200903 Racquet Sports Industry

March 2009Volume 37 Number 3 $5.00www.racquetsportsindustry.com

DEPARTMENTS

R S I M A R C H 2 0 0 9

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Wilson launches innovative“Baiardo” stringing machine

7 Monica Seles, Donald Dell toenter Hall of Fame

7 Pro Showdown, “TennisNight” to debut March 2

8 James Blake, Fila collaborateon apparel, footwear

8 New indoor tennis facilityopens in Las Vegas

9 Tourna Grip signs proAzarenka

9 USTA invests in WorldTeamTennis

9 Legendary Gardiner’s TennisResort closes

9 USPTA tennis healthcampaign names advisorycouncil

10 Award winners namedby USTA

13 USTA Serves awards$1.2 million

13 Deadline March 1 for Top 50TWC nominations

14 Wilson launches FXtechnology in new frames

4 Our Serve

7 Industry News

17 TIA News & Updates

18 Facility Manager’s Manual

42 String Playtest: Prince Premier LT

44 Tips and Techniques

46 Ask the Experts

48 Your Serve, by Marcia Frost

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2009www.racquetsportsindustry.com

25 Build Your SuccessWhether you’re a court contractor, facility manager or teaching pro,our annual guide can help you build your business.

26 Pimp Your Courts!You can spruce up your facility in just a few days and make it evenmore appealing for players.

28 Find the Right FixYour courts, whether hard or soft, will eventually need work. Howdo you know what really needs to be done?

30 Your Court Maintenance PlannerThis handy chart, from the ASBA and USTA, will help you plan yourwork and work your plan.

32 Short DivisionWith permanent lines and courts for QuickStart Tennis, facilities willbring more kids into the game, and bring in more revenue, too.

34 Cracking Up?All hard courts will crack eventually, and when they do, have aprofessional evaluate the situation and suggest a remedy.

36 Inside InformationMaintain your indoor courts properly and you’ll ensure that playerswill keep coming back.

38 Building a BusinessCertified Tennis Court Builders are becoming more and moreimportant in the construction field.

40 Money MarketsIn this shaky economy, protect yourself with a good contract tomake sure you get paid for your work.

2009 COURT CONSTRUCTION& MAINTENANCE GUIDE

ContentsContents

FEATURE20 Fashion Focus

Apparel makers are hoping performance features, detailsand color will grab players’ attention.

ou may have noticed in our February issue a sub-tle redesign of some of our pages. Our intent wasto keep things fresh in the magazine—while not

changing too drastically the look and feel of our award-winning publication.Our wonderful design/art director, Kristine Thom, came up some

subtle changes that we feel help give our pages what we’re calling a

“facelift.” It’s not a full redesign by any means, just a dusting off and re-

presentation.

And that’s also something you might want to consider for your busi-

ness, too, whether you own or manage a pro shop or tennis facility or

offer tennis lessons, clinics and coaching. Every now and then, you

should give your business a facelift—take stock of what you’re doing,

get input from other staff, or members, or customers, then put in place

some changes that, while not necessarily changing your core, present a

fresh face to your customers and clients.

With our slight redesign, Kristine asked those of us on staff what we

think we should consider changing. Our input, combined with her

expertise and practiced eye, led to different typefaces, a different color

palette and other subtle graphic changes.

Sometimes, though, your business will need more than a subtle

facelift. Think about the old saying in tennis, “Never change a winning

game; always change a losing game.” That may be more appropriate in

this economy than at any time in your business life. If your business is

in trouble, or you feel it’s heading into trouble, make some changes

now—you’ll have to if you want to survive.

Peter FrancesconiEditorial Director

Our ServeChange for the Better (Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

PublishersDavid Bone Jeff Williams

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate EditorGreg Raven

Design/Art DirectorKristine Thom

Contributing EditorsRobin BatemanCynthia CantrellKristen DaleyJoe DinofferLiza Horan

James MartinGreg Moran

Chris NicholsonBob Patterson

Cynthia ShermanMary Helen Sprecher

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 is published 10 times per

year: monthly January through August and com-

bined issues in September/October and Novem-

ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330

Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail at

Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Vista, CA and

additional mailing offices. March 2009, Volume 37,

Number 3 © 2009 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All

rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and

logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.

Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-

lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-

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

Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry,

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2009

Y

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

www.racquetsportsindustry.com

This issue contains our 2009 Court Construction & Mainte-nance Guide, which begins on page 25, and we want tothank Contributing Editor Mary Helen Sprecher (left) and theAmerican Sports Builders Association for their work in mak-ing this section happen. Articles in our guide, written by MaryHelen, use ASBA sources and members and provide you with

the best expert advice when it comes to tennis court construction. (For moreon the ASBA, or to join, visit www.sportsbuilders.org.)

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

Wilson Racquet Sports has come out with a new stringing machine that uses Wilson’s “B.E.S.T.”system, which stands for Biomechanically Efficient Stringing Technology—an ergonomic sys-tem that automatically adjusts the machine height and tilt to suit the stringer.

The new “Baiardo” machine will automatically adjust height and tilt three times during the string-ing process: when mounting the frame, stringing the mains and stringing thecrosses. The machine puts the string bed “in a biomechanically perfect posi-tion for each individual user, based on their height,” says Wilson, so stringersexperience less stress to their lower back,shoulders, neck and arms.After years of research and develop-

ment, Baiardo was tested at the 2008 USOpen (below). Stringers said they wereless fatigued at the end of the day and wereable to produce extremely consistent stringing for the protour players. Wilson, the official stringer for the 2009 Aus-tralian Open, used the Baiardo there, too.“Baiardo” was the name of a

mythical European horse that had theability to adjust its size to its riders.,Wilson’s Baiardo machine remem-bers 13 personal settings for up to sixdifferent stringers and functions witha unique and easy-to-use touch-screen.

“We researched how stringers work—how they bent for-ward and twisted throughout the process—which leads tofatigue and discomfort at the end of the day,” says JohnLyons, global business director of accessories. “We imple-mented a total ergonomic design unlike any other machineon the market. Baiardo is the first stringing machine designed completely around the stringer.”Baiardo machines will be available for dealers in limited supply beginning in April 2009. Visit

www.wilson.com/baiardo.

Seles, Dell to EnterHall of FameNine-time Grand Slam sin-gles champion and formerWorld No. 1 player MonicaSeles will lead the 2009induction class in July at theInternational Tennis Hall ofFame in Newport, R.I.

Joining Seles is one ofSpain’s most prominent ten-nis players of the 1960s,Andres Gimeno, who hasbeen elected in the MasterPlayer category. In addition,elected in the Contributorcategory are Donald L. Dell,an industry pioneer andleader in sports marketing,professional sports manage-ment and sports televisionand founder of ProServ; andthe late Dr. Robert “Whirl-wind” Johnson, founder anddirector of the American Ten-nis Association (ATA) JuniorDevelopment Program, whoworked tirelessly for decadesassisting in the developmentof young African-Americantennis players while helpingto break the barriers of racialsegregation.

The Hall of Fame’s Class of2009 Induction Ceremony isslated for Saturday, July 11,in Newport during the finalweekend of the Campbell’sHall of Fame Tennis Champi-onships. In addition, tennislegend Rod Laver will also behonored that weekend.Withthe addition of Seles,Gimeno, Dell and Johnson,the Hall of Fame will nowinclude 211 champions oftennis representing 18countries.

Champions to Meet at MSG; ‘Tennis Night’ to Debut

Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic will face off in the inaugural“BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup,” which will be March 2 at Madison SquareGarden in New York.

The one night only single-elimination event will be broadcast live on HBO beginning at 7:30 p.m.E.T. It will mark the return of women’s tennis to Madison Square Garden and the return of the sportto HBO.In partnership with the USTA, March 2 will also be “Tennis Night in America,” one the largest ever

grassroots initiatives in the sport. The USTA will make this event a major component of its first-everNational Youth Registration Night, where kids and teenagers all over the country can begin signingup for spring and summer league play.

Wilson Launches Innovative ‘Baiardo’ String Machine

R S I M A R C H 2 0 0 9

March 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Baiardo Demo EventsWilson is conductingdemonstration events thisspring for the Baiardostringing machine. Visitwww.wilson.com/baiardofor specific dates and loca-tions.

The Baiardo tour is expect-ed to stop at: Boston; NewYork; Philadelphia;Washing-ton, D.C.; Chicago; Dallas;Hilton Head, S.C.; Birming-ham, Ala.; Key Biscayne,Fla.; Tampa; Atlanta; BatonRouge; Charlotte, N.C.; Indi-an Wells, Calif.; San Francis-co; San Jose, Calif.; LosAngeles; San Diego; OrangeCounty, Calif.; Denver; andSeattle.

M A R C H 2 0 0 9IN

DUSTRYNEW

S


Azarenka Signs with Tourna Grip

Unique Sports and WTA Tour Top 15 pro Victoria Azarenkasigned a multi-year deal recently. Azarenka uses the new

high-performance overgrip Tourna Tac, from the makers ofTourna Grip. “Tourna Tac really performs in all playing condi-tions and doesn't slip out of my hand,” says Azarenka, who isfeatured on the pink and the white Tourna Tac packages. Visitwww.uniquesports.com.

Another Top Exec Leaves USTA

Michelle Wilson, chief marketing officer of the USTA’s Pro-fessional Tennis division, resigned in February. Wilson

managed all US Open and Olympus US Open Seriesadvertising.She was hired by and worked closely with Arlen Kantarian,

the former chief executive of Pro Tennis who left the USTA atthe end of 2008. Before joining the USTA in 2001, Wilson hadsenior management positions with Nabisco, the NBA and theXFL.Other executives who have left the USTA since the end of

the US Open in September include chief diversity officer Kar-lyn Lothery, Alan Gold, who ran the US Open Series; RonnieTucker and Gary Jacobus, both in sponsorship; and TandyO’Donoghue, the managing director of business affairs.In January, the USTA announced a replacement for Lothery,

naming Kevin Clayton as chief diversity officer. Clayton will bededicated to increasing diversity initiatives throughout theorganization, including at the sections and CTAs, as well asbusiness relationships. He most recently served as nationalvice president of diversity and inclusion at the American Can-cer Society. He’ll report to USTA Executive Director GordonSmith. James Blake, Fila to Collaborate

on Apparel, Footwear Collection

ATP Tour pro James Blake and Fila will develop a collection ofmen’s apparel and footwear in a collaborative agreement. The

yet to be named collection will target “today’s active male” andwill be the basis for a long-term licensing business for Blake, Filasays.The company says Blake will

collaborate with Fila’s design teamto create the co-branded collec-tion, which will incorporate Filaheritage with Blake’s signaturestyle. The collection will includetennis, golf, fitness and lifestyleapparel, performance and lifestylefootwear, and accessories formen. It will debut with a limitedcollection of tennis and fitnessapparel that will be unveiled justbefore the 2009 US Open, and thecollection will officially launch forthe Spring-Summer 2010 season.Blake will wear Fila branded or co-branded apparel and

footwear exclusively on court and will be featured in Fila’s world-wide marketing efforts. He is the first Top 10 American male inmore than 10 years to sign with Fila. He debuted in Fila’sCollezione Apparel Collection and the Fila Alfa shoe at the Aus-tralian Open in January.“Ever since Bjorn Borg graced the courts of Wimbledon in Fila,

I have always been attracted to the Italian style, grace and sophis-tication of the Fila brand,” says Blake. “My collaboration with Filais much more than an endorsement arrangement. It will serve asthe foundation of a business venture that I will continue to buildfor years to come.”


New Indoor Facility Opens in Vegas

A$10 million state-of-the-art tennis facility, located min-utes from the Las Vegas Strip, opened in January. The

90,000-square-foot International Tennis Centre featureseight indoor Deco Turf II courts, broadcast-quality lighting,a climate-controlled environment, pro-shop, rental racquets,an espresso bar and gourmet food service (starting March1), luxury lockers/showers and flat-screen televisions.“For years, Las Vegas was a popular spot for tennis

enthusiasts,” says Jim Ahearn, CEO of ITC Las Vegas, LLC.“Over time, people started turning to other recreationalsports because of the city’s desert climate and lack ofindoor facilities. The opening of the International TennisCentre is bringing tennis back to Vegas for visitors, residentsand pros.”Services at the ITC include hourly court bookings, private

and semi-private lessons, clinics, Junior Academy, CardioTennis classes and corporate events. ITC also provides com-plimentary transportation to and from major hotels. Visitwww.itclasvegas.com or call 877-ITC-5975.

Fila/

Ray

Giub

ilo


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

PTR Sets SoCal Coaches Workshop

The PTR will hold a Coaches Workshop titled “PTR KidsTennis, Beyond QuickStart” on March 13 and 14 at Ran-

cho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Thetwo-day event, geared to those teaching

youth tennis, is open to everyone andis especially recommended for ten-nis teaching pros, coaches, physi-cal education teachers, andstudents who will be teaching ten-

nis this summer.Experts in the field of coaching youth tennis will conduct

presentations, including Jason Jamison and Karen Ronney,as well as Master Professionals Kirk Anderson, JorgeAndrew and Don Henson. Each afternoon, attendees will goto Indian Wells to enjoy the tournament’s matches. Theentire weekend, including the tournament, is $149.For more information or to register, call 800-421-6289 or

visit www.ptrtennis.org.

USTA Invests in World TeamTennis

The USTA announced that it will become a 25 percent ownerof Advanta World TeamTennis Pro League, the team for-

mat co-founded by Billie Jean King.The Advanta WTT Pro League is a professional co-ed sports

league featuring top tour players from more than a dozencountries. The League showcases three generations of ten-nis standouts, including legends, current tour players andup-and-coming tennis pros, competing on teams through-out the U.S. each summer.One of the main goals in the new partnership is to provide

an expanded marketing platform for the USTA’s Jr. Team Ten-nis Program through the Advanta World TeamTennis ProLeague teams and players.In each of the 11 franchise markets, Advanta WTT Pro

League teams and USTA sections will work together on youthinitiatives to broaden the reach of QuickStart and Jr.Team Tennis programs. These recreational efforts arebecoming integrated with the WTT professional franchis-es to encourage more young children to take up tennis as ateam sport.“By working with the USTA, we will take World TeamTen-

nis to the next level in the U.S.,” says King. “We’ve been look-ing for an opportunity like this for a long time and I can’t thinkof a better partner than the USTA. I’m excited about what thefuture holds for our partnership.”In related news, Bill Mountford, the former director of ten-

nis at the USTA Billie Jean KingNational Tennis Cen-ter, has enteredinto an agree-ment with WorldTeamTennis to serve as a con-sultant. His role will be dividedbetween the USTA and WTT.

Gardiner’s Tennis Resort ClosesAfter 51 years, Gardiner's Tennis Resort in Carmel Valley, Calif.,has closed its doors. Founded by the late John Gardiner in

1957, the original John Gardiner's Tennis Ranch became a get-away for tennis enthusiasts the world over. High-profile businessleaders, Hollywood celebrities, politicians and touring tennispros played at the beautiful and exclusive resort.Gardiner sold the property in 2000, shortly before his

death, to Pristine Development LLC of Houston. A spokesmanfor Pristine Development said the economic situation forcedthem to shut, however, he did leave open the possibility that ifPristine is able to reorganize in the future, they would consid-er reopening.The 25-acre property has eight tennis courts and a special-

ized teaching court, six individual guestrooms and five two-bedroom homes, a spa and a restaurant, which had recentlyopened its doors to the public. The closing affected more than20 staff members.

Tennis Health Campaign toName Advisory Council

The USPTA has formed a “Tennis—for thehealth of it!” advisory council designed to

ensure that all components of the campaign arehealth-enhancing, developmentally appropriate,safe and fun. The advisory council will bechaired by Michael F. Bergeron, director of the National Institute

for Athletic Health & Performance and Centerfor Youth Sports & Health, and Jack Groppel(left), co-founder of Human PerformanceInstitute.The rest of the advisory council will be

selected and named within the next monthand is expected to include tennis coaches,physical educators, clinicians, and appliedsport scientists. Council members will spe-

cialize in pediatric to geriatric medicine, wellness, development,training, injury risk, and behavior, with a special emphasis onthose who have experience and recognized expertise in tennis-related development, clinical care, and research, says the USPTA.“This is an invitation to all groups within the tennis industry

to get involved and this council is an attempt to help grow thegame for the betterment of tennis all around,” says Groppel.Advisory council responsibilities will include working with the

American College of Sports Medicine and its supporting partnersto prompt the medical and fitness communities to recognize thehealth-enhancing benefits of tennis, along with recommendingthe sport as a desirable way to increase physical activity anddevelop a long-term healthy lifestyle.The council also will collaborate with the National Physical

Activity Plan leadership and supporting organizations to pro-mote “Tennis – for the health of it!” to policymakers, health pro-fessionals, and the public; publish position papers andrecommendations; and call for research and partner with othersin support of the mission and objectives.

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

ITA CoachesMeet in Florida

Nearly 300 men's and women's collegetennis coaches from all divisions met in

Naples, Fla., in December for the 24thannual Intercollegiate Tennis AssociationCoaches Convention. Among the cliniciansat the four-day event were tennis legendStan Smith, renowned tennis coach NickSaviano and former No. 1 in the world indoubles Kelly Jones. Several of the nation'stop collegiate coaches were also on handfor instructional clinics.In addition to offering clinics, panel dis-

cussions, an awards banquet, a trade showand a chance to exchange ideas, the ITACoaches Convention served as the venuefor the association's annual meetings.Among the convention highlights was

the ITA Welcoming and Awards Banquethonoring the 2008 Wilson/ITA NationalCoaches of the Year and the USTA/ITANational Community Outreach and Cam-pus Recreation Award winners. Zina Garri-son was this year's featured speaker.

Hall of Famer Sidney Wood DiesHall of Famer and 1931 Wimbledon singles champion Sidney B. Wood died inearly January in Palm Beach, Fla. Wood, formerly the oldest living Hall of Famer,

was 97.Wood, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1964, also is credited with

inventing, designing and patenting Supreme Court, a portable synthetic playingsurface used for indoor courts. It was used by the World Championship Tennistour from 1973-1978.

MEMBERCLASSIFIEDS

HELPWANTED: Full timestringer position availablecontact Brett Snyder @Tennis Express 713-781-4848.

FOR SALE: Prince P-200pneumatic stringingmachine. Maintainedwell, runs in excellentcondition, all accessoriesincluded. Pics available.Asking only 400+ship-ping cost. Price Nego-tiable. Call419-788-0142, or [email protected].

Congratulations To the FollowingFor Achieving MRT Status

New MRTsDavid SullivanMurietta, GA

Zachary GreerSnellville, GA

Allen LeeVictoria, BC CANADA

Matt BennettVictoria, BC CANADA

Chris MaragozisVictoria, BC CANADA

Wesley FryFitzroy, Victoria AUSTRALIA

Andrew KotnikFitxroy, Victoria AUSTRALIA

Sundling, Mar Win Winter NationalsJT Sundling of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Hanna Mar of Burr Ridge, Ill., capturedthe 2008 USTA Boys’ and Girls’ 18s Winter National Championship singles titles

on New Year’s Day at the Phoenix Tennis Center. The nation’s top junior playerscompeted in eight USTA Winter National Championships. The singles champions atthe 18s events will be given wild cards into a USTA Pro Circuit Futures event (men)and a women’s $10,000 event, to be determined.Other singles winners at the USTA Winter National Championship are: Boys’

16s: Jack, Sock, Lincoln, Neb.; Girls’ 16s: Kyle McPhillips, Willoughby, Ohio; Boys’14s: Trey Daniel, Leawood, Kan.; Girls’ 14s: Coy Jones Hunter, Los Angeles; Boys’12s: Christian Garay, Columbus, Ga.; Girls’ 12s: Kimberly Yee, Las Vegas.

USTA Names Award WinnersThe Larry and Susan Kline Family of Prospect, Ky., is the winner of the Ralph W.Westcott USTA Family of the Year Award. Also, Lise J. Frank of Danville, Calif., has

won the Barbara Williams Leadership Award from the USTA. Both awards will bepresented during the USTA’s Annual Meeting, which will be held in Palm SpringsMarch 13-15.Four winners were named for the Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Award:

Jeremy I. Efferding of Lake Worth, Fla.; Ryan Lipman of Nashville; Ryan Thacherof Studio City, Calif.; and Gary Wang of Chesterbrook, Pa. The four winners willbe honored during the Enshrinement Ceremonies at the International Tennis Hallof Fame in July.

M A R C H 2 0 0 9IN

DUSTRYNEW

S

March 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11



S H O R TS E T S> The U.S. vs. Switzerland Davis Cup

first-round match, to be held in Birm-

ingham, Ala., March 6-8, has sold

out. The competition is expected to

feature World No. 2 Roger Federer,

No. 8 Andy Roddick and No. 10

James Blake as well as the doubles

team of Bob and Mike Bryan.

> T Bar M Racquet Club in Dallas has

been selected the 2008 USTA Texas

Section Organization of the Year.

> Plexicushion Prestige was again the

surface of choice for the Australian

Open, and for the half dozen pro

tournaments leading up to the Grand

Slam event.

> The Comcast Family of Companies

will serve as 2009 principal sponsor

for the Rodney Street Tennis and

Tutoring Association (www.rodney-

streettennis.org), located in Wilming-

ton, Del. The agreement will also

provide RSTTA with significant addi-

tional in-kind cable, telephone and

internet services, which will enhance

administrative operations and supple-

mental educational services.

> The website for the USTA Eastern

Pennsylvania District was awarded

website of the year honors by the

USTAMiddle States Section. EPD pres-

ident Jack Monick used TennisCon-

nect for the district’s site

(www.EPDTennis.com). “It’s been

such a useful tool for us so far and has

allowed me to easily communicate

with players all over the Eastern Dis-

trict,” he says.

> DecoTurf’s 100 percent acrylic ten-

nis surface, DecoColor, was the sur-

face selected for the Fed Cup

quarterfinal match agasint Argentina

held in early February at the Surprise

Tennis and Racquet Complex in Sur-

prise, Ariz. The complex, which

received the 2008 USTA Outstanding

Facility Award, also was RSI’s Munici-

pal Facility of the Year.


• World No. 19 AnnaChakvetadze has signed along-term agreementwith Wilson RacquetSports. She debutedher Wilson [K] BladeTeam racquet and Eco ProTour Super Six bag at the Aus-tralian Open in January.

• Sixteen-year-old rac-quetball phenom Veroni-ca Sotomayor hasextended her contractwith Ektelon through2011. She plays with theEktelon O3 RG racquet and is currentlyranked No. 11 in the world.

• Five-time US Open champ Jimmy Con-nors will be Tennis Channel’s lead analystduring the network’s inaugural coverage ofthe US Open telecast in September. Con-nors, who most recently worked as a partof the BBC’s Wimbledon on-air team andcoached top American player Andy Rod-dick, has not appeared in a televised tennisbooth for a U.S. network since 1991. Con-nors will team with Martina Navratilova, pri-mary commentator for all Tennis ChannelGrand Slam telecasts, as well as veteransportscaster and 19-year US Open anchorBill Macatee.

• Head has signed a long-termagreement with NovakDjokovic of Serbia, whocurrently ranks third inthe South African Air-ways ATP ranking.

• Adam Helfant recentlywas named ATP executive chairman andpresident, based in London. An MIT andHarvard Law graduate, Helfant brings awealth of global sports, business and legalexperience following 12 years as a seniorexecutive with Nike, three years with theNHL as an attorney and four years as anassociate at the international law firmCleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton.

• India’s Yuki Bhambri beat Jarmere Jenkinsof College Park, Ga., for the Boys’ 18 sin-

gles title at the 62nd annual Orange BowlInternational Championships in December.Wild-card entry Julia Boserup of BocaRaton, Fla., beat Christina McHale of Engle-wood Cliffs, N.J., for the Girls’ 18 title. Inthe 16s, Denis Kudla of Arlington, Va., tookthe boys’ title and chanelle Van Nguyen ofMiami won the girls’.

• George MacCall, a former Davis Cupcaptain and owner of one of the first pro-fessional tennis leagues, died in Decemberat the age of 90. He was a captain in the1960s and had teams that featured ArthurAshe, Dennis Ralston and Marty Riessen.

• Serena Williams, playing with a Wilson[K] Blade Team, returned to theWorld No. 1 ranking by winningthe Australian Open. She alsoteamed with Venus Williams,playing with the sameframe, to take the doublestitle. Men’s runner-up RogerFederer plays with a Wilson [K]Six.One tour.

• Four members of the tennis communitywere honored with national awards as partof the USOC Coaching Recognition Pro-gram. Manuel Diaz of Athens, Ga., headcoach of the University of Georgia’s men’stennis team was named the 2008 USOCNational Coach of the Year for Tennis,Frank Salazar of Chevy Chase, Md., directorof the Junior Tennis Champions Center inCollege Park, Md., was named USOCDevelopmental Coach of the Year for Ten-nis, and Rita Gladstone of Port Orange, Fla.,was named USOC Volunteer Coach of theYear for Tennis. In addition, the USTA nomi-nated Anne Smith, Ph.D. of Dallas, for the“Doc” Counsilman Science Award for hercontributions in the areas of sports psychol-ogy and mental training.

• Pete Sampras will join the six-player fieldat the Del Mar Development ChampionsCup to be held March 18-22 at the PalmillaTennis Club in Los Cabos, Mexico. The DelMar Development Champions Cup is a first-year event on the 2009 Outback Champi-ons Series, the global tennis circuit forchampion tennis players age 30 and over.

P E O P L E W AT C H


M A R C H 2 0 0 9I N D U S T R Y N E W S




USTA ServesAwards $1.2 Million

“USTA Serves—Foundation for Aca-demics. Character. Excellence.,” the

philanthropic and charitable entity of theUSTA, announced that under the “Aces forKids” umbrella, it has awarded 39 grants,17 in conjunction with the USTA PublicAffairs Committee, for a total of$574,700. The funding source for the 17grants is the U.S. Department of Justice.The number of program grants awardedin 2008 was 58, for a total amount of$886,960. Combined with scholarshipawards, the Foundation distributedalmost $1.2 million in 2008.USTA Serves awards “Aces for Kids”

grants to programs that successfully com-bine tennis and education and help chil-dren pursue their goals and highestdreams by succeeding in school andbecoming responsible citizens. The non-profit organizations selected for fundingoffer a curriculum designed to addressschool truancy, poor academic perform-ance, gang activity, underage drinkingand drug abuse.“It is extremely rewarding to see how

programs across the country are usingUSTA Serves funding to help childrenimprove academically and learn positivelife skills,” says Karen Martin-Eliezer,chief executive, USTA Serves.

Deadline March 1 forTop 50 TWC Nominations

Looking for more recognition for yourTennis Welcome Center? Nominateyour facility, park, school, resort ororganization for “Top 50 Tennis Wel-come Center” honors.The TIA, USTA and RSI are looking

for the country’s best TWCs, those thatare leading the charge in t he growth ofthe sport by providing well-roundedprograms to new and current players ofall ages and abilities. Nominationsclose March 1. To nominate, visitwww.GrowingTennis.com and fill out aquick survey. Categories are: privatefacility; public/park & rec; resort;school, college or university; commer-cial facility; and Community TennisAssociation.


M A R C H 2 0 0 9I N D U S T R Y N E W S


Wilson Launches New FX Technology

Wilson says it has incorporated a new technology in its[K] Factor line of frames for 2009. The next generation

of [K] Factor racquets, called FX, features a “Quad Shaft”construction in the throat area that the company saysimproves on the distribution of weight.In [K] Factor FX frames, the throat has four shafts, versus

the conventional two, which means up to 23 percent more “tor-sional” stability, says Wilson, and a more evenly distributedmass resulting in added control.The FX line also has four key technologies: [K]arophite

Black, [K]onnector, [K]ontour Yoke and [K]ompact Center,which Wilson says results in three key benefits: increasedfeel, more strength and stability, and a bigger sweetspot,contributing to 64 percent more control.“The new FX line offers what every level of player

needs: stability,” says Cory Springer, global business direc-tor of racquets for Wilson. “We added this technology toseven specific models, which we are confident will enhancetheir performance.” This feature can be found in the new [K]One.FX, [K] Three.FX, [K] Four.FX, [K] Zen Team.FX, [K]obraTeam.FX, [K] Pro Team.FX and [K] Tour Team.FX.Wilson is hosting a sweepstakes that will award

one winner per month an FX racquet of their choice.To enter the sweepstakes, visit www.wilsonten-nis.com/fx. For more information on the racquets,visit www.wilson.com.

K Zen Team FXK Cobra Team FXK Tour Team FXK Four FXK Three FXK One FXK Pro Team FX

Serena Williams Tops WTT Draft

Serena Williams was the first pick in the Advanta WTT Pro League Marquee Play-er Draft in early February. Williams will return for her fourth WTT season and

her second with the Washington Kastles.The Advanta WTT Pro League, co-founded by Billie Jean King, is a professional

co-ed sports league playing in a team format in 10 U.S. markets. The 2009 seasonis July 2 to 26, concluding with the Advanta WTT Championship Weekend.The WTT lineup also will include Venus Williams playing for the Philadelphia

Freedoms. Bob and Mike Bryan will again play for the Kansas City Explorers, andAnna Kournikova will play for the St. Louis Aces.Other marquee players include John McEnroe (New York Sportimes), Martina

Navratilova (Boston Lobsters) and Michael Chang (Sacramento Capitals).

Hinding CompletesPrivate Indoor CourtHinding Tennis of West Haven,Conn., recently completed a pri-vate indoor court in a Bostonsuburb for former top-rankedcollege player Tina Smith. Thesurface is Hinding’s patentedCushion Extreme System, aresilient, poured-in-place cush-ion system that can be installedindoors, outdoors and oncracked courts. “The court playsfantastic,” says Smith. Contact (203) 285-3055 or visit www.hindingtennis.com.

T I A N E W S M A R C H 2 0 0 9

As we all keep awatchful eye onthe economy, nowis the time for usto take advantageof the popularityof tennis.We need

to do all we can to attract newpeople to the sport, and tobring former players back to thegame. And withspring just aroundthe corner, wehave a great vehi-cle to use to pro-mote the sport.

On March 2, inconjunction withthe live telecast ofthe BNP ParibasShowdown forthe Billie JeanKing Cup (seepage 7), the USTAis running a majorpromotion:“Tennis Night inAmerica.”

Tennis Night willfeature the first-ever National Youth Registra-tion, encouraging kids to signup for league play. But it’s agreat time for you to registeryour facility as a Tennis Wel-come Center, offering CardioTennis, QuickStart Tennis or anyother new-player program. Plus,you get free tools and market-ing support to promote yourfacility and programs.

Go to our revamped site—GrowingTennis.com—and seehow easy it is to get free pub-licity to reach thousands ofpotential new players.

NEWS & UPDATESNEWS & UPDATES

Jolyn de Boer

Grow the Grassroots!Register Now ...

Become an official site atGrowingTennis.com and you’llreceive the following:

� Free Program & Facility listings on consumersearch engines.

� Marketing kit ($100 value) that includesbanners and promotional materials to helpdrive business to your programs and facility.

� Access to free drills and video, CDs and music offerings.� Take advantage of sponsor offers for members, including specialpricing and discounts on equipment and merchandise to rewardthose facilities that become official sites.

� Free publicity and the opportunity to showcase your facility as aTop 50 Tennis Welcome Center.

� From $250 to $2,500 in co-op marketing & advertising dollars tohelp grow your business.

News You Can Use!

GrowingTennis.com:Your Complete SourceAt this free, comprehensive site you can eas-ily register your facility and programs, post-ing your information on “postcards” so thatitʼs searchable on consumer websites. Con-sumers can also have the option of enrollingright online for one of your programs or clin-ics. In the second half of 2008, consumerqueries to the postcard and find-a-programfeatures of GrowingTennis.com reachednearly 25 million. And facilities using the sys-tem increased 67% for the same time period.

Economic concerns in the fourth quarterof 2008 put a slight damper on gainsmade to the third quarter for ball and

racquet shipments, but overall, the marketsare still well ahead of five years ago. The yearfinished with an increase of 1.0% for balls and1.6% for racquets. The annual total of 131 mil-lion ball units is 16% ahead of 2003, while 4.5million racquet units is still an impressive 44%ahead of 2003.

Ball & Racquet Shipments Hold Steady in 2008

March 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

TennisConnect Retailer Now Available!

New for 2009, TennisConnect Retailer is a comprehensive servicefor tennis merchants and pro shop managers to enhance their webpresence with an online catalog, racquet demo center and string

center, in addition to all of the unique functions of TennisConnect.TennisConnect has been proven to help facility operators grow their tennis business and rev-

enue through tools that include court scheduler, group email, e-calendar, website builder andonline player matching. Now, the new “Retailer” version allows you to display thousands of prod-ucts that come with a centrally maintained storefront, access to manufacturer-supplied brandedplug-ins, and “pick & click” technology on your own designated web address.

As a retailer, the online catalog is designed to showcase the brands that you promote, thedemo racquet center allows you to track your inventory, and the online string center takes a work-flow-based approach to automating the restringing process through a thorough tracking and doc-umentation system. For more information, call the TIA at 866-686-3036 or visittennisconnect.com or email us at [email protected].

market-Ask

&

have mechanical issues that need to beaddressed.

Often more important than the tempera-ture of the rooms is the temperature of theswimming pools, Jacuzzi, steam room orshower water. Any variation in the tempera-ture of these amenities and members will takenotice. Even a single degree can be detectedby an experienced swimmer. Don’t take theircomments lightly—the pool temperature isimportant to serious swimmers or those whoare using the pool for rehabilitation.

Speaking of water, do you have a way tomonitor the water pressure for your facility?When you are filling the pool, does the pres-sure drop in the showers? Members are acute-ly aware of this pressure, and with waterconservation a concern, you need to let yourmembers know that you are on top of it.Some will say that you should lower the waterpressure in showers to save water, while oth-ers, especially those with long hair, will tellyou that it is wasteful not to have good waterpressure because it will take so much longerto wash the shampoo out of their hair. What-ever resolution you come to, you will want tokeep things consistent and stable.

ou remodel a large portion of yourclub at great expense and feel veryproud of your accomplishments. A

number of members point out what animprovement it has made, but overall, theresponse is business as usual and life atthe club goes on.

Then one day you replace your weigh-ing scale in the women’s locker room, andit’s as if you had discovered a cure to amajor decease. Almost overnight, the atti-tude of the club, especially from thewomen, has changed. Compliments andaccolades abound, and it only took a fewdollars. In the big scheme of things, youjust spent a minimal amount of money,yet it had a major impact on yourmembership.

This is a perfect illustration of howmembers perceive the quality and charac-ter of their club. Often, it’s the little thingsthat make the biggest difference. The rea-son is that these little things are not littlethings to the members. Being able toaccurately measure your weight might bethe most important part of a member’sday. They’ve been working out, trying formonths to get in shape, and that scale istheir way of measuring success or failure.

Life is full of surprises for your mem-bers. What will the traffic be like? Whatwill the work day conjure up? What will

All in the DetailsWith members, often it’s thelittle things that make thebiggest difference. B Y R O D H E C K E L M A N

�

Ythe children bring home from school? There’sso much that your members just don’t havecontrol over, and it can be very exasperating.When they come to the club, they don’t wantthat same experience—they want that scaleto work the right way every day, noexceptions.

CHANGING FUNCTIONSIf you look closely at your facility, you willnotice a number of areas and functions thatfall into this category. Try as you may, youwill never find a way to keep many of thesefactors under control every day. Your bestapproach is to accept the fact that your clubwill have a number of functions that are vul-nerable to change and erratic behavior.Make a list of these areas, and create anagenda that will allow the monitoring ofthese areas.

Here’s a list that might work for you, orat least get you started in the right direction.We might as well start with the scales. Takethe time to check that they are adjusted cor-rectly every day. Scales can get movedaround during cleaning and can lose theiraccuracy.

Speaking of accuracy, how many clocksdo you have in your club? With classes andcourt times, you need to keep everythingsynchronized. This is especially important tomembers because many will take off theirwatches when working out, playing or swim-ming. They become dependent on the clocksat your facility. It can be very disruptive ifsomeone is playing on the tennis courtswhere the clocks are off by several minutes,and you have designated court times.

One thing that is constantly subject tomember scrutiny is the room temperatures. Ifa yoga room is too cold or a spin cycle roomtoo warm, you will get an earful from themembers using that space. As much as youwould like to lock down the thermostats, it’snot uncommon to have employees and evenmembers try to adjust them. There’s also thepossibility that the AC or heating system may


�

SUCCESSmarket-&

Ask HeadlineB Y L I N E ?

Rod Heckelman is the generalmanager and tennis pro at theMount Tam Racquet Club inMarin County, Calif., where hehas been for the last 31 years.His career in the industry start-

ed in 1967 at the famed John Gardiner’sTennis Ranch. In 1970, when Gardineropened his resort on Camelback Mountainin Scottsdale, Ariz., Heckelman, at age 20,became one of the youngest head pros inthe country. He created the “Facility Man-ager’s Manual” based on his years of expe-rience in the tennis business.

CLUB AMBIENCEStabilizing functions at the clubis always important when thereare different opinions as to whatis best. This will come up in thearea of music, not only in the vol-ume, but also in the type of musicplayed. It will take some effort to findwhat works best for everyone, and to makesure that effort is not wasted, monitor themusic daily so that the issue doesn’t comeup again.

On the subject of ambience, reviewyour lighting daily. Are the lights staying ontoo long? Have you adjusted the timers forseasonal time changes? This is an area thatis also important for safety. A bulb that hasgone out and has not been replaced for afew days can be a liability if it is located ina high traffic area. Lights burn out, andthey never give you a warning when. Onlya daily check will keep you abreast of this.

If your facility has different sports avail-able to members, many of those sports use

equipment that needs daily monitoring. Theheight of the nets on the tennis courts, the lanelines in the pool, or maybe the equipment usedby some of the fitness classes, all need to bekept up to snuff so that the members are ableto enjoy the sport or class on a consistent basis.

Finally, there are a number of products thatyou provide your members for their daily use.They count on these products being available24/7. Are the water dispensers filled and cupsavailable? If you provide coffee, do you alsohave cream, sugar and decaf handy? Are all thesoap, towel and paper supplies kept filled? Arethe chairs around the pool stacked properly andkept clean? Are the tennis court scorecardsavailable for use?

There is a myriad of items that requireinventory awareness and regulating, so you

need to not only have a list, butlook toward expanding that list asyour club evolves. Creating thiswalkthrough list will help youremember things that you don’twant to keep hearing about. On

those days when you hear nothingfrom the membership, you’ll know you

have a handle on the details of your club.The details may be the most important

aspect of your club operation, but theyessentially go unnoticed until there is aproblem. �


TENN ISWEAR

Apparel makers are hopingperformance features, detailsand color will grab players’attention.


FASHIONFOCUSFASHIONFOCUS

Apparel manufacturers, like the rest of us, certainlyare concerned about what the challenging economywill mean for their sales. But that hasn’t stopped

them from continuing to ratchet up the performance fea-tures, detailing, and eye-catching colors of their tennisclothes.

Players always want to feel comfortable on the court, saysFila’s Lauren Mallon. They want moisture wicking, a good fit,and color, an important trend in itself because “people want tostand apart and be unique.”

Here are some of the ways apparel makers are helpingplayers feel unique. —Cynthia Sherman

LBHLBH Group graces the court with easy-wearclothing in summery soft greens and yellows.The Wimbledon Covent Garden collection fea-tures a variety of tanks and mix-and-matchsolid and print skirts in pretty florals. Outfitsare a poly/spandex performance fabric with a50+ UV protection.

lbhgroup.com310-768-0300



FilaDesign and technology come together in Fila’s latest fashions, with detailslike mesh and fabric overlays and body-mapping technology, which aids incomfort by using seamless panels that helps breathability. Fila captures thetrendy/preppy look with a variety of blues, reds and limes. For women,dresses continue to be popular, with details like ruffles and drawstringhems and waists to customize fit. Micro-poly blends and poly-spandex con-tribute to comfort and performance. Fila say men’s tennis clothing isbecoming more popular, and the company offers shorts in a variety oflengths, T’s, polos, and go-with sweater vests. Red, white and blue andstriping and piping details are focal points for the new Heritage line. Filatour pros include James Blake, Dimitry Tursunov, Janko Tipsarevic, AgnesSzavay and Anna Chakvetadze.

www.fila.com410-773-3000

BolleWatery blues, bright limes, vibrant yellows are standout colors forBolle. For the Blue Lagoon group, dresses make a debut featuring flir-ty layered hems with built-in bra, and tops and skirts in confettiprints paired with solids. The Lime Light group also has mix-and-match athletic-fit pieces from a mod paisley print strappy tank to acolor-blocked dress in white offset by bold flashes of lime and black.Bolle’s Lemoncello high-performance pieces in bright yellow, comple-mented by graphite, sport a wide selection of tops, pleated skirts,shorts and capris for on the court as well as sporty casual weararound town.

bolletenniswear.com301-362-0360



Eliza AudleyAn avid tennis player herself, Eliza Audley designed clothingfor upscale St. John Knit before branching out with her ownline of tenniswear. “I make my clothing dimensional, so it’snot cookie-cutter,” she says. Her “couture” approachincludes appliqué signature pieces using black and white asa base. A poly/spandex tank dress in black and white withwhite rose circle appliqué detail gives the illusion of beingform–fitting, but is quite figure-friendly (it also comes inwhite with black appliqué). Another poly/lycra dress is asheer rose overlay: a printed base fabric and printed meshwith a contrasting band at the bottom and featuring acupped support bra. A triangle tank camisole and sheeroverlay circle skirt is figure-flattering. Details including mak-ing the back of the skirts slightly longer, so as it’s worn inplay, it will appear even all around.

elizaaudley.com262-691-4770

DiadoraDiadora’s fashion-oriented pieces offer a more basic, yetcolorful look that works especially well for teams. The Pas-sione Skirt in 100 percent DiaDry comes in a variety ofbold colors; the Isabella tank for Spring is a poly/spandexblend combined with DiaDry mesh and comes in red/navy,white/navy and black/white. A Caprise zip jacket/pant set isa great cover-up between sets or around town and isoffered in navy or black in 100 percent DiaDry polyesterwith mesh inserts in the pants for breathability.

diadoraamerica.com



LejayEmphasizing fashion detail, Lejay’s graphic designsare sharply presented in their high-tech Vertex collec-tion. A black and white geometric tank pairs with a V-yoke skort in white. Going forward into summer, theSantorini collection features an ocean blue/whitecolor-blocked dress with a built-in bra for addedsupport.

lejay.com800-932-7535

TailStandout colors for Tail are icy pinks, moving into citrusy tones. With avariety of skirts, tops, warm-ups and dresses in pink/black/white andfoil prints, the Frosted Rose collection typifies cool and sleek andspeaks to both performance and fashion. The Meryl/Lycra jersey fabri-cation keeps things fluid and comfortable. An athletic-fit color-blocktank and accompanying skirt with shorties means business. The CitrusInfusion collection refreshes and dominates with apple greens, mid-night blues with splashes of yellow. Color-blocking, strapping and meshadd detail and variety to a game-print flouncy skirt and top. The collec-tion also features an athletic-fit color-block dress with comfort bra.

tailinc.com • 305-638-2650



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

PIMP YOURCOURTS!

You can spruce up your facility in justa few days and make it even more

appealing for players.


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

The club tournament is coming up, tennis camp registrations arecoming in and membership recruitment is under way. Yourcourts need a facelift—a do-it-yourself, one-weekend facelift—

if such a thing exists.Sure thing, say professionals in the tennis court industry.

Assuming the courts are structurally sound, it’s just a matter ofcleaning off and sprucing up.

COURT SURFACE CARE“Outdoor all-weather courts should be cleaned on a regular basis,”says Bill Righter of Nova Sports USA in Milford, Mass. “Any loosedirt should be removed by sweeping or blowing. If the court isshaded and has mildew growing on it, the mildew should beremoved by washing the area with a solution of one gallon ofwater, one cup of HTH, and two tablespoons of liquid dish deter-gent. Apply the solution with a stiff nylon brush or broom and letstand for 20 minutes, then rinse well.”

If using a power-washer, say the pros, use caution. “Power-washing is a great way to give new life to a dirty or stained hardcourt,” says Mark Brogan of Pro-Sport Construction in Devon, Pa.“However, this should be done by a qualified person with experi-ence using a power-washer. Surface cleaning machines connectedto a power-washer offer excellent results with minimal risk of dam-age to the court. Owners should bevery careful about allowing personsto power-wash with a hand-heldwand as many courts are damagedand the final result can be veryinconsistent.”

We’ve found in some cases thathard court owners are pleasantlysurprised after a pressure wash-ing,” adds Lee Murray of Competi-tion Athletic Surfaces Inc. inChattanooga, Tenn. “This may buy

them a year or so before they feel a recoating is needed.”Jonnie Deremo of General Acrylics Inc. in Phoenix says the

power washer also should be used on the sidewalks around thecourt. “It makes a difference,” he notes, adding that playersappreciate the clean surfaces.

Tennis court lights lose their brightness over time. Bruce Fra-sure of LSI Courtsider Lighting in Cincinnati recommends relamp-ing. It increases the “wow” factor of the court by improving thelight levels by as much as 30 to 40 percent.

NETS AND POSTSTake a look at the court net, advises Brad Fandel of DouglasIndustries in Eldridge, Iowa. Consider not only how it looks, butalso how it plays.

“Make sure the tennis net, center strap and various compo-nents are structurally sound,” he says. “Overall, if both appear-ance and condition are acceptable, perhaps just some minorcleaning and touching up can help make the entire court lookrefreshed.

“Clean the headband of the net with a mild detergent andwarm water. Be careful of using cleaners containing bleach asthey may discolor some headbands and can harm the court sur-face if spilled. If the headband is still too dirty or stained, consid-

er purchasing a replacementheadband that can be attachedover top of your existing net usingthe replacement’s lacing eyeletsand lacing cord. It may save yousome money and buy you sometime before replacing the net, butoften it is much less hassle andmore cost-effective to go aheadand buy a new net.”

Fandel has other suggestions,including installation of new cen-


PIMP YOURCOURTS!

players have asthey enter thecourt. See thatgates open andclose easily andreplace any miss-ing hardware.”

And you canincrease your facili-ty’s appeal withlandscaped areasfor player to con-gregate. Tables,benches, cabanasand shade ramadasall invite playerinteraction, as doesa weather-protect-ed posting area forplayer information.

Don’t forgetother conve-niences, too, such as scorekeepers, water coolers, trash cans andcourt valets to hold players’ keys, towels and water bottles, saysHellerson. “These accessories typically come in colors to coordi-nate with your court equipment and landscaping and can go a longway in making your courts look more user-friendly.”

So grab that checklist and put in a few days of sweat equity.Then bring on the tennis campers, the tournament players and thepotential members. Your courts will be ready. �


ter straps to dress up old nets.(However, he cautions, a newwhite center strap might make anold net look more worn). Newdowels, steel cables and lacingcord are also available from man-ufacturers.

Check your net posts as well,and look for signs of wear, saysBrogan. “Before re-installing thenets, wire-brush or sand any rustspots on the net posts. Prime therust spots with a stop-rust prod-uct such as Rustoleum, thenapply a finish coat of outdoorRustoleum.”

Richard Zaino of Zaino TennisCourts in Orange, Calif., says thatoften, court owners fail toremove removable net postsfrom sleeves, leading to a buildupof dirt, rust and other contaminants between the post and sleeve.Posts should be removed from sleeves at least annually, and boththe posts and sleeves cleaned, then primed with an anti-rust prod-uct. “This,” Zaino says, “will help to save the existing net post, getthe most from the original installation and save the owner fromhaving to replace with new net posts, core drilling and/or saw cut-ting the slab for these new posts.”

WINDSCREENS“The product that contributes the most to your court's aestheticsis a 9-foot-high windscreen placed around all sides of the court,”says Robert Hellerson of the J.A. Cissel Manufacturing Co. in Lake-wood, N.J.

True, as long as the windscreen looks good. Fandel recom-mends hosing down windscreens to clean them, as well as“inspecting your entire windscreen to make sure there are no ripsor loose attachments to the fence. Pay attention to the hem andgrommet areas. When the windscreen is attached to the fence,make sure every grommet is being used with whatever attach-ment device was recommended (i.e. tie-wraps, lacing cord, etc.).Ripped hems, loose grommets and windscreen that has comeloose from the fence are not only unattractive, they can causedamage to the windscreen.”

Windscreen made of vinyl-coated polyester, says Fandel, canreceive serious damage if left to flap in the wind, since “the vinylcoating and polyester layers separate and permanently damagethe windscreen. This separation not only looks bad, but once itstarts, it then migrates throughout the entire panel, creating a realeyesore.”

Adds Brogan: “If re-installing windscreens ‘in house,’ consult aqualified tennis court contractor to learn how to properly installthe screens to minimize wrinkles and also to prevent damage tothe fence. Properly installed windscreens can make a huge dif-ference in the aesthetics of the facility.”

WHAT ELSE?“Check the gates,” advises Zaino. “This is the first impression

The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) is a non-profit associ-ation helping designers, builders, owners, operators and users under-stand quality sports facility construction. The ASBA sponsors informativemeetings and publishes newsletters, books and technical constructionguidelines for athletic facilities including tennis courts. Available at nocharge is a listing of all publications offered by the Association, as wellas the ASBA’s Membership Directory. 866-501-ASBA (2722) orwww.sportsbuilders.org




FIND THERIGHT FIX

Whether you have hard orsoft courts, they’ll eventuallyneed work. How do you know

what your courts reallyneed?


No matter how well built your court is, eventually it’s going toshow its age. In a hard court, that might mean cracks, wornspots or uneven areas. A soft court (clay or fast-dry) might

have areas where surfacing is thin or irregular.Problem is, you’ve asked for advice from a few of your col-

leagues who went through this not too long ago with their courts.It turns out that one person’s courts needed recoating. Anotherneeded an overlay, while the third required total reconstruction.

How do you know what your court really needs? How do youavoid being oversold and get the best value for your money? Basi-cally, say tennis court builders, it helps to have an understandingof how a tennis court is constructed and how it wears.

HARD COURTSAccording to one industry poll, more than 70 percent of the tenniscourts in the U.S. are hard courts—asphalt or concrete pavementswith an acrylic surface coating system. Asphalt courts make up themajority of all hard courts. Asphalt is a flexible pavement, able to“give” slightly with ground movement due to settling orfreeze/thaw cycles. As it ages and weathers, it oxidizes, shrinks andhardens, making it less flexible and more prone to cracking. (Con-crete, while harder and generally more expensive than asphalt, hasfewer cracking problems.)

To the untrained eye, cracks just plain look bad. To a contrac-tor who specializes in tennis courts, however, certain cracks meancertain things. Some signify a need for resurfacing. Some indicatethe court could be renewed using a membrane, stone screening oroverlay process. Some must be totally reconstructed.

“To explain the resurfacing vs. reconstruction issue, it’s helpfulto go over the basics,” says Lee Murray of Competition Sport Sur-

faces in Chattanooga, Tenn. “I like to remind the customer thatunderneath every hard or cushioned tennis court surface is pave-ment. A serious evaluation of any tennis court surface mustinclude an evaluation of the underlying pavement and the issuesthat impact that pavement, most importantly drainage and com-paction. Problems with the court surface often can be traced toproblems in the underlying pavement.”

ResurfacingIn terms of tennis courts, repair and recoating (also known asresurfacing) is generally the least expensive option. It is normallyrequired during the life of the facility, and addresses the surfaceof the court, where wear and tear first becomes apparent.

“Resurfacing leaves the existing substrate, typically asphalt orconcrete, intact,” says Steve Wright of Trans Texas Tennis inHouston. “The existing surface is thoroughly cleaned by pressurewashing, cracks are filled—with the understanding that they mayreappear or lengthen beyond the current repair—birdbaths arefilled, high areas ground down, and new surface coatings areapplied over the existing surface. Resurfacing is usually done ifthe courts drain reasonably well after a rainstorm, the existingcoatings may be worn down but are still bonded to the substrate,cracking is relatively minor, and there is no extreme unevennessin the court surface.”

Mid-Level RepairIf resurfacing is considered the lower end of tennis court rehabwork, then membranes, stone screenings and overlays are themiddle level, and may be advisable for badly cracked courts. Ageotextile membrane or a layer of stone screenings is laid over

FIND THERIGHT FIX


any dried material and replacement with new surfacing, patchingof low spots and leveling of high ones.

“Fast-dry courts rarely require total reconstruction,” says PatHanssen of Lee Tennis Products in Charlottesville, Va. “Most of thetime simple renovation will get the courts up and running as ifthey were brand new. As long as the base layers remain stable,compactable and porous, there is not any reason they should everneed to be replaced or the court reconstructed.”

However, periodic renovation, Hanssen adds, is inevitable.“Regardless of how diligently you maintain your courts, the sur-face is going to wear. In fact, from the moment a new court isbuilt, the forces of nature and everyday use are altering its profile.If left unchecked, the results are poor drainage, worn and slipperytop surface, bad bounces, and stone screenings popping up fromthe base below. Hence the need for renovation in the form of sur-face reconditioning and periodically, a laser lift.”

A lift, using a laser grader, re-establishes proper court slope andkeeps the surfacing even. Hanssen says laser grading “typically isrequired every 10 to 15 years.”

PREVENTION 101Builders advise regular maintenance and thorough documentationto help court owners and managers prolong any facility’s usefullife.

“It’s a good idea to blow off the court on a regular basis,” saysBill Righter of Nova Sports USA in Milford, Mass. “This will helpextend the life of the all-weather surface by keeping it clean. Dirtycourts wear prematurely.”

Richard Zaino of Zaino Tennis Courts in Orange, Calif., advo-cates checking and cleaning drains, something “neglected too fre-quently. Check area drains outside the court. Repair any brokendrainpipes. Was the court built over a drain sewage line? Checkthese drains for breaks or leaks. Keep expansion joints caulkedand sealed to avoid water penetration below the court slab.Unwanted water drainage under the slab can cause heaving orsettlement.”

Still not sure what your court needs? Get a second opinion. Onecontractor’s recommendation might leave you puzzled, but anoth-er could put your mind at ease. Ask questions, take notes andmost importantly, make sure both you and the professionals withwhom you speak understand your needs, your concerns and yourbudget. �

the old court, followed by an overlay of asphalt or reinforced con-crete, installed in lifts. Finally, the court is recoated.

Bob Hale of Halecon in Bridgewater, N.J., calls it “an alterna-tive that falls between simple resurfacing and a total reconstruc-tion.” Matt Hale, also of Halecon, says that the method is lessexpensive than reconstruction, but more than resurfacing. Essen-tially, it allows a new court to be built on top of an old base, with-out having the cracking or instability of the old court mirrored inthe new facility.

ReconstructionBut low-level and even mid-level fixes won’t work if structuralproblems are profound. Then, reconstruction is warranted. DavidClapp of Baseline Sports LLC in Knoxville, Tenn., has a list ofproblems indicating a need for reconstruction: “Large structuralcracks, structural cracks throughout the slab, settlement in thefoundation in part or whole. With asphalt foundations, theasphalt binders deteriorating exposing the rocks, stone screen-ings, deep pockets in the asphalt. The asphalt foundation is wear-ing out and this condition many times goes along with thestructural cracks, settlement, and also heaving of the asphaltfoundation.”

Like the other options, reconstruction is a multi-step process.To David Marsden of Boston Tennis Court Construction Co. ofHanover, Mass., reconstruction includes pulverizing an asphaltsurface, stripping and hauling the surface, examination of thebase materials for suitability, application of a new all-weathersurface, installation of new net posts, application of acrylic colorsurface and lines, and fence repairs or replacement. (Growing inpopularity is the environmentally friendly technique of recyclingasphalt by pulverizing it and mixing it with the existing aggre-gate, then compacting and leveling it to form a new base).

Reconstruction is the more extensive but long-term solutionto be used in courts with severe problems. “If a project is in suchcondition that it needs reconstruction, I would not recommendresurfacing with asphalt or an acrylic coating system. This willonly hide the problem temporarily,” notes Herb Osburn of Ten-nis Courts Inc. in Aylett, Va.

Other Hard Court IdeasWhile there are three main approaches to problem hard courts,other options exist. Conversion to a different surface can beaccomplished with a modular or a roll-goods product, or a sand-filled turf system.

Occasionally, following reconstruction of the sub-base and/orbase of a hard court, that court may be converted to clay or fast-dry, or to post-tensioned concrete. Qualified court builders canprovide recommendations.

SOFT COURTSIn soft courts (those with clay or a fast-dry surface), a base courseof processed stone is installed over a stable sub-base. A levelingcourse is installed over the base, and a layer of surfacing mater-ial (either clay or fast-dry) is spread on top.

Regular maintenance (after each match or after three to fourhours of play) includes dragging the court with a broom andbrushing the playing lines clean. The court needs to be compact-ed by rolling periodically, and requires at least annual removal of


YOUR COURTMAINTENANCE PLANNER


YOUR COURTMAINTENANCE PLANNER


Use this chart—put together by the ASBA and USTA—to help youkeep your courts and facility in top shape at all times.

Reprinted with permission from “Tennis Courts: A Construction andMaintenance Manual,” jointly published by the ASBA and USTA andavailable at www.sportsbuilders.org.



SHORTDIVISIONWith permanent lines and courts for

the QuickStart Tennis format, facilitieswill bring more kids into the game,

and bring in more revenue, too.B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R

The QuickStart Tennis format, with its shorter courts, softer ballsand smaller racquets, entered the market in early 2008,designed to make tennis more user-friendly for kids. And like

Little League baseball, its purpose is to teach the fundamentalswithout ever losing the fun.

And QuickStart is catching on. Private clubs and camps, as wellas parks and recreation facilities, are embracing the idea of usingsmaller courts (see box on facing page for dimensions) to teachchildren to play tennis. While the QST format ultimately is aimedat the 10-and-under set—in an attempt to both increase overall ten-nis participation and to create future American tennis champions—QuickStart is having an even more immediate benefit. It’s makingmoney for those who implement it.

“‘Catching on’ is an understatement,” says Jim Reffkin, directorof tennis at Randolph Tennis Center in Tucson. “We are doing fan-tastic with QST.” Reffkin, whose facility was actually ahead of thecurve, put in its own shorter courts two years ago. When the USTAintroduced QuickStart, Randolph got on board. Of the facility’s 25courts, 10 are now permanently lined with QST dimensions.

“This is right over the existing championship 10 courts that weuse for a variety of national championships we host every year,”says Reffkin. “Yes, the courts have extra lines and are used for bothQST and regular match play.”

In 2008, Reffkin’s facility collaborated with the Tucson Com-munity Tennis Program, its own summer NJTL program and itsongoing junior clinics—and they saw QST explode in popularity.

“We’ve reached over a thousand chil-dren with QST,” he says. “We have at least15 events every year now, and we foreseethese same kids participating in JuniorTeam Tennis, which for the last 10 yearshas gotten very little participation in South-

ern Arizona. In other words, we are developing infrastructurewith a broad base of young children that we will retain for futureongoing USTA programming: Junior Team Tennis, High SchoolTennis, College Campus Tennis and adult league tennis.”

PERMANENT QST COURTSAccording to Virgil Christian, director of community tennis devel-opment at the USTA, there are already nearly 200 permanentQST courts (standalone and lined), with an additional 516 courtsin various stages of development. And theoretically, he says, thatcan translate into new income for thefacilities that use the format. As anexample, a facility lined for the QST for-mat has the potential to bring in fourtimes the current programming becauseone 78-foot court is made into four 36-foot courts.

This is particularly relevant in thecurrent economic climate, where ratherthan dropping their tennis facility mem-berships, families are using them for allthey’re worth.

“Decisions made are for the long-term benefit,” notes Christian. “It’sproven that participation for teens andyoung adults declines in soccer, base-ball, football or other top youth sports after kids enter their teenyears. Parks are in the business to ‘efficiently maintain and oper-ate park facilities, to provide recreational programs for the enjoy-ment and health of all our citizens, and seek partnerships tomaximize recreational opportunities for our community.’ All ofthat can be accomplished with help from the USTA.

SHORTDIVISION

Benefits Times ThreeImplementing QST has athree-way boost:

� Creates a new generationof players.

� New programming = moreincome for facilities.

� Allows court builders toreach more courts; addingnew playing lines allowsbuilders to inspect facilitiesand recommend any nec-essary repairs to manager.

For more information on theQuickStart Tennis format—includ-ing court specifications—visitpartners.quickstarttenis.com.


Steve Wright of Trans Texas Tennis Inc. in Houston. “The projectwill probably be done this summer. One court was a 60-footcourt. The other court has four 36-foot courts perpendicular tothe net.”

The one thing QST isn’t, however, is a hands-free formula.This is not, say the experts, a scenario for “if you build it, theywill come.” According to Ref-fkin, managers have to bringtheir best game as well (seebox below) and put it intoaction in order to maximizethe return.

One of the most attractiveaspects of QST for new play-ers is the ability to master thestrokes while controlling theball. Perhaps, then, it’s nosurprise that according toChristian, senior marketshave also begun to show aninterest in the 60-foot courts.

Not a surprise at all, saysReffkin, who discovered thatbonus when Randolph initiat-ed short-court programmingseveral years back. “Beginnerand advanced beginneradults love it,” he says.“Using the same format, wealso have at least one adultQST event a month. Ourbasic five-hour, one hour perweek, beginner adult clinicsstress match play. Often-times, as early as in the sec-ond lesson, (adults) areplaying matches and enteringtheir first QuickStart adulttournament.”

QST may well be thespringboard to producingfuture champions. But fornow, it’s a way to bring ten-nis to places like the schoolgymnasium, playground,parking lot and even theworkplace.

“We have done it tem-porarily inside our plant for atennis day event we did forour 40 staff associates,” saysRandy Futty of Lee TennisProducts in Charlottesville,Va. “It was fun as hell and not just for kids. Or maybe better said,fun for kids of all ages.”

And it can bring the generations together. “I did see severalrandom players using the small courts when I would drive by,”says Thompson, “usually an adult and child. I guess it isn't toohard to figure out.” �

“Clubs are in the business to make money—the QST formathelps capture more players [which translates into more moneyimmediately] at a younger age with successful results to keepthem interested in tennis [which translates into more moneyover a lifetime]. Scaled-down courts and equipment is a provenmethod used by other sports and other countries for years, sothe risk is minimal.”

OVERCOMING RESISTANCEWhile the benefits may be many, there may be a few obstaclesto overcome—from those who have not seen the program inaction and who fear losing playing facilities. Mary Thompson,executive director of the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Tennis Association,says when her organization decided to renovate a three-courtcomplex at Spellerberg Park to create eight short courts (photoon facing page) and leave one regulation court, there werecomplaints—at least initially.

“There has been total support from our tennis communi-ty—once they understood what it was about,” says Thompson.“At first, they cried that they were losing courts. We explainedthat those courts were not overly used, were in a great locationfor this project, and that the future of tennis would be bettermet with this new layout and teaching format. We had almost1,000 participants in our summer lesson program, with maybe50 or so at Spellerberg. We fully anticipate a much larger par-ticipation count in ’09.”

Success breeds success. When other children hear that theirfriends are having a good time learning a new sport that waseasy to take up, they start asking their parents if they, too, canparticipate. And parents, who can immediately see their chil-dren’s progress, are more apt to encourage them to continue.

“The parents of the young players really like the new formatas they see how much fun the players are actually having,”says J. Scott Laakso, recreation and tennis supervisor forRoswell (Ga.) Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural AffairsDepartment. “The players progress at a fairly rapid rate towhere they can play a match in only two short weeks of prac-tice.”

ADDING QST LINESWhile the enthusiasm to grow the game is there, not everyoneis eager to jump right in. The good news is that implementingQST doesn’t have to mean dramatic and irreversible physicalchanges to a facility—and (perhaps the bigger point) it can beaccomplished without a huge investment.

Depending upon the type of facility, and upon the enroll-ment desired, a client may simply decide to have one or morecourts lined for QST play. Laakso says the lines for Roswell’sQST courts are simply painted in light blue onto pre-existingcourts, but that “the players love them. The permanent linesgive the program more significance than rollout lines or mask-ing tape. The players feel more important with their own courtspainted right onto the regular court surface.”

And after all, say builders, having courts that are lined forboth QST and regular play allows kids to graduate to playing ona standard court, without switching to a new facility, whentheir skills develop.

“We quoted a two-court resurfacing job that included strip-ing courts for QuickStart in addition to regulation play,” says

Not for the PassiveQST isn’t just about shorter courts; it’s abouttaking a dynamic approach to bringing innew players and ramping up enthusiasm andprestige.

According to Jim Reffkin, managers must:

� Recruit QST players’ parents to take lessons;recruit the children of adult beginners to getinto QST format teaching.

� Create “QST parent associations” like youthsoccer, baseball and others have developed.

� Have structured QST competitive eventsscheduled for the entire year, every year.

� Have a credible ranking of ability for QSTparticipants both junior and adult.

� Have appropriate marketing materials: entryblanks, posters, local advertising.

� Solicit sponsors for QST events as is done forUSTA sanctioned tournaments.

� Recruit designated teaching professionals.� Have annual citywide events as well as stateevents to establish credibility.

� Continue to concentrate and focus resourceson the needs of the consumer and the futureof tennis as a recreational sport.

Courts Sized to the KidsIn regulation tennis, the space within theplaying lines is 36 feet wide and 78 feet long,with an overall court area that is 60 feetwide and 120 feet long.

In the QuickStart Tennis format, the courtsare 18 feet wide and 36 feet long for ages 5to 8. Ages 9 and 10 use 60-foot-long courts.

Adult nets are 42 inches at the post and 36-inches at the center strap.

In QuickStart, for kids 8 and under, the net is18 feet long and 2-feet, 9-inches high. Olderkids use a regulation net if they are playingon a court with an existing net, and a netthat is 3 feet in height otherwise.



CRACKINGUP?

All hard courts will crack eventually, andwhen they do, have a professional evaluate

the situation and suggest a remedy.B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R

Cracks in tennis courts aren’t too different from zombies in hor-ror movies. No matter what you do to them, they just keepcoming back. It’s a problem that can drive court managers and

pros to distraction, and cause plenty of complaints among playerswho want a smooth, unblemished surface for their game.

What might surprise everyone is the fact that the cracking itselfisn’t actually the problem. It is just a symptom. Another surprise?There are different types of cracks, indicative of different problemsand conditions. Despite the fact that to the layperson, these cracksmay look similar—or even identical—they require different formsof repair. A tennis court contractor is the best person to examine acourt in order to determine the cause of cracking, but a managershould understand what will affect a court surface and cause cer-tain conditions.

There are two general types of hard surface tennis courts: thosemade of asphalt and those made of concrete. All courts will even-tually show wear, and may even have different types of cracks.Generally, cracking as seen on tennis courts falls into two cate-gories: Surface cracks, which are relatively minor, and pavementor structural cracks, which are more serious. (For a detailed andillustrated description of various types ofcracking, see the adjacent chart. Infor-mation on cracking, as well as other sur-face conditions, can also be found in“Tennis Courts: A Construction andMaintenance Manual,” from which thechart is taken. See the box at right formore information on this manual.)

SURFACE INTEGRITYAsphalt courts, no matter how well-built,are going to crack. Whether indoor oroutdoor, as the pavement ages, itbecomes brittle. And unlike roads, park-

ing lots, driveways and so forth, a tennis court pavement getsonly foot traffic. It lacks the constant weight of vehicle traffic,which, contrary to what might be expected, serves to keepasphalt pliable and delays the formation of cracks.

“Asphalt tennis courts typically last for 20 years or so beforereconstruction or some type of overlay system becomes neces-sary,” notes Colin Donovan of Renner Sports Surfaces, based inDenver. In many cases, he adds, the causes for the cracking arebeyond any contractor’s control.

Concrete courts, many contractors say, are harder and lesslikely to crack. In particular, facilities made of post-tensioned con-crete will hold without cracking for years because of the com-pressive force being applied to the concrete slab.

How often cracks will appear, however, is not the point. Themost important factor is to keep up the integrity of the surface bymaking sure that cracks, when they do occur, are evaluated by aprofessional, who can recommend a remedy.

The one thing a court owner should not try, say contractors, isthe do-it-yourself approach, since it can result in more harm thangood. Because of the advances in tennis court repair products,

there are a variety of treatmentoptions open to contractors thatmay be considered, dependingupon the extent and cause of thecrack problem.

REPAIRING CRACKS“Almost any size crack can berepaired with a membrane prod-uct,” says Dave Baird of IndustrialSurface Sealer Inc. of Cleveland. Amembrane system is comprised ofseveral layers of fabric adhered tothe court surface with bonding

CRACKINGUP?

It’ s In the Book“Tennis Courts: A Construction andMaintenance Manual,” jointly pub-lished by the American Sports BuildersAssociation and the USTA, has thestated purpose of promoting qualityconstruction, maintenance and repairof tennis court facilities. The book iswritten in a user-friendly format that appeals to tennisplayers and the general public, as well as to constructionand design professionals. The book costs $44.95 pluspostage and handling, and is available from the ASBA bygoing to www.sportsbuilders.org, or by calling 866-501-ASBA (2722).


material that may be reinforced with fiberglass. Once the membrane is inplace, the court has to be coated with surfacing before it is again playable.

These membranes, Baird explains, act much the same way a drywallrepair does. There are several brand-name systems on the market; Bairdnotes that his company has found a specific product, and has worked withit for six years. “The customers love it,” he says, “because prior to thatrepaving was the only option. The break-even or cost justification on indi-vidual courts is that if a court has less than 800 lineal feet of cracks, it isbest to repair with a membrane. If the court has other issues such as baddrainage or delamination, then paving and repair is the suggested method.If a court is sound, drains well, no peeling, no delamination, and just has afew cracks, then the membrane is the way to go.”

Membranes, however, are not the only methods on the market, asCarvin Pallenberg of RiteWay Crack Repair and Cushion Tennis Courts inWest Haven, Conn., explains.

“Whatever the cause (of cracks), there are many ways to repair them,”says Pallenberg. “If they are surface cracks, agood coat of acrylic resurfacer with sand maysolve the problem, depending on the depth ofthe cracks. If cracks are deeper, such as cracksalong playing lines caused by the temperaturedifference between the colored court and thewhite lines, builders may want to fill with courtpatch binder made of sand, cement and latex,and buff smooth. Some contractors use a fiber-glass mesh set in acrylic to cover spider cracking,which is when there is a lot of cracking in a givenarea. These methods are usually good for a cou-ple of seasons.”

With more serious structural cracks, Pallen-berg notes, there are different repair options. “Atemporary repair is to clean out the crack and fillwith court patch binder, buff smooth and re-

color, or fill with some kind of caulking. This, however, is temporary, andthe cracks will return in a short time—days or weeks. A more permanentrepair is an overlay system, and these methods have been around for yearsand have been proven successful. Another method is an asphalt overlay,which can be just asphalt on the existing court or used over fabric or stonedust, etc.”

FOUNDATION WORK?“If the court has large structural cracks, it is time to think about replacingthe foundation,” says Richard Zaino of Zaino Tennis Courts in Orange,Calif. “Overlay the court with a post-tension slab, or remove and replace it.”

Overlays might also include covering the cracked surface with a mat ofsynthetic turf, interlocking modular tiles or others.

Inevitably, there are going to be some markets, say builders, in whichcustomers want to save money by employing stopgap fixes. It might be aresidential court where a nervous homeowner is trying some belt-tighten-ing, a club anticipating an off-season or a municipality that hasn’t budget-ed for major tennis court work. In those cases, repairing cracks on a courtmight appeal more.

Ellen Brattlof of Armor Crack Repair System in Farmingdale, N.J., hasseen explosive growth of requests for crack repair products over the pastyear, and she says she expects that growth to continue.

It all comes back to one truth, however: Many cracks will come back.The best tennis court managers can do, say contractors, is to stay on top ofthe situation. Do a regular walk-through of the facility and keep a diagramof each court, noting the date it was inspected and any imperfections on

Do’ s and Don’ ts� Do be vigilant about check-ing courts for surface irreg-ularities.

� Do take players’ concernsor complaints seriously andcheck out problems theymight report.

� Don’t try self-fixes. Manyproducts are not made fortennis courts, and will onlymar the surface and makethe problem worse.

� Don’t hesitate to call a con-tractor at the first sign of aproblem.

the surface. Carry a camera to document any specific areasof concern; the photos can be e-mailed to the contractor fora quick consult, if necessary.

You can’t prevent cracks, but you can be proactiveabout treating them, say professionals. And that’s half thebattle right there. �

COMMON TENNIS COURT PROBLEMS



INSIDEINFORMATION

Maintain your indoorcourts properly and you’ll

ensure that players willkeep coming back.


Indoor courts can be the solution to an armload of problems.They provide year-round play and allow for ease of program-ming. They also offer a controlled environment—something that

really makes them popular with players.So what's the best way to ensure that the environment stays

pleasant? Upkeep, say court builders and suppliers. Regular facilitycare ensures a good place to play, and keeps players coming back.Whether the courts are housed in an air structure (or “bubble”), afabric-frame structure or a steel building, a regimen is needed.

OVERALL MAINTENANCE“Good maintenance is vital,” says Steve Wright of Trans Texas Ten-nis in Houston. “There should be clean courts, a clean clubhouseand locker rooms, well-lit with updated furnishings, and no trash,towels or empty cans laying around.”

Wright cautions managers not to neglect simple cosmetic prob-lems. Replacing burned-out light bulbs immediately, as well askeeping nets, posts, backdrop curtains and divider nets in topshape, all contribute to a facility that commands respect. Back-drops and divider curtains should be kept off the floor and attachedto support cables at every grommet. In addition, he notes, “cleanand well-lit walkways behind the backdrop curtains are a must.”

Because the facility is not exposed to rain or wind, the surfacesof hard courts require periodic cleaning. “Indoor courts, whetherpermanent or portable, should be easy to clean, letting playersknow they are practicing or competing on a well-maintained sur-face,” notes Robin Traum of Gerflor, S.A., in Tarare, France.

LIGHTINGIndoor courts need uniform, glare-free lighting, according to the

American Sports Builders Association. In its book, “Tennis Courts:A Construction and Maintenance Manual,” the association notesthat all lighting systems should be designed to provide adequatevisibility of the ball along every possible path while in play, forboth players and spectators.

Different levels of lighting are required, depending upon thelevel of play. For example, a facility that hosts professional playon an international level will need a higher level of lighting than atennis club, which in turn requires more light than will a recre-ational facility. (A tennis court builder who specializes in indoorcourts will be able to provide recommendations as to what light-ing system is best, given the level of play expected).

Older players generally require more light; therefore, clubswhose membership includes a large percentage of middle-aged orsenior players may want to investigate higher levels of lights than,for example, a facility that hosts more teen tennis camps or chil-dren's programs.

The most common type of lighting for indoor tennis is indirectlighting, or uplighting, defined as the installation of fixtures aimedat a highly reflective ceiling. Uplighting uses metal halide or otherhigh-intensity lamps mounted at least 6 feet from the ceiling toavoid so-called “hot spots.” Obviously, placement of lighting fix-tures should be such that players do not have to look directly intothe lights when serving or playing a high shot. If choosing orreplacing a lighting system, get one that lends itself to regularcleaning and maintenance. A lighting contractor can provideguidance.

HVAC SYSTEMSThe heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a

INSIDEINFORMATION


ufacturers, the maintenance worries of the authentic surface).Regardless of the surface, the comfort of the player must be

paramount, says Wright, who notes, “Air movement in the courtarea is important and can be done through ceiling fans, ventila-tion/exhaust fans, or running the A/C on blower setting.”

WHAT ELSE?Sometimes, though, the very fact that the indoor court environ-ment is unchanging can be a problem, say some industry profes-sionals. In those cases, it's important to mix things upoccasionally.

“Sometimes justchanging the courtcolors can bring newenergy to a club,”says Tom Magner ofDecoTurf in Andover,Mass. “It can be, ‘Thenew blue-and-greencourts make it easierto see the ball’ thatmakes a difference. Aclub may not be in aposition to build newcourts or get newlighting, but by sim-ply changing theinbounds to blue, forexample, they canshow their existingmembers that theclub is still fresh.”

Art Tucker of Plex-ipave System, a divi-sion of CaliforniaProducts Corp. inAndover, Mass.,agrees: “Many play-ers will not recognizeanything was done ifyou use the samecolor at resurfacing.”Other changes canadd variety to specificcourts, he notes,including the installa-tion of cushion toexisting courts toaddress the needs ofolder players or oth-ers who want more

comfortable courts. A surface that changes the speed of play, usingthe International Tennis Federation's new pace standards, alsocreates new interest.

Encouraging members to vote on a new surface or a new colorcan generate excitement and a feeling of ownership, say bothTucker and Magner. Ultimately, it furthers the goal—to encourageplayers to go play inside. �

building plays a huge role in the comfort of players, say builders.“Humidity control is extremely important in indoor facilities,especially if there is a pool or hot tub area,” says Wright. “Noth-ing is more distracting than walking into a club and immediate-ly smelling chlorine and feeling the humidity.” (High humidity,he notes, leads to rust, which in turn necessitates more mainte-nance.)

According to the ASBA's “Tennis Courts” book, an HVAC sys-tem for an indoor tennis enclosure should be capable of chang-ing the air within the structure one to four times per hour withminimal noise or draft. In the winter, the heating system shouldbe able to maintainthe building tempera-ture at between 55and 62 degreesFahrenheit. In thesummer, air condition-ing should maintain anindoor temperature of10-15 degrees Fahren-heit below the outsidetemperature, with 55percent to 60 percenthumidity.

Low-intensity gas-fired infrared heatingsystems that are com-pletely sealed andexhaust to the outsidecan be used for indoortennis structures withhard courts, and canheat the enclosurewithout using duct-work, fans or blowers.However, they are notfor use in buildingswith granular surfacecourts, since they willcause uneven heatingand drying of the sur-face material in places.Unit heaters (whichuse forced air) can beused for buildings witheither hard or claycourts. Combinedheating and air condi-tioning units, mountedoutside the building,with air brought in viaductwork, are also used.

“If you have indoor clay courts, one of the key factors bothfor comfort and for consistent maintenance is tied to humiditycontrol through a good HVAC system,” notes John Welborn ofLee Tennis Court Products in Charlottesville, Va. (Recent devel-opments in court surface systems have resulted in products thatcan give indoor courts a clay-like feel without, according to man-



BUILDING ABUSINESS

Certified Tennis Court Builders—orCTCBs—are becoming more and more

important in the construction field.B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R

The search for a contractor to build, rehab or just repair a tenniscourt can be worrisome. After all, the court needs to look andplay the way it should. It needs to hold up to constant foot traf-

fic, withstand the weather and with any luck, not develop majorproblems that will translate into headaches for the pro.

Problem is, a lot of contractors (those who build sports facilitiesand those who build other structures) are selected because theirbid came in lowest. But does that really translate into a companythat is skilled in putting in a tennis court?

Those who want an extra tool in selecting a contractor might beable to use as precedent a recent ruling by the Attorney General ofMassachusetts. The ruling allowed a local high school district tochoose not just the company with the lowbid, but the one that was judged to have theexpertise to build an athletic facility.

In its In Re: Masconoment Regional SchoolDistrict Running Track Resurfacing (decisionissued Aug. 8, 2008), the Office of the AGupheld the right of a local school district tomandate in its bid requirement that the bid-der for a running track project employ anindividual with the Certified Track Builder,or CTB, designation. The designation isoffered as part of the certification programof the American Sports Builders Association.Another requirement was that the winningbidder be a member in good standing of theASBA.

While this ruling involved a track con-struction project, the ASBA also issues a Cer-tified Tennis Court Builder, or CTCB,designation. Many in the industry believe

the same ruling would apply on the tennis side, too.According to George Todd Jr., CTCB and chairman of the

ASBA, the ruling is a landmark not only for ASBA and its certi-fication program, but for those who are having facilities built orrenovated, and who want the best for the athletes who will beusing those facilities.

Both certified builder programs were developed by theASBA in order to help raise professional standards and improvethe practice of sports facility construction. In order to becomea certified builder, an individual must meet specific criteria setforth by the ASBA; he or she must complete an application thatshows he or she has a set amount of construction experience

in the building of either tennis courts orrunning tracks, and then pass a com-prehensive exam on either tennis courtor running track construction. In orderto retain the designation, an individualmust recertify every three years by doc-umenting a sufficient level of continu-ing education activities in the relevantfield or by passing the examinationagain.

Those who are interested in hiring atennis court contractor are alwaysadvised to do their homework: Checkreferences, ask about professional affili-ations and certifications, and look for acompany that is licensed, insured andhas a good reputation. While it’s impos-sible to eliminate all the uncertainty, itis possible to be proactive, and to bringpeace of mind to the process. �

BUILDING ABUSINESS

Choosing a ContractorBuilding or improving a tennis court? Whilethere’s no foolproof way to find the perfectpartner, these suggestions can help you narrowthe field:� Check references. Talk to a colleague atanother club and get the name of their pre-ferred contractor.

� Check for licensure and insurance.� Look at professional affiliations and certifica-tions.

� Ask about local projects that are similar toyours, and go look at them.

� Ask questions. Did the person return yourcalls promptly and answer all your questions,or was there only vague information?

� Go with your instinct: If you feel uneasyabout a prospective contractor, look forsomeone else.


Certified Tennis Court BuildersThese 46 court contractors have earned the right to put the “CTCB” designation after their names by demonstrating their expertise through their expe-rience in the field and by passing rigorous exams.

� David Baird, Industrial Surface Sealer, Inc.,Cleveland, 216-341-2662, [email protected]

� Richard Benson, Tenni-Trac Sport Surfaces,Louisville, KY, 502-815-4121, [email protected]

� Mark Brogan, Pro-Sport Construction, Inc.,Devon, Pa., 610-296-3033, [email protected]

� David Clapp, Baseline Sports Construction,Knoxville, Tenn., 865-588-4320,[email protected]

� Jonnie Deremo, General Acrylics, Inc.,Phoenix, Ariz., 602-569-9377, [email protected]

� Tom DeRosa, DeRosa Tennis Contractors,Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y., 914-698-2404,[email protected]

� Colin Donovan, Renner Sports Surfaces,Denver, 303-825-3435, [email protected]

� Mike Edgerton, DeRosa Tennis Contractors,Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y., 914-698-2404,[email protected]

� J. Russ Edman, The Tennis Company, SaltLake City, Utah, 800-233-2970,[email protected]

� Tony Edwards, Fraser Edwards Co., SanFrancisco, 415-826-9595,[email protected]

� Will Ferguson, Baseline Sports Construc-tion, Knoxville, Tenn., 865-588-4320,[email protected]

� Jerry Gray, Leslie Coatings, Inc., Indianapo-lis, 317-926-3411,[email protected]

� Matt Hale, Halecon, Inc., Bridgewater, N.J.,732-302-1234, [email protected]

� Corey Hardick, C.H. Court Tech, Spring Val-ley, Calif., 619-540-3456, [email protected]

� John Henzel, John Henzel Tennis Court Sys-tems Inc., Tulsa, 918-587-1575,[email protected]

� Tom Josephs, Renner Sports Surfaces, Den-ver, 303-825-3435,[email protected]

� Fred Kolkmann, Larson Engineering, WestAllis, Wis., 414-475-2350, [email protected]

� Nat Lee, Lee Sports Surfacing, Little Cana-da, Minn., 612-597-0544,[email protected]

� Mark Litrico, Carolina Courtworks, Char-lotte, N.C., 704-392-6556, [email protected]

� Linn Lower, Lower Bros. Co., Inc., Birming-ham, Ala., 205-967-3901,[email protected]

� Tony Mackay, Court Care Systems, Inc.,Wantagh, N.Y., 516-326-6759, [email protected]

� Carla Magers, Gerald Perry Tennis Courts,Springfield, Mo., 417-865-1217,[email protected]

� Bruce Mahler, Boston Tennis Court Con-struction Co., Inc., Hanover, Mass., 781-826-2303, [email protected]

� Fred Manchester, Manchester Courts, Lex-ington, S.C., 803-446-1622, [email protected]

� David Marsden, Boston Tennis Court Con-struction Co., Inc., Hanover, Mass., 781-826-2303, [email protected]

� Joe Matoskey, General Acrylics, Inc.,Phoenix, 602-569-9377,[email protected]

� Miles Minson, The Tennis Company, SaltLake City, Utah, 801-328-1111,[email protected]

� David Moore, Cape & Island Tennis &Track, Pocasset, Mass., 508-759-5636,[email protected]

� Herb Osburn, Tennis Courts, Inc., Aylett,Va., 804-769-3030, [email protected]

� Steve Pappas, Papico Construction, Inc.,Palm City, Fla., 772-288-1826, [email protected]

� Gerry Perry, Gerald Perry Tennis Courts,Springfield, Mo., 417-865-1217,[email protected]

� Gordy Pierce, Cape & Island Tennis &Track, Pocasset, Mass., 508-759-5636,[email protected]

� Bob Pratsch, American Surfaces Corp. ofMN, Suamico, Wis., 920-434-8272, [email protected]

� Ben Rennolds, Tennis Courts, Inc., Aylett,Va., 804-769-3030, [email protected]

� Basil Sabbak, M-C Sport Systems, Inc.,Franklin Park, Ill., 847-455-4700,[email protected]

� Bill Shaughnessy, The Racquet Shop, Inc.,Colts Neck, N.J., 732-462-8866, [email protected]

� Darrel Snyder, Mid American Courts,Wichita, Kan., 316-558-5920, [email protected]

� Scott Starman, Renner Sports Surfaces,Denver, 303-825-3435, [email protected]

� Matt Strom, Leslie Coatings, Inc., Indi-anapolis, 317-926-3411,[email protected]

� George Todd, Jr., Welch Tennis Courts,Inc., Sun City, Fla., 813-641-7787,[email protected]

� Mike Vinton, Vasco Sports Contractors,Massillon, Ohio, 330-832-5151, [email protected]

� Rob Werner, Sportsline, Inc., Villanova, Pa.,610-526-9476, [email protected]

� Brian Wright, Court One, Granite Quarry,N.C., 704-209-3329, [email protected]

� Gerry Wright, Court One, Youngsville, N.C.,919-570-9255, [email protected]

� Steve Wright, Trans Texas Tennis, Inc.,Houston, 713-691-1006,[email protected]

� Richard Zaino, Zaino Tennis Courts, Inc.,Orange, Calif., 714-744-1885,[email protected]




MONEYMARKETS

In this shaky economy,contractors need to protect themselves.

A good contract goes a long way tomaking sure you get paid for your work.


If a good tennis match starts with a good court, where doesa good court start? With a good contract, says David H. Pet-tit, Esq. Pettit, a partner with Feil, Pettit & Williams in Char-

lottesville, Va., has served as legal counsel to the AmericanSports Builders Association since 1984.

A good contract, he adds, spells out exactly what is expect-ed of the client and of the builder. “You want to make sureyour contract is clear and concise, and sets out the terms of theagreement precisely,” he says.

The contract should define the scope of work and the termsof payment, as well as what will happen should the client—orthe contractor—fail to live up to the expectations.

In an economy that has taken a downturn, says Pettit, it’simperative for contractors to protect themselves, since ownersand developers are more likely to have cash-flow problemsthemselves. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize exposure,and maximize the possibilities of on-time payments. In addi-tion to that good contract, builders should be looking for thefollowing:� Cash payment up front: There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how

much contractors should ask for. It may depend, to someextent, on whether the contractor has worked with the clientpreviously.

� Progressive payments: Basing payments on progress madethroughout the job can help payments stay on schedule. “It ispreferable to have a standard plan for progress payments,that can be customized to fit the circumstances of a particu-lar job or owner,” says Pettit. “From the contractor’s point ofview, the purpose of the plan is to give the contractor an earlywarning if there are going to be payment problems, mini-

mize the contractor’s exposure, and keep the owner incen-tivized to pay the contractor.”

One contractor who agrees with this? Rob Werner of Sport-sline Inc. of Villanova, Pa. “Progressive payments are common.On average, there are three to four payments for the project.We prefer a first payment of 20 percent to schedule and ordermaterials, and the last payment of 10 percent.”� Right to stop work if payment terms are not met: The termination

clause, says Pettit, is critical. Without it, a contractor might beheld responsible for walking off a job. “The contractor shouldalways make sure the contract gives it the right to stop workpromptly if payment is not made. If the contractor does stopwork, it should review the contract to determine when titlepasses to materials on the site. Materials which still belong tothe contractor should be removed.”

� Interest or late fees on overdue payments: There should be conse-quences to missing a payment.

� Attorney’s fees provisions: It’s simple, says Pettit: “If I have to suein order to collect my money, you’re responsible for payingmy attorney’s fees.” (The fact that a long legal fight can rackup not just those back payments and late fees but substantialattorney’s fees will give the client more incentive to pay ontime).

� Lien rights: Under the laws of every state, says Pettit, there aremechanic’s lien rights. “If you work on someone else’s realproperty and they don’t pay you, you can file a mechanic’slien memorandum in the local land records.” Because it wasthe contractor’s labor that improved the property, the clientwill not be able to sell, refinance or improve it without firstpaying the contractor. A lien is grounds for a lawsuit and can

MONEYMARKETS



the risk presented by stopping work orinstituting collection action.

“Threatening to stop work may putpressure on the owner to pay in order toget the job completed, but stopping workbefore the job is completed may make itmore difficult for the owner to come upwith the money to pay. If the job is in the

allow the contractor to have theproperty sold in order for that con-tractor to receive payment.

DOCUMENT EVERYTHINGPettit advises ongoing documenta-tion in order to avoid billing prob-lems. For example, if a customerkeeps making additions to a project,“The change should be reflected in awritten change order, which shouldstate when the charges for thechange will be billed and paid. As ageneral rule, the charges should be asclose in time to the work as possible.If the change will require a substan-tial outlay for materials, it may beappropriate to bill in advance for thatcharge.”

In an ideal world, of course,builders and clients create a contract,the work is done, bills are paid andeveryone is happy. But what hap-pens when something goes wrong?

“The best first step is to commu-nicate with the owner as soon as pay-ments fall behind,” says Pettit. “Askfor an explanation, and when thepayment can be expected. Often thedelay is due to temporary factors anda satisfactory arrangement can benegotiated. The arrangement shouldbe documented in a written agree-ment if it represents a significantdeviation from the contract terms.Most payment issues can be resolvedby working with the owner, but thecontractor has to exercise good judg-ment and know when it is necessaryto become more firm in itsapproach.”

If the contractor is working on asubcontract basis, notes Pettit, “Itmay be beneficial to advise theowner that the general contractor isnot making payment, and the ownermay require the general to pay ormake arrangements to pay directly.”

STOP? OR GO?At some point, however, it all comesdown to the contractor’s decision,says Pettit. “If an arrangement can-not be negotiated, then the contrac-tor has to assess the risk presentedby going forward, as compared by

early stages, it may be in the contrac-tor’s best interest to cut its losses andterminate the job. If the contractor has asignificant investment in the project, orif it is nearly completed, it may be in thecontractor’s best interest to completethe job.”

Werner says that in more than 20years in the industry, he has experi-enced few problems. If one does cropup, however, it is frustrating “because itcomes with high fees that have to bedished out, timely of course, to thelawyer teams, and months and monthsof no payment at all happening becauseeach side doesn't budge off their offersfor their own reasons.”

Clients can protect their interests byusing liquidated damages clauses: con-tractual language defining the penalties,should the builder not live up to the pro-visions of the contract. For example,should the project not be finished whenpromised, the contractor could be billeda specific amount for each day (week,etc.) past due. �

Contract HelpersPettit says these tips can help any contract or jobsituation:� Know your client. The risk is certainly greaterwith a new client than a familiar one. It is rea-sonable to run a credit check or ask for refer-ences on a new client.

� Stay on top of things. The contractor who fol-lows up on payment problems quickly andeffectively will have a much greater chance ofgetting paid in full and sooner rather than later.

� Don't be afraid to pass on a job. If the owner orcontractor appears shaky or unethical, don’t getinvolved. It takes the profit from a lot of jobs tomake up for the one on which you don’t getpaid. Be wary of taking jobs that may bebeyond your expertise. Construction problems ordelays can almost guarantee payment problems.



String Playtest

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)Number of testers who said it was:much easier 5somewhat easier 16about as easy 17not quite as easy 1not nearly as easy 0

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)Number of testers who said it was:much better 4somewhat better 12about as playable 8not quite as playable 15not nearly as playable 0

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other stringsof similar gauge)Number of testers who said it was:much better 0somewhat better 8about as durable 16not quite as durable 11not nearly as durable 4

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)Playability (3rd overall) 4.1Durability 3.1Power (8th overall) 3.7Control (2nd overall) 4.0Comfort (3rd overall) 4.0Touch/Feel (2nd overall) 4.0Spin Potential (6th overall) 3.6Holding Tension 3.5Resistance to Movement 3.2

Prince Premier LT is a multifilamentthat advances the Prince Premier linewith new features. The “LT” stands forLinear Technology, a reference to theparallel alignment of the 900+ fibersin the core of Premier LT. Prince tellsus that this linear alignment gives Pre-mier LT exceptional comfort, power,and gut-like playability. Around theinner fibers is a multifilament wrap,with a special polyamide outer coating.This outer coating is a high strength,wear- and abrasion-resistant mem-brane comprised of thermoplasticnylon compounds, which improve per-formance at elevated temperatures.The smooth surface reportedly helpsthe strings stay straight during play,and make installation easier, as well.

Prince’s polyamide coating technologyFeature BenefitTensile strength Better tensionimproved 24% maintenanceElasticity improved Closer feel toby 18% Natural GutImproved melting Increasedpoint 31% durabilitySmooth now friction Reduced stringouter coating movement

Prince says that Premier LT is for anyplayer looking for exceptional comfort,power, and playability.

Premier LT is available in 16 and 17in natural only. It is priced from $16 forsets of 40 feet (reels may be available inthe future). For more information or toorder, contact Prince at 800-2-TENNIS, orvisit princetennis.com. Be sure to readthe conclusion for more informationabout getting a free set to try for yourself.

IN THE LABWe tested the 17-gauge Premier LT. Thecoil measured 40’. The diameter mea-sured 1.26-1.28 mm prior to stringing,and 1.23-1.24 mm after stringing. Werecorded a stringbed stiffness of 74 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 64 RDC units, repre-senting a 14 percent tension loss. Our con-trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut OriginalGold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi-ately after stringing and 71 RDC unitsafter 24 hours, representing a 9 percenttension loss. Premier LT added 15 gramsto the weight of our unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeks by39 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP ratingsfrom 3.0 to 6.0. These are blind tests, withplaytesters receiving unmarked strings inunmarked packages. Average number ofhours playtested was 22.5.

Out of the package, Premier LT feels

soft to the touch, with low coil memory.Although the coating is mostly smooth,there still is enough texture that you canfeel it pulling through grommet holes andacross the mains.

No playtester broke his sample duringstringing, two reported problems with coilmemory, none reported problems tyingknots, and none reported friction burn.

ON THE COURTTo say our playtest team loved Prince Pre-mier LT is an understatement. PremierLT’s score in the Control category place itsecond of the 129 strings we haveplaytest for publication to date, and thesame goes for the Touch/Feel category. Inthe Playability category, Premier LT is thethird best string we have tested to date,and in the Comfort category, Premier LTis also third best. Premier LT is also thesixth-best string we have playtested in thecategory of Spin Potential, and it is wellabove average in Tension Retention. Ifyou weren’t keeping count, that makes anastonishing six top-ten placements. Theseindividual scores give Prince Premier LT atop-ten overall score, where it ranks asthe fourth best string we’ve playtested forpublication.

As if that weren’t enough, 84 percentof our playtesters gave us positive or verypositive feedback about the experience ofusing Prince Premier LT.

CONCLUSIONGiven that we typically test the beststrings manufacturers have to offer, wehave come to expect that strings submit-ted to the playtest program are going toexcel in some way. With Premier LT, theexcellence was virtually across the board.The only other string we’ve tested with

Prince Premier LT



“ Remarkable feel. Very lively. The stringbed feels fresh even after several hours ofplay.” 5.0 male all-court player using PrinceO3 Speedport Black (Hole Inserts) strung at60 pounds CP (Gamma Professional 16)

“ High dwell time. I can feel the ball gettingsucked into the string bed and compressing.Very impressive. Great power and spin. Iwould definitely buy this string.” 4.0 maleall-court player using Wilson Sledge Hammer3.8 strung at 64 pounds CP (Gamma LiveWire 17)

“ I really like this string. It is very powerful.Drop shots, half-volleys, lobs, and touch vol-leys come off the strings with pinpoint accu-racy. I would definitely carry this string.”4.0 male baseliner with moderate spin usingPrince O3 Blue strung at 65 pounds LO(Gamma TNT2 17)

“ Once in a while a string comes along andyou just say 'wow.' This is that string.” 5.0male all-court player using Head MicroGELExtreme Pro strung at 58 pounds CP (KlipLegend 16)

“ Great playability and comfort. Touch shotsare very easy to control. This strings makesfor some heavy spin.” 4.0 male baselinerwith heavy spin using Prince Triple ThreatHornet OS strung at 62 pounds CP (WilsonNXT 16)

TESTERS TALK

“ Exceptional touch and decent comfort.”4.5 male serve-and-volley player using Babo-lat Aeropro Drive strung at 70 pounds LO(Wilson Sensation 16)

“ This a very arm-friendly string with greatcontrol. I would carry it as an option for myplayers with tendon issues.” 3.5 male all-court player using Wilson KPro Open strungat 60 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 17)

“ Very crisp volleys and great spin poten-tial. Solid impact on ground strokes. There isdefinitely some power when needed. Greatfeel! Some premature wear on the outercover.” 4.5 male all-court player usingWilson n5 Force strung at 62 pounds CP(Wilson NXT 16)

“ The feel is a little dead. Perhaps lowertensions would liven things up. Durability ishigher than expected for a multifilamentnylon.” 5.0 male all-court player usingPrince O3 White MP strung at 62 pounds CP(Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16)

“ Very easy to install. Low coil memory.Great spin and power. I would definitely addthis to my inventory.” 4.0 male all-courtplayer using Wilson KFour strung at 62pounds LO (Wilson NXT 16)

FREE PLAYTESTSTRING PROGRAM

Prince will send a free set of Premier LT to USRSA members who cutout (or copy) this coupon and mail it to:

Offer expires 15 March 2009Offer only available to USRSA members in

the US.Name:

USRSA Member number:

Phone:

Email:If you print your email clearly, we will notify

you when your sample will be sent.

USRSAAttn: Prince String Offer,

330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084 or fax to 760-536-1171, or email the info below to

[email protected]

For the rest of the tester comments, visitwww.racquetsportsindustry.com.


similar across-the-board scores is a natur-al gut, which goes a long way towardputting Premier LT’s scores into perspec-tive.

Of course, it is no trick to get superperformance in a super-expensive string.While Premier LT isn’t cheap, there aremore expensive strings available, and notall of them are natural gut. Thus, wherethere are a lot of players who would liketo try natural gut but are put off by theprice, your customers will not need topetition for TARP funds to try a set.

If you think that Prince Premier LTmight be for you, fill out the coupon toget a free set. —Greg Raven �

With the ERT in the right position, Ialso use the head size selector to get theresults that are closest to my referencetension. While with many racquets youcan set the head size ahead of time,there are those that for whatever reasongive much higher or much lower read-ings with the “correct” head size settingthan with an adjacent setting. By match-ing the head size adjustment via the ten-sion reading, I feel I’m better able to doaccurate quality assurance.5 sets of Wilson Stamina 16 to:L. Hodges, Fresno, CA

LABEL PREPARATIONI label customer racquets with the stringtype, tension, and date, as I’m suremany other stringers do, too. However,the ballpoint pen that leaves the bestmarkings on the labels also has ink thatdoesn’t dry right away. This means it’salmost impossible to apply a fresh label

ENLARGING THE STARTING KNOTWhen using 17 or 18 gauge string, a nor-mal starting knot is sometimes smallerthan the grommet hole. A simple solu-tion is to tie the normal starting knot andthen add a standard tie off knot. Thisenlarges the starting knot and it will notslip through the starting tie off hole. 5 sets of Pro Supex PF Blend 17/16 to:Tom Young, MRT, Poway, CA

ERT FOR QAI check every racquet I restring forstringbed stiffness using an ERT-700.This device clips to the stringbed and, byanalyzing the vibrations of the strings,determines the stiffness.

The trick is that the ERT’s measure-ments are fairly sensitive to where youmount the transducer. Therefore, I tryalways to mount the ERT transducer tothe same cross strings each time.


Tips & Techniques

without smearing the ink.My technique for getting around this

issue is to make out the label before Istart stringing. After 20 minutes, the inkis much less prone to smearing, soapplying the label is that much easier.10 3-packs of Unique Tourna Grip to:James Sly, Carpinteria, CA

REEL SUBSTITUTEHave you ever been frustrated takingstring off a broken or cracked cus-tomer’s string reel? Simply remove thestring completely from the reel and keep

Readers’ Know-How in Action



Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 byUSRSA members, and appearing in this col-umn, have all been gathered into a single vol-ume of the Stringer’s Digest—RacquetService Techniques which is a benefit ofUSRSA membership. Submit tips to: GregRaven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804;or email [email protected].

the coil intact using one or two re-usableVelcro wire ties. You can also take this astep further and attach your businesscard to the Velcro tie with a normalsmall zip-tie. The Velcro ties are veryaffordable; I bought a 50 pack fromOffice Depot for $6. Many office supply,electronics, and home improvementstores carry them in various sizes andquantities.5 sets of Dunlop M-Fil Tour 16 to:Gary Marken, CS, Woodland, CA

SPIFFIER DEMOSWhen I sell my demo racquets at theend of the year, I try to give the cus-tomer the best product I can. I do thisby always putting an overgrip on demoswhen I first get them. When I do sell thedemo I take the overgrip off and the gripis still new. I also put a new stencil onthe strings to give the racquet a betterappearance. And, because it's difficult todetermine the life of the strings in thedemo, I always include a free stringingafter the existing strings break. Cus-tomers appreciate this built-in value.5 sets of Babolat Xcel Premium 16 to:Kevin Kimm Fisher, Milford, CT

EXPECT INSPECTIONI had a racquet come into the shop forstringing. After an inspection of thehoop, I began to string the racquet. Aftercompletion of the mains, I noticed acrack just above the handle of theframe. As it turns out, the customerknew about the crack, but wanted theframe strung anyway. The lesson here isto thoroughly inspect the entire framefrom tip to butt cap, not just the hoop.5 sets of Ashaway MonoGut 16 to:Fred S. McWilliams, Arlington, TX

WEAR IS YOUR STENCIL?I always stencil the racquet logo on anew string job. Not only does it providea professional finish to the restringingjob, but also it serves as a kind of wearindication, showing how much thestrings have been used. Many customersdon’t realize how much use they haveout of a set of strings, but if the stencilink has worn off, they (and I) know it istime to restring. This is particularlyapparent on monofilament strings thatdo not fray before breaking. This mar-keting technique has paid huge divi-

dends for me over the years.5 sets of Head Sonic Pro Control 17 to:Darrell Crocker, Springfield, MO

TANGLE-FREE UNWINDING TOOL

The easy way to unwind a coil of stringis to use this winding / unwinding tool,one could get it from most fly fishingtackle shops, around $17.5 sets of Lightning XX 16 to:Sam Chan, MRT, Middlesex, England

—Greg Raven �


Ask the Experts

GETTING STARTED WITH CUSTOMIZATION

I’M HAVING TROUBLE FINDINGinformation about how to cus-tomize racquets. Is there a book

you can recommend, or other materials?

THE BEST WAY TO LEARN aboutcustomization is by doing. Also,

going through the on-line archives of ourscience articles, Ask the Experts, and Tipsand Techniques will provide a wealth ofinformation. The on-line tools on Rac-quetTECH.com will help with the math.

Once you get serious, you should lookinto buying a Babolat RDC, Prince PTC, orsome combination of tools that will allow

you to perform accurate measurements ofyour racquets, before, during, and aftercustomization.Don’t forget to keep detailed logs of

your customizations, so you can refer backto them later.

WHERE!S MY FAVORITE STRING?

I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE MYfavorite string was not included inthe 2009 Members’ Choice Awards.

I've found them to be just as good as com-parable strings, but at much less cost.Everyone I have installed them for hasbeen positive in their response. How didthey happen to go unmentioned?

AS IT STATES IN THE ARTICLEabout the Members’ Choice

Awards:“For a string to qualify for a rating, it

must be rated by at least 13 differentrespondents and each of the respondentsmust have strung at least 20 sets of thatstring in the past year.”

Probably what happened is that too fewof this year's respondents used enough ofthat string to meet this requirement.As with our playtest reports and string

lab tests, the Members’ Choice Awards arebest thought of as another way of familiar-izing yourself with string options you haveas a stringer. There is no one perfect wayof describing string characteristics, so weoffer as many different views of the stringmarket that we can, in hopes that at leastsome of the information helps you as astringer determine the best string for eachof your customers. Of course, you as thestringer are also adding to the decision-making process based on your personalexperiences and those of your customers.

A


Your Equipment Hotline

Q

Q

A


What this all means is that there isabsolutely no reason to stop using yourfavorite string. For you, the Members’Choice Awards are kind of a look at howthe “other half” lives. As we select partici-pants in the Members’ Choice Awards atrandom from among our membership,maybe next year more of the respondentswill give us some feedback on yourfavorite string.

EZ PROPORTIONAL STRINGING

DOES THE USRSA MAKE availablethe lengths of every main andcross string for those of us who

want to do proportional stringing? It wouldbe great to have accurate information so Iwon’t have to measure each string beforeI start stringing.

THAT INFORMATION IS NOT avail-able from the manufacturer, and

USRSA neither measures nor maintainsthis information. You must measure eachmain and cross yourself if you wish to doa true proportional stringing.

TENSION AND LONGEVITYHOW MUCH DO LOWER tensionsrelate to longevity, given a particu-

Your Equipment Hotline

Q

lar string? I've got a customer for whomI string 3-5 racquets weekly at 63pounds. If I could get him to change to58 or so, what would you think would bethe result in longevity?

TENSION AND LONGEVITY AREnot usually thought of in terms of

trade-offs. If he's going through thatmany racquets a week, it should be asimple matter to try a lower tension andsee how it goes.What you will probably wind up

doing, though, is switching to a differentand/or thicker string. Typically, youwould go from a nylon to a poly (oraramid in extreme cases), but don’t auto-matically avoid heavy-duty nylon strings,which are not only easier to install thanpoly or aramid, but are often less expen-sive, and offer a bit more comfort.Speaking of price, don’t automaticallyassume that lower-price strings are lessdurable. There are some great, reason-ably-priced, durable strings available.If you don’t have a huge stock of

strings to try out, check the USRSA Mem-bers’ Choice Awards for strings thatother members believe are durable, aswell as the playtest reports.You are in a good position to experi-

A

Q

ment, because your customer is restring-ing so frequently. It’s more difficult tofind a durable string for a customer whostrings one racquet every three to fourweeks.

COMPARING POWERRATINGS

PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOWthose power ratings from Princecompare to the USRSA ratings.

WE USED THE PRINCE POWERformula as the basis for the

USRSA power formula, but our formulaconsiders other factors as well. Ofcourse, we feel our power rating is moreaccurate, but each is still more represen-tative than definitive. It would beextremely difficult for any manageableformula to give you a single-numberresult that would tell you all you need toknow about a racquet. Power formulaeare designed to get you into the ballparkwith your racquet choice, but ultimatelyyou have to playtest any candidate rac-quet to see if it’s the one for you.

—Greg Raven �We welcome your questions. Please send them to Rac-quet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084;fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].

QA

A

Tennis’ ‘Hidden Jewel’An author and longtime tennis journalist saysthat on the pro and recreational sides,doubles is becoming more important.

In the past, the game of doubles hasn'treceived the respect it deserves. Butnow, its importance is becoming more

recognized.It was the win by Bob and Mike Bryan

that gave the U.S. its first Davis Cup trophyin 12 years. Arlen Kantarian, the formerCEO of Professional Tennis for the USTA,felt it was a significant statement. “Youhave the entire stadium focused on dou-bles to see how exciting that game is,” hesaid. “We want it to translate to the recre-ational level, where 75 percent of the peo-ple who play tennis are playing doubles.We’ve got that hidden jewel—doubles."

Doubles is less stressful to the bodythan singles and can be played at any age.Even professional players are getting bet-ter at it as they get older. The Bryan broth-ers have continued dominating the worldafter their 30th birthday; MartinaNavratilova won a Grand Slam event justbefore her 50th; John McEnroe, who is justa few years younger, keeps it going at proand charity events; and Stan Smith hascontinued to play doubles competitivelyafter his 60th year. On the recreationalside, there are tournaments for playersinto their 90s.

The ATP and WTA started initiatives tomake people more aware of the excite-ment of doubles. In 2009, the campaignfrom the men's circuit is called "Feel It,"and for the women, "Love It." The idea isto get people to become spectators andplayers of an event they can continuethroughout their lives. Bob Bryan thinks itis working. “We’ve felt a renewed interestin doubles the past few years,” he saidrecently. “We love the dynamics of theteam thing.”

The interest in doubles in the U.S. hasbeen propelled by this country's domina-tion. While the U.S. has struggled in singles(only one man—Andy Roddick at No. 6—and two women—Serena Williams at No.

2 and sister Venus at No. 6—finished in thetop 10 in 2008), the country has been lead-ing the world in doubles:� At the 2009 Australian Open, Americansdominated in doubles with the Bryans tak-ing the men's title, the Williams' thewomen's, and Christina McHale capturingthe junior girls doubles (with Croatian part-ner Ajla Tomljanovic).

� From 1997 to 2007, American boys madethe finals of nearly half of all the GrandSlam junior doubles events, winning nineevents.

� Americans have been in every women’sNCAA doubles final (28 in total). Of the 33years of the NCAA men’s doubles finals,there have only been three teams that didnot have Americans on them.

� Americans are leading the wheelchair dou-bles circuit, with the teams of David Wag-ner and Nick Taylor and BethArnoult-Ritthaler and Kaitlyn Verfuerth.

At the start of 2009, the U.S. controlledthe No. 1 position in the world for bothmen's and women's doubles with theBryans and Williams. For 2008, in additionto the No. 2 rankings by the twins, the teamof Scott Lipsky and David Martin, whoremain the leaders on the USTA Pro Circuitwith the most doubles titles won, wereranked No. 14 in the world and nine Ameri-can women are in the top 25. Also last year,the Williams sisters won Olympic gold inBeijing, while the Bryans took bronze.

The combination of personality andcourt surface have made Americans winners

B Y M A R C I A F R O S T

Marcia Frost is the author of"American Doubles… the Tri-als… the Triumphs… the Domi-nation," published by MansionGrove House and available atAmazon.com, Barnes & Noble

and AmericanDoublesBook.net. She fre-quently writes for USTA Magazine, SMASH,Tennis Life and Tennis Championships Mag-azine and has previously contributed to Rac-quet Sports Industry.


“The interest indoubles in the U.S.has been propelled bythis country'sdomination.”

in doubles. American players have beenknown to show a lack of patience on thecourt, and while that doesn’t help in singleson a clay court, it’s an asset in doubles. Ingeneral, we play much more hard-court ten-nis in the U.S. and it's great practice for theserve-and-volley game of doubles. Also, wehave a collegiate system where doubles isplayed at every dual match.

The USTA also is heading in the rightdirection of promoting the game with thenext generation in Jr. Team Tennis (forwhich the Bryans are spokespersons) andby changing to a combined ranking to thenational juniors, giving players a percentageof their points for doubles play, which hasincreased the number of juniors playingdoubles.

With league tennis for adults becomingmore popular, doubles continues to get aboost among recreational players. And forfacilities, doubles is a winner: You can gettwice as many players on court at one time,and players themselves enjoy the teamworkand socialization, which aids in bringingmore people into the game.

Whether it's winning a Grand Slamevent or playing in a league with yourfriends, doubles is the game for your entirelifetime—to watch and play.

In the past, the game of doubles hasn'treceived the respect it deserves. But now, itsimportance is becoming more recognized. �

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

Your Serve


Documents

200903 Racquet Sports Industry