Racquet Sports Industry

September/October 2010
Volume 38 Number 9 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
Professional Challenges
How can pro tennis grow
in the U.S.?
New Apparel: Fit,

Function, Fun
Court Construction:
D-I-Y or Call the Pros? Special
TIA Section:
Roadmap for a
Healthy Sport
Contents COURT CONSTRUCTION
R S I S E P / O C T
INDUSTRY NEWS
2 0 1 0
& MAINTENANCE 7 USPTA announces speakers

28 D-I-Y or Call the Pros? for World Conference
Looking to save on court maintenance
expenses? You can do some things your-
7 Prince announces
self, but leave other jobs to the pros. management changes
30 Meeting the Challenges 7 President Obama visits
Your facility may meet the ADA
regulations for wheelchair compliance,
QuickStart event
but is it truly welcoming for players with
disabilities?
7 Industry loses Warren
Bosworth
FEATURES 9 AmEx, USTA start ‘Fresh
Courts’ program
38 Apparel: Fit, Function, Fun
Upcoming styles are designed for
comfortable play, on and off the court.
9 Linda Glassel joins Wilson
40 Table Tennis Hits an Upswing 9 30-court tennis complex

Ping-pong is seeing a resurgence as slated for Maryland
players are rediscovering the game.
10 PTR Development
Weekend in Orlando
SPECIAL REPORT: 11 3 finalists named for
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY ‘Best Tennis Town’
33 Professional Challenges 11 Kansas City wins WTT title

In this second of two articles on pro
tennis in the U.S., we explore how
12 Seminars announced
tennis can grow in the crowded
for GSS Symposium
landscape of American pro sports.
14 New court construction
book available
15 TIA forms facility,
retailer panels
Cover photo by Bob Kenas
DEPARTMENTS 27 Pioneers in Tennis: Schwartz, Katz, Keighley

4 Our Serve 42 String Playtest: Mantis Comfort Synthetic
7 Industry News 44 Tips and Techniques
14 Letters 46 Ask the Experts
17 TIA Special Section: Roadmap for a Healthy Sport 48 Your Serve, by Bill Phillips and Kevin Theos
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Our Serve
T
Play It Forward (Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
wenty-five years ago, I walked into the office of Tennis
Industry magazine. Without any real world experience to Publishers
speak of, I decided to apply for a job anyway. The three David Bone Jeff Williams
men who ran the magazine didn’t know me, but I knew one Editorial Director
thing: We shared a passion for tennis. Besides, what else did I Peter Francesconi
have to lose? The worst they could do was kick me out of their Associate Editor
North Miami digs and scream some John McEnroe-style epithets Greg Raven
in my direction. Design/Art Director
But Stanley Schwartz, Hardy Katz and Michael Keighley had a different plan in Kristine Thom
mind. Instead of sending me packing, which would have been the easy thing to do, Contributing Editors
they took a chance on me. Perhaps they appreciated the fact that I was a tennis Robin Bateman
enthusiast with energy to spare. Perhaps they just needed cheap labor. Cynthia Cantrell
No matter. In that cramped office, where personal space literally meant not Joe Dinoffer
Liza Horan
bumping into each other, Schwartz, Katz, and Keighley taught me the business of
Greg Moran
tennis, something they were great at, as you might see when you read our “Pioneers Bob Patterson
in Tennis” series this month (page 27). From sales to marketing, editorial to account- Cynthia Sherman
ing, I learned valuable lessons—lessons that are still with me today. Mary Helen Sprecher
Of course, now as co-publisher of Racquet Sports Industry magazine, I look back
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
at the last 25 years and I’m thankful that Schwartz, Katz and Keighley gave me my Corporate Offices
first job in tennis. If it wasn’t for them, my career could have taken a decidedly dif- 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
ferent path. Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
How many other people in the industry have had a similar experience? More Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
importantly, are we seeing enough young people in the industry these days?
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
The short answer is no. Attend any industry function and look around. You’ll be
hard-pressed to see anyone under 40, and you will be forgiven for thinking that Ben- Advertising Director
gay and Post Bran Flakes were the sponsors of the cocktail hour. John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
There’s a lack of youth in the tennis business, and as an industry, we need to ask
hanna@knowatlanta.com
ourselves what we’re doing to attract new blood, new energy and new ideas. Yes,
there are some forward-thinking initiatives, but there aren’t enough of them. With- Apparel Advertising
out a constant influx of young talent, the tennis industry will stagnate and fall behind Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
competing sports and hobbies.
cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
Can we expect to package and promote compelling online programs and grow-
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
the-game initiatives without 20- and 30-something employees helping lead the way?
year: monthly January through August and com-
After all, they intuitively understand how kids are consuming media these days, and bined issues in September/October and Novem-
what’s occupying their time. With so much of the industry focused on trying to hook ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330
kids into the sport, and keep them hooked, doesn’t it make sense to tap into the Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail at
Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Vista, CA and
energy and excitement of people who are closer to receiving their college diploma
additional mailing offices. August 2010, Volume 38,
than collecting Social Security? Number 9 © 2010 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
But to do that, we all need to start looking at the job market from a different per- rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and
spective. We must be aware that tennis will not thrive unless we in the business go logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
out of our way to take a new generation under our wing and help them along. Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-
Stanley, Hardy and Michael, thank you for bringing me in, being my mentors
tions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER:
and showing me the way. Now, all these years later, I’m here trying to do you proud. Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry,
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.
Jeff Williams
Co-Publisher RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA

R S I S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0
INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS
Prince Announces USPTA Announces World Conference Speakers

Management Changes ick Bollettieri, Rick Macci, John Yandell, Todd Ellenbecker,
Prince Sports has
appointed Gordon Bog-
gis (left) as chief execu-
N Allen Fox, Tom Gorman, Page Love, Martin Baroch and
Mark Kovacs are among the speakers to be featured at the
USPTA’s World Conference on Tennis Sept. 27 to Oct. 2 at La Quinta Resort
tive officer. In addition, & Club in La Quinta, Calif. The conference will feature more than 40 sem-
George Napier is retir- inars and courses, the USPTA’s International Tennis Championships, a
ing as chairman and tennis-only buying show, silent auction, nighttime parties, awards pres-
CEO, but will stay con- entation and more.
nected to Prince as vice chairman. And The USPTA expects about 1,500 attendees, including tennis professionals, industry
Sam Cook joins Prince as general manag- leaders and representatives, manufacturers, wholesalers and media. In addition to USPTA
er of its business in the U.S. and Canada. members, the conference is open to nonmember tennis-teaching professionals and ten-
nis enthusiasts.
Boggis joined Prince in October 2009 as The International Championships will be held Sept. 27-30; the welcome party will be
president and COO. Before Prince, he was Sept. 29; awards breakfast, buying show and silent auction Sept. 30; National Cardio Ten-
CEO of PaceMaster Fitness, and prior to nis Feeding Shootout finals Oct. 1; and certification exams Oct. 1-2.
that was president of Dunlop Slazenger For more info, including a detailed agenda, visit usptaworldconference.com or call
Group Americas. Boggis has held a range 800-877-8248.
of management positions with multina-
tional consumer companies.
Napier led the successful buy-out of Prince
President Obama Visits QST Event at White House
resident Barack Obama made a surprise visit to a tennis clinic held at the White
P
from Benetton and through many signifi-
cant phases of the company’s recent his- House on Aug. 3, where he spoke with (from left) Sam Querrey, Mike Bryan and Bob
tory. “Now is the right time for Gordon Bryan, and also addressed more than 100 kids from local NJTL chapters. The event,
and a new team take the company to the which featured the
next level,” says Napier. “We have several QuickStart Tennis play
exciting new products and growth initia- format, was part of the
tives, either in the pipeline or under way.” South Lawn Series, a
summer-long series of
Cook joins Prince from Tecnica USA, where events that brings local
he was president of the Tecnica/Blizzard children, sports
Divisions. Previously, Cook grew the Völkl leagues and communi-
tennis brand in the U.S. ty programs together
“Sam brings to Prince a track record of to the South Lawn in
success in the tennis industry, broad gen- support of First Lady
eral management experience and a Michelle Obama’s
dynamic style that will be a great advan- “Let’s Move!” initiative
tage as we continue to reinvigorate to combat childhood
Prince’s business,” says Boggis. obesity.
In addition, Prince named two new non-

executive directors. Ron Coburn, chairman
and CEO of Savage Sports, joins the
Industry Loses Warren Bosworth
ongtime racquet customizing specialist Warren M. Bosworth, 75, died July 9 in Boca
L
Board, as does Robert Siegel, former CEO
of Lacoste USA and a former executive at Raton, Fla. Known as a “stringer to the stars,” Bosworth counted dozens of stars
Stride Rite and Levi Strauss. among his clients, including Ivan Lendl, Martina Navratilova, Andre Agassi, Rod
Laver, Arthur Ashe, Venus Williams and Pete Sampras.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7

INDUSTRY NEWS
New 30-Court Public Tennis Complex to Be Built in Maryland

H oward County, Md., recently approved one of the largest public
tennis and sports complexes in the state in years. The Troy Hill
Tennis and Sports Center, to be located in Elkridge, is expected to
be ready to host the WTA's Troy Park Women’s Tennis Champi-
onships in late July 2011.
The facility will include 30 indoor and outdoor courts, an indoor
exhibition venue, and an 8,000 seat multi-use stadium. The center is
expected to bring $18 million per year into the county's economy.
"Generally, when the county puts up a park, they might include
two, four or six courts,” says Art Tollick, president of the Howard
County Tennis Patrons. “This is 30 courts with a stadium. We're
looking at this as a lot more than a tennis complex; it's something
that will be an economic engine for the area."
Baltimore-based Gaudreau Inc. will be the lead architec-
ture/planning/engineering firm, and Riparius Construction of Balti-
more County will be the general contractor. — Mary Helen Sprecher
Bryans Claim Record

62nd Doubles Title
B ob and Mike Bryan established an all-time record by
claiming their 62nd career title at the Farmers Classic
on Aug. 1. The win moves them past the Australian team
of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, who won 61
and were inducted into the International Tennis Hall of
Fame in July. The final day of the Farmers Classic was a
good one for the Prince Tour Team, as Sam Querrey upset
top seed Andy Murray to win the title. It was the first time
in the 84-year history of the event that both the singles
and doubles champions repeated their titles.
AmEx, USTA Present ‘Fresh Courts’ Renovation Program Linda Glassel Joins Wilson
L ong-time USTA partner American Express will present the inaugural “Fresh
Courts” program, a philanthropic effort to invest in developing communities
through the renovation of tennis facilities. The 2010 program targets 17 tennis courts
I ndustry veteran Linda Glassel has
joined Wilson Racquet Sports as the
global marketing director. She was for-
in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and New York. merly the VP of marketing and branding
Work on the courts will be performed or supervised by the USTA’s Facility Assis- at Prince.
tance department. Work is scheduled to begin in September, with the goal of having “In this new worldwide role, Linda
all three sites completed by early fall. Annually, the USTA refurbishes nearly 700 will lead our newly integrated consumer
courts in approximately 200 communities. and grassroots marketing team,” Wilson
“American Express’ Fresh Courts program will impact thousands of tennis fans General Manager Jon Muir said. “Linda
and is a tremendous example of our partners giving back to communities that sup- will now serve as the lead role for all our
port tennis,” says Lucy S. Garvin, USTA President and Chairman of the Board. “With U.S. marketing, advertising and grass-
their support, we can bring our new QuickStart play format to more kids than ever roots elements as well as leading our
before.” global initiatives in these areas—work-
“Our goal with Fresh Courts is to inspire and grow the local passion for tennis, ing with all of our local marketing heads
while reinvesting valuable resources to strengthen the community through sport,” around the world.”
says Jessica Igoe, director of Global Sponsorship Marketing for American Express. In another move, Cory Springer, the
In Los Angeles, the Fresh Courts program targets eight full-sized courts at the global business director for perform-
Jackie Tatum Harvard Tennis Courts. Four of the 78-foot courts will feature blended ance racquets, will now “take on the
lines for the QuickStart play format. In Washington, two courts in Columbia day-to-day management of our recre-
Heights will be refurbished, and will be lined to accommodate QST courts. In New ational rackets category and now serve
York, six full-size courts will be refurbished and two 36-foot courts added at McCar- as our (consolidated) global Business
ren Park in Brooklyn. Director for Tennis Rackets,” Muir said.

S E P / O C T 2 0 1 0
SHORT SETS
INDUSTRYNEWS
>topTotal prize money for the 2010 US Open will

$22.6 million, an increase of $1 million over
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Cen-
ter in Flushing, N.Y. The show will be host-
PTR Development
last year’s record and the richest purse in tennis ed by Adrienne Bailon and Quddus and Weekend Oct. 7-10 in
history. In addition, the top three men’s and
women’s finishers in the Olympus US Open
feature special celebrity guests, including
Nick Cannon, and performances from All-
Orlando
Series may earn up to an additional $2.6 million
in bonus prize money at the Open, providing a
star Weekend and School Gyrls.
>finalsRatings for the Wimbledon singles

T he PTR’s
Profes-
sional Development Weekend
potential total payout of $25.2 million. Both on NBC tumbled to the lowest in at will be Oct. 7-10 (Thursday to Sun-
the men’s and women’s US Open singles cham- least 14 years. NBC drew a 1.6 final rating day) at the Grand Cypress Resort
pions will earn a record $1.7 million with the for both the women's and men's finals, in Orlando, Fla., and will feature
ability to earn an additional $1 million in bonus down significantly from last year. Between more than 20 presentations and
prize money based on their USOS performances. 1997 and 2009, no singles final had specialty courses for tennis teach-
>a partnership
Wilson Racquet Sports recently announced drawn less than a 2.0 rating. ers. Speakers will include Pat
with Soles4Souls, the internation-
al shoe charity. In July, Wilson partnered with
>startEvents held the weekend before the
of the Farmer Classic in Los Angeles
Etcheberry, Rodney Harmon,
Jorge Andrew, Anne Pankhurst,
Los Angeles tennis specialty store The Racket in late July raised more than $500,000 for Daniel Spatz, Doug Cash, Michele
Doctor to offer consumers the opportunity to charity. Fans saw a concert by Keith Urban Krause, Lance Andersen, Mike
trade in their current tennis shoes from any and the Avett Brothers, then Andre Agas- Barrell and others.
brand and purchase new Wilson shoes at half si played John McEnroe to benefit the On court and classroom topics
the retail price. Soles4Souls and Wilson collect- Andre Agassi Foundation. include Fundamentals of Movement
ed the gently worn tennis footwear or mone- Training, Integrate Technique, Tac-
tary contributions to ship to people in need. >Martin,
CordeValle, A Rosewood Resort in San
Calif., has opened a new tennis
tics and Strategy into Your Teaching,
>KellyLongtime tennis director and teaching pro
Gunterman has released a new book,
center, with four cushioned hard courts,
Top 20 Drills and Games, Embrac-
ing Social Media and Technology as
and named Benjy Robins as tennis direc-
“Tennis Made Easy.” For tennis players of all a Tennis Pro, The Power of Food,
tor.
levels, the workbook includes tactics, strategies Marketing Cardio Tennis Kids,
and more. The book is $19.95, available at >pionsTheofLostheAngeles Strings are the cham-
inaugural National Bad-
Growing Your Tennis Business, Life
NewChapterMedia.com. Cycle of a Tennis Court and more.
minton League (NBL). National and world The event is open to everyone
> The city of Granite Shoals, Texas, has given
its approval for the Andy Roddick Foundation
champions from 11 countries competed and costs $379. PTR room rates
on three co-ed teams based in Southern start at $129 a night. Visit ptrten-
to lease 13 acres to build the 18-court, $5 mil- California. Plans are under way to add NBL nis.org for a list of speakers, top-
lion Andy Roddick International Tennis Center. teams in Las Vegas, Chicago and New ics, event schedule and more, and
The Foundation will pay $1 a year to lease the York for the 2011 season. NBL sponsors to register, or call 800-421-6289.
property. The center will serve underprivileged include Yonex and Badminton Ware- There also will be a shuttle to
youth and those fighting type II diabetes, but it house. the Justine Henin Academy on
will also be open to all youngsters, especially
area schoolchildren, who will use the courts for > Sports journalist Rick Reilly will moder-
ate “A Special Evening with Andre Agas-
Sunday and Monday where
Etcheberry will conduct his
PE classes.
si” on Sept. 2 at New York City’s Town Etcheberry Certification. And also
>hour,The5 longest match in tennis history—the 11
minute Wimbledon marathon that John
Hall. The format will be a combination of on Sunday, the Grand Slam
Stringers Symposium begins in
interview, real-time talk show, tribute and
Isner won over Nicolas Mahut, 70-68 in the roast followed by a question and answer Orlando.
fifth set, was named the Best Record-Setting session with the audience. Tickets are $95
Performance at the ESPY awards in July. Other and $150, with VIP packages at $250. Go
ESPY winners included Roger Federer and Sere- to ticketmaster.com. Jean Larson Dies
na Williams as the best male and female tennis
players. Kim Clijsters, the 2009 US Open win-
ner, received a special award for best come-
>the The Southern Smashers, representing
USTA Southern Section, won the WTT
Jean Larson, the wife of Daily Ten-
nis publisher Bob Larson, died
Aug 6. She was 75. Bob Larson said
Junior Nationals for the fourth time in the
back. his wife had suffered from ALS
past six years, defeating Texas TNT 37-35
>LovatoPopwillsuperstars Jonas Brothers and Demi
appear with the tennis world No. 1
in Overtime at the George E. Barnes Ten-
since 2009, and while her condition
had weakened recently, her sudden
nis Center in San Diego, Calif.
Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters and decline was unexpected. In addition
Novak Djokovic at the 15th Annual Arthur >an official
Grand Marnier, the orange liqueur, is
sponsor of the USTA’s Olympus
to her husband, she is survived by a
Ashe Kids’ Day on Saturday, Aug. 28, at the son, Cort, and daughter, Cara Ter-
US Open Series. williger.

INDUSTRY NEWS
Kansas City Wins WTT Title

T he Kansas City Explorers captured its first World TeamTen-
nis title with a 21-18 win over the New York Sportimes at
the WTT Finals on July 25 in Kansas City, Mo. The Explorers’
Jarka Groth and Kveta Peschke clinched the title with a 5-3 win over the Sportimes’
Ashley Harkleroad and Abigail Spears in the final set to give Kansas City its first
Championship win in the team’s 18-year history. Groth, who was named WTT Finals
MVP, dominated throughout the evening as she won all three of her sets.
In other WTT news, Lindsay Davenport of the St. Louis Aces and the Springfield
Lasers' Martin Damm were named the 2010 Female and Male MVPs of the 35th sea-
son of the World TeamTennis Pro League.
Also, Bobby Reynolds of the Washington Kastles and Courtney Nagle of the
Philadelphia Freedoms picked up WTT Rookie of the Year honors and Springfield
Lasers coach John-Laffnie "J.L." de Jager was named the WTT Coach of the Year for
the second year in a row.
Free Replacement Bobbin for 2086

W ise USA is making available a free replacement bobbin for its 2086 Profession-
al Tension Head, Series 11. For stringers who received a Diablo with their unit
or who ordered a Diablo as an independent upgrade, contact Wise to receive a new,
non-slip version of the bobbin, which mounts on the unit quickly and easily.
There is no charge for the replacement bobbin or for postage, and the old bob-
bin does not have to be returned. Contact Wise at sales@tennishead.com or 888-
836-7466.
3 Finalists Named for

‘Best Tennis Town’
A tlanta, Charleston, and Richmond,
Va., have been selected as the three
finalists in the USTA’s second annual
search to determine the winner of the
“Best Tennis Town” contest, as deter-
mined by nationwide voting. The ulti-
mate winner will be announced during
the 2010 US Open.
In addition to the title, the 2010 con-
test winner will receive a $100,000
grant from the USTA to be used for com-
munity-wide tennis programming and
facility enhancements. The second- and
third-prize winners will receive $50,000
and $25,000, respectively.
The search for the 2010 “Best Tennis
Town” is the USTA’s second nationwide
search to identify the local area—from
small, rural towns to large, urban metro
areas—that best exemplifies the pas-
sion, excitement, spirit and impact that
tennis brings. The inaugural contest
winner last year was Midland, Mich.

S E P / O C T 2 0 1 0
P E O P L E W AT C H
INDUSTRYNEWS
• Roger Federer is adding American Paul contract with the company, won both the 7 Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Annacone to his coaching team. men’s doubles and mixed doubles at the The International Tennis Hall of Fame's
2010 Wilson Boston Open. He won the newest members (from left): Natasha Zvere-
• World No. 3 racquetball men’s doubles with partner Quang-Minh va, Gigi Fernandez, Brad Parks, Mark Wood-
star Rocky Carson has Nguyen and the mixed doubles with partner forde, Todd Woodbridge and Owen
signed a long-term con- Yun Peng. Davidson. The Class of 2010 also includes
tract with Head Penn Derek Hardwick, who was inducted posthu-
Racquet Sports. • The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Bill mously. The induction ceremony, held in July,
Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Awards were is available for viewing on tennisfame.com.
• Former US Davis Cup Captain presented in July to Shaun Chaudhuri of
Dennis Ralston had a foot amputated in July, Pleasanton, Calif., Neil Karandikar of Belle
but is now back at Mission Hills Country Club Meade, N.J., Marc Powers of Stamford,
in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Mission Hills Tennis Conn., and Caroline Price of Duluth, Ga.
Director Tommy Tucker and Donald Dell are
planning a benefit to honor Ralston. • Maria Sharapova contributed $250,000
recently to a United Nations Development
• Ashaway Racket Strings Program to provide sports and other physical
has signed rising squash activities for youth in the area affected by the
pro Daryl Selby to a 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident. Sharapova,
three-year sponsorship a UN Goodwill Ambassador, also set up a Photo credit: Cindy Cantrell
agreement. Selby is cur- charitable foundation to help fund a number

rently ranked No. 9 by the of UNDP youth-focused projects. She also Seminars Announced for
Professional Squash Associa- funds a scholarship program for students in
tion and plays with Ashaway's new Zyex- the contaminated areas. 2010 GSS Symposium
based UltraNick 18.
• Peter Burwash, president of Peter Burwash I n response to attendee feedback, two
new sessions have been
• Martina Navratilova will be recognized International, was inducted into the Northern added to the Fourth Annual
with the Eugene L. Scott Award by the Inter- California Tennis Hall of Fame in July in a cer- Grand Slam Stringers Sym-
national Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, at emony at the Bank of the West Classic. Also posium, which will be held
the 30th annual Legends Ball on Sept. 10 in inducted were Jean Harris, who at age 92 is in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 9-13.
New York City. still competing in USTA tournaments; Margie “What we’ve found is
Campbell, owner of Spare Time Clubs; and that attendees really want
• Wimbledon champ Rafael Nadal said he Marty Davis, a UC Berkeley All-American, ATP to spend more time with seminar leaders,
“cried like a baby”—after Spain’s win in soc- player and coach. working on various stringing machines, as
cer’s World Cup. The Spaniard attended the opposed to additional time in the class-
championship match against the Netherlands • Bob Duesler, Virginia Glass, Charleen Hille- room,” say symposium director Tim
and celebrated with Spanish players in the brand, Joan Johnson, Ed Kauder, Mel Lewis, Strawn. The 2010 symposium will add
locker room. Dorothy Matthiessen, Jim Nelson, Ben Press open stringing sessions that run all day, so
and Suella Steel were inducted into the attendees have the option of attending
• Top touring racquetball player Mitch Southern California Tennis Association’s Sen- classroom instruction or spending time on
Williams has signed a multi-year contract to ior Hall of Fame in a ceremony held during a machine with peers and industry reps.
continue to endorse Wilson’s line of racquet- July’s Farmers Classic in Los Angeles. The second new session is an
ball products. Williams has been with Wilson advanced “patterns and techniques” class
for the past three years and climbed to No. 7 • Bjorn Fratangelo of Pittsburgh and Caroline offered by Ron Rocchi of Wilson Sports
in the International Racquetball Tour rankings. Price of Duluth, Ga., captured the USTA Boys’ and former tour stringer Grant Morgan.
and Girls’ 18s National Clay Court Champi- The class, designed to expose each person
• Donald Becker is the new tennis director at onships singles titles in July at the Delray to new and more advanced stringing tech-
Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort on St. John Beach Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Fla., niques, will have a 3-to-1 student-teacher
USVI which has 11 courts. Caneel Bay’s tennis and the Racquet Club of Memphis (Tenn.), ratio. Each participant will be working on
program has been under the direction of respectively. a Wilson Baiardo machine.
Peter Burwash International for more than 30 The GSS Symposium kicks off with a
years. • Pablo Giacopelli, the former personal coach meet & greet, followed by three days of
of pro Shahar Peer, is joining iTUSA as man- seminars. It will conclude with USRSA cer-
• Wilson Ad Staff badminton player Holvy de aging partner for worldwide business devel- tification testing. For more information
Pauw, who recently renewed a multi-year opment. and a list of seminars go to grandslam-
stringers.com or you call 540-772-4418.

INDUSTRY NEWS
Tennis Racquet Performance

Specialty Stores,
January-June, 2010 vs. 2009
Units 2010 320,274
2009 302,462
% chg vs. ’09 6%
Dollars 2010 45,248,000
2009 41,718,000
% chg vs. ’09 8%
Price 2010 $141.28
2009 $137.93
% chg vs. ’09 2%
Top-Selling Racquets
at Specialty Stores
By year-to-date dollars,
January-June 2010
(average selling price)
Best-Sellers
1. Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT (MP)
2. Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP)
3. Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16 x 18 (MS)
4. Prince EXO3 Black (MP)
5. Babolat Aero Pro Drive+ GT (MP)
“Hot New Racquets”
(Introduced in the past 12 months)
1. Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT (MP)
2. Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16 x 18 (MS)
3. Prince EXO3 Black (MP)
4. Babolat Aero Pro Drive+ GT (MP)
5. Wilson BLX Six.One Tour (MS)
Top-Selling Tennis Shoes

at Specialty Stores
January-June 2010
(average selling price)
1. Adidas Barricade V
2. Prince T22
3. Nike Court Ballistec 2.3
4. Nike Air Breathe Free II
5. Adidas Barricade II
Top-Selling Tennis Strings

at Specialty Stores
January-June 2010
1. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex
2. Wilson NXT
3. Wilson Sensation
4. Luxilon Alu Power
5. Prince Lightning XX
(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)

S E P / O C T 2 0 1 0
New Court Construction ‘Community Surface’ TV Show

INDUSTRYNEWS
Book Now Available To Document Court Renovation

T he sixth edition of "Tennis Courts:
A Construction and Maintenance T ennis Channel will chronicle the renovation of Centennial Ten-
nis Center in Nashville, Tenn., on its new program, “Communi-
ty Surface,” which will air Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The half-hour
Manual" has just been released and is
available for anyone interested in “Community Surface built by SportMaster” will take viewers
building, maintaining or learning behind the scenes as Tennis Channel, court-resurfacing company and
more about all types of tennis courts. presenting sponsor SportMaster, and the USTA renovate the public
The manual is a cooperative venture tennis facility that was badly damaged in Nashville’s May floods.
between the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) During the storms, 36 inches of rain destroyed many of the 19
and the USTA. courts at Centennial Tennis Center which, due to insufficient
The book includes user-friendly technical information on repair funds, has left them unplayable and closed so far this sum-
all aspects of tennis courts, including design, budgeting and mer. Following a week of repairs in August, members of the
planning, site requirements, drainage, surface selection, Nashville tennis community will be able to enjoy these courts
construction, maintenance, repair, amenities and acces- again for the first time since the spring catastrophe. Upon its com-
sories, indoor tennis and more. New this year is information pletion the Centennial Tennis Center will feature eight new 36-
on 36-foot and 60-foot tennis courts. foot tennis courts in addition to the 13 existing regulation courts.
Copies of the new edition are available for $44.95 each “The floods caused so much damage throughout the area that
and can be ordered by contacting 866-501-ASBA (2722) or we had no idea how we were ever going to get these courts back
Letters
visiting sportsbuilders.org. —Mary Helen Sprecher into playing condition,” said Blain Smith, manager of the tennis
center.
What College
Pro Tennis Helps Grow Community Tennis Can Do for You
As the general manager of the Family Circle Cup held in the spring, I I saw the article by 17-year-
read with great interest Richard Pagliaro’s article in the August issue old Kalindi Dinoffer in the July
regarding professional tennis and its effect on community tennis. We issue of RSI (“Your Serve”)
are not part of the US Open Series but I can say that professional tennis and thought it was excellent!
has a dramatic effect on community tennis in Charleston, S.C. When we I wish more junior tennis
moved the Family Circle Cup to Charleston 10 years ago, we can com- players come to that realiza-
pare the number of players joining leagues and USTA teams in 2010. tion before they get injured
We can definitely make a correlation between the arrival of the Cup in or start looking for a college
Charleston and strong growth in tennis participation numbers. for academics and tennis.
I also believe it’s vitally important to have a year-round presence. My daughter Kristin was
We are not here only to run the pro tournament, but we are an impor- injured early last summer and
tant part of the community fabric. I think that can get lost when a tour- only missed a few months,
nament doesn’t have that year-round presence and can extend the however it helped her focus
experience. on what a college would do
This year we had a great occurrence with a young girl who at age 7, for her versus what she could
in our first year in Charleston, was a ball girl and gave Jennifer Capriati do for a college. She found a
her bouquet of flowers after her victory. Ten years later that same college that fit her academi-
young girl came back to the Family Circle Cup as a player in our qualies cally and still allow her to
and played great. She has since shot up the WTA Tour rankings to num- compete at a high level in
ber 382 in the world. That may not have happened without profession- tennis. Pomona College is a
al tennis. perfect fit for Kristin (it’s a lit-
I would love to see a comparison of the number of professional ten- tle far from home for her
nis tournaments in the U.S., both men and women, comparing 1990 to mom though).
2010. I hate to say it, but we are the only women’s professional clay- Good luck, Kalindi, in your
court tournament left in the U.S. recovery and future college
Bob Moran, General Manager endeavors.
Family Circle Cup/Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island Chaz Brikmanis
We welcome your letters and comments. Please limit letters to 300 words maximum. Email them to rsi@racquetTECH.com or fax them to 760-536-1171.

INDUSTRY NEWS
TIA Forms Facility,

Retailer Panels
T he TIA has created a Facility
Panel and a Retailer Panel, to
help identify current needs, issues
and concerns of both the tennis
facility and tennis retail businesses.
“Both panels will help keep us bet-
ter in touch with what facilities and
retailers need to grow their busi-
nesses,” says TIA Executive Direc-
tor Jolyn de Boer.
The Facility Panel will be made
up of tennis facility own-
ers/operators or directors of tennis.
At this time the Facility Panel con-
sists of Mike Mahoney, Mike Woody
and Rod Heckelman, with more to
be added at a later date. The Retail-
er Panel will have owners/operators
or managers of tennis retail busi-
nesses. Currently, Bruce Levine,
Brad Blume, David Schwartz and
Todd Goldman have been named.
Both panels are expected to advise
on how best to keep facilities or
retailers more engaged with indus-
try initiatives and the resources
offered through the TIA. Also, both
will help the TIA formulate effective
messaging that reaches facility
managers/directors and tennis
retailers.
Congratulations To the Following

For Achieving MRT & CS Status
New MRTs
Brandon Luu Vancouver, BC, Canada
Martin Picard Northbay, ON,, Canada
Hanh Nguyen Sunnyvale, CA
Philip Xiao Chino Hills, CA
Stephen Brandi Rye Brook, NY
Greg Stoffer Rye Brook, NY
U • S • R • S • A
CERTIFIED
STRINGER New CSs
Troy Rayder San Diego, CA
Robert Thomas Winter Springs, FL
Erica Ling San Diego, CA
Jason Duran San Diego, CA
Julio Flores San Diego, CA

TIA MISSION: To Promote the Growth
and Economic Vitality of Tennis
s THE unifying force in this industry, the The new TIA Economic Index, in
Tennis Industry Association is dedicated to development, will compile data from all sectors of
A working with all of its partners to promote
the growth and economic vitality of tennis. Our
the industry to determine a measurable economic
impact for tennis in the U.S. and to define the
goal is to develop and implement initiatives and industryÕs Òworth.Ó The Index, in turn, will be the
support common platforms that can increase leading macro indicator of our collective efforts to
tennis participation and improve the economic generate more revenue into the tennis industry.
health of the industry.
The TIAÕs central platforms are Frequent ¥ Communications/Positioning: To build a
Player Growth, Economic Growth and Industry network of industry contacts and mainstream
Communications & PositioningÑareas that will communications tools to distribute clear,
Jon Muir help lead to increased growth throughout all consistent messaging for the sport and share
TIA President sectors of the tennis industry. research and key industry news.
TennisIndustry.org is the central source for
TIA Board of Directors ¥ Frequent Player Growth: To increase frequent industry-related research, news and events.
Stacey Allaster players from the current 5.4 million to 7.5 million Through consistent messaging, we can broaden
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in 2015 and 10 million in 2020. the industryÕs and sportÕs reach with consumers
Frequent players (those who play at least 21 to increase awareness of core benefits and how
Eric Babolat times a year) are the core economic drivers of our they can easily get started in the sport and on the
Babolat sport, accounting for more than 80% of all correct pathway to becoming frequent players.
Gordon Boggis consumer goods and services sold. Increasing
Prince Americas frequent players to 10 million would have the Tennis in the U.S. has more players nowÑover 30
David Bone most dramatic impact on the tennis economy. millionÑthan at any time in the last few decades.
U.S. Racquet Stringers Assn. With our industry partners, we are strengthening And we still are, by far, the fastest growing
the supporting pathways and retention programs traditional participation sport in the country.
Kevin Callanan for new and non-frequent players to develop into To continue down this road, and to
IMG frequent players. Important in this endeavor is continue to grow and pick up even
Linda Clark QuickStart Tennis and the industry-wide focus to more momentum, we need to
ATP World Tour get children under 10 on the proper pathway to continue to grow our
Tom Cove becoming frequent players. frequent player base.
SGMA
¥ Economic Growth: To better define the
David Egdes economic impact of the tennis industry
Tennis Channel and to identify ways to impact the
Don Galliers growth of the industry.
Get involved in
SportMaster Sport Surfaces YOUR industry.
John Graham Visit
DecoTurf TennisIndustry.org
Tim Heckler today.
USPTA
Kurt Kamperman
USTA
Kevin Kempin
HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports
Ilana Kloss
World TeamTennis
Jon Muir
Wilson Sporting Goods
Kai Nitsche
Dunlop Sports Group
Meredith Poppler
IHRSA In 2009, a series of industry summits were
Dan Santorum held to address our changing marketplace.
Defining Our Pathway
PTR The result was the TIA Board identifying three areas of focus to build a healthy
Mark L. Stenning roadmap for our sport: frequent player growth, economic benchmarks, and
IntÕl. Tennis Hall of Fame communications and positioning. One of our industryÕs greatest assets is the
ability to get behind the common brand of TENNIS. While there may be twists
John Welborn and turns along the way, many tools, especially QuickStart Tennis, are
Lee Tennis Products providing a pathway to bring a sustaining group of tennis players with
Jolyn de Boer
Jeff Williams added diversity and opportunities for our sport and its businesses.
TIA Executive Director
Tennis Magazine
jolyn@tennisindustry.org
843-686-3036 x222
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
TIA Tools & Resources
Supporting Our Industry
he TIA continues to develop and promote key tools, resources and benefits to
support various sectors in this industry, including retailers, facilities, teaching pros,
T court builders, manufacturers, media, pro tours, organizations and others.
TennisIndustry.org
Recently redesigned, TennisIndustry.org is the TIAÕs central site, providing the industry with
statistics, basic research findings and key message points. Through TennisIndustry.org, you
can find out about all initiatives, tools and resources, industry news and more, in addition to
signing up for the monthly TIA Newsletter.
Research Benefits
With over 70 tennis-specific reports available annually to member companies, organizations
and manufacturers, the TIA is the source for tennis research. All members have secure
online access through the TIA website. Printed and PDF versions of select reports also are
available.
TennisConnect.com
TennisConnect provides affordable, reliable customer-service functions such as online player
matching, event enrollment, access to court reservations, group email, String Center, Demo
Racquet Center, eCalendar and more. Over 2 million court reservations are made each year
on TennisConnect-powered sites. With TennisConnect Components, providers can purchase
just the services they need and have them work with their existing website.
GrowingTennis.com
Through the GrowingTennis System, the TIA manages registration, administration and
fulfillment for Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis, QuickStart Tennis and the
GrowingTennis 50/50 Co-op Funding program. With 4-million-plus consumer queries
monthly and 20,000 facilities in the database, the GrowingTennis System continues to see
increased use as facilities post their programs and information for free. The site also has
tools and resources for facilities, retailers and other tennis-related businesses.
TIA TennisInsure.com & Other Benefits

The TIA has benefits that can save businesses up to 20% on comparable services. To meet
the insurance needs of your business or facility, check out TennisInsure (accessible through
TennisInsure.com). TIA members have access to a custom insurance program created to
respond to your health, liability, property, auto, umbrella and workmanÕs comp
requirements. Other benefits include credit-card processing, shipping discounts, printing
solutions, fraud prevention services, and marketing and media discounts.
CareersInTennis.com
Goals include attracting more young talent into the tennis industry, identifying careers paths,
and creating more financially lucrative and stable job opportunities, particularly for teaching
professionals, plus, emphasizing the need to employ only certified pros. Job-seekers and
employers are encouraged to post resumes and job openings, including internships.
Contact the Tennis Industry Association

TIA Executive Director Project Coordinator TennisConnect
Jolyn de Boer Careers In Tennis Manager Charlie Ruddy
jolyn@tennisindustry.org Ryan Melton / ryan@tennisindustry.org charlie@tennisconnect.org
843-686-3036 x222 843-686-3036 x226 888-620-6696 x512
IT/Databases Communications Membership

Matt Allen / matt@tennisindustry.org Peter Francescon Marty Mohar
843-686-3036 x221 peter@tennisindustry.org marty@tennisindustry.org
843-686-3036 x203 843-686-3036 x227
Grassroots Programs / Marketing
Brian OÕDonnell Sports Marketing Surveys Customer Service
brian@tennisindustry.org Keith Storey / research@tennisindustry.org Josh Myers
843-686-3036 x223 843-686-3036 x226 josh@tennisindustry.org
843-686-3036 x237
Cardio Tennis Accounting Services
Michele Krause / Crissie Hale
michele@cardiotennis.com crissie@tennisindustry.org
941-457-7880 843-686-3036 x224
Frequent Player Growth requent players are key to a healthy tennis industry. ÒFrequent
More Tennis Players, players drive the tennis economy,Ó says TIA President Jon Muir.
Playing More Tennis

F ÒNot only do they account for the majority of play occasions,
but they also buy the most equipment, they book court time, take
lessons and restring their racquets more than other players.Ó
The latest TIA/USTA Participation Survey showed that while total tennis participation rose 12 percent
last year to 30.1 million, frequent players declined by 3%, to 5.4 million, and play occasions were down
7%. The TIA and USTA along with all industry partners are targeting the 24.7 million non-frequent
players, hoping to get them on pathways to becoming frequent playersÑand frequent tennis consumers.
The goal is to grow frequent players by 7% a year, which would bring us to 10 million in 2020.
Frequent players, which represent 18% of the total

number of players, account for more than 80% of all
tennis consumer goods and services sold, including
over 70% of all equipment purchases. So itÕs easy to
see why we need to increase the number of frequent ÒBuilding greater awareness of resources such as
players in this country. programs and pathways to help players get into tennis
and play more, and of coordinated efforts such as 10-
and-under tennis, will help us produce 7.5 million
frequent players in 2015 and 10 million in 2020,Ó says
Muir. ÒWhen we reach 10 million frequent players, weÕll
almost double the current size of the tennis economy.Ó
How Do We Create More The QuickStart Difference
Frequent Players?
Programming, programming, programming: Getting
started in organized and structured programming to a
key to helping create frequent players. According to the The QuickStart Tennis
TIAÕs Cost of Doing BusinessÐFacilities report, 65% of play format scales down
players in beginner programs continue on in tennis
when follow-up programs are offered. the game for children 10-
and-under, using age-
Certified teaching appropriate equipment
professionals: that includes smaller
When players courts, smaller racquets
start the game by and softer tennis balls. It
learning the makes the game easier to
correct technique, learn and more fun, and quickstarttennis.com
chances are theyÕll starts kids out using
be encouraged to techniques they can then carry into the future, as
continue into
other programs, they continue on in tennis.
clinics and To jumpstart QuickStart in your community, the
leagues. Research has shown that starting with a certified USTA is offering 50%
teaching pro, in an organized tennis program, is funding to communities,
important for retaining players and creating frequent park and rec agencies,
players. Certified pros engage students and get people schools, clubs and facilities
excited about playing more tennis. Online resources from to help cover the costs of
the TIA, USPTA, PTR, and USTA give coaches and pros the painting lines on courts for
tools to keep people learning, improving and playing 36- and 60-foot tennis.
tennis more often.
Use of technology: Technology can make both the jobs of

tennis providers easier and can make access and
information easier to obtain by consumers and players.
GrowingTennis.com, for instance, allows facilities and
retailers to post their
information for free, so that
Online Searches consumers can easily find
them through searches on
¥ Find a Partner consumer sites. Tennis-
¥ Find a Program provider software, such as
TennisConnect and online
¥ Find a Court enrollment programs, can
¥ Find a Coach easily help bring players
together with facilities
and retailers.
Frequent Players Frequent Consumers

Frequent players provide the majority of the buying power in this industry, but research shows they can
become even more frequent consumers of tennis products and services, which will make the tennis
economy grow even faster.
So how do we create more Òfrequent consumers,Ó who will spend more to fill their interest in the
sport? Through education and awareness, such as educating consumers on the importance of upgrading
their equipment regularly and on the need to restring
their racquets; making them aware of programs,
clinics, lessons and other play opportunities to help
them improve their games; attending pro
tournaments and events; playing leagues and other
organized events; leading them to watch tennis on TV
and consume tennis media; and much more.
WITH 10 MILLION FREQUENT PLAYERS BY 2020, THE IMPACT ON THE TENNIS INDUSTRY WOULD BE DRAMATIC.
Industry Economic Index
The TIA has in development the
Economic Growth
new Economic Index to help define Research Overview
the ÒworthÓ of the tennis industry. he Tennis Industry Association
The index will be derived from a compilation has put together a compre-
of data from all sectors of the industry to determine a
measurable economic impact for tennis in the U.S.Ñ
T hensive research package that
focuses on every aspect of the tennis
in effect to ÒmonitorÓ the U.S. tennis economy. This marketplace. Partnering with Sports
will help the industry determine not only where weÕve Marketing Surveys, we produce more than
been, but also how we can positively affect the future 70 reports annually and have tennis market
for all industry stakeholders. data going back to 1976.
Our research includes reports on participation;
The TIA Economic Index will gather top-line data whatÕs selling at retail; cost of doing business for facilities, retailers
from eight key sectors of the tennis economy, and court builders; effectiveness of grassroots programs; retailer
including participation, facilities, court construction, health index; and much more.
program delivery, equipment, and tournaments and
events. Release date: Fall 2010.
Growing the Game
The number of TIA-driven programs helping to increase frequent play
Industry Snapshot 2Q 2010 has been steadily growing, as have the number of online court
reservations and consumer queries through the GrowingTennis System.
Racquet sales at pro/specialty were up 6% in units and
8% in dollars year-to-date through the second quarter Cardio Tennis Sites: 1,729
2010, compared to the same six months last year. QuickStart Tennis Sites: 1,638
Tennis Welcome Centers: 2,753
At wholesale, 2nd quarter racquet shipments saw a Online Court Reservations: 2 Million
slight decrease, however there was a 7.4% increase in
wholesale racquet dollars for the second quarter, Registered PlayTennis.com Users: 216,000
indicating a growing trend in performance racquet Consumer Queries: 4 million monthly
demand and increasing price points. Tennis ball
shipments year to date were up 1.6% in units and
2.7% in dollars. Participation Highlights
¥ Tennis maintains the top spot as the fastest growing
traditional sport in America for the past decade, up 43%
Tennis Market in the U.S. from 2000-2010 (SGMA/PAC)
¥ In 2009, tennis participation broke the 30M players mark
¥ Total retail tennis product category spending in 2009 reached for the first time in 20 years
$863.5 million, with nearly 72% of that spending coming
from frequent players (those who play 21+ times/year) ¥ The retention rate of players starting out in structured
introductory programming in 2009 was 65%
Equipment Spending Breakdown at Retail: ¥ New players (those trying tennis for the first time)
Rackets: $174M reached 7.1 million in 2009, up 20% from 2008
Balls: $99M ¥ Nearly 7 million former players returned to the game in
Shoes: $195M Ô09, up 18% over 2008
Strings: $54M ¥ 70% of tennis players said they played most at public
Apparel: $262M parks & schools/colleges in 2009
Other: $80M ¥ Tennis play occasions are up nearly 25% since 2003
¥ In the youth racket market, 2009 wholesale shipments were

up 64% since 2003Ñhighlighting higher participation rates Tennis Health Index
from a younger demographic
¥ Through Q2 of 2010, racket wholesale dollars are up 7%, When taken
however down 2% in units, reflecting the trend of a 10% together, the
five elements
higher average value for a racket compared to 2009 that make up the
Tennis Health
Index give an
Facility and Retailer Panels accurate
measure on an
The TIA is working with facilities and retailers, including annual basis for
through the newly formed TIA Facility Panel and TIA Retailer the state of
tennis in the U.S.
Panel, which were created to help advise the TIA on current
needs, issues and concerns. The panelsÕ goals include
keeping the TIA better in touch with what facilities and
retailers need to grow their businesses, keeping facilities and
retailers better in touch with what the TIA offers, and
helping to formulate effective messaging.
THE TIA ECONOMIC INDEX WILL GIVE US A NEW TOOL TO DEFINE THE INDUSTRYÕS WORTH.
Communications & Positioning
Reaching Out to All Sectors of the Industry
hrough websites, newsletters, press releases, email alerts, RSI TIA Tennis Forum &
magazine and more, the TIA is reaching out to provide industry
T updates, information and common messaging to the industry.
Consistent communication,
TI Hall of Fame
The TIA Tennis Forum takes place
providing basic facts and figures, and during the USTA Tennis Teachers
developing key message points that Conference in New York the first
everyone in the industry can share week of the US Open and is open to
and utilize is essential. all in the industry. At this yearÕs
Forum, weÕll also honor the 2010
TennisIndustry.org inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of FameÑBillie
WeÕve consolidated our websites Jean King. The Tennis Industry Hall of Fame was
and recently redesigned created in 2008 to recognize individuals who have
TennisIndustry.org, which is the made a significant impact on the sport.
central site that At the Forum, attendees will hear the latest news
provides the industry about the state of the industry, including participation
with statistics, basic growth, equipment sales data,
research findings, and grassroots initiatives and more.
key message points. Our The fourth annual TIA Tennis
news site carries current Forum, which is presented by
industry-related news Tennis Magazine, will be Aug. 31,
and information from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the
designed to inform and Grand Hyatt New York. For more
inspire. ThereÕs also an information, visit
Òi-NewsÓ button available for industry sites to download TennisIndustry.org/Forum.
and use. This spring, we also revamped our monthly
newsletter, which goes out to 16,000 industry and media
contacts in our database, and weÕve also added targeted
e-mail Ònews alerts.Ó Go to TennisIndustry.org to opt-in
to receive the TIA newsletter. Tennis – Benefits for Life
CareersInTennis.com
An important part of the long- Tennis adds years to your
term growth and health of life, and life to your yearsÑ
tennis involves attracting offering benefits
younger people into the for players of all
industry. The TIAÕs Careers In ages and abilities.
Tennis initiative, at ItÕs healthy, fun,
CareersInTennis.com, has affordable and
tools and resources for job- accessible, and you
seekers and employersÑall for free. Job-seekers can post can play throughout your lifetime and continually
resumes and search job listings, tennis businesses can list improve. Within our industry, the USPTAÕs ÒTennisÑfor
job openings and internships. The site has information the health of it!Ó (tennis-health.com) is a great example
about the different careers paths in this business, including of communicating the health benefits of our sport.
how important teaching pros are to the growth of tennis, The TIA is reaching out to all sectors of the
along with links to organizations, Professional Tennis industry to help get out these messages about the
Management programs, industry searches, additional benefits of playing tennis and drive more people to
resources section and more. play the game, which will boost the economic vitality
of the tennis industry.
The mainstream media is picking up on these
benefits, too. Cardio Tennis, for instance, has received
Stay in Touch more than 300
With YOUR million media
Industry impressions, and
For regular updates this fall will be
on whatÕs happening featured on the
in the industry, go to ÒBiggest LoserÓ
TennisIndustry.org TV show.
and opt-in to receive
the TIA newsletter.
THROUGH CONSISTENT AND UNIFIED MESSAGING, THE INDUSTRY WILL GAIN GREATER MAINSTREAM AWARENESS OF TENNIS.
What Is the TIA?
The Tennis Industry Association is the not-for-profit We put 100% of our resources back into supporting
trade association for the sport whose mission is to and growing tennis, providing industry research,
promote the growth and economic vitality of tennis. initiatives, services and technology tools to help
businesses grow. Through the TIA, the industry
The TIA works closely with the USTA and all industry remains positively focused on
partnersÑincluding manufacturers, organizations, joint goals to promote all the
coaches, facilities, retailers, tournaments, court benefits of the sport.
builders and mediaÑto increase tennis participation
through grow-the-game initiatives and campaigns.
Pioneers In Tennis
'Super' Men: Stanley Schwartz,
R
Hardy Katz, Michael Keighley
acquets were being made of business model. Tennis Industry's Nation- show became part of the aptly named
wood and Billie Jean King was al Tennis Buying Show made its debut in annual event, The Super Show. At its peak
still a year away from playing 1974, at the Doral Country Club in in the mid-1990s, The Super Show was
Bobby Riggs when three guys named Miami. The show was unlike anything the the country's best-attended sports and fit-
Stanley Schwartz, Hardy Katz and industry had ever seen, and it gained sup- ness marketing event, drawing upwards of
Michael Keighley had an “a-ha” port quickly, bringing together all aspects 90,000 visitors.
moment that would shape the indus- of the industry for a common purpose. The three men spent nearly two
try: Tennis was big business, but it "To me, it was one of the glues of the decades working with The Super Show,
didn't have its own business maga- industry," says Jim Baugh, former presi- but eventually, they say, their interests
zine. dent of Wilson Sporting Goods and now a diverged from those of SGMA, which
Their concept was a released them from their
business-to-business pub- management contract.
lication that would con- The men have been
nect manufacturers, busy in the interim. After
clubs, teaching pros, having scored with Tennis
retailers, pro shops, Industry and the show,
stringers and others, and they (in Schwartz's words)
provide them with infor- "wanted to see whether
mation about industry we knew what we were
developments. doing or were just lucky,
The three friends' so we started up some
backgrounds couldn't other magazines."
have been more dissimi- Eventually, the three
lar, says Keighley. "Stan- moved on from Tennis
ley was working for Golf Industry, which merged
and Esquire magazines, with RacquetTech and
From left: Stanley Schwartz, Hardy Katz, Michael Keighley
Hardy was a successful became Racquet Sports
accountant and I was a teaching pro private industry consultant. "All the Industry magazine. Citing declining atten-
working at the local country club in brands were there on equal footing; dance caused in part by the rise of other
Miami." (In fact, the three men met unfortunately, it's not quite the same shows and the explosion of e-commerce,
because Keighley gave their wives today." the SGMA discontinued The Super Show
tennis lessons.) In part, the show succeeded because after 2006.
Tennis Industry magazine debuted it was a product of its time. "It was a These days, Keighley is retired from
in 1972. "Michael was the editor and growing industry, a young industry, and the industry, but Schwartz and Katz are
he dealt with the retailers," says it also had a lot of small mom-and-pop still in the game, putting on the annual
Schwartz. "Hardy did the operations manufacturing companies. There weren't Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show with
and I did the marketing." that many big companies," says Keighley. their company, Communications and
But a second “a-ha” moment was By the mid-1980s, with the show was Show Management Inc. And all three stay
in store. From their immersion in the firmly rooted in the industry's conscious- in touch, and talk about the old days and
b-to-b of tennis came the realization ness, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers the new developments.
that the sport, which was, in Katz's Association approached the trio with a They agree that the sport needs new
words, "like a family" in its close proposal. Since the late 1950s, SGMA had heroes, young blood. "Not old fogeys like
sense of community, had no one-stop sponsored its own convention to show- us," adds Keighley. "We've been out of it
shop where manufacturers could con- case new merchandise. SGMA wanted the for a bit. But … " he pauses and sounds
nect with buyers such as retailers and three men to sell the rights to the tennis thoughtful, "if anyone were to ask us to
sporting goods stores. The three men show in exchange for a 24-year manage- give an old-timers' perspective, we might
looked to another successful show of ment contract. Schwartz, Keighley and have a suggestion or two."
the time, the PGA's golf show, as a Katz agreed, and in 1986, the tennis —Mary Helen Sprecher Q
"Pioneers in Tennis," an occasional column in RSI, draws attention to trailblazers in the sport. Have someone to suggest?
E-mail rsi@racquettech.com.
D-I-Y OR CALL
COURT CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE
THE PROS?
Looking
Looking to
to save
save on
on court
court maintenance
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expenses? You You can
can do
do some
some
things
things yourself,
yourself, but
but other
other jobs
jobs are
are best
best left
left to
to the
the professionals.
professionals.
BY MARY HELEN SPRECHER
I
f you’re working on your budget (and who isn’t?) and if you’re natural materials. Putting welcome mats and shoe cleaners near
trying for cost-efficiency (and again, who isn’t?), you might be the entrances to the court can help keep abrasive materials from
looking at your tennis-court maintenance expenses. You’re being tracked onto the court and save wear on the surface.
probably thinking, I wonder if we could bring that number down If there are stains on the court, try removing them with the
a little. How much of that can we do ourselves? gentlest means possible—warm water and a soft brush. If that
It’s a valid question. In tough economic times, park directors, doesn’t work, call your tennis court contractor and ask for rec-
club managers and facility owners are all thinking ahead. Every- ommendations. Different problems require different treatments;
one is cognizant of the bottom line, and of what they can do to for example, a stain made by sap might necessitate a different
help keep a lid on spiraling costs. So what can you do—and what treatment from scuff marks left by the player who disregarded the
sign requiring that court shoes be worn during play. The type of
DO IT YOURSELF
can't you do?
surface, the coating and other factors also will dictate cleaning
regimens.
The good news is there are many things that can help make ten- Another important tip, says Baird, is to “keep the drains clean.
nis courts last longer and therefore, to delay the need for profes- Open up drain tile clean-outs and look in the pipes during a rain
sional maintenance. Be proactive about regular maintenance, say if the water is not running toward an outlet and is backing up in
tennis court builders. Keeping the “to do” list checked off on a reg- the clean-out. Jet out the lines. Plugged-up drains can cause major
ular basis can keep small problems from becoming big (and big- damage to the courts. Also clean debris out of French drains if the
ticket) repair jobs. A daily walk-through will help court managers courts are so equipped.”
Other naturally-occurring problems might include tree roots
Hard Courts
address problems immediately.
that raise the pavement, according to Alex Levitsky of Global
Sports & Tennis Design Group LLC in Fair Haven, N.J. If there are
“Keep hard courts clean,” says David Baird of Industrial Surface nearby trees, keep roots trimmed back so that they do not find
Soft Courts
Sealer in Cleveland. “Power wash algae and mildew in the spring their way under the courts.
and keep off leaves, pine needles, etc., in the fall.” Because such
materials can stain the surface over time, builders recommend
using a leaf blower to remove all debris, whether that means litter Clay or fast-dry courts can be kept in good condition with regular
left behind by players and spectators, or pollen, leaves and other sweeping, watering and rolling to preserve the integrity of the sur-

face. Remember that regular maintenance will ensure a surface since having a professional correct a failed do-it-yourself job may
Hard Courts
that has uniform bounce and slide, and that excess loose material actually cost more money in the long run.
tends to gather under the net, on the perimeter and in corners.
Keep these areas free of buildup.
Keep an eye on the playing lines on fast-dry courts, says Levit- A small crack, depression or raised area in a hard court may be
sky, and secure any that may begin to pop up. In addition, he something simple—or it may be the symptom of a deeper, or even
notes, insufficient maintenance of surrounding landscaping may structural, problem. And while there are kits that can be purchased
allow grass or weeds to migrate to soft courts. to help make various fixes, particularly to cracks, many tennis
Some facilities have begun hanging signs asking players to drag court contractors advise owners to call in a professional to make a
the courts after they finish playing, and even to sweep the lines. definitive diagnosis before taking action.
Having two jobs means that two players can get the court finished Don’t try to save money by putting on your own surfacing. It's
without feeling like one is doing all the work. Delegating the easy a specialized skill, and a job done by someone who is not used to
tasks to players allows the pro to working with the materials will
attend to lessons and more compli- look bad and play worse. Same
cated duties, and keeps the courts with the playing lines—don't try
All Kinds of Courts

playing well. to touch them up yourself. A spe-
cialty contractor has the correct
paint, the right tools and the
In addition, say the pros, keep the expertise to make it look sharp.
nets in shape. Look for frays, holes An amateur's job can ruin the
or rips, and make sure there are no court's appearance, necessitating
chips or rust spots in the posts. a resurfacing job and the applica-
Posts can be repainted with a rust- tion of new lines (which costs
proof paint, as long as the net is substantially more than just hav-
removed and the court surface near- ing the lines done right the first
by is protected from drips and spat- time).
ters. In addition, cranks and Another job that not just any-
winding mechanisms should be one can do is paving. A tennis
kept in good repair. court isn't a parking lot or a road;
Levitsky also advises managers it takes a specialty contractor
to keep an eye on the fences sur- to create a worthwhile playing
Soft Courts
rounding courts, and to look for var- facility.
ious problems. Leaving windscreens
tied to fences during storms with
gusty winds, for example, can over- Seasonal maintenance of soft
stress the fences and cause posts to courts, including top-dressing,
bend and fabric to bulge. patching and leveling, is essen-
Some fixes are low-tech, but can tial. Professionals will use laser-
make a profound difference. If guided equipment to ensure
courts are surrounded by grass or correct slope. There are, howev-
mulch that comes to the edge of the er, grounds crews at many clubs
fence, make sure there is a clear and camps who are skilled in the
path so that water can drain follow- process of getting courts ready
ing a heavy rain. “One court I recently looked at, right after a rain, for spring play; whichever option is chosen, the court owner
the water was backed up on the low side because the grass must should ascertain that the efforts result in courts that look and play
have been 3 inches above the court surface,“ says Richard Zaino their very best. Getting soft courts in shape is not a job that should
of Zaino Tennis Courts in Orange, Calif. “There was terrible be handed off to an inexperienced worker.
drainage and the surface was damaged due to the standing water. There's a difference between saving money and being just
Any irrigation watering was adding to the problem.” plain miserly. Don't make the mistake at the expense of your
Keep a log of any problems you see. Many problems can be courts—or your players, who are sure to notice. Q
fixed by the manager or his or her maintenance team. For exam-
ple, gates that are dragging across the surface of the court can be The American Sports Builders Association is a non-profit association help-
DON’ T TRY THIS YOURSELF

adjusted. ing designers, builders, owners, operators and users understand quality
sports facility construction. The ASBA sponsors informative meetings and
publishes newsletters, books and technical construction guidelines for ath-
Sometimes, the problems may require professional intervention, letic facilities including tennis courts. Available at no charge is a listing of all
publications offered by the ASBA, as well as the ASBA Membership Directo-
and in cases like this, it doesn‘t pay to cheap out. Builders advise ry. Info: 866-501-ASBA (2722) or www.sportsbuilders.org
owners to call in the professionals to take care of specific items,

COURT CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE
MEETING THE
CHALLENGES
Your facility may meet the ADA regulations for wheelchair
C
compliance, but is it truly welcoming for players with disabilities?
BY MARY HELEN SPRECHER
hances are, just about every tennis court out there has played Divisions exist for players with different levels of challenges, includ-
host to a wheelchair-bound player at some point. And if it has- ing athletes who are quadriplegic. (A list of resources and informa-
n't yet, it will soon. tion is available at the end of this article.)
"The number of people with disabilities in the United States is According to Yolkut, the challenge is not developing rules or divi-
in the millions," says Jeremiah Yolkut of the USTA's Competitive sions for players; it's identifying and reaching them. The USTA has
Play and Technical Programs division. "The No. 1 challenge—what developed manuals and DVDs on wheelchair tennis, and holds sanc-
we really want to do—is get those people involved at the grass- tioned wheelchair tennis tournaments, but it's the average athletes
roots level." and weekend warriors of wheelchair tennis who are needed.
Thinking of starting wheelchair tennis leagues, lessons or pro- "If the USTA's membership is 740,000, and of those, the num-
grams at your facility? Start now by setting up your facility so that ber of individuals who identify themselves as wheelchair tennis play-
athletes in wheelchairs have a good experience. ers is in the 700-range, we know we're missing out on people," he
Unlike many other sports, which require special facilities, or notes. "We're just talking about people who want to casually play,
which require facilities to be adapted, wheelchair tennis uses the who want some exercise and some fun. If we only focus on the elite,
Making the U.S. (More) Open

same courts that able-bodied players use. The differences come in then we're missing those people who are just casually playing."
the form of rules.
In wheelchair tennis, the ball can bounce twice. If the player in
a wheelchair is on the same court as an able-bodied person, the Opening up tennis courts to players who use wheelchairs, says
ball may only bounce once for the able-bodied player. Other more Yolkut, starts with opening up the gates themselves. "At tennis cen-
specific rules govern how the player may move in the chair, or ters that are being built now, things are much more accessible. The
move the chair around the court, but beyond that, the rules of the openings that allow players to get on the court are wider. While it's
game are remarkably similar. There are several divisions that iden- standard for many facilities to have 42-inch-wide gates, you want to
tify the levels of play in wheelchair tennis, and players are rated have a wider opening for players in wheelchairs because of what we
according to National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) guidelines. call the camber, or the angle, in the wheels that you'll see in an ath-

experience.
Something that facility users
will notice immediately (and Reaching
something on which ADA concen-
trates) is the actual pathway to get
Wheelchair Players
Interested in starting wheelchair
to the facility. programs at your facility? You
"We focus on the pathway can find sources for reaching
requirements," says Tony Wood of current and potential wheelchair
Beals Alliance in Folsom, Calif. "As players at USTA.com/play-tennis.
designers, we try to appease the Click on “Wheelchair Tennis”
masses by keeping 'ramps' to a and then the “Grassroots
minimum. They cost a lot of Wheelchair Tennis Guide” on
money and serve a very small part the right-hand side.
of the community. We would
rather use 20:1 sloped walkways. I
have heard from disabled patrons
letic wheelchair. You're much more likely to go to a 48-inch-wide
that they hate these. But the cost of Adaptive Tennis
opening because that means you don't have to take a wheel off the Wheelchair tennis isn't the only
50 feet of 20:1 walk is much cheap-
chair to get it through the gate." permutation of the sport for
er than 30 feet of 12:1 ramp with
While not all players are self-conscious about having to get out athletes with challenges. The
the additional cost of rails and
of a wheelchair and “scoot through” the gate, then reassemble the USTA's Adaptive Tennis pro-
What Else?
retaining walls."
chair inside (or have it passed over the fence to them), eliminating gram recognizes four main cate-
the barriers means the player has a more enjoyable experience. gories of disabilities:
Encountering obstacles can sour players and, says Yolkut, "You
There are aspects of competition Developmentally disabled
don't want people leaving the sport and thinking, 'They don't seem (learning disabilities, autism,
that many people don't know
to want to make this easy for me, so why should I bother to play?'" Down Syndrome, intellectual
about, according to Matt Hale of
While public facilities often use fence mazes and other devices disabilities)
Physically disabled (birth
Halecon in Bridgewater, N.J. Having
to try to keep bicyclists and vandals off the court, such measures
these, he notes, can mean all the
will also reduce the accessibility of the court to wheelchair users. defects, multiple sclerosis,
difference between a facility that is
Amenities and accessories should be chosen with wheelchair users traumatic brain injury, muscu-
not just accessible, but welcoming.
in mind. Umpire chairs, if movable, allow players to change sides lar dystrophy, hearing
"Something I believe is critical,
without having to circumvent the entire court and enter through impaired, stroke, etc.)
Consumers of mental health
yet often missed, is adequate shade
another gate. Ditto any benches or other equipment that sits
for temperature control," Hale says.
between the sidelines and the fence. services (psychiatrically dis-
"Many individuals with spinal cord
Wheelchair tennis is played on all surfaces, according to Yolkut, abled, emotionally disturbed)
At-risk/environmentally dis-
or brain injuries are extremely sen-
but "with that said, a hard court always seems to be the surface of
sitive to temperature, particularly to
choice for wheelchair tennis because there's less friction between abled (substance abusers,
heat. The more shade, the better."
the tire and the court, so the players can move a little faster. Wheel- mentally and physically
Talk to local wheelchair tennis
chair players can play on other surfaces, but you have to be a little abused, homeless, HIV positive
groups about other specific recom-
stronger and have that much more endurance. The top players in individuals, persons within the
mendations they would like to see.
the world want to play on grass. Clay is a little easier. There's a huge juvenile justice system, etc.)
Accommodations and accessi-
amount of research that's done in regard to wheelchair athletics, For information, go to
bility have been a work in progress
basically the same way there is research on shoe/surface interac- www.usta.com and type “adap-
for more than two decades. In
tions." tive” into the search box.
1990, the Americans with Disabili-
QuickStart and Wheelchair Tennis

ties Act broke new ground, requir-
ing that public facilities be adapted to provide better access to those
The QuickStart Tennis format, with its shorter courts and softer with mobility challenges as well as other handicaps and setbacks.
balls, is being applied to those learning wheelchair tennis as well. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice issued final regulations
"It lends itself to that as much as for any other introductory revising Title II and III, including the ADA Standards for Accessible
player," says Yolkut. "It's still teaching the fundamentals, like learn- Design. The full text of the new 2010 Standards is available at
ing ground strokes, and getting comfortable hitting the ball. It slows www.ada.gov. Specifi-
the game down and teaches people to build technique." cally mentioned are
For More Information
www.usta.com/PlayNow/Wheelchair.aspx
Because wheelchair tennis games and tournaments often access to sports facili-
attract spectators who also have mobility limitations, says Yolkut, ties including courts,
(Check the Grassroots Guide as well).
www.itftennis.com/wheelchair/
the USTA tends to pick out tournament facilities that are more fields and stadiums.
www.ada.gov
attractive to everyone. Facilities with elevators, without steep For more information,
ramps, with seating that allows individuals who are wheelchair- go to the ADA site and
(There are also many state and local
bound (or otherwise mobility-impaired) to move around easily and click on "What's New
to ADA.gov."
wheelchair tennis associations)
be seated next to their able-bodied friends, all make for a good

PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGES
SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
In this second of two articles on pro tennis in the U.S., we

explore how tennis can grow in the crowded landscape of
American pro sports. BY RICHARD PAGLIARO
In the last issue, we explored the importance and impact of the “I get the guy on the phone and said, ‘I won’t pay your appearance
Olympus US Open Series on professional tennis in the U.S. and the fee if you leave.’ An hour later he showed up at the HP Pavilion and
link that community involvement plays with many pro events. And, did some dynamic appearances for us. I think some players need
among other things, we took a look at the challenging climate for tour- to understand if you want to get compensated, you need to do
naments, including how the recession has impacted attendance and, more than just play. Unfortunately, there is not a great system in
in particular, sponsorships. place to help them understand that.”
This installment of our State of the Industry series will continue Given the fact some players turn pro without even a high school
our look at pro tennis events and some of the challenges they face. education, some are quicker learners than others.
F
Among other things, we’ll explore how the sport can make a bigger “When I was No. 1 in the world, I didn’t pick up the phone
impact in the crowded landscape of professional sports and what pro unless it was ringing,” says Hall of Famer Jim Courier, the creator
tennis in the U.S. can do to remain vital among tennis fans while also of the Champions Series. “Now, I make the calls myself. We’re in a
bringing in more general consumers. very challenging economy and players need to be taught the value
or most tournaments, prize money is the single largest expense of promotion. Fortunately, we have guys at the top of the game like
and one that carries the biggest burden these days. There is Federer, Nadal and Roddick who understand that and set an exam-
mandatory prize money tournaments must offer, but in many ple. Sometimes that takes time to learn.”
cases that’s just a start- Indeed, within the space of a single year, Rapp has seen the pro-
This is the sixth in a series of articles about ing point. To attract top motional power players can yield and how breaking down the bar-
the tennis industry's changing landscape, and players in order to sell rier between athletes and audience can energize an event.
the second installment that deals with the “We did the first pro-am of 2010 in San Jose and followed up in
sponsorships and tick-
topic of professional tennis (see the August
ets, tournaments often Memphis, and the one in San Jose was one of the most incredibly
issue of RSI for the first part of this article).
Future topics in the series will deal with par- pay appearance fees to positive experiences in my 27-year career in tennis,” Rapp says.
ticipation, court construction and more. To top players, which can “Tommy Haas, Robby Ginepri
view past “State of the Industry” stories, visit
www.racquetsportsindustry.com. We'd like to
escalate expenses by as and the Bryan brothers all
played the pro-am and more
“Now, you see some
much as 25 percent.
hear your comments and concerns, too. E-
mail them to rsi@racquettech.com. Please put “It’s not like a player than that, they actually of the young players
has to play Newport,” engaged with the fans. We had
“state of the industry” in the subject line.
says Mark Stenning, the pros introduce themselves, signing big endorse-
tournament director of the Newport, R.I., Campbell’s Hall of Fame share their personal tennis
highlights and share some-
ment deals when
Tennis Championships, “which makes it interesting in that not
only do we provide total financial commitment of half a million thing about themselves that they’re teenagers
dollars to players and to the Tour, but if we want to attract any top- had nothing to do with tennis.
ranked player it almost invariably involves an appearance fee. So It was a real highlight to see before they’ve really
a lot of times what you see with regard to a tournament’s financial them interact with fans and it
created this connection
won anything,” says
commitment may not reflect the overall financial commitment
that a tournament has made to attract a field.” between the amateurs and the Connors. “So where’s
pros.”
INCENTIVE TO PLAY
Appearance fees have been around as long as pro tournaments
have existed, but how much bang for the buck are tournaments
the incentive?”
really getting from players these days? Are players, particularly
those who make five- and sometimes six-figure appearance fees, Some former players suggest mammoth paydays can dull desire for
doing enough off the court to promote the event and effectively sell current players on and off the court.
the sport and the tournaments that pay them? “In my day, to make good money you had to win, and I don’t
That depends on whom you ask. Sometimes, player promo- mean win tournaments, I mean you had to win a major to make
tional performance can go to extremes at the same event. good money,” Hall of Famer Jimmy Connors says. “Now, you see
“Last year in San Jose we had a player under contract agree to some of the young players signing big endorsement deals when
do four appearances. He lost and I find out he’s headed out of town they’re teenagers before they’ve really won anything. So where’s
right after the match,” says San Jose tournament director Bill Rapp. the incentive?”

Given the fact top players ranging from Rafael Nadal to Juan Mar- because the careers can be so brief.”
tin del Potro, Nikolay Davydenko to Maria Sharapova, Dinara Safina Some tournament directors and insiders say there is a simple—
to Kim Clijsters have been sidelined with injuries in recent years and albeit unpopular—potential solution: freeze or reduce prize money at
that players complain the crowded calendar and brutally unforgiving the lower-level American tournaments until the economy improves or
hard courts conspire to sponsorships increase.
“The perfect solution is a beat up their bodies until “Clearly, the perfect solution is a more economic-based Tour,”
they break down, can you Korff says. “I think players just make too much money. It’s an absurd
more economic-based really blame players for amount at the regular tournaments. At the Slams and at a couple of
pursuing quick cash from the big tournaments that have big sponsorship and big attendance,
Tour,” says Korff. “I think appearance fees and exhi- then maybe they can make a lot of money. How can a tournament in
players just make too much bitions? Atlanta where they could never afford a Roger Federer or a Rafael
Unlike most American Nadal do it? The reality is you’re never going to have that [top player]
money. It’s an absurd team sports, there are no because that guy is going to go someplace where someone pays him
guaranteed contracts for a ton of appearance money. Then how does the tournament do it? It’s
amount at the regular tennis players. If you’re a a conundrum, so the promoter has to be really creative and has to
tournaments.”
AN ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE
.220 pinch-hitter for the rely on more than the names of the tennis players to sell the tickets.”
Mets or the 11th man on
the Celtics, you still get paid even if you don’t play every game. But a
tennis player who suffers a string of first-round losses can walk away The days of tennis matches selling tennis tournaments are over. In
in debt, particularly when you consider many players pay for their order to attract sponsors, fans and corporate clients to fill its hospi-
own travel expenses and hotel accommodations for themselves and tality tents, today’s tournament must be an entertainment experi-
their coach—if they can afford a coach. ence, which is part competition, part carnival, part concert, part
“It’s a tough time for pro tennis in America. And if I was a player cuisine and part corporate party.
The tournament in New Haven, Conn., hosts the city’s wine and
food festival; Newport has the annual Hall of Fame induction. In Del-
ray Beach, Fla., the ATP Champions Tour senior final between John
McEnroe and Patrick Rafter drew more fans than most of its ATP
matches played the same week. Los Angeles hosted concerts by Keith
Urban and Brett Michaels and featured an exhibition between Andre
Agassi and John McEnroe.
Tennis has one of the most riveting rivalries in history in Federer
vs. Nadal, the ongoing championship chapters of the Williams sister-
s’ storied careers and the returns of former World No. 1 players Cli-
jsters and Justine Henin. So how come tournament tennis can still be
a tough sell?
Ratings appear to show that despite Federer and Nadal, American
viewers want to see American players. Serena Williams, who has had
rivalries with a slew of opponents including sister Venus, remains the
biggest ratings winner in recent years for ESPN.
Some life-long players assert that revelry is just as important as
rivalry for tournament tennis to succeed today.
“I’m convinced tennis doesn’t need rivalries like Evert and
Navratilova. I am not sold on the idea that rivalries are necessary to
tennis’ growth,” says ESPN analyst Cliff Drysdale, a founder and first
Photo credit: Bob Kenas

president of the ATP. “Look, it’s all about perception. It’s all about
people wanting to buy a ticket to an event that is sold out and the per-
and I had a limited lifespan, I’d probably follow the cash too,” says ception of the tennis tournament as ‘an event’ is an important selling
John Korff, who ran the Mahwah, N.J., exhibition event for many point.
years. “If you think about it objectively, what’s the responsibility of a “Tennis dominates the scene in Charleston for the Family Circle
top player? Here’s a hypothetical: What’s Andy Roddick’s responsi- Cup or during the Sony Ericsson Open on Key Biscayne,” he contin-
bility to make sure there’s a strong American tour? Well, nothing. It’s ues. “Tennis is all over south Florida during that time: It’s on TV, in
not his responsibility to do a damn thing. He’s 27. How many more the newspapers, it’s part of the social culture of the community and
years does he have as a Top-10 player? that is what creates the buzz even more than rivalry does. Yes, it
“It’s Roddick’s responsibility to make as much money as he can helps when Federer and Nadal are in the final, but it doesn’t sell
because that’s his job,” Korff adds. “And compare tennis to golf another ticket.”
where a player can say, ‘I’m gonna go play a couple of smaller tour- Tournament promotion and creative marketing campaigns can
naments because they need help and because I’ve got another 15 sell tickets and some insiders say that’s where pro tennis has dropped
years to play top-level golf.’ You’ve got to pick and choose in tennis the ball.

“The biggest problem we have in tennis today is how we pro- media remains important to the growth of the game today.”
mote it,” says ProServ founder and former U.S. Davis Cup captain Some of the nation’s esteemed sportswriters—Allison Danzig,
Donald Dell. “It is the lack of comparative promotion. We are doing George Plimpton, Hall of Famers Gene Scott and Bud Collins, and
better than golf in the last three to five years on a worldwide level, one of its gifted recent writers, the late David Foster Wallace—wrote
but promotion can be a problem. The ATP is trying to promote the eloquent and enlightening pieces about tennis, which was once a
ATP and the WTA is trying to promote its tournaments, but when mainstay of major newspaper coverage.
you look at it they really are competitors for sponsors. They will tell As printing and mailing costs have increased and advertising
you they are all part of it, which is true to a certain extent, but it’s a revenue has decreased, media has taken a hit. Established maga-
balancing act for the tournaments too. When the ATP lost Mercedes zines, like Tennis Week, folded while some of the nation’s top news-
Benz as a sponsor we (the tournaments) lost money as a result, so papers with traditions of covering the game have cut staff and
COMBINING MEN AND WOMEN?

there is a competitive dynamic at work too.” reduced travel budgets, deeming tennis simply too costly, particu-
larly when readers and advertisers aren’t exactly clamoring for
LESS COVERAGE IN THE MEDIA

more tennis coverage.
Can a sport some see as divided come together and strengthen itself
through either more combined men’s and women’s events or ulti-
mately one combined professional tour? Former New York Times sports editor Neil Amdur served as editor
Former WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott not only advocated that the for two of the nation’s most influential—and now defunct—tennis
two tours join forces, he also suggested it might be inevitable. Scott magazines: World Tennis and Tennis Week, and has covered the
left tennis to become PAC-10 commissioner, but the concept of game for more than four decades. Amdur wonders how can fans
combining the two pro tours remains intriguing. care about a sport if they can’t always read about it in mainstream
“Aside from the practical issues—and there are many—I think media?
absolutely the ATP and “Tennis is trapped in no-man’s land somewhere between the
WTA should join togeth- baseline and the net and what is happening are other sports are tak-
“The biggest problem we er,” says World Team- ing over and taking the space tennis often got,” Amdur says. “We’re
Tennis CEO/Commis- at a point right now where the average fan cannot always get a ten-
have in tennis today is sioner Ilana Kloss. “I nis result in the newspaper. Despite the emergence of Tennis Chan-
how we promote it,” says think if we were one nel and the excitement generated by the US Open, there is less
organization we would media coverage of the sport now than anytime I can recall, even
Dell. “When you look at have so much more with refreshingly diverse personalities like Federer, Nadal, the
strength negotiating with Williams sisters, Sharapova and Roddick.
it, [the ATP and WTA] sponsors, with Grand “Other than Venus, Serena and Roddick, right now there is an
really are competitors Slam tournaments and in absence of a lot of attractive American players—basically the sport
terms of marketing. Hav- doesn’t have anybody selling it,” Amdur says. “In Europe, Novak
for sponsors.” ing one voice would be Djokovic is popular. But Djokovic is a foreign language film with
hugely important and
would give players and the sport a lot more impact and broaden
tennis’ appeal. Having said that, I know it’s very difficult.”
Rapp, who works with both tours in his role running the men’s
event in San Jose and Memphis’ mixed tournament, also supports
the idea though he doesn’t exactly see it going down smoothly. “It
makes perfect sense to combine the tours,” Rapp says. “But now
that I work on both sides, boy they are very, very different. As much
as it would be simple to say ‘Yes, combine the two,’ it would almost
be like blending two divorced families: You’ve got all kinds of issues
on your hands.”
Then there is the question of coverage. If the most exciting
encounter in sport takes place on a tennis court (see Nadal vs. Fed-
erer in the 2008 Wimbledon final or Roddick vs. Federer in the
2009 Wimbledon final) how much is its impact diminished by
decreasing media coverage?
“The media is important because they tell our stories,” Hall of
Famer and WTT founder Billie Jean King says. “When we started the
WTA Tour, we would often spend our mornings doing newspaper
and radio and TV interviews to promote the Tour before playing
matches in the afternoon or at night. We were proactive. We
worked with (former World Tennis Magazine publisher) Gladys
Photo credit: Bob Kenas

Heldman to spread the word and sell the game through the media.
The media was critical to helping the women’s tour grow and the

subtitles in this country. If you take away the Williams sisters you Campus program and leagues for adults. And the TeamTennis for-
have maybe two Americans the casual fan knows, so how can you mat, used for WTT matches, is also being used more and more, says
CREATING MORE PARTNERSHIPS

make a case for people in this country getting excited about it? You King.
don’t have the loyal newspaper tennis writer who is really following
the tour and telling the stories fans can follow and those writers are
doing that for other sports and that really can make a difference.” What is the immediate future for American tournament tennis and
Media coverage is more than a vanity plate for the sport. It also how can it make a bigger footprint in a crowded sports landscape?
puts the tennis brands—from racquets, to apparel to accessories such The short answer is tennis, largely viewed as a singles sport, must
as watches—in the mainstream media, which in turn generates expo- continue to collectively create more partnerships if the game is to
sure for those brands and potentially attracts consumers to buy, for gain traction in the U.S.
instance, the racquet they saw a pro use to win a major tournament. The USTA, which has successfully launched and sustained its US
Still, there are some positive signs. During Tennis Channel’s Open Series, could consider the prospect of expanding that model
recent coverage of Roland Garros it televised more commercials from and extending the Series to package San Jose, Memphis and Delray
endemic sponsors, including Babolat, LaCoste, Wilson, Dunlop and Beach together as a modified spring US Open Series to lead into Indi-
K-Swiss, which recently signed a one-year pact as the official shoe of an Wells, Miami and Charleston. The issue, of course, is those events
PUTTING THE TEAM IN TENNIS

Tennis Channel. do not directly lead into the US Open, the USTA’s cash cow, as the
summer events do. While there is not the same financial or television
payoff in the spring, those
But are the big pro events really helping to popularize tennis in the events are important because “I grew up in team
U.S.? "I think everyone emphasizes the majors so much,” says King. they keep tennis in the public
“In the old days when we played, we emphasized the tour a lot more. eye at what is traditionally a sports,” says King. “I
That's when we had over 40 tournaments and TeamTennis in this dark time for the game.
country, when we were doing our best. It really gets back to making While there are inherent
do not think our sport
sure we have tennis in the community, TeamTennis, Fed Cups, Davis issues between a full-fledged can be big in this
Cups in our communities because it's the only way we're going to get ATP/WTA partnership—struc-
our kids inspired.” turally, the organizations are country if it isn’t a team
One way to help promote tennis in the U.S., many believe, is different, their rules differ
through team play. The U.S. is a team sport nation—virtually every and if there was a complete
sport when [youngsters]
other sport that youngsters play involves being on a team, playing as merger it would undoubtedly sign up to play.”
a team. Kids, and even adults, like playing with friends. increase operating costs for
“I do not think our sport can be big in this country if it isn't a team tournaments—the fact is the most successful tournaments in the
sport when (youngsters) sign up to play,” says King. “That's been my world are combined men’s and women’s events that offer fans and
mantra forever since I started because I grew up in team sports. sponsors the best value. Tennis would be best served by creating
When children sign up to play, it's got to be team.” more combined events.
The USTA and other groups recognize this and have been pro- Continued cooperation between community tennis and the pro
moting programs to get both youngsters and adults playing on tournaments is critical to the growth of both. Most tournaments
teams, such as the USTA’s Jr. Team Tennis program, advocating for already offer discounts to USTA members, and conducting more pro-
“no-cut” middle- and high-school tennis teams, the popular Tennis on ams, adding more QuickStart courts to pro tournament sites as well
as exploring the idea of holding sectional tournaments concurrently
at pro events could help.
Tennis must be willing to take creative and experimental mea-
sures to enhance the tournament experience. Aside from adopting
the tie-breaker, the yellow ball, colored clothes and Hawk-Eye, tennis
has largely been resistant to change. If NFL players can wear micro-
phones on the field, NBA stars can conduct interviews at halftime and
NASCAR drivers race cars with cameras, why can’t tennis explore
technological advances? ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert suggests adopting
a shot clock on court to speed up the game, and since the ball is in
play for such a small percentage of time during a match, Gilbert’s
suggestion makes sense.
There are many issues and challenges in the world of pro tennis,
some easy to address, others requiring more careful analysis and a
“team” approach that may require tennis’ governing bodies to come
together to bridge certain divides. But one thing is certain, if the gov-
erning bodies in this sport can work together to grow not just the pro-
fessional side of the game, but also spill that growth over into the
community, and vice versa, then the potential for prosperity is
Photo credit: Bob Kenas huge—for everyone in this industry. Q
36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/Octoer 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

FIT, FUNCTION, FUN
APPAREL
T
Upcoming styles are designed for comfortable play, on and off the court.
he shift in recent years of tenniswear as lifestyle/active have UV protection and moisture-wicking are now the norm.
wear is more pronounced than ever going into 2011. The coming year will focus on all kinds of silhouettes,
Manufacturers are proclaiming outfits to be through-the- accommodating every body type body and using color block-
day fashion, suitable for easy and comfortable travel, and ing and bold splashes of color, graphics and detailed trim.
even for wearing to non-tennis, social events, such as cock- Here’s a preview of some of the fashions coming down the
tail parties. The high-tech aspects of clothing continue to be court runway.
prominent—fabrications that breathe, are anti-microbial, —Cynthia Sherman
PEACHY TAN
Peachy Tan tennis and activewear was born
out of the concept of comfort, function and
style. Pieces are versatile enough to be worn
both on court and off, for a day or night out, or
for traveling in a mix-and-match style. Peachy
Tan’s signature classic look includes bold and
bright color-blocking with clean lines, and avail-
www.peachytan.com
able in regular and plus sizing.
847-480-5922
JOFIT PRINCE
Jofit is dedicated to creating high quality performance ten-
Prince’s women’s Gold Collection com-
nis apparel for women of all shapes and sizes. Tenniswear
bines athletic silhouettes and fit with
features “JoDry” fabrications designed to wick moisture
stylish colors and bold accents, offering
away from skin. The manufacturer says the design phi-
“Aerofit” fabrics that move and stretch
losophy is, “If it fits, if it functions, if it makes you look
with the body, anti-bacterial and UV protective
slimmer and sexier, then you’re comfortable, beautiful
properties, and moisture management. Shown
www.jofit.com
and ready to play.”
is the GLW polo and skort in neon. The GLW
866-99-JOFIT
line features seamless construction and mesh
www.princetennis.com
panel cooling zones.
800-2-TENNIS

TAIL
Available in November, Tail’s
first call for spring features FILA
“Fuchsia Infusion”—bold flash- Fila finishes 2010 with its smashing Center Court
es of fuchsia combine with Collection which features V-neck and racerback
black, white and pale gray. The tanks, cap-sleeve tops, skorts, dresses, pants and a
racerback tank with contrast jacket. Fabric is a breathable flat poly stretch, poly-
piping features a compression ester, and spandex in sparkling Turkish Sea blues,
bra and is UV protective, mois- Hawaiian Ocean, with white and black. Featured on
ture wicking and anti-micro- Kim Clijsters (below), is the Center Court racerback
www.fila.com • 410-773-3000
bial. The matching flounce tank and matching skort.
skort sports fuchsia color-
www.tailactivewear.com
blocked shorties.
305-638-2650
BOLLE
As 2010 closes out, Bolle’s Tennis
line includes the fun French Curves
group, in a cool pink colorway with
accenting details (shown) and the
Hawaiian Punch group, in a the sub-
tle green with fun accents. The High
Performance line includes Spoiled
Royal, in navy, yellow and white
and Power Surge in black and
www.bolletenniswear.com
turquoise.
301-362-0360
ELIZA AUDLEY
The “Eyelet” dress features a classic look and flattering fit,
with a racerback top paired with a flip skirt for comfort. The
high-performance 90% micropoly/10% spandex blend
offers function and durability, and the belt with oversize
punk-inspired eyelets provide on- and off-court style,
www.elizaaudley.com • 262-691-4770
whether in flamingo or classic white or black.

RACQUET SPORTS
TABLE TENNIS
HITS AN UPSWING
T
BY GEORGETTA LORDI MORQUE
hese days, table tennis, or the recreational version, ping-pong, “Every time table tennis gets on TV, it floats our boat,” says
is looking more like a proud uncle than a distant cousin in the Cavanaugh, adding that the USATT supported the event.
racquet sports family. Tables are popping up in unique venues, In New York’s Westchester County, ping-pong proved to be a
juniors are training with professional coaches, George Clooney and huge hit for one sporting goods retailer who took advantage of a
Justin Timberlake are playing, high schools and junior high schools nearby vacant store and transformed it into a ping-pong parlor for
are sporting teams and table tennis stars are appearing on shows six months. Mel Siegel, an owner of Sportech in the Rye Ridge
like Ellen DeGeneres. Plus, rumor has it that ping-pong might be Shopping Center in Rye Brook, N.Y., couldn’t have been more
coming to the White House. pleased at the outcome. After collecting as many as 900 email
There’s a buzz about the game, thanks in part to Spin, the new addresses from customers who expressed interest in playing ping-
club in Manhattan, opened last fall by actress Susan Sarandon, pong, Siegel worked with Butterfly to set up four tables in the
where a combination of lounge and serious ping-pong is courting space.
celebrities, as well as top players. But there’s more than just a cool He rented out court time and organized tournaments and clin-
factor. ics with Robert Roberts, an international champion from Barba-
“The stars have aligned in a lot of areas,” says Michael dos who now coaches in Westchester. Proceeds from the
Cavanaugh, CEO of USA Table Tennis, the national organizing tournament entry fees went to the new Westchester Children’s
body for table tennis in the U.S. The economy has been a factor, Museum. “People would walk by, take a quick look and then walk
according to Cavanaugh, which has resulted in a rediscovery of the back to look again and smile,” says Siegel, who believes everyone
game for families looking for inexpensive quality time. Other fac- has had ping-pong somewhere in their past. Parents were happy
tors include the women’s team’s fifth-place finish in Beijing, a to get their kids off the couch, the activity was good for Sportech
growing and active college program, and junior sensations 15- and the shopping center, and the museum received more than
year-old Michael Landers from Long Island and 14-year-old Ariel $3,000.
Hsing from California, both national champions, making headlines “Ping-pong draws a wide range of people,” says Siegel. “It’s
as paddling prodigies. generational, men and women can play, parents and kids can
And it doesn’t hurt to have doctors touting ping-pong as good have fun, and people feel better and healthier afterward.” Soon
brain therapy because of the hand-eye coordination and rapid eye after the parlor opened, Siegel received requests for birthday par-
movement the game demands. Some medical professionals are ties, sweet 16 celebrations and adult cocktail parties. He even dis-
even saying the game could help slow Alzheimer’s disease. Anoth- covered some excellent players he never knew who lived in the
er selling point for the game was last year’s Hardbat Classic in Las area. But a significant outcome of the venture was a senior citizen
Vegas, a one-of-a-kind table-tennis tournament and lifestyle event, who was able to beat depression by playing a favorite game from
the largest ever assembled in the U.S. ESPN broadcast the event the past.
and players received unprecedented prize money. It seems like the sport has been a win-win on all fronts. Q

String Playtest
Mantis Comfort Synthetic
Mantis is a relative newcomer to the sion loss of 11.67 pounds, while Mantis
string business, but the team behind it Comfort Synthetic 16 has a stiffness of
has a wealth of experience within the 175 and a tension loss of 14.4 pounds.
tennis industry. With headquarters in Comfort Synthetic added 13 grams to the
the UK, Mantis has just entered the U.S. weight of our unstrung frame.
The string was tested for five weeks by
market with four strings, one of which is
37 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP ratings Because of the softness, we
Mantis Comfort Synthetic, a multifila-
from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind tests, with had some difficulty with blocked holes.
ment constructed of thousands of micro
playtesters receiving unmarked strings in No playtester broke his sample during
fibers, with a nano coating to provide unmarked packages. We did advise stringing, one reported problems with coil
superb feel. It is covered with highly playtesters to keep the reference tension memory, none reported problems tying
durable monofilaments before the string between 58 and 63 pounds, as recom- knots, and one reported friction burn.
ON THE COURT
is coated using a special elastic resin mended by Mantis. Average number of
bonding process. hours playtested was 28.7.
Mantis tells us that Comfort Synthetic Comfort Synthetic feels soft and thin- Our playtest team loved the comfort
is specially developed to provide a soft ner than its gauge when you first take it afforded by Mantis Comfort Synthetic,
string with gut-like feel and playability with out of the package, with no coil memory. rating it the third best string in this cate-
the special double coating to enhance gory of the 146 strings we’ve playtested
durability. Mantis developed Comfort Syn- EASE OF STRINGING to date for publication. Given that the
(compared to other strings)
thetic for players looking for a gut-like mul- first-place string in this category is a nat-
Number of testers who said it was:
tifilament at a great price, as well as for ural gut, this means that Mantis Comfort
much easier 9
players looking for a soft string to use in a somewhat easier 14
Synthetic is the second best synthetic
poly hybrid. about as easy 14 string for Comfort in our playtests. Our
Comfort Synthetic is available in 16 not quite as easy 0 playtesters also liked the Touch/Feel of
and 17 gauges in natural, fluorescent yel- not nearly as easy 0 Comfort Synthetic, rating it ninth best of
low, and black. It is priced from $5 for sets the strings we’ve playtested to date. In
of 39.4 feet (MAP $9), and $50 for reels of OVERALL PLAYABILITY addition, our playtesters rated Mantis
(compared to string played most often)
200 meters (MAP $90). For more informa- Comfort Synthetic well above average in
Number of testers who said it was:
tion or to order, contact Mantis at 630- the Control, Playability, Power, and Spin
much better 2
325-6600, visit mantis-sport.com, or somewhat better 11 Potential categories. As a result, Mantis
e-mail sales.usa@mantis-sport.com. Be about as playable 9 Comfort Synthetic’s overall score is well
sure to read the conclusion for more infor- not quite as playable 13 above average.
mation about getting a free set to try for not nearly as playable 2 Five of our playtesters broke the sam-
yourself. ple during the playtest period, one each
OVERALL DURABILITY
IN THE LAB
at seven, eight, 12, 17, and 30 hours.
(compared to other strings
CONCLUSION
of similar gauge)
We tested the 16 gauge Comfort Synthetic. Number of testers who said it was:
The coil measured 40 feet. The diameter much better 0 Mantis Comfort Synthetic’s high scores
measured 1.31-1.33 mm before stringing, somewhat better 10 are exciting, not only because it’s always
and 1.25-1.26 mm after stringing. We about as durable 18 nice when a string tests well, but also
recorded a stringbed stiffness of 75 RDC not quite as durable 7 because Mantis currently has three other
not nearly as durable 2
units immediately after stringing at 60 strings — Power Synthetic, Comfort Poly-
pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x RATING AVERAGES ester, and Power Polyester — that, if
18 pattern) on a constant-pull machine. From 1 to 5 (best) each lives up to its name, will give play-
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed Playability 3.6 ers some clear string choices. It certainly
stiffness measured 68 RDC units, repre- Durability 3.4 doesn’t hurt that Mantis Comfort Synthet-
senting a 9 percent tension loss. Our con- Power 3.5 ic has come in as our third most comfort-
trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original Control 3.7 able string to date, given its moderate
Comfort (3rd best) 4.0 price and great margins.
Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi-
Touch/Feel (9th best) 3.7
ately after stringing and 71 RDC units after If you think that Mantis Comfort Syn-
Spin Potential 3.4
24 hours, representing a 9 percent tension thetic might be for you, fill out the
Holding Tension 3.2
loss. In lab testing, Prince Synthetic Gut coupon to get a free set to try.
—Greg Raven Q
Resistance to Movement 2.9
Original has a stiffness of 217 and a ten-

TESTERS TALK
FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAM
“ This string feels good right out of the
box. The power is on the low side. My arm
Mantis will send a free set of Comfort Synthetic to USRSA members who cut out
(or copy) this coupon and send it to:
”
loves it! 4.5 male all-court player using
Head CrossBow 4 strung at 58 pounds CP USRSA, Attn: Mantis String Offer, 330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084
(Head Sonic Pro 17) or fax to 760-536-1171, or email the info below to stringsample@racquettech.com
Offer expires 15 September 2010
“ ”
Great feel, power, and control. 5.0
female baseliner with heavy spin using Name:
Offer only available to USRSA members in the US.
Babolat Pure Drive Cortex GT strung at USRSA Member number:

59 pounds LO (Prince Synthetic Gut Phone:
w/Duraflex 16) Email:
If you print your email clearly, we will notify you when your sample will be sent.
“ Great playability. Amazing combina-
“
tion of comfort and control. I will recom- Above average playability, control, and
“ Given the tension loss, I recommend higher ten-
mend this to my customers.
” 4.0 male
all-court player using Wilson BLX Six One
spin. This is not your average nylon
”
string. 5.0 male baseliner with moderate
sions and pre-stretching.
”
4.0 male all-court player
using Wilson K Four strung at 62 pounds CP (Gamma
(68 Holes) strung at 62 pounds CP (Head spin using Prince EXO3 White MP strung at Live Wire 17)
Sonic Pro 17) 58 pounds CP (Prince Hybrid Spin 3D 16)
“ “ I love the feel, touch, playability, and comfort;
“ Great playability and tension mainte-

nance. The extra pop creates a very pen-
This string has a soft impact. The pock-
eting is pronounced. Control suffers slightly
string movement, not so much.
”
4.5 male all-court
player using Wilson K Blade strung at 58 pounds CP
”
etrating ball. 4.5 male baseliner with
moderate spin using Head Liquidmetal
at higher head speeds.
” 4.5 male all-
court player using Wilson K Six One
(Gamma Zo Twist/Wilson Stamina Synthetic Gut 16/16)
Radical MP strung at 63 pounds LO (Wil- (68 Holes) strung at 60 pounds CP For the rest of the tester comments, visit
son NXT 17) (Wilson NXT 17) www.racquetsportsindustry.com.

Tips & Techniques
Readers’ Know-How in Action
TOOL ORGANIZER
I used pressboard because it is less
likely to warp than wood. The large
Does your tool tray look like this? Make one of these. holes are 2.5 inches in diameter. The
smaller holes were sized to accommo-
date whatever I wanted to put into
them.
The wastebasket came from Office
Depot and is about the same height as
the stringing machine, and cost about
$20. Don’t make the board more than
half the width of the opening, and you
will have plenty of room to dispose of
string pieces, etc.
Would you like it to look like this? This is the bottom. 5 sets of Wilson K-Gut Pro 16 to:
Vince Chiarelli, MRT, Largo, FL
PRESTRETCH COLUMN
I run a rather modest stringing business
out of my home (string approximately
200 racquets annually). My machine
does not offer built-in pre-stretch, so I
wrap a couple terrycloth towels to a lally
column in my garage, secured with duct
tape. This allows me to stretch the

strings without worrying about damage points out that the versatile high speed 3V battery. The weight range goes up to
from any abrasive surface or sharp quad mounting system on the Prince 11 pounds, so it’s perfect for weighing
objects. 3000 and 5000 stringing machines racquets.
5 sets of Head FXP Control 16 to: takes this technique to the next level. 5 sets of Gamma Zo Pro Spin 16L/16
Harold T. Maccaferri Jr., Plymouth, MA Simply position one pedestal at the Bob Payne, Olean, N.Y.
SPECIAL O-PORT
extreme end of the table to clamp at
—Greg Raven Q
MOUNTING
the throat of the racquet. Position the
other pedestal accordingly for the top
When restringing racquets such as the of the racquet head. Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA mem-
bers, and appearing in this column, have all been gathered
INEXPENSIVE SCALE
Prince O3, Speedport, and Exo3 frames into a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Ser-
(and the old Wilson Rollers frames, as vice Techniques which is a benefit of USRSA membership.
Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA
well), the turntable wants to rotate while I found an electronic kitchen scale on 92804; or email greg@racquettech.com.
you are pulling tension on the upper sale at Rite Aid for $9.95, including a
crosses due to the lack of conventional
grommets. To counteract this rotation,
you can lock the turntable (on machines
equipped with a turntable lock), try to
hold the racquet with your hip, or use a
special tool such as the Prince
boomerang.
One way to mitigate the amount of
rotational force you have to counteract,
is to mount the racquet “off center,”
with the tip of the racquet closer to the
centerline of the turntable, so that the
tension head doesn’t have as much
leverage as it would if the racquet were
centered between the billiards. As a side
benefit, one or more of the crosses that
normally would be “above” the pivot
point will be at or below it, so the
turntable will rotate the “proper” direc-
tion when you pull tension on these
crosses.
You still have to do something to
prevent the turntable from turning, but
between the lower turning force and the
reduced number of crosses that present
a problem, restringing these racquets
becomes that much easier.
5 sets of Babolat Revenge 16 to:

Gordie Lehman, Raleigh, NC
Editor’s note: Steve Davis of Prince

approves of this mounting technique, and

? Ask the Experts
Your Equipment Hotline
Q
GROMMET DAMAGE
A
on the expanded grommet can lead to road. What are some of the things we
A
HOW MUCH DAMAGE DOES premature failure. should be aware of in evaluating the
repeated restringing do to Under normal conditions, however, Star 3?
grommets? restringing is not the main cause of dam-
age to the grommet strip. A mis-hit ball A BABOLAT STAR 3 IN GOOD
DAMAGE DUE TO REPEATED can break the end off of a grommet, and condition could be an excellent
stringing depends to some extent then there’s the normal wear and tear on backup machine, and it is wonderfully
on how gentle you are during stringing. the bumperguard from play. Either one of transportable. There are a couple of
For example, you can pull the mains these are more likely to make it desire- issues of which you need to be aware,
through the grommets so fast that the able to replace the grommets than dam- though.
grommets melt, ruining a set of grom- age due to restringing. First of all, the Star 3 was manu-
Q
BUYING A
mets in one re-stringing. Also, pulling factured between the middle of 1989
BABOLAT STAR 3
against a starting knot is harder on the and the first couple months of 2001,
grommet than using a starting clamp and which means that you may be looking
a tie-off knot. If you allow the grommet to OUR SHOP IS GOING TO BE get- at a machine that is up to 21 years
back out of the hole during tensioning, it ting more into stringing at local old. If everything is working, the age is
might catch the edge of the hole and tournaments, which will involve not a huge issue, and it seems as
bend or otherwise deform, making it some travel. Our main stringing machine though there are still a lot of Star 3s in
impossible to seat the grommet properly is too heavy for us to easily move, but service. However, if the electronics
so it protects the frame from the string. we’ve found a used Babolat Star 3 that ever go bad, you may have trouble
Finally, if you use your awl to open up looks perfect. Of course, it could also getting the machine back into service,
small grommets so you can tie off in non- serve as a back-up machine to our main even with Babolat’s help. We’ve seen a
standard locations, the additional stress stringing machine when we’re not on the Star 3 fail to pull properly after a day
46 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/Occtober 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

or so of heavy use, so you should see
if you can use the machine before
you buy, checking the calibration
A WILSON’S SWING INDEX IS rough-
ly related to racquet stiffness. Gen-
erally speaking, the higher the Swing
also have taken an RDC flex measure-
ment. As you can see in the chart, while
there is a general trend for racquets with
sporadically Index, the more flexible the racquet. higher Swing Index numbers to exhibit
When you look the machine over, The Babolat RDC machine does actual- more frame flexibility, the range on
check the condition of the clamps. The ly bend the frame of the racquet in one of either side of the trend (that is racquets
Star 3 clamps are highly regarded, but its diagnostic modes that are either
having worn-out clamps reconditioned is and gives you a more stiff or more
not cheap. number represent- flexible than the
One other issue that’s more likely to ing the amount of “average”) is so
come up in the shop than at a tourna- flex. With RDC mea- great that you
ment is that the Star 3 — like other surements, higher cannot state with
machines of its era — was designed numbers mean a any confidence
before some of the really large-head rac- stiffer frame. that a given Wil-
quets came on the scene. If you have What is obvious son Swing Index
customers using these extra-large rac- is that there can be is equal to a given
quets, you might want to verify that they no one-to-one corre- Babolat RDC mea-
can be mounted on the Star 3, just in lation between the surement. There-
case. two systems simply fore, for purposes
Q
COMPARING
because a high Swing Index racquet gen- of comparison, it is best to measure the
STIFFNESS NUMBERS
erally has a low RDC flex measurement. stiffness using a Babolat RDC machine,
What’s not so obvious is that Wilson and although USRSA members can look up
WHERE CAN I OBTAIN informa- Babolat measure flex differently, so an racquet stiffness measurements on-line
tion on Wilson’s Swing Index? I exact inverse correlation is not possible, at usrsa.com.
understand it is related to rac- either. —Greg Raven Q
quet stiffness in some way. Also, where To illustrate this, we looked at 106 Wil-
can I obtain information on Babolat Rac- son racquets that included a Swing Index We welcome your questions. Please send them to Rac-
quet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084;
quet Diagnostic Center (RDC) stiffness number in the name — such as the Wil-
fax: 760-536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
measurements? son Pro Staff 6.1 Classic — for which we
www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/Occtober 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 47

Your Serve
Customer Service and Player Retention
Two TSRs say how we serve customers is the key to creating and
T
retaining players. BY BILL PHILLIPS AND KEVIN THEOS
ennis is experiencing a “mini-boom” The new director made low-cost understanding of play-based coaching and
in terms of participation, with more improvements to the facility that resulted large group dynamics, and who has the
than 30 million individuals having in a much more “homey” feel. While the most positive-energetic personality, is in
played in 2009. That’s the good news. increase in overall and frequent participa- the best position to give beginning players
The bad news is that at the same time, tion has been remarkable, and is also due their first and best experience.
we’ve seen a drop in the number of fre- to other substantive changes the director The “Fun, Friends & Fitness” program
quent players—those who play 21 or more made, the fact remains that people now in Shreveport, La., captures all of the above
times a year. Frequent players are the key enjoy staying at the facility after playing, qualities. The coordinator makes sure
to the financial health of the tennis indus- and their experience playing there is everyone’s contact information is circulat-
try, as they account for the vast majority of much better. ed. He calls each participant during the
tennis lesson, equipment and clothing pur- Quality programming is the most week to find out if they are having fun, if
chases each year. important factor that impacts a player’s they have concerns and to encourage
As Tennis Service Representatives, we experience. More goes into program qual- them in their tennis progress. This pro-
see every day how customer service—giv- ity than just the quality of instruction. gram has been highly successful at turning
ing players the best overall experience pos- We’ve observed coaches with only aver- new players into frequent players, many of
sible—is essential to increase the number age teaching skills who are able to consis- whom are now in adult leagues.
of frequent players and get current players tently retain most of their players. What More than just getting people to try ten-
playing more tennis. these coaches lack in teaching, they more nis, our challenge is to get people to make
Good communication is a major com- than make up for with an understanding frequent tennis play a part of their lives.
ponent of customer service. Good commu- and love of people. They consistently give We’ve observed the most successful pro-
nication means customers know about students positive experiences by always grams in terms retention are those that
program costs, time, location, duration, smiling and being friendly and animated. offer outstanding experiences from the
who to contact with questions, and what They really seem like they want to be first contact with a player. And these pro-
the next steps are for the participant to there and love what they do. They intro- grams don’t rest on their laurels—they are
continue in tennis. It also means making duce new players to each other and are always assessing and reassessing with the
customers feel that somebody really cares excellent at remembering and using goal of constantly improving their overall
about their concerns. names. product.
Outstanding communicators are enthu- In terms of teaching, the strongest pro- Perhaps if we work at our customer
siastic and promptly reply to requests. grams incorporate what we know about service skills, the “mini-boom” we’re expe-
They find answers if they can and avoid players from research. For example, play- riencing will more closely mirror the “ten-
referring questions to somebody else. This ers prefer to spend the bulk of their time nis boom” of the 1970s. Q
means that those answering phones should learning tennis through situation-based
be well-versed in programming details. drills rather than spending time standing Kevin Theos is the USTA South-
Players need to feel that they matter on an in line waiting for dead-ball feeds. Both ern Tennis Service Rep for Alaba-
individual basis, and prompt, courteous, juniors and adults want to play and com- ma. He is a USPTA pro with 20
years’ teaching experience and is
enthusiastic and thorough communication pete as soon as possible even if their
the former executive director of the Birming-
can help players feel important and greatly strokes aren’t perfect. Programs that pay ham Area Tennis Association.
enhance their tennis experience. attention to their students’ wants are far
How you present a facility or program more likely to give players a positive expe- Bill Phillips has been in the tennis
to customers creates an impression that rience. industry for 35 years, as a sales
enhances or detracts from the tennis expe- It’s enormously difficult to bring back rep, sporting goods retail manag-
rience. One facility that we’ve worked with players who tried tennis and did not have er and teaching pro. He is the
underwent a change in management. a worthwhile experience. While it is com- Tennis Service Representative for USTA
Southern in Louisiana and first vice president
Before the change, the facility had sparse mon for tennis directors to turn new play- of USPTA Southern Division.
décor and was not inviting. Not surprising- ers over to their assistants, this may not
ly, individuals simply left after they were be the best move. The most experienced We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com or fax
done playing. professional with the best people skills, an them to 760-536-1171.

Racquet Sports Industry

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September/October 2010

Volume 38 Number 9 $5.00

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

New Apparel: Fit,

& MAINTENANCE 7 USPTA announces speakers

40 Table Tennis Hits an Upswing 9 30-court tennis complex

33 Professional Challenges 11 Kansas City wins WTT title

Cover photo by Bob Kenas

DEPARTMENTS 27 Pioneers in Tennis: Schwartz, Katz, Keighley

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Prince Announces USPTA Announces World Conference Speakers

In addition, Prince named two new non-

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7

New 30-Court Public Tennis Complex to Be Built in Maryland

Bryans Claim Record

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

>topTotal prize money for the 2010 US Open will

>finalsRatings for the Wimbledon singles

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Kansas City Wins WTT Title

Free Replacement Bobbin for 2086

3 Finalists Named for

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

agreement. Selby is cur- charitable foundation to help fund a number

12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Tennis Racquet Performance

Top-Selling Tennis Shoes

Top-Selling Tennis Strings

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

New Court Construction ‘Community Surface’ TV Show

Book Now Available To Document Court Renovation

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

TIA Forms Facility,

Congratulations To the Following

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15

TIA TennisInsure.com & Other Benefits

Contact the Tennis Industry Association

IT/Databases Communications Membership

Playing More Tennis

Frequent players, which represent 18% of the total

Use of technology: Technology can make both the jobs of

Frequent Players Frequent Consumers

¥ In the youth racket market, 2009 wholesale shipments were

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

All Kinds of Courts

DON’ T TRY THIS YOURSELF

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

Making the U.S. (More) Open

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

QuickStart and Wheelchair Tennis

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31

In this second of two articles on pro tennis in the U.S., we

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33

Photo credit: Bob Kenas

34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/October 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

COMBINING MEN AND WOMEN?

LESS COVERAGE IN THE MEDIA

Photo credit: Bob Kenas

www.racquetsportsindustry.com September/October 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35

CREATING MORE PARTNERSHIPS

PUTTING THE TEAM IN TENNIS

36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY September/Octoer 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com