April 2009

Volume 37 Number 4 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.comm

2009
RACQUET
SELECTION
GUIDE
Our exclusive map
will help you target
the perfect frame
When, and How,
Should You Fire
a Customer?
Contents R S I

INDUSTRY NEWS
A P R I L 2 0 0 9

7 Babolat unveils new Y line

of racquets
FEATURES
7 PTR to host Tennis Club &
19 When to Fire a Client Facilities Conference
Sometimes, a difficult
customer just isn’t 7 700 facilities take part in
worth keeping. How do
‘Tennis Night’
you know when to show
him the door?
8 PTR presents annual awards
22 2009 Racquet at Symposium
Selection Map
Our exclusive annual 8 Capestany named PTR
guide to racquets will help Master Professional
you quickly and easily
choose the right frames 9 2009 Stringers Symposium
for your customers. set for Disney World
10 Dunlop expands Aerogel 4D
line of racquets
10 ‘Tennis Life’ to be official
mag of USTA Florida
12 USPTA announces 2009
tourney schedule
13 College Tennis Roundup
14 USTA names Community
Tennis award winners
14 USPTA pros raise
$4 million for charity
14 Nova Sports chosen for
India sports complex

DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve 28 Tips and Techniques
7 Industry News 30 Ask the Experts
17 TIA News & Updates 32 Your Serve, by Paula Hale
26 String Playtest: Wilson Hollow Core 16
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009
Our Serve

F
Sharing Your Successes
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
ebruary was a busy time on Hilton Head Island. Editorial Director
This tennis hotbed became even hotter when the Peter Francesconi
USTA’s Community Tennis Development Work- Associate Editor
shop was held there, and immediately after that, the Greg Raven

PTR International Tennis Symposium. Design/Art Director

Kristine Thom
If you’ve read this column in the past, you probably know that I have
Contributing Editors
a soft spot for the USTA’s CTDW. That workshop is probably the best
Robin Bateman
thing the USTA does every year in terms of promoting grassroots ten- Cynthia Cantrell
nis and giving CTAs, teaching pros, facility managers and others the Kristen Daley
Joe Dinoffer
tools and ideas they need to increase participation—which, by the way,
Liza Horan
increases their business, too. James Martin
The hundreds of community tennis leaders who were at the CTDW Greg Moran
Chris Nicholson
heard from experts in many fields, from financial management, to mar- Bob Patterson
keting, to developing champions, to liability, to website issues, to cur- Cynthia Sherman
rent grassroots programs and programming, and much more. Mary Helen Sprecher

In many instances, participants heard from the people who run suc- RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
cessful grassroots programs. For instance, in one seminar, one of the Corporate Offices
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
presenters was Becky Blue, the president of the Brandon (S.D.) Tennis
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Association, which won the USTA’s CTA of the Year Award. She had Email: [email protected]
some wonderful and practical advice on getting a CTA’s the board of Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
directors involved in fund-raising for the long-term.
I can almost guarantee that if you’re a facility manager, teaching pro, Advertising Director
coach, or involved in your local CTA or other tennis group, you’ll prob- John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
ably come away from the CTDW with a dozen ideas on how to increase [email protected]
tennis participation, run your business more efficiently, get the most
out of programming, and much more. And with all the networking that Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
naturally occurs there, you’ll take back dozens of excellent connections. 203-263-5243
That’s the beauty of the CTDW—it brings together the people who [email protected]
have a passion for community tennis, and it focuses on sharing ideas Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
year: monthly January through August and com-
and practices that work. And it all fits in with USTA President Lucy
bined issues in September/October and Novem-
Garvin’s emphasis on teamwork (“One Team, One Goal”), because ulti- ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330
mately, in this economy, we all have to pull together to keep tennis Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail at
Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Vista, CA and
moving forward.
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.
Peter Francesconi Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-
Editorial Director
tions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry,
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

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

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

R S I A P R I L 2 0 0 9

INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS

700 Facilities Take Babolat Unveils New Y Line of Racquets

Part In ‘Tennis Night’ abolat’s latest racquet innovation is “Y” technology, most visible in its five new oversize rac-
The USTA says more than 700
tennis facilities, recreation
departments and community
B 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
centers across the U.S. took part with precision, mainly due to four featured technologies:
in the first-ever national youth Q Side Drivers: This dual-structure construction connects the yoke
registration initiative for spring and the head with arms that extend the yoke up to the 3 and 9
and summer tennis programs— o’clock positions, creating a stiffer construction and distributing
held as part of “Tennis Night in more power from the base of the yoke to the middle of the head,
America” on March 2—attract- says the company. The Side Drivers cause less twisting at ball
ing tens of thousands of kids impact, according to Babolat.
Q Dual-Graphite Construction: Two types of graphite—high-mod-
and parents.
Tennis Night in America also ulus in the yoke for power, and Babolat’s proprietary Crystal
included the ”BNP Paribas Graphite material in the head for torque resistance.
Showdown for the Billie Jean Q Cellular Grommet System: These are individual grommet sections
King Cup” at New York’s Madi- that run 360 degrees around the head of the racquet. Babolat says
son Square Garden. The Show- this system creates more consistent energy absorption at ball impact
down featured Serena Williams,
for more comfort and forgiveness.
Q Smart Grip: Ergonomically designed grip allows players to hold the rac-
Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic
and Jelena Jankovic competing
in a single-elimination tourna- quet with less effort, says Babolat, by increasing the contact surface with
ment for the inaugural BJK Cup the hand. Smart Grip is standard on two Y frames and, if players prefer,
before a live national TV audi- can be replaced with a regular grip, or it is available as a stand-alone kit.
ence on HBO. The tournament The frames in the Y line are the Y112 Limited (suggested retail $249),
was captured by Serena Y112 ($229), and Y112 with Smart Grip ($229), each at 112 square inches;
Williams in a straight-set victory and the Y118 ($239) and Y118 with Smart Grip ($239), at 118 square inch-
over her sister Venus. es. Babolat Y tennis bags and slings, designed to fit Y racquets in shape and color,
National Youth Registration are also available, as is the Smart Grip Kit.
Night events were created to View the line of Y products at Babolat.com/obsession, or www.babolat.com, or call 877-316-9435.
give young players and their
families around the country a
day all their own to sign up for PTR to Host Inaugural Tennis Club
spring and summer program-
ming including team tennis play. & Facilities Conference on Hilton Head
Facilities and clubs across the he PTR will host its inaugural Tennis Club & Facilities Conference May
country, in cooperation with
HBO, also offered live viewing
parties for the Showdown.
T 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.
“We were excited about the Presentations and breakout sessions will include topics such as Customer Service, Programming
possibilities of what Tennis to Fill Courts, Innovative Ideas for New Clinics, Marketing Your Club & Programs, Forming a Club
Night in America could be, but Owners Association, Controlling Energy Costs & Expenses, Managing Your Staff, Renovating Your
last night truly exceeded our
Club, Creating/Improving Your Website and more.
expectations,” said Kurt Kam-
The program starts at 1p.m. Wednesday, May 13, and runs through 5 p.m. Friday. Cost is $295
perman, the USTA’s chief execu-
tive of Community Tennis, after before April 1, $325 after April 1, and the price includes all workshops, meals and social activities
the event. through Friday afternoon. For more information or to register, contact PTR at 800-421-6289 or visit
www.ptrtennis.org.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7

 A P R I L 2 0 0 9

Sports Marketing Award winners at the

INDUSTRYNEWS

Veteran Harlan Stone 2009 PTR International

Tennis Symposium: (back
Joins USTA row, from left) PTR CEO

T he USTA has hired sports marketing

veteran Harlan Stone as its new chief
marketing officer for Professional Tennis.
Dan Santorum, Ken
DeHart, Leo Alonso, John
MacDonald, PTR Founder
Stone will be responsible for all advertis- Dennis Van der Meer, Jorge
Capestany, Don Henson,

photo by Ken Mak

ing, marketing, promotional programs
and campaigns for the US Open, the Michael Kypriss; (front row,
Olympus US Open Series, the USTA Pro from left) Debbie Miller,
Circuit and all USA Team events including
Todd Miller, Vicky Mataraz-
zo, Scott Mitchell.
Davis and Fed Cups.
Stone also will be responsible for
entertainment programming at the US
Open and other select USTA pro tennis
PTR Presents Annual Awards
events. He will report to USTA Executive
Director Gordon Smith. T he PTR presented its annual awards in February during the 2009 PTR Interna-
tional Tennis Symposium. The event, which included 60-plus on-court and
classroom presentations, a tennis trade show and $25,000 Championships was
In the early 1980s Stone launched his
own agency that promoted a number of held at Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C.
“Legends” tennis events in the Northeast. Q PTR Professional of the Year: Ken DeHart, San Jose, Calif.
He headed the N.Y. Times Magazine Q Clinician of the Year: Scott Mitchell, Charlotte, N.C.
Group’s Golf Digest/Tennis Sports, then Q Tester of the Year: John MacDonald, Waynesboro, Ga.
was a partner at Advantage International Q Humanitarian Award: Vicky Matarazzo, Lakewood, Colo.
(later renamed Octagon where he served Q Volunteer of the Year: Don Henson, Bonita, Calif.
as president). He worked as a marketing Q Coach Verdieck Touring Pro Coach of the Year: Leo Alonso, Buenos Aires, Argentina
consultant for many leading sponsors Q Coach Verdieck College Coach of the Year: Bryan Shelton, Alpharetta, Ga.
and properties and most recently has Q Coach Verdieck High School Coach of the Year: Michael Kypriss, Hollywood, Fla.
been president of Major League Gaming Q Male Player of the Year: Fernando Velasco, Austin
Properties. 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.
Tennis Channel is Home Q PTR Pride Award: Miller Tennis Center, Williamsville, N.Y.
Q
for U.S. Davis, Fed Cup Q
PTR/USTA Community Service Award: Milan Kubala, Stowe, Vt.
PTR/TIA Commitment to the Industry: Jorge Andrew, Lexington, Vt.

T ennis Channel has

signed a multi-year
deal to be the exclusive
In addition, PTR recognized several State Members of the Year for their contri-
butions to the organization in their respective states.

U.S. television home of

all U.S. Davis Cup ties. Capestany Named PTR Master Professional
The agreement struck
with the ITF and USTA
puts all three ITF annual international
J orge Capestany of Hudsonville, Mich., earned Master Profes-
sional status in the PTR, the only person to do so this year. He
is also now one of only a handful of Master Professionals with
team competitions—Davis Cup by BNP both PTR and USPTA. Capestany was honored during the 2009
Paribas, Fed Cup by BNP Paribas and PTR International Tennis Symposium, held in February on Hilton
Hyundai Hopman Cup—on Tennis Head Island, S.C.
Channel in the U.S. In his 27 years in the industry, Capestany has created and directed lesson pro-
In addition to exclusive U.S. telecast grams that have generated over $1 million in revenue annually. He has had articles
rights, a broadband component to the published in several industry journals and has been a frequent speaker at the PTR
agreement will see U.S. Davis Cup International Symposium, the USPTA World Conference, USTA Tennis Teachers Con-
matches available on demand and in ference and many others.
their entirety on Tennis Channel’s web The founder of www.tennisdrills.tv—a video-based website that shows more than
site, www.tennischannel.com, posted 700 tennis drills and tips—Capestany has developed many nationally ranked juniors,
the day after each competition. Tennis including three national champions. In 1998, he wrote the booklet “Tennis Strategy,”
Channel aired the U.S. Davis Cup first- followed by his second book in 2008, “Mental Toughness—Workbook for Tennis.” He
round match in March as the U.S. beat also is a Master Trainer on the Cardio Tennis Speakers Team and is a member of Wil-
Switzerland in Birmingham, Ala. son’s National Speakers Bureau.

8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 INDUSTRY NEWS

2009 Stringers Upgrades Available for Wise 2086 Tension Head

Symposium Set for
October at Disney F or users of the Wise 2086 Tension Head machine, the company now offers a newly
designed Diablo for free for anyone who has purchased a 2086 in the last six
months. (The Diablo is included with each new machine purchase.) Bought separate-

The 2009 Grand Slam

Stringers Symposium
will once again be held at
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.
the Regal Sun Resort at Remove the old drop-weight mechanism, add the
Disney World in Orlando, new bracket and the Wise 2086 converts almost any
Fla. The event will be Oct. 10 to 14. model drop-weight to a digital electronic stringing
Registration is open now, at machine. The bracket costs $20 plus shipping. For
www.grandslamstringers.com, or you more information, contact [email protected].
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 types
have 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 Following

For Achieving MRT & CS Status

New MRTs
Chris 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

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

 A P R I L 2 0 0 9

Dunlop Expands ‘Tennis Life’ To Be Official

INDUSTRYNEWS

Aerogel 4D Line Florida Section Magazine

D unlop has added four new frames to its
premium racquet line. Designed for
players ranging from beginners to
T ennis Life Magazine will become the new official sec-
tion publication for USTA Florida starting in May. USTA
Florida members will receive six regionally customized
advanced, the four are the Aerogel 4D hard-copy editions of Tennis Life in 2009 and nine edi-
2Hundred, Aerogel 4D 5Hundred, Aerogel 4D tions in 2010, along with an additional online version at
5Hundred Tour and Aerogel 4D 7Hundred. In no extra cost.
addition to Aerogel, all feature Dunlop’s 4D Braid- The association’s current official section publication,
ing for control and feel. Play Tennis Florida, distributed its final edition to mem-
The 4D 2Hundred, which ATP player Tomas bers via an all-digital interactive tennis magazine in Feb-
Berdych uses, has a 95-square-inch head, 18 x ruary.
20 string pattern, and strung weight of 11.9 The USTA Florida section, with nearly 50,000 mem-
ounces. Like the other 4D frames, it features bers, joins USTA Texas, USTA Southwest and USTA North-
4D Touchpoints positioned around the ern in partnering with Tennis Life to distribute its section
frame that Dunlop says makes the rac- publication to USTA members.
quet 33 percent more stable and 33 per-
cent softer, for added touch and feel.
The 4D 5Hundred Tour, played by Dun- Tennis Week Suspends Print Edition
lop Tour Team member Nicolas Almagro, is
11.1 ounces strung, with a head size of 100 T ennis 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,
square inches and a more open 16 x 18 string
pattern. instead, shift its focus to its website,
Dunlop launched its initial four Aerogel 4 D www.tennisweek.com, and its video distribution plat-
racquets in January (4D 3Hundred, 4D 3Hundred forms. TW has been the official publication of the USTA
Tour, the 4D 5Fifty Lite and the 4D Super-Lite). Aerogel 4D 2Hundred Eastern Section. IMG Publishing acquired TW in Decem-
Aerogel 4D 5Hundred
For more information visit www.dunlopsport.com Aerogel 4D 5Hundred Tour
ber 2006.
or call 800-768-4727. Aerogel 4D 7Hundred

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 INDUSTRYNEWS

SHORT
SETS longest college winning streak to 202
matches. Trinity, ranked No. 1 in the nation
anything other than merit has no place in
tennis or any other sport,” the network said
> The U.S. Davis Cup team beat Switzer-
land, 4-1, in the first round in March to
and seeded No. 1 in the tournament, won
its 11th consecutive CSA national title. Its
in a statement.

advance to an away quarterfinal match winning streak is the longest active winning
>quet,Prince was once again the official rac-
ball, footwear and apparel supplier to
against Croatia in July. Croatia has won both streak in any intercollegiate varsity sport. the SAP Open, held in San Jose, Calif., in
previous Davis Cup series with the U.S. and is
the only nation with a winning record
> Olga Govortsova, a top 50 WTA Tour
player, is the first professional player to use
February. It was Prince’s fourth year as the
sponsor of the ATP World Tour stop.
against the Americans. the new Wilson [K]obra Tour. The [K]obra is
>2, inTheFebruary
U.S. Fed Cup team beat Argentina, 3- geared for the hard hitting aggressive play-
>playing
ATP Tour Pro Jarkko Nieminen is now
“head to toe” with Wilson. In addi-
at the Surprise Tennis Complex er who utilizes heavy spin on their shots. tion to his longstanding racquet contract,
in Arizona to gain a spot in the semifinals.
The U.S. will next play the Czech Republic
> The International Health, Racquet and
Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and the
the top 40 player debuted Wilson’s new
apparel and footwear on this year’s pro tour.
April 25-26, at a site in the Czech Republic. USPTA have joined forces to promote the
>Lessons
Head has launched the first of 6 SPEED preventive health benefits of exercise on
>Character.
USTA Serves–Foundation for Academics.
Excellence., the philanthropic and
by Novak Djokovic on Capitol Hill. The partnership aligns two charitable entity of the USTA, will host its
www.head.com, or visit www.speedles- major initiatives: The USPTA’s Tennis–for the 3rd annual USTA Serves Theater Benefit in
sons.com. Djokovic is the voiceover, and health of it! and IHRSA’s “Vision for a New York City on April 23, which will
there is a test giving consumers the opportu- Healthier America.” include seats to the Broadway musical
nity to win one of 10 new autographed
SPEED Racquets, which will be available in
> Tennis Channel canceled its coverage of
the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships in
“West Side Story.” The night begins with a
cocktail reception and dinner at Sardi’s
May. Dubai, United Arab Emirates after it was Restaurant. Guests will then watch the show
> Trinity College of Hartford, Conn., beat
Princeton 5-4 to win the College Squash
announced that WTA pro Shahar Peer of
Israel would not be allowed into the coun-
from orchestra seating at the Palace Theater.
Tickets for the dinner and show are $500
Association men's national team champi- try. “Preventing an otherwise qualified ath- ($300 is tax deductible) and are available by
onship in February and extend the nation's lete from competing on the basis of calling 914-696-7223.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 INDUSTRYNEWS A P R I L 2 0 0 9

P E O P L E W AT C H
• Babolat has named Rich the 17-year history of the
Francey as its Western Delray Beach International
Regional Sales Manager. Tennis Championships. It
Francey has spent the was his third career singles
last 26 years with Prince title.
Racquet Sports. Most
recently, he was Territory • Hall-of-Famer and two-time US Open
Manager for Southern Califor- Champion Tracy Austin will serve as a special
nia and Tennis Warehouse, and was twice consultant for USTA Player Development.
named rep of the year. Michael Lata, who
previously managed sales efforts in the • Karen Ronney, girls’ tennis coach at San
West, will be the National Strategic Account Diego’s Patrick Henry High School, has won
Manager. Positive Coaching Alliance’s Double-Goal
Coach Award for her positive impact on
• Wilson Racquet Sports young athletes.
has signed a long-term
contract with 15-year- • USTA Southern has hired Russell Dendy of
old Laura Robson from Jackson, Miss., as the section’s Mississippi
the United Kingdom. Tennis Service Representative. Dendy has
The 2008 Wimbledon worked as the Junior Programs Director for
Junior champion, she will USTA Mississippi in Jackson from 2005 to
play with the Wilson [K] Blade 98 racquet, 2009.
strung with a combination of Wilson Natural
Gut 17 and Luxilon Timo 1.10. • William (“Bill”) J. Kellogg, president of the
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and the former
• The U.S. Olympic Committee honored co-chair of the USTA Davis Cup & Fed Cup
USPTA members—Anne Smith, Ph.D., and Committee, was elected president of the
Rita Gladstone—as part of its Coaching 45,000-member Southern California Tennis
Recognition Program. Smith, of Dallas, was Association.
honored with the “Doc” Counsilman Sci-
ence Award for tennis for her contributions • Dean Hadaegh has been
in the area of sports psychology and mental named chief technology offi-
training, and Gladstone, of Port Orange, cer and senior vice president,
Fla., was named USOC Volunteer Coach of technical operations, of Ten-
the Year for tennis. nis Channel. He previously
served as chief technology
• Wilson [K]Six-One 95 player Mardy Fish officer and vice president,
became the first top-seed to win the title in administration.

USPTA Announces 2009 Tourney Schedule

T he 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 men’s and women’s
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

12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 INDUSTRY NEWS

COLLEGE
TENNIS 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 Men’s 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 Big
Ten 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 Women’s
Team Indoor title in February. The
event was held at the Swanson Tennis
Center on Gustavus Adolphus Col-
lege in Saint Peter, Minn.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

 INDUSTRYNEWS A P R I L 2 0 0 9

USTA Names Community Tennis Award Winners

A t the 2009 USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop, held in Feb-
ruary in Hilton Head, S.C., the USTA honored individuals and organizations
for 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.

USPTA Pros Raise $4 Million for Charity

U SPTA teaching pros once again demonstrated that giving to
charity is a priority by raising $4 million in 2008 through the asso-
ciation’s Lessons for Life program.
“Our members continue to show their commitment to giving to
charitable causes, especially during the difficult economic climate,” says
Paula 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
program’s 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.

Nova Sports Chosen for

India Sports Complex
N ova Sports USA and its installer in
Delhi, India, has been chosen by
the 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.

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 T I A N E W S A P R I L 2 0 0 9

NEWS & UPDATES

News You Can Use! Tennis is the Fastest Growing Traditional Sport—Up 43%
While we are all

T
he latest research by the Sporting Goods Man-
paying close atten-
ufacturers Association continues to show
tion to the current
impressive news for tennis participation. From
economic turmoil,
2000 through 2008, tennis was the fastest growing
there is, however, a
sport in the U.S., increasing participation by 43 per-
Jolyn de Boer bright spot in
cent over every other traditional sport. A distant sec-
regards to tennis participation
ond place is another racquet sport, racquetball,
growth—one we must capitalize
increasing 11.6 percent in those eight years. The only
on. As an industry, we must contin-
other sports to show participation increases since
ue to work together to create even
2000 are soccer (up 2.2 percent) and basketball (.1
more new players who are looking
percent). Every other traditional sport declined in
for ways to stay healthy and have
participation, including golf (down 4.3 percent).
fun. With the tools and resources
available to your business, we can
help you take advantage of tennis’ Why is Tennis Participation Growing?
esearch shows that tennis participation seems to be less affected by a bad economy. In fact, the

R
increasing popularity, attracting
even more players to the game latest studies show that 26.9 million people are playing tennis, the highest number in 15 years,
and increasing frequent play. 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
At the recent USTA Community calories than virtually any other traditional sport.
Tennis Development Workshop and Q Tennis is relatively inexpensive to play—all you need is a racquet and a can of balls.
then at the PTR Symposium, teach- Q Through unified support, the tennis industry has developed a strong infrastructure providing more
ing pros, coaches and community places to play, programs to learn and partners to play with. A GrowingTennis System at growingten-
tennis leaders all were talking nis.com, designed to help tennis providers, is receiving 2 million consumer queries every month.
about how their programs are Q The TennisWelcomeCenter logo has appeared on 200 million tennis ball cans and 10 million starter rac-
growing. The unified industry sup- quets, directing consumers to go to TennisWelcomeCenter.com.
port we see for programs and ini- Q There are 700,000 participants in USTA League Tennis, 30,000 participants in Tennis on Campus,
tiatives is paying off and now, and tournament attendance continues to grow.
more than ever, is the time to step- Share your reasons for growth at TennisIndustryForum.com. TennisConnect
up those efforts.

Tennis Connect Retailer

Tennis Connect Pro
Let TennisConnect Retailer Boost Your Sales
Tennis Connect
receipts, overdue alerts, and automatic restringing

A
re you a tennis retailer or pro shop manag-
er? Then you need to check out the new reminders. With TennisConnect Retailer, all pro
TennisConnect Retailer, a comprehensive shops and retailers can now leverage the
service that will enhance your website with an economies of scale that come with a centrally
online catalog, racquet demo center, and string cen- maintained storefront, access to manufacturer- Online Components
Online Catalog •
ter, along with all of the other unique functions of supplied branded plug-ins, and “pick & click” edit- String Center •
the popular TennisConnect. ing, all while publishing through their own website Demo Racquet Center •
With TennisConnect Retailer, you can set up an domain. Court Scheduler • •
Multi-Administrator • •
online catalog designed to showcase the brands TennisConnect Retailer also comes with all of Contact Manager • • •
you promote and help drive sales to your pro shop the original functions of TennisConnect, aimed to Group Email • • •
or specialty store. You can also create a Demo Rac- help facility operators and managers increase play E-Calendar • • •
Online Player Matching • • •
quet Center to promote and track your available frequency, which include the court scheduler, Website Builder • • •
demos, know who they’ve been issued to, and group email/contact manager, e-calendar, website TIA Membership
when they are due back. And you can opt to make builder, and online player matching. Marketplace Research • • •
Affinity Benefits • • •
demos available for customers to reserve online. To learn more about TennisConnect Retailer, Merchant Card Services • • •
The online String Center automates the visit www.tennisconnect.org. To get a free demo, Optional Features
restringing process and has a thorough tracking contact Lindsey at 843-686-3036 x 227 or Lind- TennisCollect • • •
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and documentation system that includes racquet [email protected]. Custom Navigation • • •

Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17
 WHEN TO
CUSTOMER RELATIONS

FIRE A
CLIENT
Sometimes, a difficult
customer just isn’t
worth keeping.
How do you know
when it’s time to
show him the door?

“T
BY KENT OSWALD

here 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 Mason’s 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 can’t 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-

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19

tomers. “I had to eventually say to her, ‘I think you would be happi- According to Braden, “problem customers” are usually recognized

ISOLATE THE PROBLEM

er elsewhere. I just can’t satisfy you.’” during a phone call prior to enrolling.
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 When customers have issues that can’t be dealt with, the goal should
customers as “the lunatic fringe—the percentage of people who be to isolate them as soon as possible. “It has always amazed me
cause more problems than they are worth.” how many people one negative person can influence,” Braden says.
Cash, now a consultant after more than 20 years at TCA, esti- “We simply can’t afford to allow one negative person to wreck oth-
mated that each year a member continued in a TCA club was worth ers’ vacation time.”
between $2,500 and $3,000, so to ask a customer not to come back Braden’s solution for dealing with the biggest problems is to pro-
meant he or she was causing big problems. vide them one-on-one sessions with a private coach and on a sepa-
For customers who have trouble conforming to the rules of the rate court. And to politely discourage their return.
club, Cash might use “the scissors trick.” After various letters and a Martha Rogers, whose Peppers & Rogers Group specializes in cus-
review of the situation by at least two management levels, Cash tomer relationships, tells the story of a computer company who felt
would call the member into his office and ask for their membership it necessary to go a step beyond to discourage a customer who was-
card. He offered to slice it in two, refund fees, and end the contract. n’t a good fit. The computer company had a customer in his 90s who
It was a bluff he was prepared to follow through on, but almost was new to the world of technology. He called the customer support
always the customer backed off. If the customer went through every- group at every step (when the box was opened, when things had to
thing else and entered the office, they likely valued club membership be plugged in, when the computer was turned on, etc.). The cus-
highly and it was only a matter of having everybody work together tomer wasn’t bad, he just wasn’t right for their business.
to find an acceptable solution. The company’s solution was an expensive one, but cheaper than
“Most of the time you can settle legitimate gripes,” says Cash. continuing to be true to their business and still service him. They pur-
Sometimes this could be as simple as changing who delivered the chased and sent him a brand new competitor’s computer, along with

WHAT’ S THE LIFETIME VALUE?

services—although that may become a management issue with an a nice note of thanks for his patronage.
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, Rogers insists that businesses recognize and try to measure the life-
the bad seeds may not be his students, but their parents. “The cus- time value of their customers. She believes that most businesses will
tomer is always right … and we have to deal with it,” he says. find that 20 percent of their customers will account for about 80 per-
But dealing with it doesn’t always mean caving in. “We put poli- cent of the profit, and 20 percent will cost the businesses about 80
cies in place to protect ourselves and our businesses. A lot of people percent of its wasted time, cost overruns, and other problems.
are just fine with that; some people aren’t,” admits Havelka. Consider the lifetime benefit of the customer and then deduct the
His primary strategy to avoid having to fire a customer is to costs. For example, consider the gross income plus referrals, and
match the customer with the person who can deliver the services then subtract what you lose in extra administrative time, discounts to
they want—which may not be the same as what the customer may keep them happy, tracking down payments, effect on staff and other
say they want. He cites a pro who “never loses students.” He picks customers, what their complaining can do to your current customers,
his clientele well, and, “He only teaches them what they really want or what happens when they bring you more customers like them.

THE STRESS FACTOR

to know and makes everything as simple as possible.” If you need a rationale for firing those in the bottom 20 percent,
you will often find it there. “It isn’t O.K. for customers who are keep-
ing you in business to have to pay extra [for you] to keep bad cus-
“Even though you try to stand back and not take [problem cus- tomers,” says Rogers.
tomers] personally, you still do,” says coach, author, and psycholo- She suggests that you don’t have to charge everybody for the
gist Allen Fox. “They get to you emotionally. You come away same thing, but apply this carefully by building rules for your busi-
stressed out, but if you keep at it you can help them.” ness that encourage what you want and discourage what you don’t
Knowing that, however, doesn’t mean there aren’t times it is best want. For example, if you want people to pay promptly and in
to cut someone off. Fox offers an example from his days as Pepper- advance, give a discount for those who prepay for multiple lessons.
dine University tennis coach. If you don’t want people taking advantage of your returns policy, put
“I was willing to handle it personally, but [my No. 1 player’s atti- in a “re-stocking” fee, and consider waiving it when the situation war-
tude problems] got to the rest of the team,” says Fox. “It was hurting rants.
team motivation.” Fox suspended his top player for a month and half Rogers admits there is a great deal of judgment that goes into
and the player returned with a better, although still not perfect, atti- deciding who and what to encourage. She is also clear on the bene-
tude. But it was enough, and the team was strengthened both fits of firing bad customers. First, there is the obvious mental health
through the disciplining and the return. benefit: “Your state of mind and mood are going to improve.”
The easiest way to avoid having to fire problem customers is by Beyond that, “If you are able to get rid of 20 customers [out of
knowing what you can deliver, and then making sure you and the 100] on whom you lose money, you can actually charge the remain-
client are clear on expectations. Dean of tennis instruction Vic ing 80 less and give them more [of your] time.” Q
Braden says the way to avoid creating an unpleasant situation is to
be honest from the get-go. “I have no problem saying, ‘It doesn’t Former Tennis Week Editor Kent Oswald is a writer and marketing
consultant.
sound like our Tennis College is the right program for you,’” he says.

20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 RACQUETS

RACQUET
SELECTION
O ur exclusive Racquet Selection Map enables you to
help your customers choose the perfect racquet for
MAP location on the grid, you can narrow down the racquet’s feel
attributes by choosing from length, size, and flex specs coded
them quickly and easily, with the features and per- into the racquet number.
formance they want. Next, look up the racquet(s) by number in the accompany-
The map on the facing page presents the entire perform- ing table. Note, though, that the table on these pages lists every
ance racquet universe on one grid that instantly locates each new performance racquet that came out in the last 12 months.
racquet compared to every other in terms of power, control, If the racquet you find on the grid is not in one of these charts,
and maneuverability. Simply locate the specs of your cus- you’ll find it online at www.racquetsportsindustry.com, where
tomer’s current racquet on the map, then move outward in we have the complete list of every racquet that is currently on
large or small increments in the direction of the customer’s pri- the market, both the newest and the older models.
mary preference—relatively more or less power, control or Your customer will now have a handful of “choice-cus-
maneuverability. Once you’ve zoomed into an approximate tomized” demos. And you’ll have a satisfied customer.

RACQUET SELECTION MAP KEY

1. Power/Control (columns). (formula = length 8. Racquet Quadrants and the Center of the How To Use It
index x headsize x flex x swingweight) ÷ 1000. Racquet Universe. The center of the racquet uni- 1. Ask questions. What are you looking for
Length index calculation: 27" = 1.0, 27.5" = verse is located at the intersection of the two red that your current racquet does not provide?
1.05; 28" = 1.1, etc. lines. Approximately half the racquets lie to the What do you like most and least about your
2. Maneuverability (rows). RDC (Babolat right and left, and half above and below these current racquet? What are the strengths and
Racquet Diagnostic Center) swingweight units. lines. The lines divide the racquet universe into four weaknesses of your game?
3. Racquet ID. The number in the grid corre- color-coded quadrants – clockwise from top left: 2. Locate current racquet on map. If the rac-
lates to the accompanying racquet list. (1) quick power, (2) quick control, (3) stable con- quet is not in the list, take measurements.
4. Headsize. Midsize and midplus (≤104 sq. trol, (4) stable power. These characterizations pro- 3. Locating potential racquets. Depending
in.) have no indicator. vide a general vocabulary for comparing racquets. on the answers to the above questions,
Oversize (105 -117 sq. in.) = •. Superoversize 9. Racquet Finder List. The racquet list accompa- draw an imaginary arrow (a wide or skinny
(≥ 118 sq. in.) = :. nying the map identifies all the new racquets and one) from your present racquet in the
5. Length. x = extended length. Standard gives additional information. For a complete list of desired direction for power and maneuver-
length (27") racquets have no indicator. all current frames on the map, go to ability.
6. Flex (RDC). a = < 60; b = 60-64; c = 65-69; RacquetSportsIndustry.com. The map provides spe- 4. Narrowing the field. Shrink the choices
d = 70-74; e = > 74. The higher the number, cific (very narrow ranges, anyway) swingweight, using the length, headsize, and flex codes to
the stiffer the racquet. flex and power statistics, and general size and match customer preferences.
7. Company. Coded by number and color. See length characteristics. The racquet list specifies the 5. Selecting racquet demos. Once the choic-
accompanying racquet list on the following length and size and further specifies weight, bal- es are narrowed, locate the racquets by
pages. ance, and price. number in the racquet list.

New Racquets from April 2008 to March 2009

Racquet Headsize Length Weight Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail
(in2) (in.) (gm) (oz) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price

ADIDASAdidas 800-982-9337 • www.adidas.com

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
Babolat 877-316-9435 • www.babolat.com
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

22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 RSI’s annual Racquet Selection Map was compiled by Jonathan Wolfe and designed by Kristine Thom.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23
 New Racquets from April 2008 to March 2009 (Cont.)
Racquet Headsize Length Weight Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingweight Power Retail
(in2) (in.) (gm) (oz) (cm) (in.) (RDC) kg x cm2 Formula Price

BABOLAT
BABOLAT (CONT.) 877-316-9435 • www.babolat.com
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 Boris
BECKERBecker 866-554-7872 • www.borisbecker.com
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
CARNELIAN 704-257-4846 • www.carneliantennis.com
44 Carnelian (Pro Tour Graphite) 95 27.00 316 11.15 32.10 12.64 65 301 1859 $225
Dunlop
DUNLOP 800-768-4727 • www.carltonsports.com
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 $219
54 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
FISCHER 800-844-7810 • www.fischertennisusa.com
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
Gamma 800-333-0337 • www.gammasports.com
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 Head 800-289-7366 • www.head.com
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 $240
93 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
NATURAL 702-373-5917 • www.naturaltennis.com
113 Natural Power Grip 100 29.00 343 12.10 33.90 13.35 391 $200
PRINCEPrince 800-2TENNIS • www.princetennis.com
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 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 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
Tecnifibre 877-332-0825 • www.tecnifibre.com
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 Volkl 866-554-7872 • www.volkl-tennis.com
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
WILSON 800-272-6060 • www.wilson.com
187 K Brave 105 27.00 270 9.52 34.00 13.39 62 291 1894 $160
188 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
YONEXYonex 800-44-YONEX • www.yonexusa.com
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

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25

 String Playtest
Wilson Hollow Core 16
Hollow Core is an innovative nylon with a smooth texture that glides through
multifilament from Wilson. Hollow grommets and across the mains. It does,
Core is the first string that, instead of a however, bruise easily in clamps and in
round solid core, has an air-filled, hol- the jaws of the tension head, even when
low triangle-shaped core. According to using the nosecone.
No playtester broke his sample dur-
Wilson, this hollow core is what gives
ing stringing, one reported problems
the string its unique playing properties,
with coil memory, none reported prob-
namely, superb power, comfort, and
control. Around the triangular core are
wrapped high-elasticity microfibers, lems tying knots, and none
which are coated for ease of installa- reported friction burn.

ON THE COURT
tion.
Hollow Core is available in 16 gauge
(1.33 mm) in natural only. It is priced Our playtesters found Wilson Hollow
from $9 for a 40-foot coil, and 660-foot Core 16 to be a great string across the
reels go for $150. For more information board, rating it well above average in
or to order, contact Wilson at 773-714- EASE OF STRINGING Playability, Control, Touch/Feel, Com-
6400, or visit wilson.com/newstring. Be (compared to other strings) fort, Spin Potential, and Tension Reten-
sure to read the conclusion for more Number of testers who said it was: tion, with remarkable consistency in
much easier 4
information about getting a free set to try scores across all nine categories. On the
somewhat easier 14
for yourself. strength of these ratings, Wilson Hollow
about as easy 16

IN THE LAB
Core 16 garnered a well-above-average
not quite as easy 1
not nearly as easy 0 overall ranking of the 130 strings that
The coil of Hollow Core 16 measured 40’. we’ve playtested for publication.
The diameter measured 1.32-1.34 mm OVERALL PLAYABILITY Three playtesters broke the sample
prior to stringing, and 1.26-1.27 mm (compared to string played most often) during playtesting, one at six hours, one
Number of testers who said it was:
after stringing. We recorded a stringbed at eight hours, and one at 17 hours.
much better 2

CONCLUSION
stiffness of 73 RDC units immediately
somewhat better 8
after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson about as playable 13
Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a not quite as playable 10 Given the ratings our playtesters gave
constant-pull machine. not nearly as playable 2 Wilson Hollow Core, there’s little doubt
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed that it can be the “go to” string for
stiffness measured 63 RDC units, repre- OVERALL DURABILITY stringers with customers wanting a
(compared to other strings
senting a 14 percent tension loss. Our strong-performing string with no major
of similar gauge)
control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Origi- Number of testers who said it was: drawbacks: There’s something in Hol-
nal Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units much better 0 low Core just about every player will
immediately after stringing and 71 RDC somewhat better 5 appreciate.
units after 24 hours, representing a 9 per- about as durable 22 Nearly a third of our playtesters
cent tension loss. Hollow Core added 15 not quite as durable 7 commented that Hollow Core offered
grams to the weight of our unstrung not nearly as durable 1 good power — one of the benefits Wil-
frame. RATING AVERAGES son claims for the technology behind
The string was tested for five weeks From 1 to 5 (best) this string — and most rated it accord-
by 35 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat- Playability 3.4 ingly. Most of the other playtesters who
ings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind Durability 3.2 did not find Hollow Core particularly
tests, with playtesters receiving Power 3.2 powerful still felt that it had the right
unmarked strings in unmarked packages. Control 3.6 power level in proportion with its playa-
Average number of hours playtested was Comfort 3.6 bility, control, and touch.
26.9. Touch/Feel 3.4 If you think that Wilson Hollow Core
Spin Potential 3.3 might be for you, fill out the coupon to
Hollow Core feels soft out of the
Holding Tension 3.5
package, with a benign amount of coil get a free set to try.
—Greg Raven Q
Resistance to Movement 3.3
memory. It is straightforward to install,

26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

TESTERS TALK
FREE PLAYTEST
“ This is a nylon based string with the feel of nat- 4.5 male all-court player using Wilson K Pro Open
strung at 58/61 pounds LO (Prince Pro Blend 16)
STRING PROGRAM
ural gut. The response is crisp and clean. It has just
Wilson will send a free set of
”
the right mix of power and touch. 4.5 male all- Hollow Core 16 to USRSA mem-
court player using Head i.Prestige MP strung at 59
pounds LO (Gamma TNT2 16) “ This string has outstanding playability and
comfort. After some tension loss, the playability
bers who cut out (or copy) this
coupon and mail it to:

“ Ease of installation is second to none. Great

”
goes down. 5.0 male all-court player using
Head Liquidmetal Prestige Mid strung at 58
USRSA
Attn: Wilson String Offer,
feel, especially around the net. I definitely notice pounds LO (Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16)
330 Main Street,
”
added power on serves and groundies. 6.0 male
Vista, CA 92084
all-court player using Wilson K Blade strung at 53
pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 16) “ This is a very easy string to install. The crosses
glide very quickly. There is no string movement.
or fax to 760-536-1171,
or email the info below to
Tension maintenance is above average. Even after stringsample@racquet
“ This string is great for heavy topspin. It is very 20 hours, this string looks fresh and plays tech.com
comfortable and makes a nice deep thud at impact.
”
lively. 4.0 male all-court player using Prince

”
Power and spin come very easy. 3.5 male all-
court player using Volkl DNX 4 strung at 60 pounds
O3 Blue strung at 56 pounds LO (Gamma Live
Wire Pro 17)
Offer expires 15 April 2009
Offer only available to USRSA
CP (Wilson K Gut Pro 17) members in the US.

“ This string has a very soft composition. Instal- Name:

“ This string feels and plays like natural gut. It lation is painless. It is very comfortable, but over
USRSA Member number:
”
has great power without sacrificing control. 4.0
male all-court player using Head MicroGEL Radical
”
time it loses pop. 5.0 male all-court player
using Head MicroGEL Prestige Mid Plus strung at Phone:
MP strung at 57 pounds LO (Gamma Live Wire XP 60 pounds CP (Nylon Multifilament 17) Email:
16) If you print your email clearly, we
will notify you when your sample
“ Control is adequate, but the feel is a bit
will be sent.
“ Very comfortable string. It has a very cushioned
feel. Very responsive and lively on serves and vol-
”
harsh. 4.5 male all-court player using Prince
OZone Pro Tour MP strung at 57 pounds LO
For the rest of the tester comments, visit
”
leys. Durability might be an issue for big hitters. (Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16) www.racquetsportsindustry.com.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27

 Tips & Techniques
Readers’ Know-How in Action
RUFFLED BY RIDGES already tensioned on one side of a ridge.
Have you ever been frustrated by the This method will assure that the string
ridges racquet manufacturers put on the next to it will be on the same side of the
outside of grommet strips to "help" guide ridge, so when a cross has to come
the strings? I wish they would stop help- through one hole and go through the
ing, but knowing they don't listen, I found other, there is no chance for a cross-over.
a way to get around this problem — one 5 sets of Gamma Asterisk 16 to:
that doesn’t involve cutting the ridges off Vince Chiarelli, MRT, Largo, FL

EASIER #EASY ATW

with a razor blade. I insert a small awl in

STRINGING$
the hole to be blocked before tensioning of the string through the grommet hole
the blocking string. That way, I can control for the outside main at the top. After
which side of the ridge the string is on. After reading Liam Nolan’s “Easy ATW installing the long-side crosses and
Many times you have an adjacent string Stringing” tip in the May 2007 issue of clamping off the long side at the top, I’m
RSI, I adopted it is my go-to technique for ready to pull through the short side —
stringing any one-piece racquet where the no more fishing around for the hole.
mains end at the throat. The only problem When doing this, the short side still has
I had with it was on racquets with a skip to do the outside main and at least one
before the outside main: I’d sometimes cross at the bottom, so I’ve never had a
struggle a bit with the resulting blocked case where the loop was too short to
hole. make it to the tension head without
As it turns out, the solution is easy, too. pulling out my placeholder.
After using my starting clamp on the 5 sets of Head Sonic Pro 17 to:
short-side main at the head, I put the end L. Hodges, Fresno, CA

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

THEY STILL MAKE #EM
LIKE THEY USED TO
I 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 he
would 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 PREPARATION
The tip you ran about preparing racquets
the night before got me thinking, as we
sometimes do this when the workload
gets 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
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA
members, and appearing in this column, have all
been gathered into a single volume of the Stringer’s
Digest—Racquet Service Techniques which is a benefit
of USRSA membership. Submit tips to: Greg Raven,
USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or email
[email protected].

www.racquetsportsindustry.com April 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

 Ask the Experts
Your Equipment Hotline
Q
INCREASING TENSION
FOR THE TIE-OFF
fore, one could argue that leaving a little soon disappeared, too. Your best bet may
slack in the tie-off string actually makes the be to try to buy additional used machines
WHAT IS THE USRSA POSITION racquet more playable. of the type you have, in the hopes that
on increasing the tension of the tie Whichever route you decide to take, Tim you will be able to cannibalize them for
offs? I couldn’t find anything about is correct that you should do it consistently. the parts you need for your main

Q
CALIBRATING
this in the Stringer’s Digest. Tim Strawn at machine.

Q
THE EKTELON H BOOSTING
Grand Slam Stringers told me there are no

A
CUSTOMIZATION
rules concerning this, as long as you do it

A
consistently (he increases tie-off tension I’VE “INHERITED” AN OLD Ektelon
by 5 kilograms). H stringing machine, but not the AFTER READING “RACQUET Cus-
manual. How do you calibrate it? tomization” (RSI, November
THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING 2007) I purchased several pieces
the reference tension on the tie-off FIRST, YOU NEED TO BUY A “cali- of diagnostic equipment including a
string is to compensate for the slack brator,” which doesn’t actually do Prince PTC in the hopes of doing more
between the clamp and the knot, so the the calibration for you, but customization. While I acknowledge that
final tension on tie-off strings is closer to rather measures the pull of the players are as you say “ambivalent
the reference tension. Also, in situations tension head. You then compare toward the concept of customization” I
where the outside main or cross is so slack the reading from the calibrator think a larger problem for me anyway
that the weave of the adjacent string against the reference tension setting and perhaps others is the lack of a modus
pushes it outward, toward the frame, to see if the machine is pulling high, low, operandi. I don’t mean for the actual
the finished string job looks unprofes- or right on. Adjustment is accomplished by modification work. That’s pretty straight-
sional, no matter how it performs. There altering the point at which the catch releas- forward. I mean for diagnosing the needs
are also some stringers who feel that leav- es the locking lever. of the player. I have heard that some
ing the tie-off string “loose” will create a We covered calibration places analyze players out on a court and
situation where the lower tension will basics in “Calibration Proce- and make equipment recommendations
propagate back through the string bed. dure,” in the July 2006 issue of based on that analysis. That sounds like a
This, however, simply is not an issue, due RSI magazine. Since that time, terrific idea to me. Can you suggest any
to friction on the string as it passes around we’ve added complete, step-by- reading material for someone interested
the outside of the frame, and the relatively step instructions, with illustrations, in offering a service like this? I would
low tension differential between any two to our website. These instructions really love to be able to look at some-
adjacent strings. are available to USRSA members one’s game and think to myself “eight

A
The USRSA position is that there is no online at usrsa.com/members/machines. grams of lead at 10 and 2 o’clock and

Q
CZECH TENSION
need to increase the tension on the this guy will be moving from a 3.5 to a

MACHINES
string you are tying off, but there is no 4.0 in no time.”
harm in it.
There is no need because — for the DO YOU KNOW THE FATE OF the CONGRATULATIONS ON making
stringing instructions we publish — the stringing machines manufactured in the commitment to customiza-
strings to be tied off are outside mains or the Czech Republic? (They had big tion. Now that you have the equipment to
outside crosses. A couple pounds differ- yellow knobs in the side mounts.) A few take accurate measurements, you can
ence in tension on these strings are not years ago they were distributed and sold in learn a lot by play-testing different rac-
going to affect the playability of the rac- the U.S. at low prices, but I haven’t seen quets, and the same racquet with differ-
quet (unless you can hit that string square- them anywhere in awhile, and they are not ent set-ups. If you haven’t already done
ly without hitting the frame!). Clearly, if listed in your annual Stringing Machine Buy- so, you should check out “Make Any Rac-

A
you are using one of the more exotic box ing Guide. I’d love to get a hold of the man- quet Play Better — Guaranteed” (RSI,
patterns where the final cross is the third ufacturer and/or distributor because I need May 2004) by the king of selling cus-
or fourth one up from the racquet throat, some spare parts. tomization, Drew Sunderlin.
you need to get that cross as close to ref- You might also consider attending the
erence tension as possible. NO. THERE USED TO BE ONE main 2009 GSS Racquet Stringers Symposium.
It bears pointing out that in a propor- distributor in the United States, but You can find out more information about
tionally tensioned string job, the outside it apparently went out of business, with the Symposium at grandslam-
mains and crosses will be at a much lower another company taking over, seemingly stringers.com. —Greg Raven Q
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Rac-
tension, and this method supposedly cre- with some kind of connection to the original quet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084;
ates the most playable stringbed. There- company. However, this second company fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 Your Serve
Hitting a Winner
Every Time
A longtime community tennis advocate
says CTAs are not only good for tennis,

W
but good for your business. BY PAULA HALE

hen it comes to tennis in this ers, and raised more than $200,000 for the mote and develop the growth of tennis.
country, nothing beats what a project. Now, Brandon has a new eight-court And think of this: An active CTA in your
Community Tennis Association facility complete with a welcome center and community helps your business. When you
has to offer. CTAs represent all that is won- has adult and junior leagues, a no-cut policy have a passionate and organized group of
derful about grassroots tennis. Primarily for its school teams, and a thriving summer tennis players constantly advocating for
organized and run by tennis-passionate program. tennis, getting courts built and resurfaced,
volunteers, these associations support and “We not only had to advocate for the running programs and leagues—your busi-
provide programs that move forward the idea of these tennis courts, we had to advo- ness benefits. As a retailer, you’re the one
mission of the USTA—to promote and cate for the idea of tennis to the communi- who will sell equipment and apparel and
develop the growth of tennis. ty,” says Becky, who is the president of the team uniforms. As a club or facility manag-
Look at it this way: CTAs are the nucle- BTA. “Tennis builds relationships, and I er, you’re the one booking the court time.
us for community tennis. Teaching pros, know that tennis has helped Brandon be a As a teaching pro, you’re the one giving the
retailers, facilities and clubs, court better community.” lessons and clinics. As a court builder,
builders, school coaches, park and rec And it all came about because Becky and you’re the one getting the contract to resur-
departments and many more all have a others passionate about the sport organized face or build.
stake in how successful tennis is in the a CTA, one of nearly 1,200 in the U.S. They Doesn’t it make sense that no matter
community, and it’s the local CTA that were strong advocates for all the wonderful how you’re connected to the tennis busi-
connects all of these people and organiza- things tennis can do for a community and ness, you also get connected to your local
tions to the programs, tournaments, for its adults and children. And their passion CTA? If you don’t have a local CTA, would-
leagues, workshops, grants and other to provide tennis to their town brought huge n’t it make sense to start one now?
events and resources that are helping to rewards to Brandon. Find out where all those tennis-passion-
grow the sport. The future of tennis is in attracting and ate people are in your community. And you
In a world in which more and more we retaining young players, and again, CTAs know they’re there. Tennis, according to
need to join together to get things done, are a key element in that endeavor. The the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Associa-
CTAs have long been an agent for fostering QuickStart Tennis format, designed specifi- tion, is by far the fastest growing participa-
partnerships that spread the sport of a life- cally to teach tennis to youngsters ages 5 to tion sport in the U.S., so you can be sure
time throughout their cities and towns. 10, uses age-appropriate court size, nets, there are passionate players in your area.
One of the best examples of this is the racquets, balls and scoring to make tennis a Volunteer with your local CTA. Start a
USTA’s CTA of the year, the Brandon Ten- fun and successful sport to learn. And CTAs CTA yourself. Advocate for tennis. Each of
nis Association in Brandon, S.D. are at the forefront of promoting this for- us has the power to influence the growth of
Just 3-1/2 years old, the BTA has built mat, making sure it filters into schools and tennis—and your business—in your com-
up relationships that have made the sport public parks, and training parents, teachers, munity. A CTA is a great way to do this. Q
flourish in a town of 8,000. With four coaches and others on how to use the QST
courts in town badly in need of renova- format with their kids. Paula Hale is currently the chair
tion, a group of tennis enthusiasts led by Whether advocating for new or renovat- of the USTA’s Community Ten-
nis Association Committee and a
Becky ed courts or facilities, running the QST for-
vice president of the USTA
Blue mat for kids, working to attract new players, Southern Section. A tournament
Find out more about CTAs, including
decided organizing leagues and clinics, helping a and league player, she is a past
how to start one, by visiting usta.com
much school with a no-cut program or a myriad of CTA president and past president of USTA
and clicking on “Get Involved.” North Carolina.
more was other tennis-related things, Community Ten-
needed. nis Associations are key players. They are
They formed a CTA, partnered with the focused on the local level and are the con- We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to [email protected] or fax
city, private businesses, the USTA and oth- duit to an array of opportunities that pro- them to 760-536-1171.

32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com