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8/8/2019 200904 Racquet Sports Industry
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April 2009
Volume 37 Number 4 $5.00
www.racquetsportsindustry.comm
2009RACQUETSELECTION
GUIDE
2009RACQUETSELECTION
GUIDEOur exclusive mapwill help you targetthe perfect frame
When, and How,Should You Firea Customer?
When, and How,Should You Firea Customer?
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DEPARTMENTS
R S I A P R I L 2 0 0 9
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 Babolat unveils new Y lineof racquets
7 PTR to host Tennis Club &Facilities Conference
7 700 facilities take part inTennis Night
8 PTR presents annual awardsat Symposium
8 Capestany named PTRMaster Professional
9 2009 Stringers Symposiumset for Disney World
10 Dunlop expands Aerogel 4Dline of racquets
10 Tennis Life to be officialmag of USTA Florida
12 USPTA announces 2009tourney schedule
13 College Tennis Roundup14 USTA names Community
Tennis award winners
14 USPTA pros raise$4 million for charity
14 Nova Sports chosen forIndia sports complex
4 Our Serve7 Industry News17 TIA News & Updates
26 String Playtest: Wilson Hollow Core 16
28 Tips and Techniques30 Ask the Experts32 Your Serve, by Paula Hale
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009www.racquetsportsindustry.com
FEATURES
ContentsContents19 When to Fire a Client
Sometimes, a difficultcustomer just isntworth keeping. How doyou know when to showhim the door?
22 2009 RacquetSelection MapOur exclusive annualguide to racquets will helpyou quickly and easilychoose the right framesfor your customers.
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ebruary was a busy time on Hilton Head Island.
This tennis hotbed became even hotter when the
USTAs Community Tennis Development Work-shop was held there, and immediately after that, the
PTR International Tennis Symposium.If youve read this column in the past, you probably know that I have
a soft spot for the USTAs CTDW. That workshop is probably the best
thing the USTA does every year in terms of promoting grassroots ten-
nis and giving CTAs, teaching pros, facility managers and others the
tools and ideas they need to increase participationwhich, by the way,
increases their business, too.
The hundreds of community tennis leaders who were at the CTDW
heard from experts in many fields, from financial management, to mar-
keting, to developing champions, to liability, to website issues, to cur-
rent grassroots programs and programming, and much more.
In many instances, participants heard from the people who run suc-
cessful grassroots programs. For instance, in one seminar, one of the
presenters was Becky Blue, the president of the Brandon (S.D.) Tennis
Association, which won the USTAs CTA of the Year Award. She had
some wonderful and practical advice on getting a CTAs the board of
directors involved in fund-raising for the long-term.
I can almost guarantee that if youre a facility manager, teaching pro,coach, or involved in your local CTA or other tennis group, youll prob-
ably come away from the CTDW with a dozen ideas on how to increase
tennis participation, run your business more efficiently, get the most
out of programming, and much more. And with all the networking that
naturally occurs there, youll take back dozens of excellent connections.
Thats the beauty of the CTDWit brings together the people who
have a passion for community tennis, and it focuses on sharing ideas
and practices that work. And it all fits in with USTA President Lucy
Garvins emphasis on teamwork (One Team, One Goal), because ulti-
mately, in this economy, we all have to pull together to keep tennismoving forward.
Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
Our Serve
Sharing Your Successes(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
Associate EditorGreg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Contributing Editors
Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
Kristen Daley
Joe Dinoffer
Liza Horan
James Martin
Greg Moran
Chris NicholsonBob Patterson
Cynthia Sherman
Mary Helen Sprecher
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
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 atPeriodicals PostagePrices is Pendingat Vista, CA and
additional mailing offices. April 2009, Volume 37,
Number 4 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 April 2009
F
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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I N D U S T R Y N E W SI N D U S T R Y N E W SI 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
Babolats latest racquet innovation is Y technology, most visible in its five new oversize rac-
quets by the longer arms that extend up the side of each racquet. The new Y line debuted in
March at the BNP Paribas Open tournament in Indian Wells, Calif.
Designed for club players, Babolat says Y racquets combine power
with precision, mainly due to four featured technologies:
Q Side Drivers: This dual-structure construction connects the yoke
and the head with arms that extend the yoke up to the 3 and 9
oclock positions, creating a stiffer construction and distributingmore power from the base of the yoke to the middle of the head,
says the company. The Side Drivers cause less twisting at ball
impact, according to Babolat.
Q Dual-Graphite Construction: Two types of graphitehigh-mod-
ulus in the yoke for power, and Babolats proprietary Crystal
Graphite material in the head for torque resistance.
Q Cellular Grommet System: These are individual grommet sections
that run 360 degrees around the head of the racquet. Babolat says
this system creates more consistent energy absorption at ball impact
for more comfort and forgiveness.
Q Smart Grip: Ergonomically designed grip allows players to hold the rac-
quet with less effort, says Babolat, by increasing the contact surface with
the hand. Smart Grip is standard on two Y frames and, if players prefer,
can be replaced with a regular grip, or it is available as a stand-alone kit.
The frames in the Y line are the Y112 Limited (suggested retail $249),
Y112 ($229), and Y112 with Smart Grip ($229), each at 112 square inches;
and the Y118 ($239) and Y118 with Smart Grip ($239), at 118 square inch-
es. Babolat Y tennis bags and slings, designed to fit Y racquets in shape and color,
are also available, as is the Smart Grip Kit.
View the line of Y products at Babolat.com/obsession, or www.babolat.com, or call 877-316-9435.
700 Facilities TakePart In Tennis NightThe USTA says more than 700tennis facilities, recreationdepartments and communitycenters across the U.S. took partin the first-ever national youthregistration initiative for springand summer tennis programsheld as part of Tennis Night inAmerica on March 2attract-ing tens of thousands of kidsand parents.
Tennis Night in America alsoincluded the BNP ParibasShowdown for the Billie JeanKing Cup at New Yorks Madi-son Square Garden.The Show-down featured Serena Williams,Venus Williams,Ana Ivanovicand Jelena Jankovic competing
in a single-elimination tourna-ment for the inaugural BJK Cupbefore a live national TV audi-ence on HBO. The tournamentwas captured by SerenaWilliams in a straight-set victoryover her sister Venus.
National Youth RegistrationNight events were created togive young players and theirfamilies around the country aday all their own to sign up forspring and summer program-
ming including team tennis play.Facilities and clubs across thecountry, in cooperation withHBO, also offered live viewingparties for the Showdown.
We were excited about thepossibilities of what TennisNight in America could be, butlast night truly exceeded ourexpectations, said Kurt Kam-perman, the USTAs chief execu-tive of Community Tennis, afterthe event.
PTR to Host Inaugural Tennis Club
& Facilities Conference on Hilton Head
The PTR will host its inaugural Tennis Club & Facilities Conference May
13-15 at PTR Headquarters on Hilton Head Island, S.C. The event has
been designed specifically for tennis club owners, club managers, and
directors of tennis.
Presentations and breakout sessions will include topics such as Customer Service, Programming
to Fill Courts, Innovative Ideas for New Clinics, Marketing Your Club & Programs, Forming a Club
Owners Association, Controlling Energy Costs & Expenses, Managing Your Staff, Renovating Your
Club, Creating/Improving Your Website and more.
The program starts at 1p.m. Wednesday, May 13, and runs through 5 p.m. Friday. Cost is $295
before April 1, $325 after April 1, and the price includes all workshops, meals and social activities
through Friday afternoon. For more information or to register, contact PTR at 800-421-6289 or visit
www.ptrtennis.org.
Babolat Unveils New Y Line of Racquets
R S I A P R I L 2 0 0 9
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IND
USTRYNEW
S
8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009
Sports MarketingVeteran Harlan StoneJoins USTA
The USTA has hired sports marketingveteran Harlan Stone as its new chiefmarketing officer for Professional Tennis.
Stone will be responsible for all advertis-ing, marketing, promotional programs
and campaigns for the US Open, the
Olympus US Open Series, the USTA Pro
Circuit and all USA Team events including
Davis and Fed Cups.
Stone also will be responsible for
entertainment programming at the US
Open and other select USTA pro tennis
events. He will report to USTA Executive
Director Gordon Smith.
In the early 1980s Stone launched his
own agency that promoted a number ofLegends tennis events in the Northeast.
He headed the N.Y. Times Magazine
Groups Golf Digest/Tennis Sports, then
was a partner at Advantage International
(later renamed Octagon where he served
as president). He worked as a marketing
consultant for many leading sponsors
and properties and most recently has
been president of Major League Gaming
Properties.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
PTR Presents Annual Awards
The PTR presented its annual awards in February during the 2009 PTR Interna-tional Tennis Symposium. The event, which included 60-plus on-court andclassroom presentations, a tennis trade show and $25,000 Championships was
held at Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C.Q PTR Professional of the Year: Ken DeHart, San Jose, Calif.
Q Clinician of the Year: Scott Mitchell, Charlotte, N.C.
Q Tester of the Year: John MacDonald, Waynesboro, Ga.
Q Humanitarian Award: Vicky Matarazzo, Lakewood, Colo.
Q Volunteer of the Year: Don Henson, Bonita, Calif.
Q Coach Verdieck Touring Pro Coach of the Year: Leo Alonso, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Q Coach Verdieck College Coach of the Year: Bryan Shelton, Alpharetta, Ga.
Q Coach Verdieck High School Coach of the Year: Michael Kypriss, Hollywood, Fla.
Q Male Player of the Year: Fernando Velasco, Austin
Q Female Player of the Year: Diane Fishburne, Charleston, S.C.
Q Public Facility of the Year: Bass-Rudd Tennis Center, Louisville, Ky.
Q Private Facility of the Year: Pacific Athletic Club, Redwood City, Calif.
Q PTR Pride Award: Miller Tennis Center, Williamsville, N.Y.
Q PTR/USTA Community Service Award: Milan Kubala, Stowe, Vt.
Q PTR/TIA Commitment to the Industry: Jorge Andrew, Lexington, Vt.
In addition, PTR recognized several State Members of the Year for their contri-
butions to the organization in their respective states.
Tennis Channel is Homefor U.S. Davis, Fed Cup
Tennis Channel hassigned a multi-yeardeal to be the exclusive
U.S. television home of
all U.S. Davis Cup ties.
The agreement struck
with the ITF and USTA
puts all three ITF annual international
team competitionsDavis Cup by BNP
Paribas, Fed Cup by BNP Paribas andHyundai Hopman Cupon Tennis
Channel in the U.S.
In addition to exclusive U.S. telecast
rights, a broadband component to the
agreement will see U.S. Davis Cup
matches available on demand and in
their entirety on Tennis Channels web
site, www.tennischannel.com, posted
the day after each competition. Tennis
Channel aired the U.S. Davis Cup first-
round match in March as the U.S. beat
Switzerland in Birmingham, Ala.
Award winners at the2009 PTR InternationalTennis Symposium: (backrow, from left) PTR CEODan Santorum, KenDeHart, Leo Alonso, JohnMacDonald, PTR Founder
Dennis Van der Meer, JorgeCapestany, Don Henson,Michael Kypriss; (front row,from left) Debbie Miller,Todd Miller, Vicky Mataraz-zo, Scott Mitchell.
Capestany Named PTR Master Professional
Jorge Capestany of Hudsonville, Mich., earned Master Profes-sional status in the PTR, the only person to do so this year. Heis also now one of only a handful of Master Professionals with
both PTR and USPTA. Capestany was honored during the 2009
PTR International Tennis Symposium, held in February on Hilton
Head Island, S.C.
In his 27 years in the industry, Capestany has created and directed lesson pro-
grams that have generated over $1 million in revenue annually. He has had articles
published in several industry journals and has been a frequent speaker at the PTR
International Symposium, the USPTA World Conference, USTA Tennis Teachers Con-
ference and many others.
The founder of www.tennisdrills.tva video-based website that shows more than
700 tennis drills and tipsCapestany has developed many nationally ranked juniors,
including three national champions. In 1998, he wrote the booklet Tennis Strategy,
followed by his second book in 2008, Mental ToughnessWorkbook for Tennis. He
also is a Master Trainer on the Cardio Tennis Speakers Team and is a member of Wil-
sons National Speakers Bureau.
photobyKenMak
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
2009 StringersSymposium Set forOctober at Disney
The 2009 Grand SlamStringers Symposiumwill once again be held at
the Regal Sun Resort atDisney World in Orlando,
Fla. The event will be Oct. 10 to 14.
Registration is open now, at
www.grandslamstringers.com, or you
can call event organizer Tim Strawn at
540-772-4418. Cost is $495 per per-
son, but if you sign up before May 15,
you can receive a 10 percent discount
off the registration fee. Group rate at
the Regal Sun Resort, an official Disney
hotel, is $95 per night.
For 2009, new registration typeshave been added to provide even more
discounts. Also, a fourth day has been
added specifically for USRSA certifica-
tion testing. Also new for 2009, ses-
sions have been made longer to allow
more time for presentations and ques-
tions, roundtable discussion groups and
a speed-stringing contest have been
added, and new topics include under-
standing and stringing polyester, mar-
keting, customer service, using USRSA
online tools, and more. Visit the web-site for more information.
Congratulations To the FollowingFor Achieving MRT & CS Status
New MRTsChris Maragozis Victoria, BC CANADA
Matt Bennett Victoria, BC CANADA
Allen Lee Victoria, BC CANADA
Wesley Fry Fitzroy, VC AUSTRALIA
Andrew Kotnik Fitzroy, VC AUSTRALIA
Gregg McIntosh Gastonia, NC
Aaron Petersen Winston Salem, NC
Dipesh Rao Greensboro, NC
New CSs
Min-Wei Lee Kaohsiung County, TAIWAN
Chi Hang Chris Chu Kowloon, Hong Kong
Upgrades Available for Wise 2086 Tension Head
For users of the Wise 2086 Tension Head machine, the company now offers a newlydesigned Diablo for free for anyone who has purchased a 2086 in the last sixmonths. (The Diablo is included with each new machine purchase.) Bought separate-
ly, the Diablo is $25 plus shipping; the current price of the Wise 2086 is $495.
Users of drop-weight machines can convert their
machine to a full electronic with a new bracket.
Remove the old drop-weight mechanism, add thenew bracket and the Wise 2086 converts almost any
model drop-weight to a digital electronic stringing
machine. The bracket costs $20 plus shipping. For
more information, contact [email protected].
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A P R I L 2 0 0 9
IND
USTRYNEW
S Dunlop ExpandsAerogel 4D Line
Dunlop has added four new frames to itspremium racquet line. Designed forplayers ranging from beginners to
advanced, the four are the Aerogel 4D
2Hundred, Aerogel 4D 5Hundred, Aerogel 4D
5Hundred Tour and Aerogel 4D 7Hundred. In
addition to Aerogel, all feature Dunlops 4D Braid-
ing for control and feel.
The 4D 2Hundred, which ATP player Tomas
Berdych uses, has a 95-square-inch head, 18 x
20 string pattern, and strung weight of 11.9
ounces. Like the other 4D frames, it features
4D Touchpoints positioned around the
frame that Dunlop says makes the rac-
quet 33 percent more stable and 33 per-
cent softer, for added touch and feel.
The 4D 5Hundred Tour, played by Dun-
lop Tour Team member Nicolas Almagro, is
11.1 ounces strung, with a head size of 100
square inches and a more open 16 x 18 string
pattern.
Dunlop launched its initial four Aerogel 4 D
racquets in January (4D 3Hundred, 4D 3Hundred
Tour, the 4D 5Fifty Lite and the 4D Super-Lite).
For more information visit www.dunlopsport.com
or call 800-768-4727.
Tennis Life To Be OfficialFlorida Section Magazine
Tennis Life Magazine will become the new official sec-tion publication for USTA Florida starting in May. USTAFlorida members will receive six regionally customized
hard-copy editions of Tennis Life in 2009 and nine edi-
tions in 2010, along with an additional online version at
no extra cost.
The associations current official section publication,
Play Tennis Florida, distributed its final edition to mem-
bers via an all-digital interactive tennis magazine in Feb-
ruary.
The USTA Florida section, with nearly 50,000 mem-
bers, joins USTA Texas, USTA Southwest and USTA North-
ern in partnering with Tennis Life to distribute its section
publication to USTA members.
Tennis Week Suspends Print EditionTennis Week will place the print edition of the maga-zine on hiatus through 2009, according to a state-ment from IMG, which owns the magazine. TW will,
instead, shift its focus to its website,
www.tennisweek.com, and its video distribution plat-
forms. TW has been the official publication of the USTA
Eastern Section. IMG Publishing acquired TW in Decem-
ber 2006.
Aerogel 4D 2HundredAerogel 4D 5HundredAerogel 4D 5Hundred TourAerogel 4D 7Hundred
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www.racquetsportsindustry.com
SHORTS E T S
> The U.S. Davis Cup team beat Switzer-land, 4-1, in the first round in March to
advance to an away quarterfinal match
against Croatia in July. Croatia has won both
previous Davis Cup series with the U.S. and is
the only nation with a winning record
against the Americans.
> The U.S. Fed Cup team beat Argentina, 3-2, in February at the Surprise Tennis Complex
in Arizona to gain a spot in the semifinals.
The U.S. will next play the Czech Republic
April 25-26, at a site in the Czech Republic.
> Head has launched the first of 6 SPEEDLessons by Novak Djokovic on
www.head.com, or visit www.speedles-
sons.com. Djokovic is the voiceover, and
there is a test giving consumers the opportu-
nity to win one of 10 new autographed
SPEED Racquets, which will be available in
May.
> Trinity College of Hartford, Conn., beatPrinceton 5-4 to win the College Squash
Association men's national team champi-
onship in February and extend the nation's
longest college winning streak to 202
matches. Trinity, ranked No. 1 in the nation
and seeded No. 1 in the tournament, won
its 11th consecutive CSA national title. Its
winning streak is the longest active winning
streak in any intercollegiate varsity sport.
> Olga Govortsova, a top 50 WTA Tourplayer, is the first professional player to use
the new Wilson [K]obra Tour. The [K]obra is
geared for the hard hitting aggressive play-
er who utilizes heavy spin on their shots.
> The International Health, Racquet andSportsclub Association (IHRSA) and the
USPTA have joined forces to promote the
preventive health benefits of exercise on
Capitol Hill. The partnership aligns two
major initiatives: The USPTAs Tennisfor the
health of it! and IHRSAs Vision for a
Healthier America.
> Tennis Channel canceled its coverage ofthe Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates after it was
announced that WTA pro Shahar Peer of
Israel would not be allowed into the coun-
try. Preventing an otherwise qualified ath-
lete from competing on the basis of
anything other than merit has no place in
tennis or any other sport, the network said
in a statement.
> Prince was once again the official rac-quet, ball, footwear and apparel supplier to
the SAP Open, held in San Jose, Calif., inFebruary. It was Princes fourth year as the
sponsor of the ATP World Tour stop.
> ATP Tour Pro Jarkko Nieminen is nowplaying head to toe with Wilson. In addi-
tion to his longstanding racquet contract,
the top 40 player debuted Wilsons new
apparel and footwear on this years pro tour.
> USTA ServesFoundation for Academics.Character. Excellence., the philanthropic and
charitable entity of the USTA, will host its
3rd annual USTA Serves Theater Benefit inNew York City on April 23, which will
include seats to the Broadway musical
West Side Story. The night begins with a
cocktail reception and dinner at Sardis
Restaurant. Guests will then watch the show
from orchestra seating at the Palace Theater.
Tickets for the dinner and show are $500
($300 is tax deductible) and are available by
calling 914-696-7223.
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Babolat has named RichFrancey as its Western
Regional Sales Manager.
Francey has spent the
last 26 years with Prince
Racquet Sports. Mostrecently, he was Territory
Manager for Southern Califor-
nia and Tennis Warehouse, and was twice
named rep of the year. Michael Lata, who
previously managed sales efforts in the
West, will be the National Strategic Account
Manager.
Wilson Racquet Sportshas signed a long-term
contract with 15-year-
old Laura Robson fromthe United Kingdom.
The 2008 Wimbledon
Junior champion, she will
play with the Wilson [K] Blade 98 racquet,
strung with a combination of Wilson Natural
Gut 17 and Luxilon Timo 1.10.
The U.S. Olympic Committee honoredUSPTA membersAnne Smith, Ph.D., and
Rita Gladstoneas part of its Coaching
Recognition Program. Smith, of Dallas, was
honored with the Doc Counsilman Sci-ence Award for tennis for her contributions
in the area of sports psychology and mental
training, and Gladstone, of Port Orange,
Fla., was named USOC Volunteer Coach of
the Year for tennis.
Wilson [K]Six-One 95 player Mardy Fishbecame the first top-seed to win the title in
the 17-year history of the
Delray Beach International
Tennis Championships. It
was his third career singles
title.
Hall-of-Famer and two-time US OpenChampion Tracy Austin will serve as a special
consultant for USTA Player Development.
Karen Ronney, girls tennis coach at SanDiegos Patrick Henry High School, has won
Positive Coaching Alliances Double-Goal
Coach Award for her positive impact on
young athletes.
USTA Southern has hired Russell Dendy of
Jackson, Miss., as the sections MississippiTennis Service Representative. Dendy has
worked as the Junior Programs Director for
USTA Mississippi in Jackson from 2005 to
2009.
William (Bill) J. Kellogg, president of theLa Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and the former
co-chair of the USTA Davis Cup & Fed Cup
Committee, was elected president of the
45,000-member Southern California Tennis
Association.
Dean Hadaegh has beennamed chief technology offi-
cer and senior vice president,
technical operations, of Ten-
nis Channel. He previously
served as chief technology
officer and vice president,
administration.
PEOPL EWATCH
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USPTA Announces 2009 Tourney Schedule
The USPTA kicks off its 2009 National Surface Championship Series with the USPTA
Indoor Championships April 24-26, presented by the USPTA Northern Division. The
series offers USPTA members the chance to earn prize money and ranking points.
Prize money for the Indoor Championships, held at Lakeville Lifetime Fitness in
Minneapolis, is $5,000. The tournament will feature events in mens and womens
open and 45s singles and doubles competition.
The tournaments are open to Professional-level USPTA members in good standing.
For information, contact 800-USPTA-4U. USPTA Professionals may log in to the mem-
bers only section of www.uspta.com. Other events in the series are:
Q May 8-11: USPTA Clay Court Championships, Ibis Golf and Country Club, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Q Aug. 21-23: USPTA Grass Court Championships, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia
Q Sept. 21-24: USPTA International Championships, Marco Marriott, Marco Island, Fla.
Q Oct. 23-25: USPTA Hard Court Championships, Hollytree Country Club and Tyler Tennis &
Swim Club, Tyler, Texas
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COLLEGETENNIS ROUNDUP
The Intercollegiate Tennis Associa-
tion, the governing body of college
tennis, has reached a multi-year
agreement that makes the Campbell
Soup Co. the title sponsor for the ITA
College Tennis Rankings and the ITA
College Players of the Year awards.
Virginia captured it second con-
secutive ITA National Mens Team
Indoor title at Midtown Tennis Club,
hosted by the University of Illinois,
after defeating No. 3 Georgia, the last
team to accomplish such a feat.
Top-ranked Northwestern, the
2008 runner-up, became the first BigTen team to capture the Intercolle-
giate Tennis Association National
Women's Team Indoor title with a 4-1
victory recently over No. 6 Georgia at
the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Stadium,
hosted by the University of Wisconsin.
Alex Clayton of Stanford Universi-
ty received the Intercollegiate Tennis
Association Sportsmanship Award at
the ITA National Men's Team Indoor
Championships.
Lauren Lui of Northwestern Uni-
versity received the ITA Sportsman-
ship Award at the ITA National
Women's Team Indoor Champi-
onships.
Georgia freshman Chelsey Gullick-
son was voted the Most Outstanding
Player of the ITA National Women's
Team Indoor Championships.
No. 2 Emory University upset top-
ranked Washington University, 6-3, to
capture the team's third Intercolle-
giate Tennis Association Division III
National Men's Team Indoor Champi-
onship title.
Carnegie Mellon, the No. 5 seed,
beat No. 2 Emory to win the inaugu-
ral ITA Division III National Womens
Team Indoor title in February. The
event was held at the Swanson Tennis
Center on Gustavus Adolphus Col-
lege in Saint Peter, Minn.
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USTA Names Community Tennis Award Winners
At the 2009 USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop, held in Feb-ruary in Hilton Head, S.C., the USTA honored individuals and organizationsfor their commitment to growing the game and being true tennis ambassadors at
the grassroots level. Receiving honors at the event were:Q Community Tennis Association of the Year: Brandon Tennis Association, Brandon, S.D.
Q Eve Kraft Community Service Award: Bill Humes of Princeton, N.J., and Hank Merges of York, Pa.Q Janet Louer USTA Jr. Team Tennis National Organizer of the Year: Laura Mitchell of Centreville, Va.
Q Adaptive Tennis National Community Service Award: Handi-Racket Tennis of Wayland, Mass.
Q National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) of the Year: New Lyons Park NJTL of Mobile, Ala.; NJTL of
Indianapolis, Ind.; and the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation of Jacksonville, Fla.
Nova Sports Chosen for
India Sports Complex
Nova Sports USA and its installer inDelhi, India, has been chosen bythe Indian Olympic Association and
the Jharkhand Olympic Association
to surface the seven new courts of a
mega-sports complex near the city of
Ranchi, India. The courts will use the
Novacrylic sport surface.
The tennis center, part of the 325-
acre sports complex, will include a
2,100-seat championship court and
will host India Olympic Association
tournaments along with all future
India National Games. Designers
toured the Olympic village in Sydney,
Australia, along with national stadi-
ums in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore
in an effort to incorporate the finest
features of the sports facilities. For
more information visit www.
novasports.com.
USPTA Pros Raise $4 Million for Charity
USPTA teaching pros once again demonstrated that giving tocharity is a priority by raising $4 million in 2008 through the asso-ciations Lessons for Life program.
Our members continue to show their commitment to giving to
charitable causes, especially during the difficult economic climate, saysPaula Scheb, Lessons for Life chairwoman, secretary/treasurer of the USPTA nation-
al board of directors and director of tennis and fitness at Bonita Bay Club in Bonita
Springs, Fla. Thanks to all of our members who step up year after year for charity.
The USPTA and its members have now raised more than $36 million since the
programs inception in 1999. Under the Lessons for Life umbrella, the USPTA encour-
ages its members to use tennis as a vehicle to help others through fundraising activ-
ities in their communities. Many of the fundraisers take place at country clubs and
commercial clubs. Fundraisers take the
form of tournaments, pro-ams, auc-
tions, black-tie dinners and clinics.
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T I A N E W S A P R I L 2 0 0 9
While we are all
paying close atten-
tion to the current
economic turmoil,
there is, however, a
bright spot in
regards to tennis participation
growthone we must capitalize
on. As an industry, we must contin-
ue to work together to create even
more new players who are looking
for ways to stay healthy and havefun.With the tools and resources
available to your business, we can
help you take advantage of tennis
increasing popularity, attracting
even more players to the game
and increasing frequent play.
At the recent USTA Community
Tennis Development Workshop and
then at the PTR Symposium, teach-
ing pros, coaches and community
tennis leaders all were talking
about how their programs are
growing. The unified industry sup-
port we see for programs and ini-
tiatives is paying off and now,
more than ever, is the time to step-
up those efforts.
NEWS & UPDATESNEWS & UPDATES
Jolyn de Boer
Why is Tennis Participation Growing?esearch shows that tennis participation seems to be less affected by a bad economy. In fact, the
latest studies show that 26.9 million people are playing tennis, the highest number in 15 years,
and participation continues to increase. There are a number of reasons why this sport is growing:
Q Tennis promotes a healthy, active lifestyle with great social benefits. An hour of tennis will burn more
calories than virtually any other traditional sport.
Q Tennis is relatively inexpensive to playall you need is a racquet and a can of balls.
Q Through unified support, the tennis industry has developed a strong infrastructure providing more
places to play, programs to learn and partners to play with. A GrowingTennis System at growingten-
nis.com, designed to help tennis providers, is receiving 2 million consumer queries every month.Q The TennisWelcomeCenter logo has appeared on 200 million tennis ball cans and 10 million starter rac-
quets, directing consumers to go to TennisWelcomeCenter.com.
Q There are 700,000 participants in USTA League Tennis, 30,000 participants in Tennis on Campus,
and tournament attendance continues to grow.
Share your reasons for growth at TennisIndustryForum.com.
News You Can Use!
The latest research by the Sporting Goods Man-
ufacturers Association continues to show
impressive news for tennis participation. From
2000 through 2008, tennis was the fastest growing
sport in the U.S., increasing participation by 43 per-
cent over every other traditional sport. A distant sec-
ond place is another racquet sport, racquetball,
increasing 11.6 percent in those eight years. The only
other sports to show participation increases since
2000 are soccer (up 2.2 percent) and basketball (.1
percent). Every other traditional sport declined in
participation, including golf (down 4.3 percent).
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demos available for customers to reserve online.
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Tennis is the Fastest Growing Traditional SportUp 43%
April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
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C U S T O M E R R E L A T I O N S
Sometimes, a difficultcustomer just isnt
worth keeping.
How do you knowwhen its time to
show him the door?
There are some people who you cannot make happy, says retail-
er Mark Mason. If you are going to divorce a client or a cus-
tomer, it must be really bad, [because] if you lose somebody, you
not only lose them, but their friends.
Mason, owner of Masons Tennis Mart in New York City, says that in
his 30 years of retailing, that kind of loss may have happened five
times. He often finds himself reasoning with and sympathizing with a
customer while also expressing the principles upon which he bases his
business.
Almost always, the difficult customers ease up a bit and agreeable
territory can be reached. But what if you cant find common ground with
the customer?
Mason tells of a wealthy woman who would buy a lot in his store, but
she would constantly push for a bigger and better deal. Every time I
would say yes to something, she would ask for a larger discount, as if
she [would not] be satisfied until I was not making anything, says
Mason. Additionally, she was abusive to staff and was causing so much
in-store commotion that her trade threatened to drive away other cus-
B Y K E N T O S W A L D
WHEN TO
FIRE ACLIENT
WHEN TO
FIRE ACLIENT
April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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tomers. I had to eventually say to her, I think you would be happi-
er elsewhere. I just cant satisfy you.
Douglas Cash, former COO of Tennis Corporation of America,
says the organization probably fired one customer a year from the
entire membership at the 40 clubs he oversaw. Cash refers to these
customers as the lunatic fringethe percentage of people who
cause more problems than they are worth.
Cash, now a consultant after more than 20 years at TCA, esti-
mated that each year a member continued in a TCA club was worth
between $2,500 and $3,000, so to ask a customer not to come backmeant he or she was causing big problems.
For customers who have trouble conforming to the rules of the
club, Cash might use the scissors trick. After various letters and a
review of the situation by at least two management levels, Cash
would call the member into his office and ask for their membership
card. He offered to slice it in two, refund fees, and end the contract.
It was a bluff he was prepared to follow through on, but almost
always the customer backed off. If the customer went through every-
thing else and entered the office, they likely valued club membership
highly and it was only a matter of having everybody work together
to find an acceptable solution.
Most of the time you can settle legitimate gripes, says Cash.Sometimes this could be as simple as changing who delivered the
servicesalthough that may become a management issue with an
employee whose ego may be bruised.
For Jason Havelka, the former head pro at a country club in Cali-
fornia, whoever is paying the bills has to be satisfied. In some cases,
the bad seeds may not be his students, but their parents. The cus-
tomer is always right and we have to deal with it, he says.
But dealing with it doesnt always mean caving in. We put poli-
cies in place to protect ourselves and our businesses. A lot of people
are just fine with that; some people arent, admits Havelka.
His primary strategy to avoid having to fire a customer is to
match the customer with the person who can deliver the servicesthey wantwhich may not be the same as what the customer may
say they want. He cites a pro who never loses students. He picks
his clientele well, and, He only teaches them what they really want
to know and makes everything as simple as possible.
THE STRESS FACTOREven though you try to stand back and not take [problem cus-
tomers] personally, you still do, says coach, author, and psycholo-
gist Allen Fox. They get to you emotionally. You come away
stressed out, but if you keep at it you can help them.
Knowing that, however, doesnt mean there arent times it is best
to cut someone off. Fox offers an example from his days as Pepper-
dine University tennis coach.
I was willing to handle it personally, but [my No. 1 players atti-
tude problems] got to the rest of the team, says Fox. It was hurting
team motivation. Fox suspended his top player for a month and half
and the player returned with a better, although still not perfect, atti-
tude. But it was enough, and the team was strengthened both
through the disciplining and the return.
The easiest way to avoid having to fire problem customers is by
knowing what you can deliver, and then making sure you and the
client are clear on expectations. Dean of tennis instruction Vic
Braden says the way to avoid creating an unpleasant situation is to
be honest from the get-go. I have no problem saying, It doesnt
sound like our Tennis College is the right program for you, he says.
According to Braden, problem customers are usually recognized
during a phone call prior to enrolling.
ISOLATE THE PROBLEMWhen customers have issues that cant be dealt with, the goal should
be to isolate them as soon as possible. It has always amazed me
how many people one negative person can influence, Braden says.
We simply cant afford to allow one negative person to wreck oth-
ers vacation time.
Bradens solution for dealing with the biggest problems is to pro-vide them one-on-one sessions with a private coach and on a sepa-
rate court. And to politely discourage their return.
Martha Rogers, whose Peppers & Rogers Group specializes in cus-
tomer relationships, tells the story of a computer company who felt
it necessary to go a step beyond to discourage a customer who was-
nt a good fit. The computer company had a customer in his 90s who
was new to the world of technology. He called the customer support
group at every step (when the box was opened, when things had to
be plugged in, when the computer was turned on, etc.). The cus-
tomer wasnt bad, he just wasnt right for their business.
The companys solution was an expensive one, but cheaper than
continuing to be true to their business and still service him. They pur-chased and sent him a brand new competitors computer, along with
a nice note of thanks for his patronage.
WHAT S THE LIFETIME VALUE?Rogers insists that businesses recognize and try to measure the life-
time value of their customers. She believes that most businesses will
find that 20 percent of their customers will account for about 80 per-
cent of the profit, and 20 percent will cost the businesses about 80
percent of its wasted time, cost overruns, and other problems.
Consider the lifetime benefit of the customer and then deduct the
costs. For example, consider the gross income plus referrals, and
then subtract what you lose in extra administrative time, discounts tokeep them happy, tracking down payments, effect on staff and other
customers, what their complaining can do to your current customers,
or what happens when they bring you more customers like them.
If you need a rationale for firing those in the bottom 20 percent,
you will often find it there. It isnt O.K. for customers who are keep-
ing you in business to have to pay extra [for you] to keep bad cus-
tomers, says Rogers.
She suggests that you dont have to charge everybody for the
same thing, but apply this carefully by building rules for your busi-
ness that encourage what you want and discourage what you dont
want. For example, if you want people to pay promptly and in
advance, give a discount for those who prepay for multiple lessons.
If you dont want people taking advantage of your returns policy, put
i n a re-stocking fee, and consider waiving it when the situation war-
rants.
Rogers admits there is a great deal of judgment that goes into
deciding who and what to encourage. She is also clear on the bene-
fits of firing bad customers. First, there is the obvious mental health
benefit: Your state of mind and mood are going to improve.
Beyond that, If you are able to get rid of 20 customers [out of
100] on whom you lose money, you can actually charge the remain-
ing 80 less and give them more [of your] time. Q
Former Tennis Week Editor Kent Oswald is a writer and marketing
consultant.
20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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24/3622 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009
1. Power/Control (columns). (formula = lengthindex x headsize x flex x swingweight) 1000.Length index calculation: 27" = 1.0, 27.5" =1.05; 28" = 1.1, etc.2. Maneuverability (rows). RDC (BabolatRacquet Diagnostic Center) swingweight units.
3. Racquet ID. The number in the grid corre-lates to the accompanying racquet list.4. Headsize. Midsize and midplus (104 sq.in.) have no indicator.Oversize (105 -117 sq. in.) = . Superoversize( 118 sq. in.) = :.5. Length. x = extended length. Standardlength (27") racquets have no indicator.6. Flex (RDC). a = < 60; b = 60-64; c = 65-69;d = 70-74; e = > 74. The higher the number,the stiffer the racquet.7. Company. Coded by number and color. Seeaccompanying racquet list on the followingpages.
8. Racquet Quadrants and the Center of theRacquet Universe. The center of the racquet uni-verse is located at the intersection of the two redlines. Approximately half the racquets lie to theright and left, and half above and below theselines. The lines divide the racquet universe into four
color-coded quadrants clockwise from top left:(1) quick power, (2) quick control, (3) stable con-trol, (4) stable power. These characterizations pro-vide a general vocabulary for comparing racquets.9. Racquet Finder List. The racquet list accompa-nying the map identifies all the new racquets andgives additional information. For a complete list ofal l curren t frames on th e map, go toRacquetSportsIndustry.com. The map provides spe-cific (very narrow ranges, anyway) swingweight,flex and power statistics, and general size andlength characteristics. The racquet list specifies thelength and size and further specifies weight, bal-ance, and price.
How To Use It1. Ask questions. What are you looking forthat your current racquet does not provide?What do you like most and least about yourcurrent racquet? What are the strengths andweaknesses of your game?
2. Locate current racquet on map. If the rac-quet is not in the list, take measurements.3. Locating potential racquets. Dependingon the answers to the above questions,draw an imaginary arrow (a wide or skinnyone) from your present racquet in thedesired direction for power and maneuver-ability.4. Narrowing the field. Shrink the choicesusing the length, headsize, and flex codes tomatch customer preferences.5. Selecting racquet demos. Once the choic-es are narrowed, locate the racquets bynumber in the racquet list.
RACQUET SELECTION MAP KEY
RACQUETS
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Adidas
1 Barricade 95 27.00 316 11.15 34.00 13.39 64 313 1903 $185
2 Barricade Tour 95 27.00 357 12.59 32.00 12.60 66 328 2057 $185
3 Barricade Tour Light 95 27.00 319 11.25 34.00 13.39 66 328 2057 $185
4 Feather 105 27.00 273 9.63 35.35 13.92 61 293 1877 $165
5 Response 100 27.00 292 10.30 34.00 13.39 64 302 1933 $145
Babolat
12 Aero Strike 100 27.00 290 10.23 34.80 13.70 65 308 2002 $179
28 XS 102 (Xtra Sweetpsot) 102 27.00 286 10.09 36.00 14.17 70 322 2299 $119
29 XS 105 (Xtra Sweetspot) 105 27.00 287 10.12 36.05 14.19 67 325 2286 $119
New Racquets from April 2008 to March 2009Racquet Headsize Length Weight Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail
(in2) (in.) (gm) (oz) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
ADIDAS 800-982-9337 www.adidas.com
BABOLAT 877-316-9435 www.babolat.com
Our exclusive Racquet Selection Map enables you to
help your customers choose the perfect racquet for
them quickly and easily, with the features and per-
formance they want.
The map on the facing page presents the entire perform-
ance racquet universe on one grid that instantly locates each
racquet compared to every other in terms of power, control,
and maneuverability. Simply locate the specs of your cus-
tomers current racquet on the map, then move outward in
large or small increments in the direction of the customers pri-
mary preferencerelatively more or less power, control or
maneuverability. Once youve zoomed into an approximate
location on the grid, you can narrow down the racquets feel
attributes by choosing from length, size, and flex specs coded
into the racquet number.
Next, look up the racquet(s) by number in the accompany-
ing table. Note, though, that the table on these pages lists every
new performance racquet that came out in the last 12 months.
If the racquet you find on the grid is not in one of these charts,
youll find it online at www.racquetsportsindustry.com, where
we have the complete list of every racquet that is currently on
the market, both the newest and the older models.
Your customer will now have a handful of choice-cus-
tomized demos. And youll have a satisfied customer.
RACQUET
SELECTIONMAP
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RSIs annual Racquet Selection Map was compiled by Jonathan Wolfe and designed by Kristine Thom.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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Racquet Headsize Length Weight Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail(in2) (in.) (gm) (oz) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
BABOLAT
30 Y 112 112 27.50 274 9.67 36.95 14.55 70 312 2568 $229
31 Y 112 (Smart Grip) 112 27.50 275 9.70 36.95 14.55 70 316 2601 $229
32 Y 112 LTD 112 27.50 294 10.37 36.50 14.37 72 328 2777 $249
33 Y 118 118 27.50 271 9.56 36.95 14.55 70 310 2689 $239
34 Y 118 (Smart Grip) 118 27.50 276 9.74 37.10 14.61 71 322 2833 $239
Boris Becker
42 Delta Core 1 115 27.80 276 9.74 39.30 15.47 73 360 3264 $280
43 Delta Core 3 110 27.60 293 10.34 37.00 14.57 70 347 2832 $250
Carnelian
44 Carnelian (Pro Tour Graphite) 95 27.00 316 11.15 32.10 12.64 65 301 1859 $225
Dunlop
47 Aerogel 4D 2 Hundred (200) 95 27.00 335 11.82 32.50 12.80 65 325 2007 $199
48 Aerogel 4D 3 Hundred (300) 98 27.00 302 10.65 33.50 13.19 62 305 1853 $199
49 Aerogel 4D 3 Hundred Tour (300) 98 27.00 317 11.18 32.50 12.80 66 300 1940 $199
50 Aerogel 4D 5 Fifty Lite 100 27.25 273 9.63 35.00 13.78 72 295 2177 $179
51 Aerogel 4D 5 Hundred (500) 100 27.00 291 10.26 34.50 13.58 71 301 2137 $179
52 Aerogel 4D 5 Hundred Tour (500) 100 27.00 317 11.18 33.50 13.19 73 325 2373 $179
53 Aerogel 4D 7 Hundred (700) 108 27.25 273 9.63 35.40 13.94 74 290 2376 $21954 Aerogel 4D Super Lite 108 27.50 272 9.59 37.00 14.57 67 280 2127 $179
58 Rush 108 27.00 273 9.63 34.90 13.74 67 298 2156 $159
59 Smoke 100 27.00 294 10.37 34.00 13.39 71 315 2237 $149
60 Titan (Aerogel) 101 27.00 294 10.37 33.85 13.33 69 280 1951 $119
Fischer
62 Black Granite Calibur 102 27.00 272 9.59 36.00 14.17 69 304 2140 $180
63 Black Granite Comp 95 95 27.00 346 12.20 32.15 12.66 64 310 1885 $220
64 Black Granite No. One 98 (SL) 98 27.00 332 11.71 31.80 12.52 59 301 1740 $210
65 Black Granite No. One 98 (UL) 98 27.00 312 11.01 33.50 13.19 60 309 1817 $210
66 Black Granite Rally 102 27.50 297 10.48 34.30 13.50 68 303 2207 $200
67 Black Granite Speed 107 27.00 295 10.41 35.20 13.86 67 320 2294 $210
68 Black Granite Spice 102 27.00 249 8.78 37.90 14.92 71 296 2144 $200
69 Black Granite Tour 100 27.00 306 10.79 33.00 12.99 57 295 1682 $200
Gamma
75 Big Bubba 29 137 29.00 282 9.95 39.50 15.55 67 385 4241 $190
75.1 Tour 320X 98 98 27.00 317 11.18 32.80 12.91 69 309 2089 $160
75.2 Tour 330X 95 95 27.00 332 11.71 31.20 12.28 70 307 2042 $160
Head
88 Airflow 5 (CrossBow) 109 27.00 274 9.67 36.00 14.17 74 296 2388 $200
89 Airflow 7 (CrossBow) 115 27.00 263 9.28 35.60 14.02 73 295 2477 $225
90 CrossBow 10 124 27.33 278 9.81 36.00 14.17 74 301 2853 $320
91 CrossBow 2 102 27.30 282 9.95 35.10 13.82 74 302 2348 $220
92 CrossBow 4 107 27.30 280 9.88 35.90 14.13 72 309 2452 $24093 CrossBow 6 112 27.33 277 9.77 36.00 14.17 74 301 2577 $250
94 CrossBow 8 118 27.33 277 9.77 35.95 14.15 73 301 2678 $290
96 MicroGEL Extreme Mid Plus (with red at throat) 100 27.25 315 11.11 32.95 12.97 69 320 2263 $200
98 MicroGEL Extreme Pro Mid Plus (with red at throat) 100 27.00 332 11.71 32.00 12.60 72 326 2347 $200
100 MicroGEL Extreme Team Oversize (with red at throat) 107 27.00 291 10.26 33.50 13.19 58 295 1831 $190
Natural
113 Natural Power Grip 100 29.00 343 12.10 33.90 13.35 391 $200
Prince
122 EXO3 Graphite 100 (with hole inserts) 100 27.00 322 11.36 33.90 13.35 66 321 2119 $220
123 EXO3 Graphite 93 (with port inserts) 93 27.00 319 11.25 35.10 13.82 65 336 2031 $199
124 EXO3 Rebel 95 (with hole inserts) 95 27.00 345 12.17 31.10 12.24 62 326 1920 $210
125 EXO3 Rebel Team 95 (with hole inserts) 95 27.00 302 10.65 35.00 13.78 64 324 1970 $200
126 EXO3 Red 105 105 27.25 297 10.48 34.90 13.74 69 317 2354 $260
24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009
DUNLOP 800-768-4727 www.carltonsports.com
FISCHER 800-844-7810 www.fischertennisusa.com
BORIS BECKER 866-554-7872 www.borisbecker.com
GAMMA 800-333-0337 www.gammasports.com
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
HEAD 800-289-7366 www.head.com
PRINCE 800-2TENNIS www.princetennis.com
CARNELIAN 704-257-4846 www.carneliantennis.com
NATURAL 702-373-5917 www.naturaltennis.com
New Racquets from April 2008 to March 2009 (Cont.)
BABOLAT (CONT.) 877-316-9435 www.babolat.com
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Racquet Headsize Length Weight Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail(in2) (in.) (gm) (oz) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price
127 EXO3 Silver 118 118 27.50 267 9.42 37.00 14.57 73 318 2876 $300
136 O3 Speedport Black LB (with hole inserts) 100 27.50 321 11.32 33.90 13.35 67 351 2469 $220
137 O3 Speedport Black LB (with port inserts) 100 27.50 317 11.18 33.50 13.19 67 335 2357 $220
138 O3 Speedport Black Team (with hole inserts) 100 27.00 297 10.48 35.90 14.13 68 339 2305 $220
139 O3 Speedport Black Team (with port inserts) 100 27.00 285 10.05 35.00 13.78 67 316 2117 $220
Tecnifibre
155 T Fight 295 VO2 Max 95 27.00 309 10.90 33.25 13.09 68 308 1990 $200
156 T Fight 320 VO2 Max 95 27.00 331 11.68 32.65 12.85 68 318 2054 $200
157 T Fight 325 VO2 Max 95 27.00 343 12.10 32.00 12.60 69 322 2111 $200
158 T Fight 325 XL VO2 Max 95 27.50 344 12.13 32.15 12.66 71 338 2394 $200
159 T Flash 290 VO2 Max 100 27.00 308 10.86 33.20 13.07 69 310 2139 $190
160 T Flash 315 VO2 Max 100 27.00 330 11.64 32.10 12.64 63 314 1978 $200
Volkl
171 Power Bridge 1 115 27.80 266 9.38 36.95 14.55 71 306 2698 $250
172 Power Bridge 10 (295g) 98 27.00 310 10.93 32.90 12.95 63 303 1871 $220
173 Power Bridge 10 (325g) 98 27.00 342 12.06 31.85 12.54 66 310 2005 $190
174 Power Bridge 4 105 27.60 290 10.23 33.95 13.37 65 301 2178 $225
175 Power Bridge 6 Attiva 100 27.00 290 10.23 34.50 13.58 66 303 2000 $200
176 Power Bridge 8 100 27.00 308 10.86 33.00 12.99 71 311 2208 $180
Wilson
187 K Brave 105 27.00 270 9.52 34.00 13.39 62 291 1894 $160188 K Court 100 27.00 284 10.02 33.90 13.35 54 284 1534 $130
191 K Four FX 107 27.50 283 9.98 35.30 13.90 71 314 2505 $260
192 K Fury (100) 100 27.00 278 9.81 34.00 13.39 52 283 1472 $150
193 K obra Team FX 100 27.00 310 10.93 32.00 12.60 59 283 1670 $230
194 K obra Tour 100 27.00 321 11.32 32.00 12.60 61 308 1879 $220
195 K One FX 122 27.50 264 9.31 38.40 15.12 75 323 3103 $300
197 K Pro Staff (88) 88 27.00 364 12.84 32.90 12.95 68 349 2088 $230
198 K Pro Team FX 100 27.00 297 10.48 33.65 13.25 69 302 2084 $210
206 K Three FX 115 27.50 270 9.52 37.00 14.57 41 315 1559 $280
208 K Tour Team FX 102 27.25 293 10.34 34.05 13.41 64 306 2048 $220
210 K Zen Team FX 103 27.25 286 10.09 34.00 13.39 71 300 2249 $210
Yonex
214 RDIS 100 (93) 93 27.00 335 11.82 31.90 12.56 68 308 1948 $199
215 RDIS 100 (98) 98 27.00 329 11.61 32.00 12.60 65 307 1956 $199
216 RDIS 300 100 27.00 309 10.90 33.05 13.01 63 303 1909 $189
223 RQIS 10 102 27.50 279 9.84 34.00 13.39 66 291 2057 $189
225 RQIS 50 105 27.00 285 10.05 35.00 13.78 60 287 1808 $199
April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25www.racquetsportsindustry.com
TECNIFIBRE 877-332-0825 www.tecnifibre.com
VOLKL 866-554-7872 www.volkl-tennis.com
WILSON 800-272-6060 www.wilson.com
YONEX 800-44-YONEX www.yonexusa.com
8/8/2019 200904 Racquet Sports Industry
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String Playtest
EASE OF STRINGING
(compared to other strings)
Number of testers who said it was:
much easier 4
somewhat easier 14
about as easy 16
not quite as easy 1
not nearly as easy 0
OVERALL PLAYABILITY
(compared to string played most often)
Number of testers who said it was:
much better 2
somewhat better 8
about as playable 13
not quite as playable 10
not nearly as playable 2
OVERALL DURABILITY
(compared to other strings
of similar gauge)
Number of testers who said it was:
much better 0
somewhat better 5
about as durable 22
not quite as durable 7
not nearly as durable 1
RATING AVERAGES
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability 3.4
Durability 3.2
Power 3.2
Control 3.6
Comfort 3.6
Touch/Feel 3.4
Spin Potential 3.3
Holding Tension 3.5
Resistance to Movement 3.3
Hollow Core is an innovative nylon
multifilament from Wilson. Hollow
Core is the first string that, instead of a
round solid core, has an air-filled, hol-
low triangle-shaped core. According to
Wilson, this hollow core is what gives
the string its unique playing properties,
namely, superb power, comfort, and
control. Around the triangular core are
wrapped high-elasticity microfibers,
which are coated for ease of installa-
tion.
Hollow Core is available in 16 gauge
(1.33 mm) in natural only. It is pricedfrom $9 for a 40-foot coil, and 660-foot
reels go for $150. For more information
or to order, contact Wilson at 773-714-
6400, or visit wilson.com/newstring. Be
sure to read the conclusion for more
information about getting a free set to try
for yourself.
IN THE LABThe coil of Hollow Core 16 measured 40.
The diameter measured 1.32-1.34 mm
prior to stringing, and 1.26-1.27 mmafter stringing. We recorded a stringbed
stiffness of 73 RDC units immediately
after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson
Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a
constant-pull machine.
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed
stiffness measured 63 RDC units, repre-
senting a 14 percent tension loss. Our
control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Origi-
nal Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units
immediately after stringing and 71 RDC
units after 24 hours, representing a 9 per-
cent tension loss. Hollow Core added 15
grams to the weight of our unstrung
frame.
The string was tested for five weeks
by 35 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-
ings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind
tests, with playtesters receiving
unmarked strings in unmarked packages.
Average number of hours playtested was
26.9.
Hollow Core feels soft out of the
package, with a benign amount of coil
memory. It is straightforward to install,
with a smooth texture that glides through
grommets and across the mains. It does,
however, bruise easily in clamps and inthe jaws of the tension head, even when
using the nosecone.
No playtester broke his sample dur-
ing stringing, one reported problems
with coil memory, none reported prob-
lems tying knots, and none
reported friction burn.
ON THE COURT
Our playtesters found Wilson HollowCore 16 to be a great string across the
board, rating it well above average in
Playability, Control, Touch/Feel, Com-
fort, Spin Potential, and Tension Reten-
tion, with remarkable consistency in
scores across all nine categories. On the
strength of these ratings, Wilson Hollow
Core 16 garnered a well-above-average
overall ranking of the 130 strings that
weve playtested for publication.
Three playtesters broke the sample
during playtesting, one at six hours, oneat eight hours, and one at 17 hours.
CONCLUSIONGiven the ratings our playtesters gave
Wilson Hollow Core, theres little doubt
that it can be the go to string for
stringers with customers wanting a
strong-performing string with no major
drawbacks: Theres something in Hol-
low Core just about every player will
appreciate.
Nearly a third of our playtesters
commented that Hollow Core offered
good power one of the benefits Wil-
son claims for the technology behind
this string and most rated it accord-
ingly. Most of the other playtesters who
did not find Hollow Core particularly
powerful still felt that it had the right
power level in proportion with its playa-
bility, control, and touch.
If you think that Wilson Hollow Core
might be for you, fill out the coupon to
get a free set to try.
Greg Raven Q
Wilson Hollow Core 16
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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29/36April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27
This is a nylon based string with the feel of nat-ural gut. The response is crisp and clean. It has just
the right mix of power and touch.
4.5 male all-
court player using Head i.Prestige MP strung at 59
pounds LO (Gamma TNT2 16)
Ease of installation is second to none. Greatfeel, especially around the net. I definitely notice
added power on serves and groundies.
6.0 male
all-court player using Wilson K Blade strung at 53
pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 16)
This string is great for heavy topspin. It is verycomfortable and makes a nice deep thud at impact.
Power and spin come very easy.
3.5 male all-
court player using Volkl DNX 4 strung at 60 pounds
CP (Wilson K Gut Pro 17)
This string feels and plays like natural gut. It
has great power without sacrificing control.
4.0
male all-court player using Head MicroGEL Radical
MP strung at 57 pounds LO (Gamma Live Wire XP
16)
Very comfortable string. It has a very cushionedfeel. Very responsive and lively on serves and vol-
leys. Durability might be an issue for big hitters.
TESTERS TALK4.5 male all-court player using Wilson K Pro Open
strung at 58/61 pounds LO (Prince Pro Blend 16)
This string has outstanding playability andcomfort. After some tension loss, the playability
goes down.
5.0 male all-court player using
Head Liquidmetal Prestige Mid strung at 58
pounds LO (Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16)
This is a very easy string to install. The crossesglide very quickly. There is no string movement.
Tension maintenance is above average. Even after
20 hours, this string looks fresh and plays
lively.
4.0 male all-court player using Prince
O3 Blue strung at 56 pounds LO (Gamma Live
Wire Pro 17)
This string has a very soft composition. Instal-lation is painless. It is very comfortable, but over
time it loses pop.
5.0 male all-court player
using Head MicroGEL Prestige Mid Plus strung at
60 pounds CP (Nylon Multifilament 17)
Control is adequate, but the feel is a bitharsh.
4.5 male all-court player using Prince
OZone Pro Tour MP strung at 57 pounds LO
(Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16)
FREE PLAYTEST
STRING PROGRAMWilson will send a free set of
Hollow Core 16 to USRSA mem-
bers who cut out (or copy) this
coupon and mail it to:
Offer expires 15 April 2009
Offer 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.
USRSA
Attn: Wilson String Offer,330 Main Street,Vista, CA 92084
or fax to 760-536-1171,or email the info below to
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
For the rest of the tester comments, visit
www.racquetsportsindustry.com.
8/8/2019 200904 Racquet Sports Industry
30/36
already tensioned on one side of a ridge.
This method will assure that the string
next to it will be on the same side of theridge, so when a cross has to come
through one hole and go through the
other, there is no chance for a cross-over.
5 sets of Gamma Asterisk 16 to:
Vince Chiarelli, MRT, Largo, FL
EASIER EASY ATWSTRINGINGAfter reading Liam Nolans Easy ATW
Stringing tip in the May 2007 issue of
RSI, I adopted it is my go-to technique for
stringing any one-piece racquet where the
mains end at the throat. The only problem
I had with it was on racquets with a skip
before the outside main: Id sometimes
struggle a bit with the resulting blocked
hole.
As it turns out, the solution is easy, too.
After using my starting clamp on the
short-side main at the head, I put the end
RUFFLED BY RIDGESHave you ever been frustrated by the
ridges racquet manufacturers put on theoutside of grommet strips to "help" guide
the strings? I wish they would stop help-
ing, but knowing they don't listen, I found
a way to get around this problem one
that doesnt involve cutting the ridges off
with a razor blade. I insert a small awl in
the hole to be blocked before tensioning
the blocking string. That way, I can control
which side of the ridge the string is on.
Many times you have an adjacent string
28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009
Tips & Techniques
of the string through the grommet hole
for the outside main at the top. After
installing the long-side crosses and
clamping off the long side at the top, Im
ready to pull through the short side
no more fishing around for the hole.When doing this, the short side still has
to do the outside main and at least one
cross at the bottom, so Ive never had a
case where the loop was too short to
make it to the tension head without
pulling out my placeholder.
5 sets of Head Sonic Pro 17 to:
L. Hodges, Fresno, CA
Readers Know-How in Action
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Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA
members, and appearing in this column, have all
been gathered into a single volume of the Stringers
DigestRacquet Service Techniques which is a benefit
of USRSA membership. Submit tips to: Greg Raven,
USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or email
THEY STILL MAKE EMLIKE THEY USED TOI have a regular customer that is a chronic
string breaker. I put him in an
aramid/synthetic hybrid for durability.
This proved too harsh on his wrist, so we
tried a poly/synthetic hybrid. This was too
harsh on his wrist and elbow. We then
tried a very popular synthetic 15L, but hewould break that very quickly. The solu-
tion, to my surprise, turned out to be
good old tournament nylon 15L. This guy
loves the stuff. It's easy on the arm, plays
fine for him, and has plenty of durability.
5 sets of Wilson Stamina 16 to:
Fred S. McWilliams, Arlington, TX
RACQUET PREPARATIONThe tip you ran about preparing racquets
the night before got me thinking, as we
sometimes do this when the workloadgets high, and when we do stringing for
local tournaments, we have one person
who strings, while another person does
racquet check-in, racquet check-out, the
paperwork, and cutting out the strings
after check-in.
One technique that we adopted to
make things go more smoothly (and thus
faster) is to leave one loop of string on
every racquet to show where the mains
start. This serves the additional purpose of
verifying for the stringer that the string
going in is the same as the string that
came out.
For customers who request hybrid
string jobs, the person cutting out the
strings leaves two loops, one for the
mains and one for the crosses, so the
stringer has visual confirmation of which
string is supposed to go where.
5 sets of Babolat Xcel Premium 16 to:
Alan Yoshida, Ocean Park, CA
Greg Raven Q
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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Ask the Experts
INCREASING TENSIONFOR THE TIEOFF
WHAT IS THE USRSA POSITION
on increasing the tension of the tie
offs? I couldnt find anything about
this in the Stringers Digest. Tim Strawn at
Grand Slam Stringers told me there are no
rules concerning this, as long as you do it
consistently (he increases tie-off tension
by 5 kilograms).
THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING
the reference tension on the tie-off
string is to compensate for the slack
between the clamp and the knot, so the
final tension on tie-off strings is closer to
the reference tension. Also, in situations
where the outside main or cross is so slack
that the weave of the adjacent string
pushes it outward, toward the frame,
the finished string job looks unprofes-
sional, no matter how it performs. There
are also some stringers who feel that leav-
ing the tie-off string loose will create a
situation where the lower tension will
propagate back through the string bed.
This, however, simply is not an issue, due
to friction on the string as it passes aroundthe outside of the frame, and the relatively
low tension differential between any two
adjacent strings.
The USRSA position is that there is no
need to increase the tension on the
string you are tying off, but there is no
harm in it.
There is no need because for the
stringing instructions we publish the
strings to be tied off are outside mains or
outside crosses. A couple pounds differ-
ence in tension on these strings are notgoing to affect the playability of the rac-
quet (unless you can hit that string square-
ly without hitting the frame!). Clearly, if
you are using one of the more exotic box
patterns where the final cross is the third
or fourth one up from the racquet throat,
you need to get that cross as close to ref-
erence tension as possible.
It bears pointing out that in a propor-
tionally tensioned string job, the outside
mains and crosses will be at a much lower
tension, and this method supposedly cre-ates the most playable stringbed. There-
fore, one could argue that leaving a little
slack in the tie-off string actually makes the
racquet more playable.
Whichever route you decide to take, Tim
is correct that you should do it consistently.
CALIBRATINGTHE EKTELON H
IVE INHERITED AN OLD Ektelon
H stringing machine, but not the
manual. How do you calibrate it?
FIRST, YOU NEED TO BUY A cali-
brator, which doesnt actually do
the calibration for you, but
rather measures the pull of the
tension head. You then compare
the reading from the calibrator
against the reference tension setting
to see if the machine is pulling high, low,
or right on. Adjustment is accomplished by
altering the point at which the catch releas-
es the locking lever.
We covered calibration
basics in Calibration Proce-
dure, in the July 2006 issue of
RSI magazine. Since that time,
weve added complete, step-by-step instructions, with illustrations,
to our website. These instructions
are available to USRSA members
online at usrsa.com/members/machines.
CZECH TENSIONMACHINES
DO YOU KNOW THE FATE OF the
stringing machines manufactured in
the Czech Republic? (They had big
yellow knobs in the side mounts.) A few
years ago they were distributed and sold inthe U.S. at low prices, but I havent seen
them anywhere in awhile, and they are not
listed in your annual Stringing Machine Buy-
ing Guide. Id love to get a hold of the man-
ufacturer and/or distributor because I need
some spare parts.
NO. THERE USED TO BE ONE main
distributor in the United States, but
it apparently went out of business, with
another company taking over, seemingly
with some kind of connection to the originalcompany. However, this second company
soon disappeared, too. Your best bet may
be to try to buy additional used machines
of the type you have, in the hopes that
you will be able to cannibalize them for
the parts you need for your main
machine.
BOOSTINGCUSTOMIZATION
AFTER READING RACQUET Cus-
tomization (RSI, November
2007) I purchased several pieces
of diagnostic equipment including a
Prince PTC in the hopes of doing more
customization. While I acknowledge that
players are as you say ambivalenttoward the concept of customization I
think a larger problem for me anyway
and perhaps others is the lack of a modus
operandi. I dont mean for the actual
modification work. Thats pretty straight-
forward. I mean for diagnosing the needs
of the player. I have heard that some
places analyze players out on a court and
and make equipment recommendations
based on that analysis. That sounds like a
terrific idea to me. Can you suggest any
reading material for someone interestedin offering a service like this? I would
really love to be able to look at some-
ones game and think to myself eight
grams of lead at 10 and 2 oclock and
this guy will be moving from a 3.5 to a
4.0 in no time.
CONGRATULATIONS ON making
the commitment to customiza-
tion. Now that you have the equipment to
take accurate measurements, you can
learn a lot by play-testing different rac-quets, and the same racquet with differ-
ent set-ups. If you havent already done
so, you should check out Make Any Rac-
quet Play Better Guaranteed (RSI,
May 2004) by the king of selling cus-
tomization, Drew Sunderlin.
You might also consider attending the
2009 GSS Racquet Stringers Symposium.
You can find out more information about
the Symposium at grandslam-
stringers.com. Greg Raven QWe welcome your questions. Please send them to Rac-
quet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084;fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].
A
30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009
Your Equipment Hotline
Q
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
A
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A
A
Q
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Hitting a WinnerEvery TimeA longtime community tennis advocate
says CTAs are not only good for tennis,but good for your business.
When it comes to tennis in this
country, nothing beats what a
Community Tennis Association
has to offer. CTAs represent all that is won-
derful about grassroots tennis. Primarily
organized and run by tennis-passionatevolunteers, these associations support and
provide programs that move forward the
mission of the USTAto promote and
develop the growth of tennis.
Look at it this way: CTAs are the nucle-
us for community tennis. Teaching pros,
retailers, facilities and clubs, court
builders, school coaches, park and rec
departments and many more all have a
stake in how successful tennis is in the
community, and its the local CTA that
connects all of these people and organiza-tions to the programs, tournaments,
leagues, workshops, grants and other
events and resources that are helping to
grow the sport.
In a world in which more and more we
need to join together to get things done,
CTAs have long been an agent for fostering
partnerships that spread the sport of a life-
time throughout their cities and towns.
One of the best examples of this is the
USTAs CTA of the year, the Brandon Ten-
nis Association in Brandon, S.D.
Just 3-1/2 years old, the BTA has built
up relationships that have made the sport
flourish in a town of 8,000. With four
courts in town badly in need of renova-
tion, a group of tennis enthusiasts led by
Becky
Blue
decided
much
more was
needed.
They formed a CTA, partnered with the
city, private businesses, the USTA and oth-
ers, and raised more than $200,000 for the
project. Now, Brandon has a new eight-court
facility complete with a welcome center and
has adult and junior leagues, a no-cut policy
for its school teams, and a thriving summer
program.We not only had to advocate for the
idea of these tennis courts, we had to advo-
cate for the idea of tennis to the communi-
ty, says Becky, who is the president of the
BTA. Tennis builds relationships, and I
know that tennis has helped Brandon be a
better community.
And it all came about because Becky and
others passionate about the sport organized
a CTA, one of nearly 1,200 in the U.S. They
were strong advocates for all the wonderful
things tennis can do for a community andfor its adults and children. And their passion
to provide tennis to their town brought huge
rewards to Brandon.
The future of tennis is in attracting and
retaining young players, and again, CTAs
are a key element in that endeavor. The
QuickStart Tennis format, designed specifi-
cally to teach tennis to youngsters ages 5 to
10, uses age-appropriate court size, nets,
racquets, balls and scoring to make tennis a
fun and successful sport to learn. And CTAs
are at the forefront of promoting this for-
mat, making sure it filters into schools and
public parks, and training parents, teachers,
coaches and others on how to use the QST
format with their kids.
Whether advocating for new or renovat-
ed courts or facilities, running the QST for-
mat for kids, working to attract new players,
organizing leagues and clinics, helping a
school with a no-cut program or a myriad of
other tennis-related things, Community Ten-
nis Associations are key players. They are
focused on the local level and are the con-
duit to an array of opportunities that pro-
B Y P A U L A H A L E
Paula Hale is currently the chair
of the USTAs Community Ten-
nis Association Committee and a
vice president of the USTA
Southern Section. A tournament
and league player, she is a past
CTA president and past president of USTA
North Carolina.
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009
mote and develop the growth of tennis.
And think of this: An active CTA in your
community helps your business. When you
have a passionate and organized group of
tennis players constantly advocating for
tennis, getting courts built and resurfaced,running programs and leaguesyour busi-
ness benefits. As a retailer, youre the one
who will sell equipment and apparel and
team uniforms. As a club or facility manag-
er, youre the one booking the court time.
As a teaching pro, youre the one giving the
lessons and clinics. As a court builder,
youre the one getting the contract to resur-
face or build.
Doesnt it make sense that no matter
how youre connected to the tennis busi-
ness, you also get connected to your local
CTA? If you dont have a local CTA, would-
nt it make sense to start one now?
Find out where all those tennis-passion-
ate people are in your community. And you
know theyre there. Tennis, according to
the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Associa-
tion, is by far the fastest growing participa-
tion sport in the U.S., so you can be sure
there are passionate players in your area.
Volunteer with your local CTA. Start a
CTA yourself. Advocate for tennis. Each of
us has the power to influence the growth of
tennisand your businessin your com-
munity. A CTA is a great way to do this. Q
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to [email protected] or faxthem to 760-536-1171.
Your Serve
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Find out more about CTAs, including
how to start one, by visiting usta.com
and clicking on Get Involved.
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