201003 Racquet Sports Industry

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March 2010

Volume 38 Number 3 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com


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DEPARTMENTS

R S I M A R 2 0 1 0

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 USTA creates US OpenNational Playoffs

7 Prince debuts Lightspeedshoe at Aussie Open

7 Beach Tennis to use paddles,not tennis racquets

8 Ashaway celebrates185th birthday

8 USTA names CommunityTennis award winners

8 Babolat unveils newAero line of racquets

9 Prince updates frameswith EXO3

9 Head launchesYouTek Prestige series

9 USPTA offersTechnology Tools map

10 Wilson offers newseminar at GSS Symposium

11 USTA Serves awardsnearly $1 million

12 Upcoming Industry Schedule13 Racquet, shoe, string

year-to-date sales

4 Our Serve7 Industry News14 Tennis Memorabilia

17 Pioneers in Tennis

21 TIA Quarterly36 String Playtest: Pacific Poly Power Pro38 Tips & Techniques

40 Your Serve, by Tony Taverna

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

ContentsContentsFEATURES18 Fashion Forming

What should you consider when fitting yourcustomers with the right tennis clothes?

26 State of the Industry:The Changing Tennis LandscapeOur upcoming series will take a hard look at whatsgood and bad in this industry, and how we can makethings better for everyone.

COURT CONSTRUCTION& MAINTENANCE GUIDE

28 Is Your Facility a Tennis Hangout?It may not take much to make sure your courtsappeal to your clientele.

30 Public EnemiesEasy-access municipal courts are a key to growingtennis. But how can you deal with vandalism andabuse?

32 All About WindscreenHeres how to care for and maintain this essentialpiece of court equipment.

33 Find What You Need at the ASBA WebsiteWhether youre upgrading your courts, building anew facility or looking for maintenance, take a tourof www.sportsbuilders.org.

34 Posting TimeLargely unnoticed until there are problems, net postsare important for play, and for aesthetics.


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I

just returned from San Diego and am all fired up. I was

at the 2010 USTA Community Tennis Development

Workshop (CTDW), undoubtedly one of the best things

the USTA does for recreational tennis. Volunteers and USTA

staff from around the country come to this workshop to

share success stories, learn about spreading tennis to all cor-

ners, bring more people into the game, and yes, even make

money at it.Seminars, presentations and workshops all are geared to the mission of

the USTA: to promote and develop the growth of tennis. And this year, USTA

President Lucy Garvin, who is dedicated to living the mission of the organi-

zation, had all of the USTA board of directors and the section leadership at

the CTDW. It was the first time that many of them actually saw how impor-

tant and wonderful this workshop is. From what I heard from a few of them,

it was quite an eye-opener.

One of the reasons I went to San Diego was as a member of my local

Community Tennis Association. We started our CTA about a year and a half

ago and still need to get our nonprofit status, but were working hard toward

that goal. Weve held a few fund-raisers and tennis nights, pushed to get new

courts built in our town, and will be pushing more for that and for program-

ming, too. A lot of the CTDW presentations apply directly to what were

doing, things like attracting volunteers, getting funding, communicating with

community members, grant writing, etc.

One thing I definitely want to push with our CTA is news about Recre-ational Coach Workshops, which are geared toward parents, coaches, park

and rec instructors, really anyone who wants to work with entry-level play-

ers, to get them going in the game. Its not meant to replace coaching or

teaching by certified pros, but simply to help grow the sport at the most basic

level. Im hoping our CTA can sponsor a Rec Coach Workshop, which

requires a minimum of 20 participants. (Visit usta.com/oncourttraining for

more info.)

To continue to spread the good things that the CTDW brings to tennis, the

USTAs national CTA Committee (of which I am a volunteer member), wants

to facilitate regional tennis development workshops, so that those who

may not be able to attend the national CTDW can go to one closer to home.Whether you are a volunteer in your local CTA, teaching pro, school coach,

park and rec employee, facility manager, or even a court builder or retailer,

youll find useful, and profitable, tips in these workshops. Contact your USTA

section to see what may be offered in your area, or to urge that they con-

sider a regional CTDW.

Lets take the time to grow the sport from the grassroots, then we all can

reap the bounty.

Peter Francesconi

Editorial Director

Our Serve

(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

Editorial Director

Peter Francesconi

Associate Editor

Greg Raven

Design/Art Director

Kristine Thom

Contributing Editors

Robin Bateman

Cynthia Cantrell

Joe Dinoffer

Liza Horan

Greg Moran

Bob PattersonCynthia 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 Director

John Hanna

770-650-1102, x.125

[email protected]

Apparel Advertising

Cynthia Sherman

203-263-5243

[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 Pendingat Vista, CA and

additional mailing offices. March 2010, Volume 38,

Number 3 2010 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,

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4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010

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


Sowing Seeds at the Grassroots


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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

The USTA is launching the US Open National Playoffs, which will provide

the opportunity for all players 14 years of age and older to earn a wild

card into the 2010 US Open Qualifying Tournament.

The US Open National Playoffs begins with 16 sectional qualifying tour-

naments held throughout the country from April through June. The mens

and womens champions from each of the sectional qualifying tournaments

advance to the US Open National PlayoffsMens and Womens Champi-

onships, which will be held in conjunction with Olympus US Open Series tourna-ments this summer.

The US Open National Playoffs makes the US Open open, where one woman and one man will

earn a wild card into the US Open Qualifying Tournament and a chance to advance to the main draw,

says Lucy Garvin, USTA chairman of the board and president. The fact that the Playoffs are supported

by qualifying tournaments run by our sections makes this even more unique, extending the reach of

the US Open across the country.

Players, who must be USTA members, will compete in sectional qualifying tournaments hosted by

16 of the 17 USTA Sections nationwide. The entry fee for each of the sectional qualifying tournaments

is $125. Each sectional event is limited to 256 players, and players wont be seeded. Participants can

be of any playing level.

While professionals are eligible, we expect the draws to be filled with top j unior players, colle-

gians, teaching professionals and even recreational players, says Jim Curley, chief professional tour-naments officer & US Open tournament director. Olympic skier Bode Miller, who won the 1996 Maine

state singles tennis title, says hell compete in one of the sectional qualifiers.

For information schedules, visit www.usopen.org.

Beach TennisTo Use PaddlesBeach Tennis USA has adopt-ed the use of the paddle, cur-rently used in internationalcompetition, as the officialequipment for regulationtournament play. BTUSA,which formerly promoted theuse of standard, regulationtennis racquets for use at itsevents, says the move to pad-dles was primarily to facilitatethe unification of internation-al beach tennis associationsthroughout Europe, SouthAmerica, and Asia.

"By converting to the paddle,Beach Tennis USA will be ableto work more closely with ourinternational partners to grow

the sport, both on the pro andrecreational levels," saysMarc Altheim, BTUSA'sfounder and commissioner.

Altheim says he believes thepaddle will help introduce thesport to more "non-tennis"players, allowing for beachtennis to become a moremainstream common activityfor casual beachgoers.

To further its efforts in unify-

ing the sport on a globallevel, BTUSA also will adoptthe international court dimen-sions of 8 x 8 meters, and anet height of 170 cm (5 feet,6 inches).

Princes Lightspeed Shoe Debuts at Australian Open

Princes Lightspeed footwear debuted at the Australian Open this year. The shoes are designed to

be lower, lighter and faster, says the company, keeping a players center of gravity low for enhance

balance, agility and responsiveness.

We broke away from the mold of conventional tennis-

shoe design to give players a lightweight, ultra-responsive

match-day shoe, says Jerome Jackson, gobal product

manager for footwear at Prince.

A key feature in Lightspeed is its Propulsion Platea

lightweight chassis built to transfer energy from the heel

to the forefoot, resulting in quicker reaction time, better

acceleration, and a sense of being on the balls of your feet,

says Prince. The shoes also feature an ultra-low profile mid-

sole, giving players a much lower platform for stability, as

well as Princes Shock Eraser Pro heel insert for impact pro-

tection.

Lightspeed is available in the Rebel LS for men ($110 sug-

gested retail) and the Poise LS for women ($105). Lightspeed

replaces the O-Series as the new flagship model in Princes All-Court series. For more information,

visit www.princetennis.com.

USTA Creates US Open National Playoffs

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10/448 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010

Hit for Haiti Earthquake Relief

On Sunday, January 17, the world's best tennis playerspaused in their preparations for the Australian Open to raisefunds to support Haitian earthquake relief efforts in a mixed-

doubles exhibition called "Hit for Haiti." Roger Federer, Serena

Williams, Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters, Novak Djokovic, Sam Sto-

sur, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt took part in the event,

which raised $184,700. Proceeds from the event, along with

significant donations by the ATP World Tour, Sony EricssonWTA Tour, ITF, Grand Slam Committee and Tennis Australia,

will exceed $500,000.

Ashaway Racket Strings Celebrates185th Birthday

In a ceremony held inDecember at the compa-ny's historic mill headquarters on the Ashawog River in tiny

Ashaway, R.I., Ashaway Racket Strings parent company,

Ashaway Line & Twine, celebrated an anniversary few com-panies reach: their 185th birthday.

Started in 1824 by Captain Lester Crandall, and still run

by the sixth and seventh generations of his descendents,

Ashaway Line and Twine is the oldest family-owned busi-

ness in the state and one of the oldest in the U.S., and it is

the only remaining racquet string manufacturer in the U.S.

"We are very proud of our tradition," says Steve Crandall,

Ashaway v.p. of sales and marketing. But being 'venerable'

doesn't win you any points in the marketplace. We still work

very hard to produce innovative, leading-edge products at

competitive prices."

A commercial fisherman himself, founder Capt. Crandallstarted out hand-twisting linen fishing lines during the off-

season. Subsequent generations have made products as

diverse as parachute cord, harness twine for Jacquard

looms, and whipping cord for golf club heads. During World

War II, U.S. airmen unlucky enough to be downed at sea

used an Ashaway-made Emergency Fishing Kit.

Ashaway introduced the first commercial product made

from Du Pont's NylonAshaway Nylon Bait Casting Line

in 1939, and began manufacturing racquet strings in 1949.

Ashaway was also the first to manufacture racquet strings

made from Du Pont's bulletproof Kevlar fiber, and is cur-

rently developing new lines of tennis, squash and racquet-ball strings based on recent advances in another space-age

material, Zyex.

USTA Names CommunityTennis Award Winners

The USTA honored eight winners of its annualCommunity Tennis Development Awards at theannual USTA Community Tennis Development Work-

shop held Jan. 22 to 24 in San Diego. More than 600 community

tennis leaders attended the workshop.Q 2010 USTA Eve F. Kraft Community Service Award Winners:

Helen Moser Petersen of Indianapolis and Bev Taylor of

Houston.

Q 2009 USTA/National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) Chapters of the

Year Winners: An Achievable Dream, Newport News, Va. (bud-

get $500,000 and over); MACH Academy, Augusta, Ga. (budget

$50,000-$500,000); City of Reading, Pa. (budget less than

$50,000).

Q 2009 Janet Louer USTA Jr. Team Tennis National Organizer of

the Year Winner: Lisa Bowen, Watkinsville, Ga.

Q 2009 USTA Adaptive Tennis National Community Service Award

Winner: Special Populations Tennis Program, Atlanta.Q 2009 USTA National Community Tennis Association (CTA) of the

Year Winner: Lee County Community Tennis Association (Fla.)

Babolat Aero Line Debuts Down Under

Babolats new Aero line of racquets debuted at the Australian Open, withRafael Nadal, Caroline Wozniacki and new Team Babolat member Jo-Wil-fried Tsonga playing with the Aeropro Drive, while Dinara Safina used the

Aero Storm.

The new racquets use GT (Graphite Tungsten) technology, which com-

bines braided carbon fibers and tungsten filaments throughout the frame.

Babolat says this strengthens the frame to reduce torque and provide more

precision.

The frames also feature the Cortex System, between the handle and string

bed, to filter vibrations that interfere with ball feel, says the company. The Aero

design simulates the aerodynamics of an airplane wing to minimize drag through

the air for a faster swing.

The Aeropro Drive is for baseline heavy-hitters looking for power and spin (sug-

gested retail of $189). The Aeropro Team ($185) is for baseliners looking for more

maneuverability with power and spin. The Aeropro Lite ($179) is for women and

high-level juniors looking for an extremely lightweight racquet with spin.

The Aero Storm ($185) is for well-rounded players with a full swing look-

ing for control. The Aero Storm Tour ($185) is designed for well-rounded

players with a full swing looking for extra control. There are also two jun-

ior frames, the Aeropro Drive Junior ($104) and Nadal Junior ($24.95)


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


Prince Updates Frames With EXO3

Prince has updated its Black and White series of frames with the new EXO3 Blackand EXO3 White. The EXO3 technology fea-tures visible holes along the frame, which

Prince says enhances speed, stability and

feel on court.

The EXO3 Black (suggested retail

$199) features EnergyChannel, a sculpt-ed groove and inlayed insert around the

frame for a crisper feel with more feed-

back for players who are most interested

in control. The EXO3 White ($179) fea-

tures EnergyBridge, a compressed carbon

insert that suspends the string bed from the

frame for a cushioned feel, for players who

want a maximum sweetspot in a more power-

oriented, comfortable frame, says the company.

Prince also introduced the EXO3 Black Team

($179), for players looking for a slightly lighter,

more maneuverable version of the EXO3 Black.Prince ATP and WTA tour pros, including

Maria Sharapova, switched to the new racquet

for the recent Australian Open.

Sharapova played with the EXO3

Black. Visit www.princetennis.com

for more.

Do You Have News?Send It to Us

Ever wonder how youget a lot of people toread your press releas-

es? Send them to us.

The RSI.com news that we run on our web-siteracquetsportsindustry.comalso is

picked up as an RSS feed on other sites,

such as TennisIndustry.org, and pops up

on search engines, too.

If you have news about your tennis or

racquet-sports related business or organi-

zationwhether youre a retail shop, ten-

n is facil it y, Com muni ty Ten ni s

Association, park and rec, manufacturer,

court builder, etc.send a press release

to us at [email protected].

Well do our best to get your releaseposted as quickly as we canand to get

your business the attention it deserves.

Head AnnouncesPromotions

In addition to the recent promotion ofKevin Kempin to CEO of Head USA, thecompany has announced more promotions

in its move to strengthen the organization.

Greg Mason, a 10-year veteran of the

racquet sports industry, has been promot-ed to vice president of sales and market-

ing for Racquet Sports. In addition, Roger

Petersman has been promoted to senior

category manager for tennis racquets.

Mike Hymer is the new business manager

for footwear.

EXO3 BlackEXO3 WhiteEXO3 Black Team

USPTA Offers Tech Tools Map

The USPTA has developed a TechnologyTools map that listsonline resources in one

place. The map, with hyper-

links, shows whats available to

help teaching pros do their job

more efficiently, says the

organization.

The hyperlinks take users to different

sites, most of which showcase members-

only benefits and require teaching pros to

enter their last name and USPTA member

number. There are nearly 30 different

instructional tools providing resources. Go to

www.uspta.com and click on the USPTA

Technology Tools button.

Head Launches YouTek Prestige Series

Head has updated the Prestige series with its new YouTek technology. YouTek incor-porates something Head calls d3o, a smart material that the company sayschanges behavior under dynamic loading or impact.YouTek, says Roger Petersman, Heads senior business manager of tennis rac-

quets, can actually sense the needs of the tennis player during different shots to

perfectly match your game.

Located in the shaft of the racquet, d3o reacts to the needs of a player within

nanoseconds, says the company, providing a softer touch and better feel on slow-

speed impacts, like slices and drop

shots, and increases stiffness

necessary to create power on

high-speed impacts, such as

serves and passing shots. The

Prestige series includes:

Q Prestige Pro, which has a

more open string pattern, for

a more aggressive tour player.

It also includes a leather grip.

Q Prestige Mid, a tour racquet that

offers touch and control with extra

stability for heavy hitters.

Q Prestige Mid Plus, which provides

touch and control for playa-

bility. Its the racquet of

choice for pro players Gilles

Simon, Stanislas Wawrinka

and Tommy Haas, who all

used it during the recent Australian Open.

YOUTEK Prestige MidYOUTEK Prestige MPYOUTEK Prestige Pro


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INDUSTRYNEW

S Wilson Offers New Seminarfor GSS Symposium

Ron Rocchi (below), principal designerfor Racquet Sports and team leaderfor the Wilson Tour Services String-

ing Team, will lead a new training

seminar, Stringing Patterns & Tech-niques for the 2010 GSS Racquet

Stringers Symposium in October.

The seminar will have a maxi-

mum 3 to 1 student-teacher ratio

with each student working on their own Wilson Baiar-

do stringing machine. The four-hour session will be

offered six times over the course of the three-day

symposium, with a focus on various stringing pat-

terns, techniques, knots, and professional tips. Joining

Rocchi will be MRT Grant Morgan, a veteran of the pro

tour stringing circuit who has served as personal

stringer for Andy Roddick, as well as being a U.S.Davis Cup stringer.

"Ron and Wilson have been a tremendous asset to

the GSS symposium, supporting us from the begin-

ning, says Tim Strawn, GSS founder. We have sever-

al other new additions and changes to the 2010 event

that I think will make this the best symposium yet.

The GSS Symposium will be Oct. 9-13 in Orlando,

Fla. For details, visit www.grandslamstringers.com.

> Babolat signed a two-year contract to become presenting sponsor ofthe Road to the Little Mo' Nationals and the Little Mo International

Open tennis tournament. The Little Mo is open to any player from

around the world who is 8 to 11 years old. The tournament has special

meaning for Babolats top U.S. mens player, Andy Roddickhe won Lit-

tle Mo in 1992 at age 10.

> Peter Burwash International marked its 35 year in business on Feb. 15.For more information on PBI and its services, visit www.pbitennis.com.

> QuickStart Tennis of Central Virginia, Inc. (QCV), has received a$5,000 grant for its Jump Start QuickStart Tennis Initiative from the

BAMA Works Fund of the Dave Matthews Band in the Charlottesville

Area Community Foundation. QCV is a special-purpose Community Ten-

nis Association that is taking QuickStart Tennis, the USTAs new play-to-

learn format, to 55,000 kids in 116 public elementary and middle

schools in 21 central Virginia counties over the next five to six years.

> Five-time Wimbledon champ Bjorn Borg will play his first tournament

in the U.S. since 2000 when he competes at the $150,000 Staples Cham-pions Cup, April 29-May 2 at the Agganis Arena in Boston.

> TennisLife magazine has signed a multi-year agreement to publish Ten-nisLife Kazakhstan starting with the March/April 2010 issue. TL Kaza-

khstan will now be the fourth international edition, joining TennisLife UK,

TennisLife Ireland and TennisLife en Espanol.

> Tennis.com has redesigned and relaunched, boasting more whitespace and a cleaner, easier to navigate site.

> World TeamTennis is donating hundreds of clothing items for childrenimpacted by the earthquake in Haiti to the global charity K.I.D.S. (Kids in

Distressed Situations), which focuses on the needs of children and theirfamilies. For donation links, visit www.WTT.com/Haiti.

> The Eagle Fustar Tennis Program, which operates in Northern Califor-nia on the campuses of Santa Clara University, West Valley College and

Mission College, has been named a USTA Certified Regional Training

Center.

S H O R T S E T S

USPTA Sets National

Tourney ScheduleThe USPTAs 2010 National Surface ChampionshipSeries kicks off with the $5,000 USPTA Indoor Cham-

pionships April 23-25, held at Lakeville

Lifetime Fitness in Lakeville, Minn.

The tournaments, open to Profes-

sional-level USPTA members in good stand-

ing, offer participants the chance to earn prize

money and ranking points. The 2010 surface

championship series and International Championships

feature more than $55,000, making it the largest prize-

money circuit exclusively for tennis-teaching profession-

als, says Chuck Gill, USPTA national vice president and

chairman of the Tournament Committee.

For info, contact 800-USPTA-4U, or USPTA pros can

log into the members only section of uspta.com. Other

events on the series schedule include:

Q USPTA Clay Court Chps., May 20-23, Ibis Golf and

Country Club, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Q USPTA Grass Court Chps., Aug. 26-29, Philadelphia

Cricket Club, Philadelphia

Q USPTA International Chps., Sept. 20-23, La Quinta

Resort & Club, La Quinta, Calif.

Q USPTA Hard Court Chps., Oct. 22-24, Hollytree Coun-

try Club and Tyler Tennis & Swim Club, Tyler, Texas

Wheelchair Tennis ProgramsReceive $34,000 in USTA Grants

More than $34,000 in USTA Wheelchair Program grants has been

awarded to 23 wheelchair tennis programs across the countryfor the second consecutive year. Grants were awarded to local organ-

izations that promote and develop the growth of wheelchair tennis

and use the sport of tennis to build stronger, healthier communities.

Grant amounts were based on each program's existing budget

and the future programmatic needs of the organization. Recipients

can use the award to meet the USTAs grant initiatives including

coaching, court time, equipment, recruitment and events (tourna-

ments, camps, etc.).

Additional USTA Wheelchair Tennis Grant opportunities will be

announced in 2010. Organizations that are interested in starting a

wheelchair tennis program or would like more information about

wheelchair tennis can email [email protected]



U S R S A N E W S


CongratulationsTo the FollowingFor AchievingMRT Status

New MRTs

Adam Stepp New Albany, OHAdam Hunter Smithtown, NY

USTA ServesAwards Nearly$1 Million in Grants

USTA Serves, the philanthropicand charitable entity of theUSTA, announced that under its

Aces for Kids

umbrella, it has

awarded 24 year-

end grants, for a

total of $297,325.

The number of pro-

gram grants awarded in

2009 was 37, for a total amount of

$549,325. Combined with scholar-

ship awards, USTA Serves distrib-

uted nearly $1 million in 2009.

USTA Serves awards grants to

programs that successfully com-

bine tennis and education and help

children pursue their goals and

highest dreams by succeeding in

school and becoming responsible

citizens.

Aces for Kids is a national initia-

tive of USTA Serves. It strives to

promote healthy lifestyles by com-

bating childhood/adult obesity by

providing disadvantaged, at-risk

children the opportunity to learn to

play tennis and improve their aca-

demic skills in a structured format.

At Aces for Kids program sites, chil-

dren ages 5 to 18 learn about

healthy nutrition and lifestyles,

responsible citizenship, study

skills, and computer literacy; inter-

act with a mentor and other stu-

dents; attend college preparatory

sessions; and learn to play tennis

in a team format.


14/4412 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010

Wilson players SerenaWilliams and Roger Federer

claimed singles titles at the

Australian Open in Mel-

bourne. Williams plays with the

[K] Blade Team racquet and Fed-

erer plays with the Six.One Tour BLX.Williams also won the womens doubles title, pair-

ing with her sister, Venus, who also plays with the [K] Blade Team.

Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan took hometheir second consecutive mens

doubles crown at the 2010 Aus-

tralian Open. The Bryans play

with the Prince EXO3 Ignite

Team 95, which they switched

to late last year.

Vlkl Tennis has signed Liezel Huber to endorse their racquets,bags and accessories. Huber is currently a top-ranked doubles play-er on the Sony Ericsson WTA tour with her partner Cara Black.

Pro player Sania Mirza joined the Wilson team and usedthe new Pro Open BLX racquet at the Australian Open.

Maria Sharapova debuted a new racquet at the Aus-tralian Open, the Prince EXO3 Black, along with the first

piece from her new Limited Edition Prince Sharapova Bag

Collection.

USTA named Harlan Stone its chief business and marketing offi-cer in January, a new position created in the wake of an internal

reorganization. Under the new structure, all sponsorship, marketing

and communications for professional and community tennis will

report into Stone. Stone will continue to report to USTA Executive

Director & COO Gordon Smith. For the past year, Stone has served

as the chief marketing officer for professional tennis for the USTA.

Former USTA President Alastair Martin died Jan. 12 at his homein Katonah, N.Y. He was 94. Martin served as USTA first vice presi-

dent in 1967-68 and as president in 1969-70. He also was presi-

dent and chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame from

1977-79.

Fila has extended its endorsement agreement with2009 US Open champion Kim Cljisters. Clijsters

debuted Filas Spring 2010 Heritage Apparel Col-

lection at the Australian Open in January.

Kate Gordon is the new vp of corporate commu-nications for the ATP.

Chief Business Officer Pierce ONeil, who joined the USTA in1995, is leaving the organization.

Lee Schlazer is the new vice president, distribution forthe Tennis Channel. He comes to Tennis Channel from Life-

time Entertainment Services, where he was vice president of

national accounts and field sales for the western region.


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P E O P L E W A T C H

Upcoming Industry ScheduleQ Feb. 12-18: PTR International Symposium &

Championships, Hilton Head Island, SC

Q Feb. 12-14: USPTA Intermountain Div. Convention,

Denver

Q Feb. 19-21: USPTA Missour Valley Div. Convention,

Prairie Village, KS

Q Feb. 22-28: Delray Beach Intl. Championships, Delray

Beach, FL

Q Feb. 27-Mar. 1: USPTA Midwest Div. Convention,

Columbus, OH

Q Mar. 1: BNP Paribas Showdown/Tennis Night In

America, New York, NY

Q Mar. 5: USPTA Mid-Atlantic Div. Convention,

Charlottesville, VA

Q Mar. 8-21: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, CA

Q Mar. 8-10: PTR West Coast Tennis Club & Facility

Conference, La Jolla, CA

Q Mar. 10: SGMAs 11th Health Through Fitness Day,

Washington, DC

Q Mar. 10-13: IHRSA Intl Convention and Trade Show,

San Diego

Q Mar. 19-22: USTA Annual Mtg., Dallas

Q Mar. 24-Apr. 4: Sony Ericsson Open, Key Biscayne, FL

Q Apr. 10-18: Family Circle Cup, Charleston, SC

For the numerous certification workshops available, visitptrtennis.org and uspta.org.

Semifinals Set for Showdown Event in NYC

The pairings for the two semifinal matches of the upcoming BNPParibas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup have been set for theMarch 1 event at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Serena Williams, the 2010 Australian Open champion, inaugural

BNP Paribas Showdown defending champion and the current World

No. 1, will face Kim Clijsters, who captivated the tennis world after win-

ning the 2009 US Open title only two years after retiring from the

sport. The matchup will mark the first time the two players will face

each other since the semifinals of the 2009 US Open.

The other semifinal will feature 2009 French Open champion Svet-

lana Kuznetsova and seven-time Grand Slam singles champ VenusWilliams.

Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster and online at thegar-

den.com. The event will be broadcast on MSG Network and ESPN2

(check for times) and online at ESPN360.

The BNP Paribas Showdown is the featured element of the Tennis

Night in America promotion, which aims to grow youth participation in

tennis through youth registration events, where youngsters around the

country can begin signing up for spring and summer tennis programs.

Also during the BNP Paribas Showdown, the winner of the indus-

trys Racket Up, America! promotion, Christine Smith of Hurst,

Texas, will serve to try to win $1 million.



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


Top-Selling Tennis Stringsat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars,

January-December 2009

1. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex

2. Wilson NXT

3. Wilson Sensation

4. Prince Lightning XX

5. Luxilon Alu Power

Top-Selling Racquetsat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars,

January-December 2009(average selling price)

Best-Sellers1. Babolat Aero Pro Drive Cortex (MP)

2. Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP)

3. Babolat Pure Drive Cortex (MP)

4. Wilson K Blade (MP)

5. Prince EXO3 Red (OS)

Hot New Racquets

(Introduced in the past 12 months)

1. Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP)

2. Prince EXO3 Red (OS)

3. Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT (MP)

4. Prince EXO3 Silver (OS)

5. Wilson K Three.FX (OS)

Tennis Racquet PerformanceSpecialty Stores,

January-December, 2009 vs. 2008

Units 2009 724,225

2008 795,118

% CHG v. 08 -9%

Dollars 2009 100,664,000

2008 110,539,000

% CHG v. 08 -9%

Price 2009 $139.00

2008 $139.02

% CHG v. 08 0%

Top-Selling Tennis Shoesat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars,January-December 2009(average selling price)

1. Adidas Barricade V

2. Nike Air Breathe Free 2

3. Prince T22

4. Adidas Barricade II

5. Nike Air Breathe Cage II

(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)


16/44

Tennis Memorabilia

Trading Cards Hopeto Raise TennisProfileF

or decades, athletes have been

besieged by fans brandishing sports

trading cards for autographs.

Although tennis trading cards have been

available for years, the latest products

being launched by Ace Authentic are

designed to enhance name recognition of

the sports international stars while

enhancing fans knowledge of the historyof the game and its all-time greatest

matches.

Ace Authentic President John Reichel

says relationship-building with players has

been the key to the Georgia-based compa-

nys growing success. In exchange for the

right to use their names and images on

trading cards and other memorabilia,

Reichel says he has partnered with more

than 350 active tour players and legends

of the game by agreeing to promote their

racquet, apparel and other sponsors onAce Authentic products.

Once we got established, players

started coming up to us and asking how

they could get on a card, says Reichel, a

former Silicon Valley executive. Were

lucky to have very good, close friendships

with many of the players on both tours.

That kind of personal relationship is what

makes our business special.

In 2005, Ace Authentic

(www.aceauthentic.com)

released its

first product: the 98-

card Debut Edition,

including fan

favorites such as

Maria Sharapova, Andre Agassi, Roger

Federer, Andy Roddick, Marat Safin,

Lindsay Davenport and James Blake.

Since that time, Ace Authentic has mar-

keted several new series of tradingcardswith many sets featuring ran-

domly inserted cards with a swatch of

match-worn apparel or an autograph

as well as posters, matted photographs,

figurines, match-used items and other

memorabilia.

The newest offering, Grand Slam III,

is a limited-edition set of trading cards

that contains at least one autograph and

one match-worn swatch card in every

pack. It also features the companys

first-ever autograph and jersey cardsfrom legend Pete Sampras, as well as

newcomers Melanie Oudin and Jo-Wil-

fried Tsonga.

Ace Authentic tennis trading card

sets also showcase up-and-comers such

as Sam Querrey and John Isner, as well

as information about great moments,

achievements and Grand Slam matches.

To meet the demand for popular

hand-signed autographs, Ace Authentic

recently launched a Secret Signature

Series producteach pack contained

an autographed 8 x 10 of a profes-

sional tennis player. The Series virtu-

ally sold out within 30 days. Federer

fans have already scooped up all

500 reproductions (at $50 each) of

a 6-inch-tall figurine depicting the

tennis legend in mid-backhand

swing with his Wilson [K] Factor

racquet. Other memorabilia

items currently range in price

from a $30 Rafael Nadal mat-

ted photo to a limited-edition,

framed and autographed Wimbledon

B Y C I N D Y C A N T R E L L

Champions Memo-

rabilia piece, signed by Pete Sampras,

Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Bjorn

Borg, for $1,500. Certificates of authen-ticity are included.

While fans can buy the same apparel

styles as their favorite players from Nike,

Adidas and other clothing manufacturers,

Ace Authentic offers the actual clothes

theyve worn on court. Autographed

apparel includes a shirt worn by Lindsay

Davenport for $500; a $150 hat worn by

Bob Bryan but also signed by his twin

brother and doubles partner, Mike; and a

shirt worn by Roddick selling for $1,000.

For those who prefer to get autographsfirst-hand, Ace Authentic has booths at

about 30 tournaments each year offering

free autograph-signing sessions with

players such as Vince Spadea, Liezel

Huber, Cara Black and Bethanie Mattek.

The whole purpose is to grow the

game by getting kids interested in play-

ers other than the same few they see all

the time on TV, Reichel says. Adults

gravitate toward memorabilia, but kids

love running up to players and asking

them to sign their tennis cards. The play-

ers love it, too.

Mattek says she also enjoys partici-

pating in Ace Authentic trading-card

releases. Plus, being part of this pro-

gram allows me to feature my sponsors,

which is great for them and for me, she

says.

I think that being featured on a trad-

ing card is cool, Spadea adds. It is

amazing how many kids come up to me

during tournaments asking me to sign

my card. Now I know how all of those

baseball players feel. Q



17/44


18/44


19/44

Pioneers In Tennis

March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17www.racquetsportsindustry.com

hen professional engineer

Sheldon Westervelt and agroup of his colleagues in the

sports facility industry decided over

drinks that there should be a trade asso-

ciation with the goal of improving the

quality of tennis court construction, they

knew they were thinking ahead. They

just didn't know that they were thinking

several decades ahead.

It was 1964 when Westervelt, Bob

Caldwell (whose company, California

Stucco Corp., would later

become California Products),Gene Edwards of Malott

Peterson Grundy, Robert Lee

(of Lee Tennis Court Prod-

ucts) and several others held

their first official meeting in

Baltimore. They dubbed their

group the U.S. Tennis Court

& Track Builders Association.

More than 45 years down

the road, that organization is

still meeting, still has its original goals

and Westervelt is still actively involved.

The group is now the American Sports

Builders Association, and its member-

ship has grown from a handful of con-

tractors to a wide range of professionals

in the athletic facility design, construc-

tion and supply industry. ASBA meetings

have educational and technical sessions,

there are multiple certification programs

and the organization publishes a variety

of manuals, construction guidelines and

more. Quite an impressive amount of

growth for an organization invented, as

Westervelt himself likes to say, "on a

night when steamed crabs and beer

were involved."

The business Westervelt and his

father were involved in at the time of

that meeting was William C. Westervelt

& Sons. Westervelt now works interna-

tionally as a tennis consultant with Glob-

al Sports & Tennis Design Group. He

remains a key player in the industry,

having overseen the design and con-

struction of nearly 7,000 tennis projects

W

"Pioneers in Tennis," an occasional column in RSI, draws attention to trailblazers in the

sport. Have someone to suggest? E-mail [email protected].

Sheldon WesterveltAt the forefront of facility design

around the world, including indoor and

outdoor facilities at parks, educationalinstitutions, rehabilitation facilities,

resorts and residences.

In addition to his work in the indus-

try, for which he has won numerous

design awards, Westervelt has served on

the faculty of the Athletic Business Con-

ference, NRPA, Congress for Recreation

and Parks, USPTA, PTR, the USTA Ten-

nis Teachers Conference and USTA sec-

tion meetings. He was a founding

member of the USTA Tennis

Facilities Committee. In 2006he received the USTAs 40-

Year Volunteer Service

Award. In addition, he has

worked with the ITF and was

a member of an ASTM sub-

committee on tennis courts

and running tracks. In 1994,

he was honored with a life

membership in the American

Society of Civil Engineers.

In December, the ASBA honored its

founders and charter members, includ-

ing Westervelt, with the Industry Merit

Award, ASBA's highest honor. "I'm look-

ing around tonight," Westervelt said

after the standing ovation, "and I'm

remembering that we started this associ-

ation to make the industry better. I just

want everyone to remember that, and to

keep working for it."

"Sheldon has long been a driving

force in our industry," said Randy Futty,

who nominated Westervelt and his col-

leagues for the award. "Whether as a

tennis court builder who worked to

refine methods for building courts in the

1960s and 70s, as a founding father

and first chairman of the ASBA in the

mid-1960s, or as one of the leaders of

the world's foremost tennis design com-

panies, he has truly been a visionary

leader in our industry. If there was a hall

of fame for tennis design and construc-

tion, Shel most certainly would be

inducted on the first ballot."

Mary Helen Sprecher Q



APPAREL

FASHIONFORMINGFitting your customers with the right clothing. B Y C Y N T H IA S H E R M A N

W

ith so many apparel choices out there, choosing the right ten-

nis clothessomething that fits comfortably and is flatter-

ingmay seem to be a daunting task, both for customersthemselves and for retailers who want their players to look their

best. To help you cut through the high fashion and the hype, we

asked retailers what they do to properly fit their customers.

Know your customers, know your inventorythose two

things are really key, says Mimzy Lynne of Michael Lynnes Ten-

nis Shop in Minneapolis. Like any type of clothing, tennis players

shop based on their own demographics, so knowing the audience

you serve and having pieces that cater to themincluding styles,

colors and fitis important if you want to

move things out of your store.

At Michael Lynnes, all store staffers wear

the clothes they sell, so customers get a feelfor how clothes look and fit and can see how

styles may look on different body types.

Mimzy suggests stocking a variety of sizes

because you never know whos going to

come in. Also, make sure you offer to special-

order outfits.

But she adds, Manufacturers need to lis-

ten to retailers when they say not all women

are jocks. There are designers who dont play

the sport coming out with the wrong styles

and fabrics. She also believes manufacturers

need to better address issues of quality and

durabilityespecially in their basic pieces.

Robert Lester of Courtside Tennis and

Apparel in Sacramento, Calif., says its impor-

tant that customers try things on to see how they fit. Every man-

ufacturers fit is different and you dont know what youre getting

if you cant try on the pieces.

Part of the problem may be due to so-called vanity sizing

some manufacturers want you to feel good, so they put a smaller

size label on their clothes. Also be aware that letter sizingS, M,

L, XL, etc.has no universal standards, so a small for one manu-

facturer can be a medium for another.

At a specialty tennis shop, says Wendy Damm of Match Point

Tennis in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., generally the staff plays tennis

and will wear clothes from different lines, so theyll be able to

offer the best guidance in choosing apparel. Even better, employ-

ees who are of similar age and have similar life experiences, andeven who may have similar skin or hair coloring, as your cus-

tomer may be able to help more in the selection and fitting

process.

Each apparel brand has a line cut to a particular body type,

says Damm, and since every customer will have different needs,

its important to know what lines look and fit the best on particu-

lar customers. Damm suggests ordering clothes that are designed

to go after different age groupsobviously choose the groups

your shop caters to. Apparel companies seg-

ment their lines, for instance some clothes

are geared to fit younger players, others are

geared to older players who may not havethat slim and trim body.

And pay attention to colors. What colors

your customer has already and what shades

flatter them is another factor in the deci-

sion-making process, says Lester. Generally,

women want colors and fashion that make

them stand outclothing thats different

from everyone elses.

Some studies indicate that the average

body shape in the U.S. has changed over the

years, from an hourglass shape to more of

a triangle. The average woman today is

more triangular or pear shaped (hips

wider than shoulders), while men are lean-

ing more toward an inverted triangular

shape (shoulders wider than hips). Some designers, however, con-

tinue to make clothes to fit the hourglass shape.

The best thing for your customer may be to forget what the

label says and just go for how a piece fits. And be honest when

your customer asks your opinion. You want repeat business, and

telling a customer an outfit looks great on her when it may not

wont build loyalty.

No one wants to walk out of the store thinking theyre going

to look great on court, only to have the look, style, fit or color not

quite right. Q

FASHIONFORMING

Tips for the Best FitQ Know your customers and your inventory.

Q Encourage customers to try on clothes.

Q Carry a colorful variety of clothing in an

assortment of sizes.

Q Special order for customers.

Q Have your employees wear the clothes you

sell, and make sure theyre knowledgeable

about how different lines and items fit.

Q Ideally, when customers try on clothes, they

should wear the same type of undergar-

ments theyll be wearing on the court.

Q Brand loyalty can be importantcustomers

will come back to a particular line if they

know the fit and style works for them. It

saves them time and reduces risk.


21/44


22/44


23/44

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

R S I F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 4

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

T

S P R I N G 2 0 1 0

March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

GROW THE GAME

GROW YOUR BUSINESS

GROW THE INDUSTRY

PlayTennis Widget: Consumers can easily find programs, facilities, retail-ers, demo racquets, playing partners and lessons.

TennisConnect.com: The new Pick & Click tool can enhance your tennisshop, along with group email, court scheduling, String Center and more.

GrowingTennis.com: New business resources include the Facility Manag-ers Manual, a new Retailers Manual and a Cardio Tennis Kids manual.

CareersInTennis.com: The new website is focused on starting or buildinga career in tennis, including job opportunities, resources and internships.

Racquet Sales Start to Turn Upward at End of Year

While 2009 racquet shipments

showed an overall decline for the

year, there is a bright spot, as

fourth-quarter sales numbers from

pro/specialty moved upward, ahead of thefourth quarter in 2008.

Fourth-quarter comparisons show racquet

sales at pro/specialty stores increased in 2009

by 3% (for both units and dollars) relative to

2008.

Amid this tough overall economic climate,

its good news that racquet sales moved out of

the negative for the last few months of the

year, says Jolyn de Boer, executive director of

the TIA. We hope we can continue this trend

through 2010, especially in light of the recent

news that more than 30 million people arenow playing tennis in the U.S.

BNP Paribas Showdown/Tennis Night In America/$1 Million Serve

Serena Williams will meet Kim Clijsters while Venus Williams plays Svetlana Kuznetsova on March 1 at the

BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The win-

ners of those matches will then vie for the big prize: $1.2 million. The event will be broadcast on MSG Net-

work and ESPN2 (check for times) and online at ESPN360. For tickets and information, visit www.thegarden.com.

Also during the BNP Paribas Showdown, the Racket Up, America! winner, Christine Smith of Hurst, Texas,

will serve to a target and try to win $1 million. In addition, March 1 also is Tennis Night in America, the cul-

mination of four days of Youth Registration events to help jumpstart spring and summer junior tennis pro-

grams throughout the country. Last year, more than 750 tennis facilities signed up for Youth Registration Night.For more information go to TennisNight.com.


24/44

Q Jon Muir, worldwide general manager

of Wilson Racquet Sports, begins two-

year term as TIA president.

Q U.S. tennis participation in 2008 is at

the highest level since 1992 with near-

ly 27 million participants in the sport.

Q The first publication of the Tennis

Retailer Health Index, introduced by

the TIA to monitor and track the pro/specialty retail mar-

ket, shows a 19% increase from the baseline year of

2003, although year-end ball & racquet shipments go flat

and retailers begin to feel the effects of the recession that

started in early 2008.

22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

JANUARY FEBRUARY

Q The USTA/TIA Participation Sur-

vey shows that 1.8 million players

joined the game in 2008, and

charting economic indicators

show that people may actually

increase play in a down economy.

Q GrowingTennis.com site is revamped and adds a Busi-

ness Resource Section for facilities and retailers. The site

sees a 1000% increase in providers using it to post their

programs and information in online consumer searches.

Q TennisIndustryNews.org debuts and features the latest

news feeds from RSI, along with TIA member news, plus

an official tennis industry calendar, GrowingTennis

newsletter archives, and more.

Q TennisConnect Retailer debuts as a comprehensive serv-

ice for tennis merchants and pro

shop managers to enhance their

web presence.

Q Ball and Racquet shipment

reports for 2008 show an increase of 16% in ball units

and 44% in racquet units since 2003.

Q The TennisInsure program is expanded to include multi-

ple forms of coverage & experts on two sides of the busi-ness: Property & Casualty and TennisInsure Association

E-Health Programs.

Q TIA holds annual Board Meeting on March 2 and gets

behind USTAs QuickStart Tennis and Tennis Night in

America efforts to grow youth participation.

MARCH

Q Tennis is the fastest

growing traditional sport

in the U.S., according to

the SGMA, up 43% from

2000 to 2008.

Q SGMA study for the first

time records Cardio Ten-

ni s par tic ipant s at

600,000, which exceeds squash players.Q GrowingTennis system statistics show that the system is

receiving more than 4 million consumer queries every

month.

Q The first TIA Tennis Summit is held April 23 to 24 in New

York City to address the changing marketplace.

APRIL

Q TIA releases Tennis is the Fastest

Growing Sport publication to the

industry and its members.

Q The TIA partners with Rally for the

Cure and Susan G. Komen for the

Cure to have Cardio Tennis Rally for

the Cure events take place at tennis

facilities across the nation.

Q The TIA, USTA and RSI recognize

the Top 50 Tennis Welcome Centers of 2008.

Q An industry-wide promotionRacket UP, America!is

developed and attracts wide partner support to help pro-

mote consumer awareness and drive traffic at retail.

MAY

Q The 2008 Tennis Marketplace is released, with highlights

on player participation increasing to nearly 27 million

and play occasions up 13% in 2008, but by mid-year

2009, racquet & balls shipments show decline.

Q The TIA Tennis Forum date is set for September 1, dur-

ing the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference and US Open,

along with the TIA Board Meeting and Tennis Industry

Hall of Fame announcement.

Q TIA initiates meeting with Sports Illus-

trateds main tennis writer.

Q Tennis growth story receives more than

421 million media impressions

throughout print, internet, TV and

other channels.

JUNE

Analysis of traditional sports, SGMA 2008


25/44March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

Q The Racket Up, America!

promotion kicks off in aneffort to stimulate racquet

sales at retail shops across

the U.S.

Q Tennis participation news appears on Live with Regis &

Kelly and other mainstream media outlets.

Q The TIA reports 2,602 Tennis Welcome Centers, 1,701

Cardio Tennis Sites, and 1,221 QuickStart Tennis sites in

the U.S. year-to-date.

Q Second TIA Tennis Summit is held July 16 to 17 in New

York City and addresses need to create more frequent

players, and turn focus on industry and business health.

JULY AUGUST

Q The TIA partners

with PublicEarth tobring tennis facility

and retailer coordi-

nates and locations to GPS units and mobile phones.

Q The Court Activity Monitor shows a net increase in

Early Season 2009 vs. Late Season 2008 along with

more than 1 million online court reservations tracked.

Q The TIA joins various social media networks such as

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to promote tennis.

Q More than 1,600 facilities have been added to date to the

GrowingTennis System, pushing the total number to

20,000-plus.

Q The TIA holds its annual TIA Ten-

nis Forum at the USTA National

Tennis Teachers Conference.

Q Alan Schwartz is inducted into the

Tennis Industry Hall of Fame.

Q The TIA holds a Technology Work-

shop in New York City in conjunc-

tion with the USTA and Active

Network.

Q TIA Board meeting is held in New

York City during the US Open.

Q Racket UP, America! concludes Sept. 30 and estimates

$400,000 increase in racquet sales plus additional

$200,000 future sales.

SEPTEMBER

Q The 2008 Tennis Participation

Health Index is released,

showing an 18.1% increase

since the measure was initiated

in 2003.

Q The GrowingTennis System

adds tools for Facility Managers

to download, including a Facil-

ity Managers Manual and aGo Green section.

Q TIA attends Career Weekend at

Ferris State University in Michigan and works toward

attracting young talent into the industry through Careers

in Tennis initiative.

OCTOBER

Q The online career development tool,

Careers in Tennis, is soft-launched at

CareersInTennis.com.

Q The 2008 Play Report is generated

and presented at a conference in

Washington, D.C., and shows that

tennis continues to hold the No. 1

spot for traditional sports.

Q The 2009 Cost of Doing Business survey is sent to retail-

ers and facilities and expanded to capture data for court

contractors and designers.

Q TennisConnect registers its 200,000th player and Ten-

nisConnect Retailer offers manufacturer branded pages

in a newly released version to help retail businesses.

NOVEMBER

Q The 2009 TIA/USTA Tennis Partici-

pation study shows that total ten-

nis participation tops 30 million

players for the first time in the 22-

year history of the survey, further

mobilizing the industry to match

participation health with industry health.

Q TIA and research partners create the TIA Economic

Index, to gather top-line data from eight key sectors of

the tennis economy to improve industry health.

Q TIA develops a PlayTennis widget for consumer sites.

Q Christine Smith of Hurst, Texas, is announced as the win-

ner of Racket Up, America! and will serve for $1 mil-

lion at Madison Square Garden on March 1st, 2010.

DECEMBER

2009 YEAR IN REVIEW


26/44March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 24Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

Get Involved With The NewCareersInTennis.com Website

The industrys new online career development tool

CareersInTennis.comis up and running, offering

resources, development tools, networking opportunities and

more, all designed to attract and help young talent find employ-

ment in all areas of the tennis business.

Students, recent college graduates and others can register onthe site for free and view open job opportunities and internship

positions. And they can take advantage

of other resources on the site, including

information on tennis organizations

and companies and access to numerous

industry job sites and career develop-

ment tools.

Companies and organizations can

create an account that allows them to post jobs and internships.

Employers also can view resumes and post a profile about their

company or organization. We have hundreds of job opportuni-

ties on the site right now, but we know more companies can takeadvantage of this great tool for filling positions and finding

interns, says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. Its impor-

tant for the industry to highlight the opportunities available and

the advantages to working in this trade sector.

The TIA also is working with the PTR and USPTA to help high-

light tennis-teaching opportunities. TIA surveys show that a high

percentage of college students are interested in entry-level coach-

ing and teaching positions.

Companies or organizations wishing to post job or intern

opportunities should go to CareersInTennis.com to place your list-

ings for free. For more information on CareersInTennis.com, con-

tact Ryan Melton at 843-686-3036 ext. 226 [email protected]

PlayTennis WidgetComing SoonMake SureYour Business Is Listed

T

he TIA is rolling out a

PlayTennis widget

designed to reach main-

stream consumers with infor-mation on how to get started in

tennis. Any website can use this

widget so consumers can find

programs, places to play, retail-

ers, demo racquets, game-matching and coaching.

Searches are by name, city, state or ZIP code,

tapping into a database of more than 20,000

facilities and retailers. Make sure your informa-

tion is in our database, up to date and pops up

in consumer searches by going to GrowingTen-

nis.com and either log in or click First Time Vis-

itorits fast, easy and free. For more details onthe PlayTennis widget, visit TennisIndustry.org.

Let TennisConnect Pick &Click Enhance Your Shop

Now tennis retailers can add the power of man-

ufacturers branding to their stores websites.

One of the unique features of the TennisCon-

nect software is the new Pick & Click content editor.

Available at the Tennis-

Connect Retailer level,Pick & Click is one of the

easiest ways to add manu-

facturer-approved content

to your website, and to

drive consumer sales to

your store.

In the website builders Pick & Click Editor, you

can choose from a menu of itemswidgets, tem-

plates, design elements, logos and major manufac-

turer-branded messagesthat you simply click on.

The items you choose go into the page builder sec-

tion, then just hit update and its automatically put

on your website.

Pick & Click is user-friendly and the content is

constantly updated as new products, promotions and

campaigns come out. Importantly, product sales on

your website are then fulfilled in person only, at your

retail location, allowing even more chances for addi-

tional sales.

TennisConnect produces over 10,000 web pages

and generates 3.2 million page views per month. The

average Tennis Connect Retailer site receives 8,000

page views per month. If you are a retailer or manu-

facturer, please contact Marty Mohar at marty@

tennisindustry.org or 843-686-3036 x.227.

Guides Available for Facility Managers,Retailers, Cardio Tennis Kids

Whether youre a facility manager, tennis retailer or teach-

ing pro, you can find the resources that can help your

business at GrowingTennis.com/Resourcesall for free.

Under the Tools & Resources link, the new Facility Managers

Manual is a 90-page guide that covers all topics that a manager

or tennis director needs to know about to

effectively and efficiently run a tennis facili-

ty. The new Retailers Manual offers every-

thing from writing a business plan, to

creating a management team, to retail

basics and using technology. And the Cardio

Tennis Kids manual will show you how to

implement this profitable program that will

help kids stay healthy, get fit and have fun.

GrowingTennis.com also has other

resources that can help you grow your business and your profits.

Be sure to post your programs and information so consumers can

find you and your business. These postcards attract 4 million

consumer queries a every month.


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S P E C I A L R E P O R T : S T A T E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y

THE CHANGING

TENNIS LANDSCAPEOur upcoming series will take a hard look at whats good and bad in

this industry, and how we can make things better for everyone.

I

n the coming months, RSI will be running a series of articles on

the state of the tennis industry. We want to look at all areas ofthis business and try to understand whats good, whats bad,

what needs to be improved and, importantly, how we as an

industry can go about making this business better for everyone.

Our goal is to bring out the issues that matter to you and

directly affect you and your business. A lot is changing in this

industry, and we plan to examine the shifting landscape and

what it means for manufacturers, retailers, teaching pros, facili-

ties, players, court construction, tournaments, pro tours, and

more. And we hope to shed some light on ways this industry

may be able to move the needle so that everyone benefits.

Theres no question that this past year has been tough. You

hear it from nearly everybody in this business; you see it when

manufacturers lay off staff or restructure, when tennis retailers

are forced to close their doors because they cant make ends

meet, when court contractors struggle to find work. Certainly the

overall economy plays a major role in this. But is that the only

reason?

The bright spot, of course, is that according to recent

research, more people are playing tennis now than at any other

point in the last 20 years. But that itself raises even more ques-

tions: How can participation be up, yet companies and retailers

that support this industry seem to be withering away? Shouldnt

increased tennis participation translate into more business for

everybody? Where is the disconnect, and how can we fix it?

In our State of the Industry series, we want to examine both

our strengths and our weaknesses then try to figure out how we as

an industry can capitalize on whats good, fix whats bad, and beon a path toward long-term, sustained growth.

There are questions in every area that we, as an industry, need

to address honestly and dispassionately. For instance, how do

manufacturers and retailers come to terms with pricing policies,

closeouts and online sales? Are manufacturers cranking out too

many SKUs? Are product life cycles hurting retailers? What is the

ripple effect when a local retailer is forced to close? Who is serving

tennis retailers?

And what about teaching pros? Are two competing profession-

al teaching organizations helping or hurting this industry? Are they

affecting the quality of teaching pros out there? How are they

affecting relationships with other groups in this industry? Should

the USTA start its own certification program?

How do we increase the number of frequent tennis players?

What are the ramifications of an increase in league play and a

decline in tournament play? How are flex leagues and other social

tennis formats changing recreational tennis? Is QuickStart Tennis

the long-term industry cure-all some think it is? Why do pro tour-

naments seem to be having trouble attracting sponsors? How can

we generate more business for court contractors? Is a changing

media landscape affecting how we communicate to consumers?

There are, of course, a lot more questions we hope to examine.

And, as this series progresses, we hope to hear from you, too, about

your opinions and what you think is important. Now is the time for

all of us to be open and honest about this industry. Q

THE CHANGING

TENNIS LANDSCAPE


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30/44

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


It may not take much to make sure yourcourts appeal to your clientele.

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

What makes tennis courts kid-friendly? Teen-friendly? Senior-

friendly? In many cases, it's

a combination of the court

itself, and the accoutrements. And

while you can't turn your courtsinto a trip to Disneyland for chil-

dren (or a trip to the mall for

teens, or a cruise for your seniors),

you can put a few key elements

into place that make those same

courts a pleasure for the specific

populations you're trying to

entice.

CHILD-FRIENDLY COURTSThe QuickStart Tennis format has

revolutionized the way tennis is

being taught toand taken up

bychildren across the U.S. With

its shorter courts, lower nets and

low-compression foam balls (not

to mention shorter racquets), the

game is more approachable, easi-

er to teach and more fun to learn.

Many facilities have already

built permanent QST courts for

kids, others have permanent QST

lines on regular-size courts. Con-

tact a court contractor about build-

ing QST courts or putting down

the playing lines for various age groups. (Contrary to what you

may have heard, adding QST lines to a regular-size, white-lined

court is not confusing for players.

If the QST lines are in the same

color family as the court surface

say light blue QST lines on a dark

blue court surfaceadult players

probably will not notice them at all

while they play. Go to

www.usta.com to find out more.)

Already have QST? How about

a few other things that make ten-

nis fun for kids? Is there a hitting

wall or backboard? How about

designing a target on it, with vari-

ous areas kids can aim for? A fun

graphic with various spots can

entice kids and make grooving

their shots less of a chore and

more of a game.

Seen one too many children

who prefer Little Debbie to Little

League, and who think Wii Tennis

has taught them to play? Hold a

Cardio Tennis Kids challenge and

see what develops. The program

challenges children, using music

and fun games, and (bonus round)

is done in short bursts so as not to

overexert kids.

IS YOUR

FACILITY A TENNISHANGOUT?

IS YOUR

FACILITY A TENNISHANGOUT?

Ideas You Can UseQ

Harness community resources: Have a municipal tennisfacility that needs a hitting wall painted with a fun design? Find a

local Scout troop and see if there's an artistic teen looking for an

Eagle Scout project.

Q Jazz up the court surface color scheme: "Everyone likes

the color schemes they see on TV at the various tournaments, and

they want their courts the same," says Dave Baird of Industrial

Surface Sealer, Inc. of Cleveland.

Q Hold "no grown-ups allowed" activities for children who

can have fun without well-meaning parents shouting cues to

them while they're on court.

Q Setting up "teen nights" and "tennis mixers" can help

young players get to know one another and start playing.

Q The doctor is in: Ask a sports medicine doctor to hold a ses-

sion with senior players to discuss stretches and exercises for a

healthy, safe game.

Q Take photos of everyone (kids, teens, seniorseveryone)

having fun and enjoying the game. Post the photos on a bulletin

board and update it regularly to try to showcase as many players

as possible over time.

Q Hold a century tournament: It's a fun doubles tourna-

ment where the ages of the players on each side have to add up

to (or come close to) 100. It allows seniors and teens to team up,

as well as others. (Work with other numbers as well: a half-centu-

ry, a 25, etc., depending upon your demographics.)


31/44

March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

thetic turf or roll-down synthetic carpet-type surfaces," says

Marsden. "Also, they generally prefer a slower surface pace

with a higher ball bounce, which gives them more time to

reach the ball. Weve found that members of higher-end clubs

prefer a clay-type surface for the ease on the body plus the

fact that the club handles the maintenance aspect of clay

courts."

Other things seniors tend to like? Shade shelters with plen-ty of seats that will keep them out of the sun, and allow them

to enjoy matches in progress. Many players like to use tennis

as a social activity, and if encouraged, will sit and talk and

relax both before and after matches. Q

TWEENS AND TEENSHere's a challenge. Try to excite kids in an age group that doesn't

want to look like they're getting excited about anything. Hmmm.

Maybe it's time to amp up the level of play.

"Some clubs with a younger membership may prefer faster,

all-weather surfaces (asphalt, concrete) that lend themselves to a

serve-and-volley style of play," says Dave Marsden of Boston Ten-

nis Court Construction Co. in Hanover, Mass.(While many builders agree with the younger players/faster

courts theory, Randy Futty of Lee Tennis Products in Char-

lottesville, Va., notes, Were seeing a growing trend where

national tennis organizations such as the USTA, Tennis Australia,

and the LTA (UK) are investing in

building clay courts at their train-

ing facilities in an effort to better

develop their top junior talent.")

Think about games to help

clock players' serves, using a

radar gun. Post the high serve

score and invite other teens to tryto beat it. Hold special clinics to

help teens work on their serve

(and other strokes).

Have vending machines so

that kids have a ready supply of

snacks, sodas and other bever-

ages. (Don't forget the trash cans

and recycle bins). A radio that can

be tuned to a popular station may

also be a good amenity. (Depend-

ing upon the players' tastes and

the proximity of other courts, you

may want to keep the controls for

station and volume at the front

desk, in the pro's office, etc.)

Since teens will probably have

cell phones, iPods and other

equipment, small lockers can

help keep personal possessions

safe.

Plenty of seating will encour-

age teens to relax and watch

matches in progress. A pro shop

that includes some edgier selec-

tions may also be useful. A ping-

pong table (if it's an indoor or

sheltered area) will encourage

kids to stick around and challenge

one another as well.

SENIORSWith senior players on the court,

it's easy to identify one thing that

might come up in discussions: the

playing surface.

"Seniors generally prefer soft

courts such as clay, fast-dry, syn-



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T H E W I N N I N G edge

Ask Headline B Y L I N E ?



PUBLIC

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

Public tennis courts are where tennis really starts. Surveys have

shown that 70 percent of all players started playing on public

courts. Children take lessons there, students meet for friendly

matches there in the summer or after classes, and seniors meet

up to hit balls and stay in the game. It's what you as a rec man-

ager had in mind all along.

Something you didn't have in mind, though, is what seems to

be happening with increasing frequency. Players are complaining

that someone has had a fast-food picnic overnight and left food

wrappers lying around. Show up to clean up the mess and sud-

denly, you become aware of a number of other problems. Some-one has allowed their children to use one court to ride their

collapsible scooters because the surface is marked. In another

court, there is graffiti on the hitting wall.

The same thing that makes park and community courts

greatthe fact that anyone can use themis the same thing that

threatens them: anyone can use them (and unfortunately, abuse

them).

With so many municipal budgets being slashed, it's usually not

possible to hire a security force to keep an eye on your tennis

courts. But, say members of the American Sports Builders Associ-

ation, there are a few proactive measures that sports facility man-

agers can take to try to keep courts a little safer.

VANQUISHING VANDALISMWhether it's gang tag graffiti or the work of kids trying to establish

whose high school is better, you don't want it on your hitting wall

(or anywhere else). Having a mural on the hitting wall works in

some areas to deter vandals, but it depends on the area, the type

of vandalism you're experiencing, and how isolated your courts

are.

Many managers find it easier to apply anti-graffiti coatings,

which establish a protective surface that paint cannot bond to.

There are various types of such coatings on the market, and some

are more expensive than others, but when compared to the con-

stant work of having to remove graffiti, the coatings pay for them-

selves. (In many cities where large murals cover the sides of build-

ings or underpasses, these coatings are a routine part of the artis-

tic process, and work as an investment to keep the finished

product safe.)

S.O.S. (SAVE OUR SURFACE)A tennis court is built with certain traffic in mind, namely white-

soled court shoes and felt-coated tennis balls. It's not set up to

accommodate skateboards, inline skates, bikes and other uses,

and the surface is going to be marked up by basketball shoes,

street shoes and so forth.Posting signs stating the rules (court shoes only; no skates,

bikes, etc. on the surface) should be the facility manager's first

line of defense. Unfortunately, that only works for those who read

the signs and obey the rules, two ingredients that are often miss-

ing from those who are abusing the courts.

Some managers of park courts have found that rather than try-

ing to keep skaters, inline hockey players and others off all the

tennis courts, it is easier to set aside a court (or another paved

area) just for their use. That area can be simply a flat surface free

of net posts, and can be fenced to enhance safety. They should

also be surfaced in a different manner, according to Matt Hale of

Halecon Inc. in Bridgewater, N.J.

Hale recommends a surface as flat as possible, since "the

slightest crack, bump, or ridge can cause a tripping hazard, which

is very dangerous to the players. Due to the nature of these

sports, with hockey sticks constantly hitting the surface for inline

hockey, and bikes and skateboards skidding, falling and hitting

the surfaces, the surface must be tougher than a standard acrylic

surface used on tennis courts."

Damaged tennis surfaces can be repaired by a tennis-court

contractor, who may also be able to provide advice on surfacing

for adjacent areas for skating, basketball and other activities.

Make sure that other areas are marked for specific sports, and

separately fenced, to provide extra delineation.

Fencing is always a conundrum for facility managers, who

PUBLIC

ENEMIESEasy-access municipal courts are a keyto growing tennis. But how can you

deal with vandalism and abuse?



being hit by soccer balls and so forth. In addition, if movable fence

gates lead to the tennis court, children may amuse themselves by

riding the gates back and forth, ultimately damaging the hinges

and making the gate drag on the surface of the court.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?Court lighting may help the problem. Vandals and other mischief-

makers hate an audience. If your facility doesn't have all-night

lighting, consider motion-activated sensors for lighting fixtures.

(Bonus: It increases a sense of safety for players who want to playat night or early in the morning.)

Locking the gates around courts at night is effective, but should

be considered a last resort, particularly since the point of a public

court is to invite play. However, if damage is profound, it may be

the only option.

Perhaps, say builders, the most effective way to prevent prob-

lems is, like anything else, to keep courts busy. Courts that see a

lot of player traffic are less likely to sit idle, and less likely to be

used the wrong way, or even abused.

"The key is generating tennis activity on the courtsnot lock-

ing them upthen the rest will be taken care of," says Richard

Zaino of Zaino Tennis Courts in Orange, Calif.Leagues, tennis days, clinics, camps, P.E., after-school or

recess programsit all keeps courts busy. And with activity

comes stewardshipplayers take a sense of ownership of the

courts, and are likely to report those who are misusing them.

They'll also report problems with the court itself, like cracks,

marks or aging equipment, which, with any luck, will translate

into those problems being addressed quickly, and play continu-

ing, or growing. Q

need to strike a balance between keeping courts safe and keeping

them accessible. Some courts have been designed with fence

mazes that are effective at keeping out bicycle traffic, but this

makes it difficult for wheelchair players to enter. Some court man-

agers have designed gates just wide enough for a standard wheel-

chair, but note that this also leaves the court vulnerable to other

abuses. Ask Alex Levitsky of Global Sports & Tennis Design Group

LLC in Fair Haven, N.J., how to prevent abuse in an unsupervised

area, and he simply sighs and says, "Pray."

OTHER PROBLEMSUnsupervised courts may begin to have problems with the net. It

may sag because children have been leaning on it, pulling at it or

running into itor it may be because well-meaning players have

over-tightened it prior to their game. (In some cases, an over-tight-

ened net can lead to damage of the winding mechanism, to the

post and even to the court itself.)

"We do see damage to net posts and net-post footers from

over-tightened nets," says Jonnie Deremo of General Acrylics Inc.

of Phoenix. "We always tell people with open unsupervised facili-

ties not to leave the net post crank handles on the posts, but they

seem to end up there anyway. This is a maintenance issue that ifchecked regularly, would prevent so much damage."

Tamper-resistant net posts, which have an internal wind mech-

anism, have been used in municipal installations with great suc-

cess. Nets can be set to the correct tension by a court manager,

then locked into place. Because there is no external handle for

users to turn, there's no way to over-tighten the net.

Fences and gates may be vulnerable to abuse as well. Accord-

ing to Levitsky, fences may show bulges from being leaned on,



34/44



W

indscreen, also known as background curtain, has a variety

of uses in addition to its original and primary purpose of

reducing or deflecting wind on outdoor courts.Ask any court builder, equipment supplier, facility manager or

player, and they can tell you that windscreen also:

Q provides better visibility so players can see the ball

Q reduces glare off uncoated chain-link fence

Q provides privacy

Q reduces distractions

Q helps contain artificial light at night

Q helps courts blend into their surroundings.

The good news? Windscreen is effective at all of those. The not-

so-good news? It can't do it without some help from you. Mainte-

nance should include the following:

Q PreseasonInstall windscreens.Q As RequiredReplace damaged panels.

Q DailyCheck that windscreens are securely fastened to the

fence framework; check for tears, pulls or other damage to the

fabric.

Q WeeklyHose down or wash w

Documents

201003 Racquet Sports Industry