329 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x xProgression 602 FC $469 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-6 FC $499 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x xProgression ST II $629 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-ST $659 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x5003 w/6pt $799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x5003 w/2pt SC System$999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xProgression Es II+ $899 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xX-Es $949 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x6004 w/6pt $1,199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x6004 w/2pt $1,199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x6500 Els w/6pt $1,699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x6500 Els w/2pt $1,699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x5800 Els w/6pt $1,999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x5800 Els w/2pt $2,199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x8800 Els w/6pt $3,299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x8800 Els w/2pt $3,299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x8500 Els $2,999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Klippermate $145 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xKlippermate Bad’ton $155 Life x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x280-CS $245 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x440-CS $445 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

SAM G-Force R1 $395 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM G-Force R2 $495 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM XLR8 $795 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM XLR8+ $995 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM NRG $1795 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM NRG+ $1995 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM ProMaster $2495 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Hercules 610 $319 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 2000 $399 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 2500 $499 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 2600 $499 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 6000 $469 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 6500 $569 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 6600 $569 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xHercules 630 $529 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xHercules 650 $629 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTitan 7600 $649 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe-Bravo 550 $509 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe-Bravo 760 $599 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAtlas 8600 $899 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAtlas 9600 $999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Digital X8 $2,999 2 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Neos 1000 $1,099 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x . x x x x x3000 $2,995 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Swing $199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer $249 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer 6 point $299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer CL $469 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xJazz $599 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer FL $699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xMaestro $799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer DG $999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAria $1,599 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x no x x x x x x x x x x x x x xOpus $2,799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

TF-6000 $4,700 1 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTF-7000 $6,000 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTF-7000 with Cabinet$7,000 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTF-8000 $7,500 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

2086 Professional Electronic Tension Head $495 2 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

ES5 Pro $6,499 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Tennis

Racquetball

Squash

Badm

inton

StandIncluded

StandAvailable

TableTopStandard

TableTopOp

tional

Sports

HeightAdjustable

Height

2-Point M

ounting

4-Point M

ounting

5-Point M

ounting

6-Point M

ounting

TurntableLock

360º

RotationTurntable

3-DTurntableRotation

Drop

Weight

FullClutch-Drop

RachetSystem

-Drop

Hand

Crank

2-SidedCrank

Electric

MultipleSpeedPull

ConstantPull

Lockout

Prestretch

LinearPull

Warranty(years)

Price(MSRP)ModelBrand

TensioningMounting


Master Sportswww.mastersports.com800-837-1002

Silent Partnerwww.sptennis.com800-662-1809

Tecnifibrewww.tecnifibre.com877-332-0825

Wise USAwww.tennishead.com888-836-7466

Mutual Powerwww.mutualpower.com832-327-0256

Princewww.princetennis.com800-283-6647

Yonexwww.yonex.com800-449-6639

Pacific USAwwwpacific.com805-857-9400

SAM G-Force R1 $395 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM G-Force R2 $495 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM XLR8 $795 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM XLR8+ $995 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM NRG $1795 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM NRG+ $1995 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xSAM ProMaster $2495 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Hercules 610 $319 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 2000 $399 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 2500 $499 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 2600 $499 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 6000 $469 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 6500 $569 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAlpine 6600 $569 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xHercules 630 $529 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xHercules 650 $629 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTitan 7600 $649 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe-Bravo 550 $509 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe-Bravo 760 $599 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAtlas 8600 $899 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAtlas 9600 $999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Digital X8 $2,999 2 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Neos 1000 $1,099 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x . x x x x x3000 $2,995 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Swing $199 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer $249 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer 6 point $299 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer CL $469 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xJazz $599 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer FL $699 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xMaestro $799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xe.Stringer DG $999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xAria $1,599 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x no x x x x x x x x x x x x x xOpus $2,799 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

TF-6000 $4,700 1 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTF-7000 $6,000 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTF-7000 with Cabinet$7,000 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xTF-8000 $7,500 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

2086 Professional Electronic Tension Head $495 2 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

ES5 Pro $6,499 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

FootPedal Tension

Activator

Automated

TensionRelease

Diablo/Nosecone

Rotational Tensioner

Pounds

&KilosTension

Manual CalibrationAdjustable

Self-Calibrating

Diam

ondCoatTensionHead

Grip

Knob/Dial Tension

Setting

Plus/Minus

TouchPadTensionSet

FullKeypad

TensionSetting

Flyin

gClam

psFixedClam

pson

GlideBars

Tensioning

NoToolNeeded

toAdjustClam

psToolTray

ReelRack

Cabinet w

ithDraw

ers

LevelingPads

onBase

Under 5

0lbs

Clamping

50-75lbs

Over75

lbs

Calibrator

StartingClam

pDiagonalCutters

Needlenose

Pliers

WeightSelf-ElevatingLinearPull

LED/LCDTensionDisplay

KnotTensioning

RemovableElectricTensioner U

nit

DualSw

ivel D

oubleActionFixed

DualSw

ivel SingleActionFixed

360Degree

Clam

pson

GlideBars

SingleSw

ivel Fixe

dClam

pDiam

ondDu

stClam

psAutomated

Base

ReleaseClam

psMagnetic

AutoClam

pBase

Release

Cover Included

StringMeasurer

Built-in

Ruler

Racquet S

tand

Tools Included

Awl

Flyin

gClam

pAssemblyInstructions/Video

OwnersManual/Video

GuidingAw

lBentNose

Pliers

AssemblyTools

Flyin

gClam

pStartingPins

Extra Features


Raise your racquet if you want to grow and manage ten-nis in your community and at your facility more effi-ciently. Want to extend your marketing reach?

Increase staff productivity? Provide better customer ser-vice for your tennis players? Make more money?

And hey, what about giving your customers atool that lets them take control—at their con-venience—of things like acquiring eventinformation, registering for one of your

programs, or reserving a tennis court?Think you’re asking too much? Guess again. I’ve got a

tool for you: TennisConnect, from the Tennis Industry Asso-ciation.

What? A website builder can do all that? Yes. This web-site software can—and does.

As a parks and recreation tennis facility manager inMacon, Ga., I assist in the creation of promotional materials,coordinate numerous programs and leagues, direct USTA

F A C I L I T Y M A N A G E M E N T


CONNECTWITH YOURCUSTOMERSFor a facility in Georgia, TennisConnect softwareis helping out all aspects of their business.

B Y R O B I N B A T E M A N

CONNECTWITH YOURCUSTOMERS


Before, we had to wait for our IT vendor, knowing extra feeswould be tacked onto the bill.

� Connect With Growth, Marketing Reach, andPromotion: Another key aspect, separating TC from otherwebsites, is its connectivity. When you become a TC sub-scriber, you aren’t just getting one stand-alone website. You’regetting a family of sites, maximizing your world-wide-webexposure. Once you create your site, add your programs,events, leagues—these become publicly listed.

Because TennisConnect is part of the Tennis Industry Asso-ciation’s growing tennis efforts, your programs, your informa-tion, your events are now searchable from over 100tennis-related “open-to-the-public” websites including Ten-nisWelcomeCenter.com and CardioTennis.com when yourfacility is involved as a site. Talk about increased visibility andalso doing your part to increase tennis participation!

The TIA has also encouraged major industry partners suchas Tennis magazine and The Tennis Channel to include a Find

tournaments, supervise employees, and carry out manyother managerial tasks associated with the everyday runningof a 12-court tennis center. I work under our department’stennis manager/head pro, and in conjunction with another24-court facility. Together, a team of employees promotes,instructs, and manages tennis in our community. After try-ing out several other websites, we chose TennisConnect.

TennisConnect (TC) may be the new kid on the web(2004), but don’t let that scare you. TC’s developers havebeen creating web-based applications for more than 13years, and business software applications for nearly 25years. Working with large companies like Intel, AOL, IBM,and Peoplesoft, TC’s team has helped empower softwareapplications for business productivity and customer service.

The site emerged after its lead designer, Charlie Ruddy,experienced difficulty obtaining tournament informationfrom his own tennis club. A longtime web designer, Ruddyput his talents toward building a website specifically for thetennis industry.

As a recreational tennis player, Ruddy knows what play-ers, and spectators of the game, are looking for. As a techdesigner, he knows what businesses are looking for, too.

And he delivers. For tennis managers and professionals,TC delivers a site rich in features like group email, online reg-istration, interactive event calendars, and the ability toupdate programs and event information any time of day ornight. For tennis players, TC delivers a site with options likeonline court reservations, player match-making, and find aprogram.

TennisConnect answers the needs of the manager, pro-gram coordinator, teaching pro, and the player, connectingcourts, programs, and events with players, facilities, andsponsors. TennisConnect.org has stepped up its approach towhat normal websites have to offer, allowing the entire ten-nis community to benefit from its package.

Connect Your BusinessFor me, the strong attraction begins with the very founda-tion of TC. Since it’s built for tennis facilities, TC naturallymakes it easy to create simple things like online forms. Forexample, when creating online enrollment forms, I don’thave to instruct IT to include drop-down menus for“leagues,” “lessons,” “tournaments,” etc. Tennis lingo isalready included.

� Connect With Control: Another underlying fea-ture is control. With this special software, we are in com-plete control of the look, feel, and layout of oursite—everything from color scheme, to the web pages, tographics and messages.

Also incorporated is the ability for me, and the others onmy team, to do our own updates, which provides us withcost-savings and convenience elements not typically foundin most other websites. An event may undergo changes indate, cost, location—we simply log on and make updates.


A Facility, Find a Player, Find a Program functions on theirwebsites. These searches are powered by TIA’s TennisCon-nect and have offered consumers an added way to getinvolved with tennis in their community.

“When we looked at consumer research, we saw moreand more people using the internet and turning to technologyto save them time,” says TIAExecutive Director, Jolyn deBoer. “Players wanted 24/7online services for finding infor-mation and online registration.The research also made it clearthat if we don’t ‘connect’ withour players and keep themactive in tennis, other influencescould pull them away. The TIAthen researched the market tofind an exceptional and afford-able online product. As a result,TennisConnect was created togive facility operators and prosthe tools to help their businessand tennis grow.”

Let’s not forget about the promotional benefits, either.Sarah Witherspoon, a programs coordinator on our team,loves the group email feature. “I can send email remindersabout upcoming programs. I can direct players to the sitewhere they can register for programs when they feel like it,not just when our office is open,” she says.

� Connect with Efficiency and Increased StaffProductivity: Now that we have a centralized place to postour information, not only can we direct our players and par-ticipants to the website, but we can also send all our employ-ees there as well. In doing so, our staff is always kept up tospeed with the latest news, events, and programs. Further-more, when participants are signing up online to enroll in pro-grams, staff has more time to devote to other tasks.

� Connect With Your Sponsors: Obtaining sponsorsfor our tournaments is a vital part of our success. “The Ten-nisConnect software is not only used to generate interest andbusiness from tennis players, but also to cultivate relation-ships with potential tournament sponsors,” says Carl Hodge,the tennis manager/head pro for the city of Macon. “Our facil-ities host large events, from 300 to 1,200 people at a time. Onour website visitors can find links to the local sponsor hotels,making the site a one-stop spot to plan their tournament expe-rience—a benefit for all involved.” When approaching compa-nies about possible sponsorship, we view our website’svisibility as a significant component to their coming on board.

� Connect to Your IT Team: TennisConnect’s ITteam is always there for us. They offered assistance while weset up our site and have continued to provide prompt, reliablesupport when we have questions. Subscribers are also givenaccess to forums addressing a wide variety of technical issues.

Getting in touch with TennisConnect’s IT team is just a toll-

free phone call away. Working in a public facility, our phoneservice doesn't provide long-distance calls. TC's toll-freenumber (888-620-6696) means I can talk to an IT memberwhen I need to.

� Connect Your Players: Players like TC for manyof the same reasons you will: convenience, 24/7 access to

information, event calendars,online enrollment, and commu-nication through email whenthey want it.

Brian Branch, a captain for amen’s 3.5 team, says, “Thewebsite is great. I like the con-venience of reserving courtsonline—not having to thinkabout calling in during normalbusiness hours. I can immedi-ately see which courts are openon what days. And with theadvanced notice, my team canmake arrangements to bethere.”

In addition, www.MyTennisCenter.com is a public mag-net, connecting players to the find a player, find a facility,and find a pro function, giving them information for pro-grams in their town, neighboring towns, and even to townsthey may travel to in the future.

Online tennis games, interactive polls, and a court-camare just some of the optional functions players will enjoyshould you decide to incorporate them into your website.

According to the TIA, more than 350,000 online courtreservations were made at TennisConnect facilities in thefirst three months of this year. And in the first six months,facilities using the software collectively generated more than4 million page views.

For us, the impact TennisConnect has had on our pro-grams and participation is undeniable. The ease with whichwe are able to grow, manage, promote, and instruct tenniscan be attributed to the software TC has to offer. The abili-ty to develop and maintain customer-service relationshipswith our players and participants only underscores theadvantage of being a TennisConnect subscriber.

What are you waiting for? Go get connected!

Robin Bateman is the site coordinator for the

Tattnall Tennis Center in Macon, Ga., where she

coordinates tennis programs and leagues, is a

tournament director, serves as a team captain

and assists junior teams competing at district,

regional, and section events.

TennisConnect is available through the TIA as part of the FacilityPlusmembership, which includes additional marketing tools, services, andbenefits to help your business grow. Annual dues at the FacilityPlus levelare $545 (or $149 quarterly). For more information, visitwww.TennisConnect.org or www.TennisIndustry.org, or call the TIA at

Justine Henin-Halook at the equipmred clay at Rolandplayers, too.


P L A Y E R E Q U I P M E N T L O G

ROLAND GARROSMEN

Round Racquet Racquet StringRank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand1 F Roger Federer SUI Wilson nSix-One Tour 90 Wilson/Luxilon2 W Rafael Nadal ESP Babolat AeroPro Drive 100 Babolat3 SF David Nalbandian ARG Yonex RDS-001 MP 98 Luxilon4 SF Ivan Ljubicic CRO Babolat Pure Drive Team + 100 Babolat5 1 Andy Roddick USA Babolat Pure Drive Roddick + 100 Babolat6 Q Nikolay Davydenko RUS Prince O3 Tour 100 Luxilon and Polystar7 3 James Blake USA Prince Experimental 95 Luxilon8 4 Tommy Robredo ESP Dunlop M-Fil 300 98 Luxilon9 Q Mario Ancic CRO Yonex Ultimum RD Ti-80 98 Babolat/Luxilon10 4 Gaston Gaudio ARG Wilson nSix-One 95 95 Kirschbaum11 2 Fernando Gonzalez CHI Babolat Pure Storm Plus 98 Luxilon12 3 Radek Stepanek CZE Volkl DNX 9 98 Pacific13 4 Lleyton Hewitt AUS Yonex RDS-001 90 Babolat/Luxilon14 3 Nicolas Kiefer GER Wilson nSix-One 95 95 Babolat15 4 Tomas Berdych CZE Dunlop M-Fil 200 Plus 95 Luxilon16 1 Robby Ginepri USA Babolat Pure Storm 98 Babolat17 2 Marcos Baghdatis CYP Fischer M-Speed Pro No. One 95 Luxilon18 1 Jarkko Nieminen FIN Wilsom nSix-One 95 95 Luxilon19 1 Thomas Johansson SWE Dunlop M-Fil 200 95 Babolat20 3 David Ferrer ESP Prince Shark DB MP 100 Luxilon

WOMENRound Racquet Racquet String

Rank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand1 4 Amelie Mauresmo FRA Dunlop M-Fil 300 98 Babolat2 SF Kim Clijsters BEL Babolat Pure Drive Team 100 Babolat3 W Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL Wilson nTour Two 95 Maillot Savarez4 4 Maria Sharapova RUS Prince O3 White 100 Babolat5 1 Nadia Petrova RUS Babolat Pure Storm Team MP 103 Top Serve6 F Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS Head Flexpoint Instinct 100 Luxilon7 Lindsay Davenport USA Did not play8 3 Elena Dementieva RUS Yonex RDS-001 MP 98 Luxilon9 Mary Pierce FRA Did not play10 4 Patty Schnyder SUI Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Kirschbaum11 4 Anastasia Myskina RUS Head Flexpoint Instinct 100 Luxilon12 Q Venus Williams USA Wilson W5 Divine Iris 110 Wilson13 SF Nicole Vaidisova CZE Yonex RDS-003 MP 100 Luxilon14 4 Francesca Schiavone ITA Babolat AeroPro Drive 100 Luxilon15 Q Martina Hingis SUI Yonex NSRQ 7 100 Top Serve16 Q Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER Fischer Magnetic Pro Number One 98 Babolat17 Q Dinara Safina RUS Babolat Pure Storm Team 98 Luxilon18 4 Daniel Hantuchova SVK Yonex NSRQ 7 100 Luxilon/Babolat19 3 Flavia Pennetta ITA Wilson nBlade 98 Wilson20 3 Maria Kirilenko RUS Yonex RDX 300 103 Yonex

*Rankings as of 12 June 2006

ardenne and Rafael Nadal both repeated their French Open wins this year in Paris. Here’s ament that the top 20 men and women used as they slid their way along the draws on thed Garros. Post these pages in your shop, so your customers can check out their favorite


String String Footwear ClothingString Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model BrandWilson Natural/Alu Power Rough 16L - Nike VAPOR S2 NikePro Hurricane Tour 15L 24.5 Nike Air Max Breathe 3 NikeOriginal 16 - Yonex SHT-305 YonexPro Hurricane/VS Team 16L 27 Diadora Speedzone Plus DA DiadoraPro Hurricane/VS Team 16 27 Babolat Team All Court Roddick LacosteOriginal and Engergy 16 - Prince Freak -Alu Power 16L 29.1 Nike Air Zoom Vapor 3 NikeOriginal 16 24/23 Sergio Tacchini Sergio TacchiniVS Team/Alu Power 16L 27/26 Nike Air Zoom Vapor 3 NikeSuper Smash 16 27 Diadora Speedzone Plus DA DiadoraAlu Power Rough 16L 24.1 Adidas Barricade IV AdidasPrimeGut 16L 27/25 Nike Breathe 3 -VS Team/Alu Power 16L 31/30 Yonex SHT-305 YonexVS Team 17 31/30 Diadora Attax DA 2 DiadoraAlu Power 16L 25 Nike Air Max Breathe Free II NikeBallistic Polymono/VS Touch 16/16 25/25 Nike Air Max Breathe Free II Under ArmourAlu Power 16L 25/27 Adidas Barricade IV AdidasAlu Power 16L 25 Asics AsicsVS Team 16 26 Adidas Barricade IV DunlopOriginal 16 23 Diadora Speedzone Plus DA Diadora

String String Footwear ClothingString Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model BrandVS Touch 16 26 Reebok ReebokVS Touch 16 29 Fila X-Point FilaHT Tonic First Gold 15L 27 Adidas Barricade III W -Pro Hurricane/VS Team 16L - Nike VAPOR S2 NikeRacquet Fuel 16L 30.5 Adidas Barricade IV W AdidasAlu Touch 16L 24.5/23.5 Fila X-Point Fila

Alu Power 16L - Yonex SHT-304 Yonex

Touch Turbo 17 26/25 Adidas Barricade IV W AdidasTIMO 18 26/24 Nike - NikeWilson Natural 16 27.3 Reebok VESW DMX ReebokAce 18 - Reebok Upset DMX ReebokAlu Power 16L 24/23 Diadora Speedzone Plus DA DiadoraRacquet Fuel 16L - Adidas ClimaCool Feather II AdidasXcel Premium/Pro Hurricane 16/17 - Adidas Barricade IV W AdidasAlu Power 17 29 Adidas Barricade IV W AdidasAlu Power/VS Touch 16 23/24 Nike Air Zoom Vapor Speed NikeWilson Natural 17 28 Nike Sergio TacchiniTour Super 850 / Natural Gut 16L 27 Adidas Barricade 3 Adidas

hours of playing time on hisset of X-Force 18. One playtester brokehis sample, after 21 hours of play.

CONCLUSIONThis is the first 18-gauge poly we’ve test-ed, and only the third 18-gauge of anytype ever. Gratifyingly, X-Force 18 was

Pacific X-Force 18string PLAYTEST

Pacific X-Force is a “poly-like” monofila-

ment string offering increased power

and dampened feel. According to Pacific,

although the materials of this string are

“in the polyester family,” X-Force is not

necessarily a polyester string. X-Force is

manufactured using a unique heating

process that creates elasticity and power

in the string. The material and process

are proprietary and patent pending.According to Pacific, X-Force has the

durability typical of polyesters and isextremely strong, which makes an 18-gauge possible. X-Force combines theplaying characteristics of more lively nylonsynthetics with the spin and durability ofpolyester. Pacific tells us that X-Force hasan extremely fast “rebound speed,” whichmay take some getting used to at first.

Pacific is aiming X-Force at competitiveplayers looking for a string with more live-liness and elasticity than typical polyesterstrings.

X-Force is available in 16L (1.29 mm),17 (1.24 mm), and 18 (1.19 mm) in trans-parent orange only. It is priced from $9.99for sets of 40 feet, and $150 for reels of220 meters. For more information or toorder, contact Pacific at 805-892-5901, viaemail at [email protected], or visitwww.pacific.com. Be sure to read theconclusion for more information aboutgetting a free set to try for yourself.

IN THE LABWe tested Pacific X-Force 18. The coilmeasured 43 feet 1 inch. The diametermeasured 1.16-1.18 mm prior to string-ing, and 1.11-1.13 mm after stringing. Werecorded a stringbed stiffness of 72 RDCunits immediately after stringing at 60pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x18 pattern) on a constant-pull machine.

After 24 hours (no playing), stringbedstiffness measured 65 RDC units, repre-senting a 10 percent tension loss. Ourcontrol string, Prince Synthetic Gut Origi-nal Gold 16, measured 78 RDC unitsimmediately after stringing and 71 RDCunits after 24 hours, representing a 9 per-

cent tension loss. X-Force added 15grams to the weight of our unstrungframe.

The string was tested for fiveweeks by 32 USRSA playtesters, withNTRP ratings from 3.5 to 5.5. Theseare blind tests, with playtestersreceiving unmarked strings inunmarked packages. Average number ofhours playtested was 24.

Pacific suggests stringing X-Force fourto five pounds lower in tension than theaverage polyester string, and we passedthis recommendation along to our playtestteam.

Installing X-Force is not as traumatic assome polys, and we had no problems withcoil memory, although some of ourplaytest team did. The smooth surface ofthe string and the small diameter make forfast stringing, and even tying knots seemedeasier than typical polys, possibly again dueto the smoothness of the string and thethin gauge.

No playtester broke his sample duringstringing, 13 reported problems with coilmemory, three reported problems tyingknots, and two reported friction burn.

ON THE COURTPacific X-Force 18’s average score for allcategories was well above average, makinganother strong showing for a “polyester-type” string. If you get better spin withthinner gauge string, X-Force is for you, asour playtest team ranked it fifth-place over-all for Spin Potential of the 103 stringswe’ve tested to date. Despite the fact thatit is an 18-gauge string, our playtestersgave it a top-ten ranking in Durability. Youhave to wonder what kind of durability youwould get with the 16L version.

Our playtest team also gave X-Force 18a top-ten ranking in the Control category,which is a nice complement to the “wellabove average” ranking it received in thePower category. X-Force 18 also received“well above average” rankings in Playabili-ty and Resistance to Movement, and iteven garnered an above-average ranking inTension Retention.

On average, each playtester put 24

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)Number of testers who said it was:much easier 0somewhat easier 3about as easy 13not quite as easy 13not nearly as easy 3

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)Number of testers who said it was:much better 1somewhat better 5about as playable 8not quite as playable 15not nearly as playable 3

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other stringsof similar gauge)Number of testers who said it was:much better 2somewhat better 20about as durable 8not quite as durable 2not nearly as durable 0

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)Playability 3.4Durability 4.3Power 3.3Control 3.8Comfort 2.8Touch/Feel 2.8Spin Potential 3.6Holding Tension 3.3Resistance to Movement 3.6


“ This string is great! I like the feel and the pop. The strings respond wellto everything, but I like the pop the most. All my balls stayed deep, coaxingmany short balls. I like it. Great string.”5.5 male all-court player using Head Flexpoint Radical Team strung at 58pounds CP (Luxilon Timo/Head Synthetic Gut PPS 18)

“ This is one of the best strings I’veever tested.”5.5 male all-court player using PrinceO3 Hybrid Hornet strung at 60 poundsCP (Aramid hybrid 16)

“ String has very few imperfections:good quality control. Some coil memo-ry, but not as bad as other polys. Veryresistant to notching when pullingcrosses. Stencil ink does not apply easi-ly, but an adequate result can beobtained. Some marking/crushing occurred during clamping. Very littlestring movement during play and wonderful control. No noticeable tensionloss after several hours of play. Care must be taken on outer strings toassure good tie-off tension. It is a good choice for players who like to usespin and power, and it will be especially appreciated by those who requireexcellent control.”4.5 male serve-and-volley player using a Wilson Hyper Hammer 2.3 strungat 62 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 17)

“ Very stiff feeling and little power, but spin is easy to generate. Thestrings don’t move and that is good. Feels like your basic poly.”4.0 male all-court player using Prince Graphite Classic OS strung at 58pounds CP (Luxilon Alu Power 16L)

“ I am quite surprised at how well this string plays. I expected theusual dead poly arm-killing string, but this plays more like my regularstring. I’d stock it.””4.0 male baseline player with moderate spin using Babolat Drive ZMax strung at 51 pounds CP (Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17)

“ This softer poly has better comfort thanmost polys I’ve tried. Fairly lively for a poly.I don’t feel the ball nearly as much on thestrings, though. However, I give it athumbs up due to softer playability andincreased liveliness.”4.5 male all-court player using Völkl Quan-tum 1 Power Boost strung at 44/42 poundsCP (Babolat Fiber Tour 16)

“ “Lots of comments on the color, whichis good.”5.5 male all-court player using Head Flexpoint Radical MP strung at

55 pounds LO (Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex 16)

“ One of the better polys.”5.5 male baseline player with heavy spin using Wilson nPS strung at55 pounds CP (Tenex Hy-Kevlar/nylon 16)

“ Nice playing string. I might string the crosses one kilo higher. Realnice bite on the kick serve. Decent feel for touch shots.”5.0 male serve-and-volley player using Wilson nTour strung at 56pounds CP (Wilson NXT 16)

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

“Excellent quality—would play with it and recommend to all,

especially to 4.0 + players. Has a solid,

clean feel immediately. Holds tension

well.” 4.5 male all-court player using Head

Prestige Mid strung at 55 pounds LO

(Gamma TNT 17)

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

FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAMPacific has generously offered to send a free set of X-Force 18

to the first 500 USRSA members who request it. One lucky person will receivea free set of Pacific’s USRSA #1 rated natural gut, one set of Pacific’s poly/gut

hybrid blend, one Pacific backpack, and one Pacific T-shirt.To get your free set and enter the drawing, just cut out (or copy) this coupon

and mail it to:USRSA, Attn: Pacific X-Force 18 String Offer, 330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084

or fax to 760-536-1171One set of free string per USRSA membership in the US

FREE! Pacific X-Force 18 • Offer expires Aug 15th 2006Name:USRSA Member number:Phone:Email:

If you print your email clearly, we will notify you when your sample will be sent.

TESTERS TALK

one of the few strings about which no playtestersaid he wanted in a thinner gauge.

The high rankings for Spin Potential and Playa-bility are not surprising, as the common perceptionis that thinner gauge strings are better in these cat-egories. However, the top-ten ranking in Durabilityis a shocker for an 18-gauge string. For that kindof durability with a thin-gauge string, conventionalwisdom says that you have to use an Aramidstring. But Aramid strings are typically used only asthe main strings in hybrid sets, with a softer (andoften thicker) cross string to improve feel andplayability. With X-Force 18, our playtesters haveshown that you don’t need to hybrid it to get bothdurability and playability.

If you think that Pacific X-Force might be foryou, fill out the coupon to get a free set to try.

—Greg Raven �


jelly. This keeps the cap threads free ofink, and the applicator tip stay is thebottle.5 sets of Wilson Stamina 17 to:Glen Brewer, Marietta, GA

SIMPLE SPOT CLEANINGI realize that I probably get more carriedaway than most when it comes to clean-ing racquets before stringing, but I’malways looking for ways to make clean-ing quicker and easier.

My latest discovery is that recycledstencil ink bottles make really good con-tainers for cleaning solution. I take anempty ink bottle, clean it out with GoofOff, fill it with fresh Goof Off, and thenput on a new applicator tip. This givesme a quick and easy way to clean upracquets, as the Goof Off is alwayshandy in the stencil bottle, and the felttip works great for light scrubbing.5 sets of Prince Premier with Softflex16 to:Glen Brewer, Marietta, GA

Slam Stringers, LaserFiber, and PowersCourt, among other suppliers.Forten Tournament Bag to:Alan Golombek, MRT, Baltimore, MD

CAP-EASEFor me, one of the worst things about sten-cil ink bottles is getting the cap off without

pulling theapplicator tipout of the bot-tle. When thebottle is freshand new, it’sno problem,but after thestencil ink getsinto thethreads, itglues the edge

of the applicator tip to the inside of thecap. I’ve tried putting the cap on loosely,but that leads to other problems. What Ifound really works for me is to coat thethreads of the bottle lightly with petroleum

and TECHNIQUES

STENCIL APPLICATOR TIPSI read with interest the tip from MarkCampanile regarding stenciling. He endshis tip by saying, "My next task is to fig-ure out how to make the ink applicatorlast as long as the ink in the bottle." Thishas been an ongoing problem forstringers since stenciling began. The solu-tion is to replace the applicator tip. This isthe only way obtain a sharp stencil andget all of the ink out of the bottle. Usuallythe original and one replacement willallow you to utilize all of the ink in a stan-dard stencil ink bottle. Replacement appli-cator tips are available from Gosen, Grand


Readers’ Know-How in Actiontips


the racquet with the butt-cap logo fac-ing up puts the short side on the left,you may find it easier to mount the rac-quet so that the short side is the wayyou prefer it, rather than focusing onthe butt-cap logo. Because consistencyis so important in stringing, however,once you find a way that works for you,stick with it.

TAKE THE TUBEI take a small piece of Teflon tubing andtemporarily insert it into the hole that Iknow will become blocked. This allows meto slide the string through the tubing with-out having to use an awl or other tech-niques, which can potentially damage thestring. Because you remove the tubing afteryou get the string through, each short sec-tion of tubing can be used dozens of timesbefore you have to replace it.5 sets of Head FiberGEL Power 16 to:Jonathan Bowers, MRTNorth Charleston, SC

—Greg Raven �

Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA mem-bers, and appearing in this column, have all been gatheredinto a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Ser-vice Techniques which is a benefit of USRSA membership.Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA92804; or email [email protected].

Editor’s note: This does indeed soundhandy. Those who don’t have an oldbottle of stencil ink, or who don’t wantto clean out an old bottle, can buy newbottles from Guterman International(603 Pleasant Street, Paxton, MA, 01612.Phone: 508-852-8206). Also, keep inmind that the applicator tips canbecome dirty pretty quickly, so you’llwant to have plenty of replacementapplicator tips on hand.

CLEANER STENCILING

I do quite a bit of racquet stenciling and cur-rently I use my workbench to stencil. It canbe a messy job but I merely use my localnewspaper unfolded to do my stencil workon. When I am done, one sheet of thenewspaper can be discarded or recycled, andI have a clean surface to work on for thenext stencil job.5 sets of Gamma Flex Core Control 16 to:Dan Kerr, MRT, Wiarton, ONT

GOOD PRACTICEOne small piece of advice I was givenwhen I first started stringing was toalways string racquets in the same way.On “one-piece” jobs it is very apparent,not so much on two piece! However,whenever I string a racquet, I alwaysmount the racquet the same way, withthe logo on the butt cap upright.

I feel this is a good practice in and ofitself, but some manufacturers (such asYonex) stipulate that the logo on the buttcap be pointing up when the stencil isapplied.5 sets of Tecnifibre X-One Biphase1.30 to:Andy Gudgeon, Portsmouth Hants,England

Editor’s note: Mounting racquets thesame way each time sounds like agood idea, but on some racquets, thisis going to mean that the logo on thebutt cap is down. There are “direc-tional” racquets—racquets that havea “short side” and a “long side”—where the markings for the short sidecan more easily be seen if the racquetis mounted a certain way. Also, if youare used to having your short side onthe right (for example), and mounting

Your ServeHow to Make Life Easierfor Rec Tournament Players

The tennis industry has made a greateffort to attract new players througha number of innovative initiatives,

such as free tennis lessons, Cardio Tennisand World TeamTennis. But the needs of asignificant number of existing players havebeen somewhat ignored.I’m talking about those players who

would like to test their mettle by compet-ing in sanctioned tournaments. I believemany more players between the ages of 35and 55 would compete if conditions weremore favorable to their needs and life cir-cumstances.Over the past few months, I entered a

number of tournaments only to find thatthere weren’t enough entrants in my agecategory (55s) and other adult categoriesto hold the tournament, or that I wasforced to play in lower age divisions tocompete. In some cases, participation wasso sparse that if you entered the tourna-ment, you were already in the semifinals,and in one instance, the final! Accordingto tennis friends, colleagues, and officialsI have spoken with, there is a growingtrend toward fewer adult players betweenages 40 and 60 competing in sanctionedtournaments.I know many excellent players who

could compete in sanctioned tournamentsbut don’t for two main reasons: time andphysical demands.Most mid-life-aged adults are still busy

earning a living and tending to the needsof their family. Traditional tournamentsrequire far too great a sacrifice for mostadults. Some tournaments may start on aThursday with the final ending on Sunday.Many working adults cannot juggle theirschedule to play during the week. To fit ina tournament over a weekend using tradi-tional scoring requires the sacrifice of theentire weekend if the player succeeds andprogresses toward the final.The second impediment to greater par-

ticipation in tournaments is related toexcessive physical demands associated with

playing one or two singles matches a day.With traditional scoring and an averagematch lasting two hours, a player couldfind himself on the court for four hours ormore, and that doesn’t include doubles.Even if one had the time, physical

health, and inclination to prepare for sucha challenge, it would be difficult to do so.Most facilities limit singles play to 1 to 1-1/2 hours of court time, which is proba-bly, about half of what is needed to safelyand effectively compete.Fortunately, there are alternatives

available. The USTA permits tournamentdirectors considerable flexibility in runningtournaments. The bottom line is that play-ers could actually play “more” matches ina “shorter” time period than they current-ly do. This could be done in a number ofways including: a third set being deter-mined by a tie-break, matches with “no-ad” scoring, or matches determined byeight or 10 games.Thinking out of the box for a moment,

club practices could be adopted for sanc-tioned tournaments where the winner ofa match is determined by the best two ofthree sets, or whoever is ahead at the endof 90 minutes. Another option is to play atournament across two or more week-ends. Using these options, the outcomeof a match will be more likely a battle oftennis skills rather than an “endurancecontest” where only the fittest survive.Less time on the courts would reduce the

risk of injuries,skin cancer, andphysical exhaus-tion, making tour-nament play moreattractive to many.By incorporating

these and other modestchanges, more tennis playerswould likely compete in sanctioned tourna-ments in both singles and doubles cate-gories, providing increased revenue to thehost facilities and a steady renewal of USTAmemberships.I have no doubt that if the USTA and

sponsoring facilities properly promote“adult-friendly” tournaments, everyone willend up a winner. �

We welcome your opinions. Please emailcomments to [email protected] or faxthem to 760-536-1171.

Dr.Robert Heller is a sports psychology consultant andauthor of “Mental Toughness, Mental Skills for Match

Play” and “Managing Your Stress.”He works with individuals and com-panies on performance-enhance-ment skills and can be reached at561-451-2731, [email protected], andwww.thewinningedge. usp-tapro.com.


B Y R O B E R T H E L L E R

"Using these options, the

outcome of a match will

be more likely a battle of

tennis skills rather than an

‘endurance contest’

where only the fittest

survive."

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