March 2010

Volume 38 Number 3 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 Contents FEATURES
R S I

INDUSTRY NEWS
M A R 2 0 1 0

7 USTA creates US Open

National Playoffs
18 Fashion Forming
What should you consider when fitting your
customers with the right tennis clothes?
7 Prince debuts Lightspeed
shoe at Aussie Open
26 State of the Industry:
The Changing Tennis Landscape 7 Beach Tennis to use paddles,
Our upcoming series will take a hard look at what’s
not tennis racquets
good and bad in this industry, and how we can make
things better for everyone.
8 Ashaway celebrates
185th birthday
COURT CONSTRUCTION 8 USTA names Community
& MAINTENANCE GUIDE Tennis award winners
8 Babolat unveils new
28 Is Your Facility a Tennis Hangout? Aero line of racquets
It may not take much to make sure your courts
appeal to your clientele. 9 Prince updates frames
30 Public Enemies with EXO3
Easy-access municipal courts are a key to growing
tennis. But how can you deal with vandalism and 9 Head launches
abuse? YouTek Prestige series
32 All About Windscreen 9 USPTA offers
Here’s how to care for and maintain this essential
piece of court equipment. “Technology Tools” map
33 Find What You Need at the ASBA Website 10 Wilson offers new
Whether you’re upgrading your courts, building a
new facility or looking for maintenance, take a tour seminar at GSS Symposium
of www.sportsbuilders.org.
34 Posting Time 11 USTA Serves awards
Largely unnoticed until there are problems, net posts
nearly $1 million
are important for play, and for aesthetics.
12 Upcoming Industry Schedule
13 Racquet, shoe, string
year-to-date sales

DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve 21 TIA Quarterly
7 Industry News 36 String Playtest: Pacific Poly Power Pro
14 Tennis Memorabilia 38 Tips & Techniques
17 Pioneers in Tennis 40 Your Serve, by Tony Taverna

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Our Serve

I
Sowing Seeds at the Grassroots (Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Publishers
just returned from San Diego and am all fired up. I was David Bone Jeff Williams
at the 2010 USTA Community Tennis Development Editorial Director
Workshop (CTDW), undoubtedly one of the best things Peter Francesconi
the USTA does for recreational tennis. Volunteers and USTA Associate Editor
staff from around the country come to this workshop to Greg Raven

share success stories, learn about spreading tennis to all cor- Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
ners, bring more people into the game, and yes, even make
Contributing Editors
money at it. Robin Bateman
Seminars, presentations and workshops all are geared to the mission of Cynthia Cantrell
the USTA: to promote and develop the growth of tennis. And this year, USTA Joe Dinoffer
President Lucy Garvin, who is dedicated to living the mission of the organi- Liza Horan
zation, had all of the USTA board of directors and the section leadership at Greg Moran
Bob Patterson
the CTDW. It was the first time that many of them actually saw how impor-
Cynthia Sherman
tant and wonderful this workshop is. From what I heard from a few of them, Mary Helen Sprecher
it was quite an eye-opener.
One of the reasons I went to San Diego was as a member of my local RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Community Tennis Association. We started our CTA about a year and a half Corporate Offices
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
ago and still need to get our nonprofit status, but we’re working hard toward
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
that goal. We’ve held a few fund-raisers and tennis nights, pushed to get new Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
courts built in our town, and will be pushing more for that and for program- Website: www.racquetTECH.com
ming, too. A lot of the CTDW presentations apply directly to what we’re Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
doing, things like attracting volunteers, getting funding, communicating with
community members, grant writing, etc. Advertising Director
John Hanna
One thing I definitely want to push with our CTA is news about Recre-
770-650-1102, x.125
ational Coach Workshops, which are geared toward parents, coaches, park hanna@knowatlanta.com
and rec instructors, really anyone who wants to work with entry-level play-
ers, to get them going in the game. It’s not meant to replace coaching or Apparel Advertising
teaching by certified pros, but simply to help grow the sport at the most basic Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
level. I’m hoping our CTA can sponsor a Rec Coach Workshop, which
cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
requires a minimum of 20 participants. (Visit usta.com/oncourttraining for
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
more info.)
year: monthly January through August and com-
To continue to spread the good things that the CTDW brings to tennis, the bined issues in September/October and Novem-
USTA’s national CTA Committee (of which I am a volunteer member), wants ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330
to facilitate “regional” tennis development workshops, so that those who Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail at
may not be able to attend the national CTDW can go to one closer to home. Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Vista, CA and
additional mailing offices. March 2010, Volume 38,
Whether you are a volunteer in your local CTA, teaching pro, school coach,
Number 3 © 2010 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
park and rec employee, facility manager, or even a court builder or retailer,
rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and
you’ll find useful, and profitable, tips in these workshops. Contact your USTA logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
section to see what may be offered in your area, or to urge that they con- Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
sider a regional CTDW. lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-
Let’s take the time to grow the sport from the grassroots, then we all can tions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry,
reap the bounty.
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

Peter Francesconi
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA
Editorial Director

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

R S I M A R C H
INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU
Beach Tennis
To Use Paddles
Beach Tennis USA has adopt-
ed the use of the paddle, cur-
rently used in international
competition, as the official
equipment for regulation
tournament play. BTUSA,
which formerly promoted the
use of standard, regulation
tennis racquets for use at its
events, says the move to pad-
dles was primarily to facilitate
the unification of internation-
al beach tennis associations
throughout Europe, South
America, and Asia.
"By converting to the paddle,
Beach Tennis USA will be able
to work more closely with our
international partners to grow
the sport, both on the pro and
recreational levels," says
Marc Altheim, BTUSA's
founder and commissioner.
Altheim says he believes the
paddle will help introduce the
sport to more "non-tennis"
players, allowing for beach
tennis to become a more
mainstream common activity
for casual beachgoers.
To further its efforts in unify-
ing the sport on a global
level, BTUSA also will adopt
the international court dimen-
sions of 8 x 8 meters, and a
net height of 170 cm (5 feet,
6 inches).
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
2 0 1 0
RUN YOUR BUSINESS
USTA Creates US Open National Playoffs
he USTA is launching the US Open National Playoffs, which will provide
T 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 men’s
and women’s champions from each of the sectional qualifying tournaments
advance to the US Open National Playoffs–Men’s and Women’s 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 won’t be seeded. Participants can
be of any playing level.
“While professionals are eligible, we expect the draws to be filled with top junior 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 he’ll compete in one of the sectional qualifiers.
For information schedules, visit www.usopen.org.
Prince’s Lightspeed Shoe Debuts at Australian Open
rince’s Lightspeed footwear debuted at the Australian Open this year. The shoes are designed to
P
be lower, lighter and faster, says the company, keeping a player’s 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 Plate—a
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 Prince’s 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 Prince’s “All-Court” series. For more information,
visit www.princetennis.com.
March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7
 M A R C H 2 0 1 0

Ashaway Racket Strings Celebrates USTA Names Community

INDUSTRYNEWS

185th Birthday Tennis Award Winners

I n a ceremony held in
December 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. Crandall
started 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 Nylon—Ashaway 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.
T he USTA honored eight winners of its annual
Community Tennis Development Awards at the
annual 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.)
‘Hit for Haiti’ Earthquake Relief
O
n Sunday, January 17, the world's best tennis players
paused in their preparations for the Australian Open to raise
funds 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 Ericsson
WTA Tour, ITF, Grand Slam Committee and Tennis Australia,
will exceed $500,000.

Babolat Aero Line Debuts Down Under

B abolat’s new Aero line of racquets debuted at the Australian Open, with
Rafael 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- Aero Storm
ing for control. The Aero Storm Tour ($185) is designed for well-rounded Aeropro Lite
players with a full swing looking for extra control. There are also two jun- Aeropro Drive
ior frames, the Aeropro Drive Junior ($104) and Nadal Junior ($24.95)

8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Prince Updates Frames With EXO3 Do You Have News?

P rince has updated its Black and White series of frames with the new EXO3 Black
and EXO3 White. The EXO3 technology fea- Send It to Us
tures visible “holes” along the frame, which
Prince says enhances speed, stability and
feel on court.
E ver wonder how you
get a lot of people to
read your press releas-
The EXO3 Black (suggested retail es? Send them to us.
$199) features EnergyChannel, a sculpt- The RSI.com news that we run on our web-
ed groove and inlayed insert around the site—racquetsportsindustry.com—also is
frame for a crisper feel with more feed- picked up as an “RSS” feed on other sites,
back for players who are most interested such as TennisIndustry.org, and pops up
in control. The EXO3 White ($179) fea- on search engines, too.
tures EnergyBridge, a compressed carbon If you have news about your tennis or
insert that suspends the string bed from the racquet-sports related business or organi-
frame for a cushioned feel, for players who zation—whether you’re a retail shop, ten-
want a maximum sweetspot in a more power- nis facility, Community Tennis
oriented, comfortable frame, says the company. Association, park and rec, manufacturer,
Prince also introduced the EXO3 Black Team court builder, etc.—send a press release
($179), for players looking for a slightly lighter, to us at pressreleases@raquettech.com.
more maneuverable version of the EXO3 Black. We’ll do our best to get your release
Prince ATP and WTA tour pros, including posted as quickly as we can—and to get
Maria Sharapova, switched to the new racquet your business the attention it deserves.
for the recent Australian Open.
Sharapova played with the EXO3 EXO3 Black
Black. Visit www.princetennis.com EXO3 White Head Announces
EXO3 Black Team
for more.
Promotions
Head Launches YouTek Prestige Series I n addition to the recent promotion of
Kevin Kempin to CEO of Head USA, the
company has announced more promotions
H ead has updated the Prestige series with its new YouTek technology. YouTek incor-
porates something Head calls “d3o,” a “smart material that the company says
changes behavior under dynamic loading or impact.
in its move to strengthen the organization.
Greg Mason, a 10-year veteran of the
YouTek, says Roger Petersman, Head’s senior business manager of tennis rac- racquet sports industry, has been promot-
quets, “can actually sense the needs of the tennis player during different shots to ed to vice president of sales and market-
perfectly match your game.” ing for Racquet Sports. In addition, Roger
Located in the shaft of the racquet, d3o reacts to the needs of a player within Petersman has been promoted to senior
nanoseconds, says the company, providing a softer touch and better feel on slow- category manager for tennis racquets.
speed impacts, like slices and drop Mike Hymer is the new business manager
shots, and increases stiffness for footwear.
necessary to create power on
high-speed impacts, such as USPTA Offers Tech Tools Map
serves and passing shots. The
Prestige series includes: T he USPTA has developed a “Technology
Tools” map that lists
Q Prestige Pro, which has a online resources in one
more open string pattern, for place. The map, with hyper-
a more aggressive tour player. links, shows what’s available to
It also includes a leather grip. help teaching pros do their job
Q Prestige Mid, a tour racquet that more efficiently, says the
offers touch and control with extra organization.
stability for heavy hitters. The hyperlinks take users to different
Q Prestige Mid Plus, which provides sites, most of which showcase members-
touch and control for playa- only benefits and require teaching pros to
bility. It’s the racquet of YOUTEK Prestige Mid enter their last name and USPTA member
choice for pro players Gilles YOUTEK Prestige MP number. There are nearly 30 different
Simon, Stanislas Wawrinka YOUTEK Prestige Pro instructional tools providing resources. Go to
and Tommy Haas, who all www.uspta.com and click on the USPTA
used it during the recent Australian Open. “Technology Tools” button.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

 M A R C H 2 0 1 0

Wilson Offers New Seminar SHORT SETS

INDUSTRYNEWS

for GSS Symposium >theBabolat signed a two-year contract to become presenting sponsor of
Road to the “Little Mo'” Nationals and the “Little Mo” International

R on Rocchi (below), principal designer

for Racquet Sports and team leader
for the Wilson Tour Services String-
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 Babolat’s top U.S. men’s player, Andy Roddick—he won “Lit-
ing Team, will lead a new training tle Mo” in 1992 at age 10.
seminar, “Stringing Patterns & Tech-
niques” for the 2010 GSS Racquet > Peter Burwash International marked its 35 year in business on Feb. 15.
For more information on PBI and its services, visit www.pbitennis.com.
Stringers Symposium in October.
The seminar will have a maxi-
mum 3 to 1 student-teacher ratio
>$5,000
QuickStart Tennis of Central Virginia, Inc. (QCV), has received a
grant for its Jump Start QuickStart Tennis Initiative from the
with each student working on their own Wilson Baiar- BAMA Works Fund of the Dave Matthews Band in the Charlottesville
do stringing machine. The four-hour session will be
Area Community Foundation. QCV is a special-purpose Community Ten-
offered six times over the course of the three-day
nis Association that is taking QuickStart Tennis, the USTA’s new “play-to-
symposium, with a focus on various stringing pat-
learn” format, to 55,000 kids in 116 public elementary and middle
terns, techniques, knots, and professional tips. Joining
schools in 21 central Virginia counties over the next five to six years.
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.
>in theFive-time Wimbledon champ Bjorn Borg will play his first tournament
U.S. since 2000 when he competes at the $150,000 Staples Cham-
Davis Cup stringer. pions Cup, April 29-May 2 at the Agganis Arena in Boston.
"Ron and Wilson have been a tremendous asset to
the GSS symposium, supporting us from the begin- >nisLife
TennisLife magazine has signed a multi-year agreement to publish Ten-
Kazakhstan starting with the March/April 2010 issue. TL Kaza-
ning,” says Tim Strawn, GSS founder. “We have sever-
al other new additions and changes to the 2010 event khstan will now be the fourth international edition, joining TennisLife UK,
that I think will make this the best symposium yet.” TennisLife Ireland and TennisLife en Espanol.
The GSS Symposium will be Oct. 9-13 in Orlando,
Fla. For details, visit www.grandslamstringers.com.
>spaceTennis.com has redesigned and relaunched, boasting more white
and a cleaner, easier to navigate site.

> World TeamTennis is donating hundreds of clothing items for children

USPTA Sets National impacted 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 their
Tourney Schedule families. For donation links, visit www.WTT.com/Haiti.

T he USPTA’s 2010 National Surface Championship

Series kicks off with the $5,000 USPTA Indoor Cham-
pionships April 23-25, held at Lakeville
> The Eagle Fustar Tennis Program, which operates in Northern Califor-
nia on the campuses of Santa Clara University, West Valley College and
Lifetime Fitness in Lakeville, Minn. Mission College, has been named a USTA Certified Regional Training
The tournaments, open to Profes- Center.
sional-level USPTA members in good stand-
ing, offer participants the chance to earn prize
money and ranking points. “The 2010 surface Wheelchair Tennis Programs
championship series and International Championships
feature more than $55,000, making it the largest prize-
Receive $34,000 in USTA Grants
money circuit exclusively for tennis-teaching profession-
als,” says Chuck Gill, USPTA national vice president and
M ore than $34,000 in USTA Wheelchair Program grants has been
awarded to 23 wheelchair tennis programs across the country
for the second consecutive year. Grants were awarded to local organ-
chairman of the Tournament Committee.
izations that promote and develop the growth of wheelchair tennis
For info, contact 800-USPTA-4U, or USPTA pros can
and use the sport of tennis to build stronger, healthier communities.
log into the “members only” section of uspta.com. Other
Grant amounts were based on each program's existing budget
events on the series schedule include:
Q USPTA Clay Court Chps., May 20-23, Ibis Golf and
and the future programmatic needs of the organization. Recipients
can use the award to meet the USTA’s grant initiatives including
Country Club, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Q USPTA Grass Court Chps., Aug. 26-29, Philadelphia
coaching, court time, equipment, recruitment and events (tourna-
ments, camps, etc.).
Cricket Club, Philadelphia
Q USPTA International Chps., Sept. 20-23, La Quinta
Additional USTA Wheelchair Tennis Grant opportunities will be
announced in 2010. Organizations that are interested in starting a
Resort & Club, La Quinta, Calif.
Q USPTA Hard Court Chps., Oct. 22-24, Hollytree Coun-
wheelchair tennis program or would like more information about
wheelchair tennis can email wheelchairinfo@usta.com
try Club and Tyler Tennis & Swim Club, Tyler, Texas

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 USRSA NEWS

USTA Serves
Awards Nearly
$1 Million in Grants
U STA Serves, the philanthropic
and charitable entity of the
USTA, 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.

Congratulations
To the Following
For Achieving
MRT Status
New MRTs
Adam Stepp New Albany, OH
Adam Hunter Smithtown, NY

www.racquetsportsindustry.com March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 M A R C H 2 0 1 0
P E O P L E W AT C H
INDUSTRYNEWS
• Wilson players Serena
Williams 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 women’s doubles title, pair-
ing with her sister, Venus, who also plays with the [K] Blade Team.
• Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan took home
their second consecutive men’s
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.
• Völkl 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 used
the 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.
Semifinals Set for Showdown Event in NYC
T he pairings for the two semifinal matches of the upcoming “BNP
Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup” have been set for the
March 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 Venus
Williams.
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-
try’s “Racket Up, America!” promotion, Christine Smith of Hurst,
Texas, will serve to try to win $1 million.
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
• 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 home
in 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 with
2009 US Open champion Kim Cljisters. Clijsters
debuted Fila’s 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 O’Neil, who joined the USTA in
1995, is leaving the organization.
• Lee Schlazer is the new vice president, distribution for
the 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.
Upcoming Industry Schedule
Q 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: SGMAʼs 11th Health Through Fitness Day,
Washington, DC
Q Mar. 10-13: IHRSA Intʼl 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, visit
ptrtennis.org and uspta.org.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Tennis Racquet Performance

Specialty 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 Racquets
at Specialty Stores
By year-to-date dollars,
January-December 2009
(average selling price)
Best-Sellers
1. 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)

Top-Selling Tennis Shoes

at Specialty Stores
By 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

Top-Selling Tennis Strings

at Specialty Stores
By 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

(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)

www.racquetsportsindustry.com March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

 Tennis Memorabilia
Trading Cards Hope
to Raise Tennis’
F
Profile BY CINDY CANTRELL
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 sport’s international stars while
enhancing fans’ knowledge of the history
of 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-
ny’s 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 on
Ace 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. “We’re
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
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
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 trading
cards—with 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 company’s
first-ever autograph and jersey cards
from 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 product—each 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
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
they’ve 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 autographs
first-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
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Pioneers In Tennis
Sheldon Westervelt
W
At the forefront of facility design
hen professional engineer
Sheldon Westervelt and a
group 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
"Pioneers in Tennis," an occasional column in RSI, draws attention to trailblazers in the
sport. Have someone to suggest? E-mail rsi@racquettech.com.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
around the world, including indoor and
outdoor facilities at parks, educational
institutions, 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 2006
he received the USTA’s 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
March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17
 FASHION
APPAREL

FORMING
W
Fitting your customers with the right clothing. BY CYNTHIA SHERMAN

ith so many apparel choices out there, choosing the right ten-
nis clothes—something that fits comfortably and is flatter-
ing—may seem to be a daunting task, both for customers
themselves 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 inventory—those two
things are really key,” says Mimzy Lynne of Michael Lynne’s 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 them—including styles,
and will wear clothes from different lines,” so they’ll be able to
offer the best guidance in choosing apparel. Even better, employ-
ees who are of similar age and have similar life experiences, and
even 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,
it’s 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 groups—obviously choose the groups

Tips for the Best Fit

colors and fit—is important if you want to your shop caters to. Apparel companies seg-
move things out of your store. ment their lines, for instance some clothes

Q Know your customers and your inventory.

At Michael Lynne’s, all store staffers wear are geared to fit younger players, others are

for how clothes look and fit and can see how Q Encourage customers to try on clothes.
the clothes they sell, so customers get a feel geared to older players who may not have
that slim and trim body.
styles may look on different body types. Q Carry a colorful variety of clothing in an And pay attention to colors. What colors
Mimzy suggests stocking a variety of sizes assortment of sizes. your customer has already and what shades
“because you never know who’s going to Q “Special order” for customers. flatter them is another factor in the deci-
come in. Also, make sure you offer to special- Q Have your employees wear the clothes you sion-making process, says Lester. Generally,
order outfits.” sell, and make sure they’re knowledgeable women want colors and fashion that make
But she adds, “Manufacturers need to lis- about how different lines and items fit. them stand out—clothing that’s different
ten to retailers when they say not all women Q Ideally, when customers try on clothes, they from everyone else’s.
are jocks. There are designers who don’t play should wear the same type of undergar- Some studies indicate that the average
the sport coming out with the wrong styles ments they’ll be wearing on the court. body shape in the U.S. has changed over the
and fabrics.” She also believes manufacturers Q Brand loyalty can be important—customers years, from an “hourglass” shape to more of
need to better address issues of quality and will come back to a particular line if they a triangle. The average woman today is
durability–especially in their basic pieces. know the fit and style works for them. It more triangular or “pear” shaped (hips
Robert Lester of Courtside Tennis and saves them time and reduces risk. wider than shoulders), while men are lean-
Apparel in Sacramento, Calif., says it’s impor- ing more toward an inverted triangular
tant that customers “try things on to see how they fit. Every man- shape (shoulders wider than hips). Some designers, however, con-
ufacturer’s fit is different and you don’t know what you’re getting” tinue to make clothes to fit the “hourglass” shape.
if you can’t try on the pieces. The best thing for your customer may be to forget what the
Part of the problem may be due to so-called “vanity sizing”— label says and just go for how a piece fits. And be honest when
some manufacturers want you to feel good, so they put a smaller your customer asks your opinion. You want repeat business, and
size label on their clothes. Also be aware that letter sizing—S, M, telling a customer an outfit looks great on her when it may not
L, XL, etc.—has no universal standards, so a small for one manu- won’t build loyalty.
facturer can be a medium for another. No one wants to walk out of the store thinking they’re going
At a specialty tennis shop, says Wendy Damm of Match Point to look great on court, only to have the look, style, fit or color not
Tennis in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., generally “the staff plays tennis quite right. Q

18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

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

INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS
S P R I N G 2 0 1 0

Racquet Sales Start to Turn Upward at End of Year

W
hile 2009 racquet shipments

T
showed an overall decline for the
year, there is a bright spot, as
fourth-quarter sales numbers from
pro/specialty moved upward, ahead of the
fourth 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,
it’s 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 are
now playing tennis in the U.S.”

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

S
erena 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.

PlayTennis Widget: Consumers can easily find programs, facilities, retail-

GROW THE GAME ers, demo racquets, playing partners and lessons.

TennisConnect.com: The new “Pick & Click” tool can enhance your tennis
shop, along with group email, court scheduling, String Center and more.
GROW YOUR BUSINESS GrowingTennis.com: New business resources include the Facility Manag-
er’s Manual, a new Retailer’s Manual and a Cardio Tennis Kids manual.

CareersInTennis.com: The new website is focused on starting or building

GROW THE INDUSTRY a career in tennis, including job opportunities, resources and internships.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21
 JANUARY FEBRUARY
Q Jon Muir, worldwide general manager Q The USTA/TIA Participation Sur-
of Wilson Racquet Sports, begins two- vey shows that 1.8 million players
year term as TIA president. joined the game in 2008, and
Q U.S. tennis participation in 2008 is at charting economic indicators
the highest level since 1992 with near- show that people may actually
ly 27 million participants in the sport. increase play in a down economy.
Q The first publication of the “Tennis Q GrowingTennis.com site is revamped and adds a Busi-
Retailer Health Index,” introduced by ness Resource Section for facilities and retailers. The site
the TIA to monitor and track the pro/specialty retail mar- sees a 1000% increase in providers using it to post their
ket, shows a 19% increase from the baseline year of programs and information in online consumer searches.
2003, although year-end ball & racquet shipments go flat Q TennisIndustryNews.org debuts and features the latest
and retailers begin to feel the effects of the recession that news feeds from RSI, along with TIA member news, plus
started in early 2008. an official tennis industry calendar, GrowingTennis
newsletter archives, and more.

MARCH APRIL
Q TennisConnect Retailer debuts as a comprehensive serv- Q Tennis is the fastest
ice for tennis merchants and pro growing traditional sport
shop managers to enhance their in the U.S., according to
web presence. the SGMA, up 43% from
Q Ball and Racquet shipment 2000 to 2008.
reports for 2008 show an increase of 16% in ball units Q SGMA study for the first
and 44% in racquet units since 2003. time records Cardio Ten-
Q The TennisInsure program is expanded to include multi- nis participants at
ple forms of coverage & experts on two sides of the busi- 600,000, which exceeds squash players.
ness: Property & Casualty and TennisInsure Association Q GrowingTennis system statistics show that the system is
E-Health Programs. receiving more than 4 million consumer queries every
Q TIA holds annual Board Meeting on March 2 and gets month.
behind USTA’s QuickStart Tennis and Tennis Night in Q The first TIA Tennis Summit is held April 23 to 24 in New
America efforts to grow youth participation. York City to address the changing marketplace.

MAY
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
JUNE
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.
Analysis of traditional sports, SGMA 2008

Q TIA initiates meeting with Sports Illus-

the “Top 50 Tennis Welcome Centers of 2008.” trated’s main tennis writer.
Q An industry-wide promotion—“Racket UP, America!”—is Q Tennis growth story receives more than
developed and attracts wide partner support to help pro- 421 million media impressions
mote consumer awareness and drive traffic at retail. throughout print, internet, TV and
other channels.

22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
 2009 YEAR IN REVIEW
JULY AUGUST
Q The “Racket Up, America!” Q The TIA partners
promotion kicks off in an with PublicEarth to
effort to stimulate racquet bring tennis facility
sales at retail shops across and retailer coordi-
the U.S. nates and locations to GPS units and mobile phones.
Q Tennis participation news appears on “Live with Regis & Q The “Court Activity Monitor” shows a net increase in
Kelly” and other mainstream media outlets. “Early Season 2009” vs. “Late Season 2008” along with
Q The TIA reports 2,602 Tennis Welcome Centers, 1,701 more than 1 million online court reservations tracked.
Cardio Tennis Sites, and 1,221 QuickStart Tennis sites in Q The TIA joins various social media networks such as
the U.S. year-to-date. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to promote tennis.
Q Second TIA Tennis Summit is held July 16 to 17 in New Q More than 1,600 facilities have been added to date to the
York City and addresses need to create more frequent GrowingTennis System, pushing the total number to
players, and turn focus on industry and business health. 20,000-plus.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER
Q The TIA holds its annual “TIA Ten- Q The 2008 “Tennis Participation
nis Forum” at the USTA National Health Index” is released,
Tennis Teacher’s Conference. showing an 18.1% increase
Q Alan Schwartz is inducted into the since the measure was initiated
Tennis Industry Hall of Fame. in 2003.
Q The TIA holds a Technology Work- Q The “GrowingTennis System”
shop in New York City in conjunc- adds tools for Facility Managers
tion with the USTA and Active to download, including a “Facil-
Network. ity Manager’s Manual” and a
Q TIA Board meeting is held in New “Go Green” section.
York City during the US Open. Q TIA attends Career Weekend at
Q “Racket UP, America!” concludes Sept. 30 and estimates Ferris State University in Michigan and works toward
$400,000 increase in racquet sales plus additional attracting young talent into the industry through Careers
$200,000 future sales. in Tennis initiative.

NOVEMBER DECEMBER
Q The online career development tool, Q The 2009 TIA/USTA Tennis Partici-
“Careers in Tennis,” is soft-launched at pation study shows that total ten-
CareersInTennis.com. nis participation tops 30 million
Q The 2008 Play Report is generated players for the first time in the 22-
and presented at a conference in year history of the survey, further
Washington, D.C., and shows that mobilizing the industry to match
tennis continues to hold the No. 1 participation health with industry health.
spot for traditional sports. Q TIA and research partners create the TIA Economic
Q The 2009 Cost of Doing Business survey is sent to retail- Index, to gather top-line data from eight key sectors of
ers and facilities and expanded to capture data for court the tennis economy to improve industry health.
contractors and designers. Q TIA develops a PlayTennis “widget” for consumer sites.
Q TennisConnect registers its 200,000th player and Ten- Q Christine Smith of Hurst, Texas, is announced as the win-
nisConnect Retailer offers manufacturer branded pages ner of “Racket Up, America!” and will serve for $1 mil-
in a newly released version to help retail businesses. lion at Madison Square Garden on March 1st, 2010.

Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23
Get Involved With The New
CareersInTennis.com Website
T
he industry’s new online career development tool—
CareersInTennis.com—is 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 on
the 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 take
advantage of this great tool for filling positions and finding
interns,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. “It’s 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 or
ryan@tennisindustry.org
Guides Available for Facility Managers,
Retailers, Cardio Tennis Kids
W
hether you’re a facility manager, tennis retailer or teach-
ing pro, you can find the resources that can help your
business at GrowingTennis.com/Resources—all for free.
Under the Tools & Resources link, the new Facility Manager’s
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 Retailer’s 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.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
‘PlayTennis’ Widget
Coming Soon—Make Sure
Your 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-
itor”—it’s fast, easy and free. For more details on
the PlayTennis widget, visit TennisIndustry.org.
Let TennisConnect ‘Pick &
Click’ Enhance Your Shop
N
ow tennis retailers can add the power of man-
ufacturers’ branding to their store’s 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 builder’s Pick & Click Editor, you
can choose from a menu of items—widgets, tem-
plates, design elements, logos and major manufac-
turer-branded messages—that you simply click on.
The items you choose go into the “page builder” sec-
tion, then just hit “update” and it’s 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.
March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 24
 THE CHANGING
SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
TENNIS LANDSCAPE
Our upcoming series will take a hard look at what’s good and bad in
I
this industry, and how we can make things better for everyone.
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 of
this business and try to understand what’s good, what’s 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.
There’s 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 can’t 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? Shouldn’t
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
26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
our strengths and our weaknesses then try to figure out how we as
an industry can capitalize on what’s good, fix what’s bad, and be
on 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
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 IS YOUR
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE

FACILITY A TENNIS
HANGOUT? It may not take much to make sure your
courts appeal to your clientele.

W
BY MARY HELEN SPRECHER

hat makes tennis courts kid-friendly? Teen-friendly? Senior- the playing lines for various age groups. (Contrary to what you
friendly? In many cases, it's may have heard, adding QST lines to a regular-size, white-lined

Ideas You Can Use

a combination of the court court is not confusing for players.
itself, and the accoutrements. And If the QST lines are in the same
while you can't turn your courts  Harness community resources: Have a municipal tennis color family as the court surface—
into a trip to Disneyland for chil- facility that needs a hitting wall painted with a fun design? Find a say light blue QST lines on a dark
dren (or a trip to the mall for local Scout troop and see if there's an artistic teen looking for an blue court surface—adult players
teens, or a cruise for your seniors), Eagle Scout project. probably will not notice them at all
you can put a few key elements  Jazz up the court surface color scheme: "Everyone likes while they play. Go to
into place that make those same the color schemes they see on TV at the various tournaments, and www.usta.com to find out more.)
courts a pleasure for the specific they want their courts the same," says Dave Baird of Industrial Already have QST? How about
populations you're trying to Surface Sealer, Inc. of Cleveland. a few other things that make ten-
 Hold "no grown-ups allowed" activities for children who nis fun for kids? Is there a hitting

CHILD-FRIENDLY COURTS
entice.
can have fun without well-meaning parents shouting cues to wall or backboard? How about
them while they're on court. designing a target on it, with vari-
The QuickStart Tennis format has  Setting up "teen nights" and "tennis mixers" can help ous areas kids can aim for? A fun
revolutionized the way tennis is young players get to know one another and start playing. graphic with various “spots” can
being taught to—and taken up  The doctor is in: Ask a sports medicine doctor to hold a ses- entice kids and make grooving
by—children across the U.S. With sion with senior players to discuss stretches and exercises for a their shots less of a chore and
its shorter courts, lower nets and healthy, safe game. more of a game.
low-compression foam balls (not  Take photos of everyone (kids, teens, seniors—everyone) Seen one too many children
to mention shorter racquets), the having fun and enjoying the game. Post the photos on a bulletin who prefer Little Debbie to Little
game is more approachable, easi- board and update it regularly to try to showcase as many players League, and who think Wii Tennis
er to teach and more fun to learn. as possible over time. has taught them to play? Hold a
Many facilities have already  Hold a “century” tournament: It's a fun doubles tourna- Cardio Tennis Kids challenge and
built permanent QST courts for ment where the ages of the players on each side have to add up see what develops. The program
kids, others have permanent QST to (or come close to) 100. It allows seniors and teens to team up, challenges children, using music
lines on regular-size courts. Con- as well as others. (Work with other numbers as well: a half-centu- and fun games, and (bonus round)
tact a court contractor about build- ry, a “25,” etc., depending upon your demographics.) is done in short bursts so as not to
ing QST courts or putting down overexert kids.

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

TWEENS AND TEENS thetic turf or roll-down synthetic carpet-type surfaces," says
Here's a challenge. Try to excite kids in an age group that doesn't Marsden. "Also, they generally prefer a slower surface pace
want to look like they're getting excited about anything. Hmmm. with a higher ball bounce, which gives them more time to
Maybe it's time to amp up the level of play. reach the ball. We’ve found that members of higher-end clubs
"Some clubs with a younger membership may prefer faster, prefer a clay-type surface for the ease on the body plus the
all-weather surfaces (asphalt, concrete) that lend themselves to a fact that the club handles the maintenance aspect of clay
serve-and-volley style of play," says Dave Marsden of Boston Ten- courts."
nis Court Construction Co. in Hanover, Mass. Other things seniors tend to like? Shade shelters with plen-
(While many builders agree with the younger players/faster ty of seats that will keep them out of the sun, and allow them
courts theory, Randy Futty of Lee Tennis Products in Char- to enjoy matches in progress. Many players like to use tennis
lottesville, Va., notes, “We’re seeing a growing trend where as a social activity, and if encouraged, will sit and talk and
national tennis organizations such as the USTA, Tennis Australia, relax both before and after matches. 
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 try
to 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

SENIORS
one another as well.

With 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-

www.racquetsportsindustry.com March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

 PUBLIC
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
ENEMIES
THE WINNING
edge
Ask Headline BYLINE?
Easy-access municipal courts are a key
to growing tennis. But how can you
deal with vandalism and abuse?
P
ublic 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
great—the fact that anyone can use them—is 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-
VANQUISHING VANDALISM
agers can take to try to keep courts a little safer.
Whether 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-
30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
BY MARY HELEN SPRECHER
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
S.O.S. (SAVE OUR SURFACE)
product safe.)
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
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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
OTHER PROBLEMS
area, and he simply sighs and says, "Pray."
Unsupervised 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 it—or 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 if
checked 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,
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
and making the gate drag on the surface of the court.
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 play
at 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 courts—not lock-
ing them up—then 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 programs—it all keeps courts busy. And with activity
comes stewardship—players 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. 
March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31
 WHAT YOU
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
NEED TO KNOW
Photo Courtesy of Aer-Flo Inc.
ABOUT WINDSCREEN
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:
 provides better visibility so players can see the ball
 reduces glare off uncoated chain-link fence
 provides privacy
 reduces distractions
 helps contain artificial light at night
 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:
 Preseason—Install windscreens.
 As Required—Replace damaged panels.
 Daily—Check that windscreens are securely fastened to the
fence framework; check for tears, pulls or other damage to the
fabric.
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
 Weekly—Hose down or wash windscreens as required.
 Post-season—Tag each panel with regard to its exact location
on the court and fence, clean and store. Measure and order
replacement panels.
 Long Term Planning—Plan to replace every three to five years.
Another feature of windscreen, and something that is becom-
ing more and more popular, is having a facility’s or school’s
name or logo printed or painted on the windscreen—which is a
nice way to dress up your courts. Also, when ordering wind-
screen, some can be custom-fabricated to whatever size you
need, and they come in a variety of colors, to best fit your courts
or surroundings.
If re-installing windscreens "in house," consult a qualified ten-
nis court contractor to learn how to properly install the screens in
order to minimize wrinkles and prevent damage to the fence. It
might be a bit less expensive to do it yourself, but the result may
not be as clean and professional. Properly installed windscreens
can make a huge difference in the aesthetics of the facility.
—Mary Helen Sprecher
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 FIND WHAT YOU NEED
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
AT ASBA WEBSITE
T
he old commercial for the
Yellow Pages used to advise
would-be shoppers, "Let
your fingers do the walking."
The new way of commerce is, of course, e-shopping, which gives
your fingers a break and lets the mouse do all the work.
So when your tennis court or facility is showing its age, or you
need a new net or windscreen, or just want someone to come in
and refresh your soft courts, it doesn't make sense to take a step
backward and grab the Yellow Pages. It's time to go to your com-
puter and find a professional.
The American Sports Builders Association, the national associ-
ation of sports facility designers, builders and suppliers, has a
search feature on its website, www.sportsbuilders.org, that allows
you to find professionals, products or advice quickly and easily.
• On the left side of the home page, select either "Find a Design
Professional" or "Find a Builder/Manufacturer."
• Information on design professionals will come up in an alpha-
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
betized list that includes addresses, website and e-mail links,
and other contact information.
• Builder/manufacturer requests will take users to a list with sev-
eral variables. Users can select from an interactive map (if try-
ing to find someone in their area), or can use keywords, which
might include a product name, an item sought or even the
name of a company or individual the user has heard about.
• If seeking a Certified Tennis Court Builder, start from the
www.sportsbuilders.org home page, and on the left side click
on "Certified Tennis Court Builder.”
As always, users are advised to check references or other infor-
mation before working with any company or individual. 
The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) is a non-profit association helping
designers, builders, owners, operators and users understand quality sports facility con-
struction. The ASBA sponsors informative meetings and publishes newsletters, books
and technical construction guidelines for athletic facilities including tennis courts. Avail-
able at no charge is a listing of all publications offered by the Association, as well as
the ASBA’s Membership Directory. 866-501-ASBA (2722) or www.sportsbuilders.org
March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33
 POSTING TIME
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
Largely unnoticed until there are problems, net
posts are important for play, and for aesthetics.
I
t’s a good thing they’re not human because they might just get a
complex. They stand around and do their job year after year, and
you ignore them. But just let them start to show their age—lean a
little, get a few age lines—and suddenly they’re the focus of every-
one’s attention.
Fortunately, they’re net posts, not employees. But while they
might be one of the less glamorous pieces of equipment on your
court, they’re one of the most important. They hold your net at the
proper height and tension, create consistent conditions for play, and
add a neat look.
It’s a lot to ask of a piece of equipment that is largely ignored,
so let’s take a few minutes to address the humble (yet valuable) net
post. There are different types and different installations, all suitable
for various uses.
Net posts are manufactured in both square and circular shapes.
Either is fine, provided it conforms to The Rules of Tennis, which
states that round posts be between 2-7/8 and 6 inches in diameter
and square posts between 3 and 6 inches square. The top of the
post can be no more than 1 inch above the net cable.
The most popular colors for posts are green and black. Net posts
are commonly made of steel, although a few manufacturers do offer
aluminum posts in order to prevent rusting. Net posts made of brass
and of wood are also available.
Any net post must be strong enough to allow for safe tensioning
of the net. A minimum yield strength of 1,100 pounds and a mini-
mum tensile strength of 1,500 pounds are recommended. Posts
generally come equipped with mechanisms for winding and tight-
ening the net. The old lever-action tightening mechanisms have
been phased out in favor of safer and more modern equipment; in
fact, where these posts still exist, the owner should consider replac-
FROM THE GROUND UP
ing them as they can constitute a hazard.
Proper net-post care starts at the ground level—actually, below
ground level. And that, says John Welborn of Lee Tennis in Char-
lottesville, Va., is where people make their first mistake. “The main
problem with net posts is that folks get lazy on the installation and
pour a cylinder-shaped footing, which will heave up during the
freeze-thaw cycles,” he says. “You have to go by the spec and pour
the bell-shaped design, which takes extra work and therefore does-
n't get done.”
34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
BY MARY HELEN SPRECHER
The need for the bell-shaped footing is echoed by Matt Strom,
as well as by Colin Donovan, who adds, “In all climates, this
shape will prevent the foundations from pulling over due to later-
al stresses from the net cable.”
The appropriate depth for net posts will depend on soil condi-
tions as well as geographic location of the courts. Footings should
always be at least 6 inches deeper than the local frost depth, but
not less than 42 inches.
David Moore of Cape & Island Tennis and Track in Pocasset,
Mass., says architects in his area request the 42-inch depth, since
the frost line in New England can be 3 feet. “The one important
fact in all-weather or hard courts,” says Moore, “is that it is best
to set the footing before the pavement is placed. This procedure
prevents the common crack around the footing in the surface.”
OPTIONS FOR MULTI-SPORT COURTS
Some courts need to multi-task in order to create spaces for other
sports, such as playgrounds where kids can play tag, dodge ball
or a variety of other games, in a safe, fenced-in area. Since nets
and posts could constitute a hazard, manufacturers have devel-
oped equipment that helps with the quick-change artistry of such
facilities.
“In public facilities where the courts are built for multi-use pur-
poses, sleeves are recommended,” says Donovan. “You can
remove the posts and insert a sleeve cap that enables the users to
play basketball, volleyball or in-line hockey.”
Although setting posts in sleeves is more expensive initially, it
makes for easier resurfacing and renovation of courts, since it
may help prevent the future need to dig up the post footing in
order to replace worn-out net posts.
Make it a point to do a regular walk-through of your facility
and take a good, hard look at your net posts. Check for cracks
around the posts, and check the posts themselves. Do they look
bent? Rusted? Does the paint need a touch-up? Is any hardware
damaged? Talk to a tennis court contractor if you have concerns.
If you’re experiencing constant problems with corrosion, ask
your contractor about options that can help prevent this, particu-
larly in certain climates.
“It might be news to some that in Florida you need to use gal-
vanized steel posts to keep the salt (brackish) water from rusting
through the steel,” says Welborn. “This makes the finish not be
as smooth, but sure beats replacing the posts in a year or so.”
Come to think of it, maybe having net posts that are rarely
noticed isn’t such a bad thing. 
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 String Playtest
Pacific Poly Power Pro
Poly Power Pro is a high modulus poly-
ester string manufactured in Germany
exclusively by Pacific. In construction,
it is essentially a double-coated
monofilament. Pacific tells us that the
high modulus polymers combined with
two layers of a special coating deliver
focused ball-control, excellent elasticity
for maximum energy return to the ball,
and high durability. Pacific is the Offi-
cial String of the ATP Tour.
Pacific Poly Power Pro is for players
looking for a durable control with extra
power, with comfort typically not associ-
ated with polyester string. It is available
in 16 (1.30 mm), 16L (1.25 mm), and 17
(1.20 mm) gauges in yellow and black. It
is priced from $7.25 for sets of 40 feet,
and $110 for reels of 660 feet. For more
information or to order, contact your
local Pacific sales agent or Pacific at 941-
795-1789 (e-mail info@pacific.com), or
visit pacific.com.
IN THE LAB
We tested the 16L gauge Poly Power Pro
in yellow. The coil measured 43 feet. The
diameter measured 1.24-1.26 mm before
stringing, and 1.23-1.24 mm after string-
ing. We recorded a stringbed stiffness of
74 RDC units immediately after stringing
at 60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95
(16 x 18 pattern) on a constant-pull
machine.
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed
stiffness measured 68 RDC units, repre-
senting an 8 percent tension loss. Our
control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Origi-
nal Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units
immediately after stringing and 71 RDC
units after 24 hours, representing a 9 per-
cent tension loss. In lab testing, Prince
Synthetic Gut Original had a stiffness of
217 and a tension loss of 11.67 pounds.
Pacific Poly Power Pro 16 had a stiffness
of 222 and a tension loss of 21.65
pounds. Poly Power Pro 16 added 17
grams to the weight of our unstrung
frame.
The string was tested for five weeks
by 37 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-
36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
ings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind tests,
with playtesters receiving unmarked
strings in unmarked packages. We recom-
mended our playtesters use a reference
tension 10 percent lower than for a nylon
string. Average number of hours playtest-
ed was 28.5. Two playtesters broke the sample
Poly Power Pro feels very smooth out during stringing, 12 reported problems
of the package, with a bit of coil memory. with coil memory, three reported prob-
It also seems to have a bit of lubrication lems tying knots, and two reported fric-
on it, which combined with the smooth- tion burn.
ON THE COURT
ness can make it more difficult to grab the
string between your fingers while weaving
the crosses. If you string more than one We have a winner! Our playtest team
racquet in a row, you’ll probably want to gave Pacific Poly Power Pro 16 the high-
wipe your hands off between racquets. est rating for Resistance to Movement of
any string we’ve tested to date for publi-
EASE OF STRINGING cation, which represents 139 strings.
(compared to other strings) Coupled with Poly Power Pro’s 3rd-over-
Number of testers who said it was:
all rating for Durability (tie), and 9th-
much easier 0
overall rating for Tension Retention (tie),
somewhat easier 1
and you’ve got one durable string. Poly
about as easy 24
Power Pro also scored well above aver-
not quite as easy 9
age for Control, Power, and (as you
not nearly as easy 3
might guess from reading the com-
OVERALL PLAYABILITY ments) Spin Potential. This gives Pacific
(compared to string played most often) Poly Power Pro 16 an overall rating well
Number of testers who said it was:
above average, with ratings in the top
much better 0
10 percent in four categories (Resistance
somewhat better 4
to Movement, Durability, Tension Reten-
about as playable 11
tion, and Control).
not quite as playable 17
not nearly as playable 3 None of our playtesters broke the
sample during the playtest period.
CONCLUSION
OVERALL DURABILITY
(compared to other strings
of similar gauge)
Number of testers who said it was: Whether it’s the German polyester core
much better 9 or the two layers of special coating,
somewhat better 13 Pacific Poly Power Pro 16 definitely
about as durable 12 establishes its credentials as a durability
not quite as durable 1 string, but it doesn’t end there. As noted
not nearly as durable 0 above, several of our playtesters liked
the spin potential of Poly Power Pro,
RATING AVERAGES
From 1 to 5 (best) too. Plus, if you’re smacking the ball for
Playability 3.3 hours on end (which you can do thanks
Durability (tied for 3rd overall) 4.5 to Poly Power Pro’s durability), your
Power 3.4 arm will be happy to know that our lab
Control 3.7 test shows that Poly Power Pro is only
Comfort 2.9 slightly stiffer than our reference nylon
Touch/Feel 2.7 string.
Spin Potential 3.4
If you have a stringing business and
Holding Tension (9th overall) 3.7
are thinking about carrying this string,
—Greg Raven Q
Resistance to Movement (1st overall) 4.3
give Pacific a call.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
TESTERS TALK

“ Very crisp string with great spin, power, and control.

”
Holds tension very well. 4.5 male all-court player using
Wilson K Four strung at 50 pounds CP (Luxilon M2 Pro
16L)

“ Very solid feel. I am amazed at how little head speed

”
is required to create big spin. 4.0 male all-court player
using Dunlop Aerogel 2 Hundred strung at 56 pounds CP
(Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17)

“ Medium firm poly with surprisingly good comfort and

power. I can only imagine how fun a thinner gauge
would be.
” 4.0 male all-court player using Volkl DNX
9 strung at 53 pounds CP (MSV Focus Hex 18L)

“ Outstanding bite and durability. Very high playability

”
for a poly. 4.5 male all-court player using Wilson
Kobra Tour strung at 58/60 pounds LO (Gosen Poly-
lon/Babolat Conquest 17)

“ This polyester performs well in all areas. After 20

”
hours it looks and plays fresh. 3.5 male all-court play-
er using Prince EXO3 Silver strung at 58 pounds CP
(Signum Pro Poly Plasma 17)

“ Wow! This string has a surprisingly comfortable

”
response. I might become a poly convert. 6.0 male all-
court player using Wilson K Tour strung at 53 pounds CP
(Wilson NXT 17)

“ These strings handle very stiff out of the package.

Playability is decent. Control stands out, but power is

”
lacking. 5.0 male all-court player using Head Micro-
GEL Prestige Mid Plus strung at 57 pounds CP (Head FXP
16)

“ This is a surprisingly comfortable poly. Great spin

”
potential and control. Low power. 4.0 male all-court
player using Wilson K Six One Tour strung at 50 pounds
LO (Natural Gut/Polyester 17/16)

“ Very easy access to spin. Somewhat harsh response.

”
Loses resilience after about 10 hours. 4.5 male all-
court player using Volkl C10 Pro strung at 50 pounds LO
(Babolat VS Team 17)

“ This is a stiff polyester with good control and great

”
durability. Not the best option for seniors. 4.5 male
all-court player using Volkl DNX 1 w/Power Arm strung at
48 pounds CP (Forten Dynamix 16)
For the rest of the tester comments, visit www.racquetsportsindustry.com.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com March 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 37

Tips & Techniques
Readers’ Know-How in Action
FIVE MINUTE TEST
It’s important to select the correct tension
for every customer, but things become
complicated with hybrid string jobs. To
determine the correct tension for hybrids,
we perform a “Percent Elasticity Test” on a
constant-pull stringing machine, and use
the results to pick the optimum tension on
hybrid string jobs with highly satisfactory
results. I call it my “Five Minute Test”
because it takes five minutes or less to
complete.
Here’s how we perform this test:
1. Connect a piece of the string between
one of the machine’s string clamps and
the tensioner. Pull the string straight, but
do not load it.
2. Mark a section of the string about three
inches long.
3. Measure the length of the section of
string you just marked, preferably with a
dial caliper, and note the length.
4. Pull tension at 100 pounds, measure the
marked section, and note the new
length. We chose 100 pounds for the
load to subject the string to a stretch sim-
ilar to what it would encounter during
high impact with the ball. If your
machine doesn’t go up to 100 pounds,
use the maximum.
5. Calculate elasticity: Percent Elasticity =
((Final Length – Original Length) / (Orig-
inal Length)) x 100
6. Divide the elasticity of the stiffer string
by that of the more elastic string to get
the stiffness ratio between these two
strings.
We’ve found that the typical elasticity
for nylon is 15 percent, and polyester elas-
ticity averages 9.5 percent. Dividing 9.5 by
15 gives a stiffness ratio of 0.63. On a job
requiring 55 pounds reference tension,
using these two values with poly mains and
nylon crosses, the reference tension for the
38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
mains would be adjusted to 35 pounds (55
times 0.63), and 55 pounds for crosses.
We take one additional step to reduce
tension loss after stringing and extend the
useful life of our string jobs. We machine
pre-stretch the first 8 mains at 10 percent
and crosses 6 through 16 at 20 percent. For
these 18 strings, we allow each to remain
under machine tension (with pre-stretch
option selected) while we pre-weave the
next two holes. Only then do we clamp off.
Given a reference tension of 55 pounds, the
mains in the example above would have 49
pounds of tension and the crosses 45
pounds immediately after stringing. This
represents about half the tension loss typi-
cally seen.
5 sets of Wilson K-Gut Pro 16 to:
Dr. Carl Love, Albany, OR
Editor’s note: We do not recommend follow-
ing this procedure with nylon mains and
poly crosses, as the resulting frame distor-
tion may be extreme. If in doubt, measure
the frame distortion — any difference of
more than 3/32-inches in relative measure-
ments is too much.
PRE-WEAVING THE
INTERMEDIATE MAINS
Some stringing machines have bulky string
clamps, or the clamps will have a textured
outside surface or a sharp edge that can
abrade or shave the string if it rubs on the
clamp during installation. This usually
occurs when you are installing the “inter-
mediate” mains — the two or four mains
between the outside main and the “throat”
mains in the center of the racquet. Depend-
ing on the spacing of the mains, it can be
worse on some frames than on others,
but when I know the clamps are going to
be close to the grommets at the lower
shoulders of the racquet, I pre-weave the
next main before tensioning and clamp-
ing off. This eliminates having to get the
tip of the string around the clamp, it miti-
gates the problem of dragging the string
against the clamp, and — because there’s
not as much string to pull through after
tensioning — there’s less chance of burn-
ing and damaging the grommet adjacent
to the clamp as I pull the remaining slack
through.
5 sets of Babolat N.VY 16 to:
L. Hodges, Lucerne Valley, CA
GRIP PRE-STRETCHING
I prep equipment for a top-ten ranked
player and with his two-handed backhand
likes to carry his grip up on the frame as
far as possible. I have learned that I can
pre-stretch his grip, which adds a remark-
able amount of length. I work with about
ten inches of grip at a time, stretching
one section after another.
As you can see in the photo, the black
tape indicates the length of the grip prior
to stretching and the grip after it has been
stretched. In this case it added 4-1/2
inches to its length. So if you want to
increase the grip length, pre-stretch it
before installation.
5 sets of Pro Supex PF Blend 17/16 to:
Dan Kerr, MRT, Wiarton Ontario Canada
Editor’s note: Stretching some grips
results in them getting thinner and nar-
rower, so the grip will need more wraps to
cover the grip, and may feel different to
the player. —Greg Raven Q
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA mem-
bers, 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 greg@racquettech.com.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 Your Serve
Retailer’s Bill of Rights
A longtime tennis shop owner says there
B
must be changes in the way retailers are
treated in this industry.
rick-and-mortar tennis shops are
the lifeblood of the tennis industry
and at the forefront of educating
consumers, supporting local towns and
businesses, and growing grassroots tennis
initiatives. Any growth in tennis participa-
tion will be short-lived if tennis specialty
retailers do not flourish.
As industry leaders, protectors and
promoters, we should have certain basic
and absolute rights, which serve to protect
and help the entire industry to prosper.
These rights make up the “Tennis Special-
ty Bill of Rights.”
1. Right to have all premium products
on a Minimum Advertised Pricing policy.
• MAP pricing should reflect appropriate
retail margins and should not be lowered
for at least 24 months, and after that not
lowered by more than 15%. All premium
products should remain on MAP to allow
sufficient time for sell-through.
• Offering free goods of any kind, includ-
ing strings, would be a violation of MAP.
• Any decrease in MAP should be reflected
in Authorized Dealer pricing.
• Quoting prices over the phone below
MAP would be a violation of the MAP
policy. Manufacturers need to periodi-
cally check to make sure this is not hap-
pening.
• Cosmetic changes, such as a color
change, should not be considered a
model change.
2. Right to exclusive Tennis Specialty
Pricing. Specialty dealers have the highest
overhead while providing the best direct
service and customer satisfaction. Brick-
and-mortar shops should be given pricing
from manufacturers that reflect this imbal-
ance.
3. Right to book and receive product at
least 60 days before online dealers and
distributors.
• Sufficient product should always be allo-
cated to all Authorized Dealers. Booking
40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2010
JIM DONNELLY AND CHRIS GAUDREAU
deadlines must be clearly defined and not
compromised.
• Adequate inventory should be available for
tennis specialty to fill-in. Manufacturers
should monitor, and restrict if necessary,
the buys of online retailers and distributors
to ensure this throughout the product life.
4. Right to purchase discontinued items
for 90 days before being offered to online
dealers.
• Liquidated items would continue to be
bound by MAP terms.
• Every effort should be made to avoid pro-
ducing more SKUs then the industry can
support. Fewer SKUs and longer life cycles
will help rejuvenate tennis specialty and
the industry.
5. Right to have a clear separation of all
premium tennis categories from big-box
and sporting goods stores. Elite-level tennis
footwear, apparel, racquets, accessories,
string, bags and balls should not be found at
big-box or sporting goods stores. Moreover,
once premium product is discontinued, that
product should not be remade and resold in
any way.
6. Right to a minimum 20-mile radius
between Authorized Dealers and distribu-
tor accounts. (In densely populated areas,
the minimum radius should be 10 miles.)
• All distributor accounts should be
approved by each company's area repre-
sentative.
• All distributors should produce a compre-
hensive list of accounts for area rep to
review.
• All current distributor accounts that are too
close to an Authorized Dealer should be
closed.
• No person, club, school, pro-shop, regard-
less of any professional affiliation, should
receive product from a distributor unless
approved by that company's area rep.
7. Right to have manufacturers drive all
business to nearest Tennis Specialty dealer.
• All business, including schools, colleges,
BY TONY TAVERNA
WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
TENNIS SPECIALTY RETAILERS
clubs and pros within a dealer’s territory,
shall be forwarded to that dealer.
8. Right to be protected from manufac-
turer-direct sales. Manufacturers should
not sell direct to consumers. Manufactur-
ers currently selling direct should not offer
discounts and should immediately begin
transitioning sales to the nearest Authorized
Dealer. Manufacturer websites should stim-
ulate and forward interest to Authorized
Dealers. Information on manufacturers’
sites should never encourage consumers to
do something on their own that would nor-
mally be done in the tennis shop, such as
stringing, gripping, fitting, etc.
9. Right to have a dedicated premium
product line for Tennis Specialty distrib-
ution only. Product line (from each manu-
facturer) should include at a minimum, but
not be limited to: 4 racquet models, 2
footwear models, 3 string SKUs, 2 replace-
ment grip SKUs, 2 overgrip SKUs, 3 bag
SKUs, 1 ball SKU.
10. Right to be consulted before any
advertised consumer discounting. Dis-
counts include but aren’t limited to pro-
motions (whether online or other),
coupons, coupon codes, direct sales dis-
counts. All discounts should be approved
by Authorized Dealers. Online discounting
of any premium product is not acceptable
at any time.
Are your retail rights being violated?
Would you like to see a change for the bet-
ter? Would you like to see a Tennis Retailer
Association? Email cleantennisindustry@
perfectracquet.com. Q
Tony Taverna is a USRSA Master
Racquet Technician and a
USPTA Level 1 pro. He and his
wife, Kathy, own two tennis
retail shops in Connecticut.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com or fax
them to 760-536-1171.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com