February 2005

Volume 33 Number 2 $5.00

OUTLOOK 2005
Industry pros are looking
ahead with optimism
Q Economy Q Footwear
Q Racquets Q Apparel
Q String
Dealing with tough
customers
Create an activities
committee
Hard-court award winners
Q String Playtest
Q Ask the Experts
Q Tips and Techniques
Q Science: Twistweight
Contents SPECIAL SECTION
R S I F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 5

25 Outlook 2005
Tennis industry professionals are eyeing the
new year with optimism for the sport as a
whole. INDUSTRY NEWS
26 All Systems Go? 7 ASBA tech meeting has record
The economy appears poised for growth, and
signs are pointing to a bullish tennis market, too. attendance
28 Racquets 7 PTR schedules 2005 Symposium
With new construction and new materials,
frames can now improve both control and
power. 7 Cardio Tennis set to debut in spring
32 String 8 TIA enhances Tennis Welcome
Research into strings and stringing are leading
to a whole new understanding of their effects
Center program
on play.
8 Tennis Channel adds 42 cable
34 Apparel systems
In their latest lines, tenniswear manufacturers
are giving players clothes with game. 9 Industry veteran Nihiser retires
38 Footwear from Head/Penn
Manufacturers are turning to strong materials
for tennis shoes that add support, not extra 9 USTA names Billie Jean King to
weight. committee chair
9 Thorlo unveils two new tennis socks
10 Head/Penn announces organization
changes
11 Ashaway introduces multi-polymer
monofilaments
12 Olympus, USTA sign deal, discuss
fashion show

22 Facility-of-the-Year Hard-Court Winners 12 New “TennisMind” CD available

These hard-court winners are worth showing off. 13 Milk scholarships available for
student-athletes

DEPARTMENTS 40 String Playtest: Gamma Revelation 16

4 Our Serve 42 Ask the Experts
14 Your Finances 44 Tips and Techniques
16 Retailing Success 46 Science: Twistweight
20 Marketing Success 48 Your Serve, by Franklin Johnson

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

Our Serve
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Continuing Ed That Connects Publishers

ontinuing education is a big key to helping you succeed in David Bone Jeff Williams

C this business. And there are a number of excellent choic-

es when it comes to adding to your business knowledge
and honing your skills in tennis teaching, programming, and
Editor-in-Chief
Crawford Lindsey

Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
retailing. Associate Editor
Most of you probably know about, and may have attended, the excellent annu- Greg Raven
al conventions of the PTR in February and the USPTA in September, along with the
Design/Art Director
USA Tennis Teachers Conference in August and, for the court construction busi- Kristine Thom
ness, the Technical Meeting of the American Sports Builders Association (formerly
Assistant to the Publisher
the USTC&TBA) in December. These annual gatherings feature top-notch work-
Cari Feliciano
shops, lectures, seminars and on-court presentations.
There is, however, one event out there that for years has remained a bit under Contributing Editors
Cynthia Cantrell
the radar. Yet, as I found out last year—and without taking anything away from the
Rod Cross
four conventions mentioned above—it is possibly one of the best when it comes to Joe Dinoffer
developing and educating community tennis leaders. I’m talking about the annual Liza Horan
USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop. Andrew Lavallee
This year, the CTDW (which years ago used to be called the NJTL Workshop) will James Martin
be held at Sandestin Resort in Destin, Fla., Feb. 4 to 7, and if last year’s event is Mark Mason
Chris Nicholson
any guide, you can expect some wonderful and useful presentations. As Karen
Mitch Rustad
Ford, the USTA’s manager of Community Development, told me recently, the Drew Sunderlin
CTDW “provides us the chance to really connect with community tennis leaders Jonathan Whitbourne
and provide them the tools they need to grow the sport of tennis, or just build a
stronger, healthier community through tennis.” RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
Last year’s CTDW, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, drew a record 678 registered
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
attendees, and Ford is hoping to break 700 in 2005. The key to the CTDW, though, Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
is that the attendees, presenters, and organizers all are committed to one goal: Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
growing tennis in their communities. Website: www.racquetTECH.com
The folks who attend the CTDW are the people who actually deliver the pro- Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
grams and have direct contact with the tennis-playing and equipment-buying pub-
Advertising Director
lic. Some are volunteers in tennis; some make their living from the sport—all stand
John Hanna
to gain through the knowledge they come away with. The CTDW sessions I stopped 770-650-1102, x.125
in last year were well-attended, and the knowledgeable presenters fed off of the john@racquettech.com
audience’s enthusiasm. It was one of the best gatherings in this business that I’ve
ever been to. Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
This year’s theme for the CTDW is “Great Ideas, Greater Communities,” and you
203-263-5243
can bet that the talented Community Tennis staff at the USTA will put together a cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
great lineup of seminars that will easily apply to your business, and that will in fact
Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-
help you get more business. As we go to press, the preliminary schedule included 5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly January
sessions on trends in recreational programming, USA Tennis NJTL, communication, through August and combined issues in Septem-
ber/October and November/December by Tennis
marketing to minorities, liability and insurance, hiring a certified pro, organiza-
Industry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.
tional planning, dealing with volunteers, running league programs, and much more. February 2005, Volume 33, Number 2 © 2005 by
If you’ve never been to the CTDW, or haven’t been to one in recent years, con- USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rights reserved. Rac-
sider attending this one (for more information, visit quet Sports Industry, RSI and logo are trademarks of
USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-
www.usta.com/communitytennis, call 914-696-7205, or email ctdw@usta.com). 650-1102 x.125. Phone circulation and editorial: 760-
You owe it to your business to find
f out what it’s all about. 536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40
elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU
Cardio Tennis Set to
Debut in Spring
The TIA and its industry partners
have set an appropriately aggres-
sive agenda for rollout of the Car-
dio Tennis program. Cardio Tennis is
a new group activity that features
drills to give players of all abilities a
high-energy workout. Participants
burn calories while playing tennis,
although the focus is more on a
great workout.
Field tests, research, consumer sur-
veys etc., are taking place through
February and the Cardio Tennis pro-
gram itself will start to roll out at
industry conventions during the
month. By mid-March, a DVD will
be ready, and the www.partners.
cardiotennis.com web site will go
live. Also, applications will be
accepted at the web site for
approved Cardio Tennis sites.
Cardio Tennis facility kits will start
to ship around mid-May. The kit will
include marketing tools such as a
banner, a heart rate monitor map
poster, counter cards, talking points
for Cardio Tennis, special programs
for Polar heart rate monitors, ad
slicks, fliers, and more.
The plan is for the consumer web
site, www.CardioTennis.com, to go
live in mid-June, based on having at
least 500 Cardio Tennis sites signed
up. Consumer advertising will begin
at this time, too. Then around Sept.
1, in conjunction with the US Open,
there will be a major public rela-
tions effort (based on having 750
Cardio sites). Also down the road,
the TIA is planning a kid’s version,
called Cardio Tennis 4 Kids.
For more information, contact the
TIA at 843-686-3036 or info@
CardioTennis.com.
R S I F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 5
RUN YOUR BUSINESS
Record Attendance at Upbeat ASBA Tech Meeting
T
he 2004 Technical Meeting of the U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builders Association—now
called the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA)—drew a record 350 attendees to
the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans in early
December.
It was the first time the Technical Meeting drew more
than 300 attendees, according to the ASBA’s Cynthia Jor-
dan. There were about 50 first-timers at the meeting in
addition to a high number of international attendees, Jor-
dan said.
The boost in attendance seemed to illustrate the upbeat
assessment that many at the meeting and concurrent
trade show expressed about the tennis industry. “We’ve
had a lot more construction projects this year [2004], and
we’re optimistic for next year,” said Rob Righter of Nova
Sports.
Drew Stewart of Bakko Bak Bords added, “We’re having
a great year. We’ve seen different regions that typically
haven’t been that strong” purchasing product.
Teri Wysocki of M. Putterman summed up the mood at
the trade show part of the meeting: “Tennis is up. Business
is good.”
Jordan said that 340 companies are now members of
the ASBA, the most ever. At the Technical Meeting, nine
court contractors and four track builders took the certifica-
tion exams, which is the most ever, she said. The keynote
speaker for the meeting was Ron Dibble, former major
league pitcher and Cy Young Award winner.
The ASBA Winter Meeting will be Feb. 24 to 28 at the
Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix. The 2005 Technical Meet-
ing will be Dec. 2 to 7 at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay in
Florida. For more information, call 866-501-ASBA or visit
www.sportsbuilders.org.
PTR Sets 2005 International Tennis Symposium
early 900 people from 52 countries attended the PTR International Tennis Symposium
N
and $25,000 Championships last year, and event organizers are expecting an equally
impressive turnout for the 2005 Symposium, which will be held Feb. 19 to 25 on Hilton
Head, S.C.
Courses will cover such diverse topics as speed training, strategy for doubles and singles, the
tennis business, training junior players, fast-action drills, munchkin tennis, wheelchair tennis,
sports psychology, coaching advanced players and much more.
The week also includes the PTR $25,000 Championships, which crowns winners in 29 divi-
sions in men’s and women’s singles and doubles, and mixed doubles. Also, more than 40 ten-
nis-related manufacturers and organizations are expected to exhibit at the Tennis Trade Show.
For more information or to register, visit www.ptrtennis.org or call 800-421-6289.
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7
 INDUSTRYNEWS F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 5

TIA Enhances TWC Program for 2005

T
he TIA is ramping up the industry’s Tennis Welcome Center program in 2005 with
new programs, quality control enhancements and increased marketing support.
In the works is a “Get Connected for 2005” plan of benefits for TWCs that
will include individual websites, hosting, email, online registration, find-a-game
features, and more, says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. Both the trade web-
site (www.partners.TennisWelcomeCenter.com) and the consumer site
(www.TennisWelcomeCenter.com) will also be enhanced. There also will be
“generic” TWC programs available called “Learn to
Play Fast” and “Learn to Play Doubles,” an
improved marketing manual, and a
Tennis Welcome Center Parties Pro-
gram.
In terms of quality control, the
TWC application and renewal process
will now include specific criteria to deter-
mine eligibility, and there will be seminars and
training workshops on customer service and local tennis marketing. In addition,
the tennis teaching organizations will be adding educational certification and
developing specialty courses. Better communication also is a key: The TIA plans
to establish a TWC project manager position and to create 50 TWC ambassadors
within the framework of the USTA sections.
Increased marketing support includes a projected commitment by the USTA of
at least $2 million. Some of that money will go to fund marketing efforts includ-
ing advertising in consumer magazines, newspapers, and TV. The plan also
includes increased signage and other opportunities at pro tournaments, market-
ing to retailers to get them involved in their local communities, and a National
Tennis Month (May) p.r. campaign.

TTC Launches on 42 Cable Systems

T
he Tennis Channel 24-hour cable television network devoted to tennis and other
racquet sports launched on 42 cable systems in November and December,
extending its reach in California, Texas, North Carolina, New York, Massachu-
setts, Vermont, New Hampshire,
Maine, Connecticut and other
areas. The 42 markets are:
• Adelphia Communications—
California: Oxnard, Carlsbad; Con-
necticut: Seymour, Norwich;
Kentucky: Owensboro, Richmond; Massachusetts: Plymouth; Maine: Augusta; New
Hampshire: Londonderry; New York: Buffalo; Vermont: Burlington.
• Cox Cable—Arkansas: Morrilton, Russellville, Jonesboro; Florida: Gainesville;
North Carolina: Greeneville, Rocky Mount, New Bern, Kinston, Washing-
ton/Williamston; New Mexico: Clovis; Texas: Amarillo, Lubbock, Georgetown, Plain-
view, Midland, Andrews, Big Spring, San Angelo, Abilene, Sweetwater, Bryan;
Virginia: Roanoke, Hampton Roads.
• Other—California: Sacramento (Sure West); Rocklin, Auburn (Starstream Com-
munications); Florida: Pinellas Park (Knology); Kansas: Lawrence (Sunflower Broad-
band); Minnesota: Hutchinson (Hutchinson Telecom); New Hampshire: Keene (Time
Warner); South Carolina: Aiken (G Force LLX).

8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Bud Nihiser Retires

From Head/Penn
A
fter 42 years in the sporting goods industry,
Head/Penn Ohio-based District Sales Manager
Bud Nihiser has retired. Nihiser spent more than
13 years with Head/Penn, servicing clients in Indiana
and Ohio.
“I feel truly blessed to have spent my entire career
in this industry,” he says. “There are coworkers and customers dating back 40
years that I still stay in contact with.”
“Bud’s accounts love him for good reason,” says Greg Mason, Head/Penn’s
director of marketing and pro-specialty sales. “He consistently demonstrated high-
est integrity and truly cared about the business.”
Nihiser’s replacement in the Indiana/Ohio territory will be Steve Rothstein,
who’s been in the tennis industry for 19 years.

USTA Names BJK to Chair High Performance Committee

T
he USTA has named Billie Jean King to chair the USA Tennis High Perform-
ance Committee. Also, Jack Kramer has agreed to join the committee as a
special advisor. The committee will assist the USA Tennis High Performance
professional staff, led by Paul Roetert and Eliot Teltscher, with its charge to facili-
tate the development of world-class American champions, providing promising
players with access to the best coaching, training and conditioning.
“We are fortunate to have the incomparable Billie Jean King volunteer her expert-
ise to take on this important responsibility,” says USTA President Franklin Johnson.
“We are equally delighted to have one of the seminal figures in our sport, Jack
Kramer, in an advisory role.”
King has worked with the USTA in a variety of capacities following her legendary
playing career. She recently announced her retirement from the U.S. Fed Cup Team,
which she helped coach this year, after 42 years of involvement with the team as a
player, coach, and captain. Kramer was instrumental in forming the ATP in 1972
and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1968.
The USA Tennis High Performance program operates from two facilities—its
headquarters in Key Biscayne, Fla., and a new training center in Carson, Calif.

Thorlo Unveils 2 New Tennis Socks

T
horlo brand has launched two new tennis socks, to give consumers a choice of pro-
tection: Tennis Thorlos Protection Level 1 and Tennis Thorlos Protection Level 2.
The new Level 1 sock is designed to provide protection for low intensity, less
strenuous activities, for instance for occasional tennis players who prefer lightweight
padding at the ball and heel and wear narrow-lasted shoes. CoolMax provides wick-
ing to help keep feet dry, and the Level 1 sock will not change a player’s shoe size.
The new Level 2 sock, designed for medium intensity activities that are moder-
ately strenuous, provides medium density padding along the heel, ball, and
top of the toes. It combines CoolMax and Thorlon for wicking and padding.
Thorlo also offers a Level 3 sock for high-intensity activities. This prod-
uct has high-density padding under the ball and heel and along the top of
the toe.
Tennis Thorlos are available in crew, cuff top, mini crew, micro
mini crew, and roll top styles and range in price from $11 to $13.
For more information, visit www.thorlo.com.

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

 INDUSTRYNEWS F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 5

Head/Penn Announces Organization Changes for 2005

H
ead/Penn Racquet Sports announces several strategic organiza-
tional changes, including restructured territories, a new regional
sales manager and a new business manager for Penn.
Jennifer Parker, formerly the communications manager for
Head/Penn and the product manager for Penn accessories, is Penn’s
new business manager. She is now responsible for managing all
aspects of the Penn business including branding, packaging, point-
of-sale and sales programs.
Also, longtime Dunlop/Slazenger tennis manager Kai Nitsche has joined Head/Penn
as the Southern regional sales manager. He brings his extensive marketing, sales, and
product manager experience to managing the region stretching from North Carolina to
Florida and west to Texas and the central Midwest.
In other sales territory moves, designed to best fit regional climates and retailer
and consumer purchase patterns, former Eastern Regional Manager John Tranfaglia
is now responsible for the newly formed Northern region. His territory will include
his current Northeastern markets as well as markets south to Virginia and throughout
the upper Midwest. Rich Neighbor will continue as Western Regional Manager with
no market changes.

SHORT SETS
> The 2005 Community Tennis Develop-
ment Workshop, presented by the USTA,
will be Feb. 4 to 7 at Sandestin Resort in
Destin, Fla. For more information, visit
www.usta.com/community/tennis, call
914-696-7205, or email ctdw@usta.com.
> The Fischer Twin Tec 1250 FTI received
the Editor’s Choice designation in the Jan-
uary/February issue of Tennis. The maga-
zine praised the racquet’s “outstanding
stability” and said, “Even bad strokes can
produce good shots.” For more informa-
tion, contact 800-333-0337 or www.
fischertennisusa.com.
> The design-build firm ICA Sports of
Olathe, Kan., recently won the Design-
Build Institute of America’s Award of
Excellence—Best Project Under $15 Mil-
lion for its Athletic Complex completed
for Solomon Schechter Day School of
Long Island, N.Y. ICA designed and con-
structed a 10,570-square-foot, ADA-com-
pliant, tournament-quality gymnasium for
the school five weeks ahead of the six-
month schedule.
> Southern California-based tennis appar-
el maker Bälle de Mätch has been named
a preferred vendor for 2005 by ClubCorp,
a world leader in premier golf, private
club, and resort experiences. ClubCorp
owns or operates nearly 200 golf course,
country clubs, private business and sports
clubs, and resorts. For more information
on Bälle de Mätch, call 949-574-7300.
> Apparel and shoe manufacturer Diadora
has a new address: Diadora America Inc.,
6102 South 226th St., Kent, WA 98032.
Phone is 253-520-8868. Web is
www.diadoraamerica.com.
> Maria Sharapova claimed the WTA Cham-
pionship title playing with a Prince Shark
racquet.
>chosen
Dunlop Sports of Greenville, S.C., has
Luquire George Andrews of Char-
lotte, N.C., as agency of record to promote
its lines of tennis and golf equipment.
> The USTA has launched
www.highperformance.usta.com, a website
dedicated to the USA Tennis High Perform-
ance program, which facilitates the develop-
ment of world-class American champions by
providing promising players with access to
coaching, training, and conditioning.
> The U.S. Davis Cup team lost the 2004
final to Spain, 3-2, in early December. The
team will begin its quest to return to the
Davis Cup final when it hosts Croatia at the
Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., March
4-6 in the first round of the 2005 competition.
> For reality-TV fans, Wilson’s nCode rac-
quet made the small screen for an episode
of “The Apprentice” on NBC. One of the
teams won the chance to play tennis with John
McEnroe and Anna Kournikova in Arthur Ashe
Stadium at the USTA National Tennis Center.
Team members were equipped with NsixOne
Tour racquets.

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Ashaway Introduces
Line Of Multi-Polymer
Monofilaments

A
shaway says its new line of multi-
polymer monofilament tennis
strings represents the first syn-
thetic gut on the market to combine
both resiliency and durability in a sin-
gle string.

MonoGut was designed for power

players who want a strong string
while providing good feel and con-
trol, says the company. It’s available
in 16- and 17-gauge versions, as well
as a hybrid set. The 16L-gauge
MonoGut provides maximum dura-
bility with a highly playable string,
says Ashaway, and is the most popu-
lar monofilament construction for
professional players. MonoGut 17 is
recommended for hard-hitters and
players who find hybrids too stiff.
New Crossfire MonoGut hybrid
string sets combine 16L-gauge
MonoGut mains and 16-gauge syn-
thetic gut crosses for durability,
playability, and tension holding. Ash-
away says the sets are ideal for both
hard-hitters who want a softer-play-
ing string and power players looking
for a more durable hybrid.
For more information, contact
800-556-7260 or visit
www.ashawayusa.com.

Corrections
 The String Survey Poster in the Jan-
uary issue of RSI is replaced with a
corrected version of the poster in
this issue of RSI. Please discard the
old version and replace it with this
new one. We apologize for any
inconvenience.

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 INDUSTRYNEWS

Olympus, USTA Ink 4-Year

Deal, Talk Fashion Show

O
lympus Imaging America Inc. has
signed a four-year worldwide
marketing partnership to expand
its association as the Official Camera
of the US Open and its charter spon-
sorship of the US Open Series, the
eight-week summer tennis season that
links 10 tournaments to the US Open,
the USTA announced in December.
The deal, for a reported $35 mil-
lion, is believed to be the largest of its
kind for any sport in the category of
cameras, imaging, printers, and binoc-
ulars, other than the Eastman Kodak
deal for the Olympics, reports the publi-
cation SportsBusiness Journal.
Olympus will be designated as the
“Official Camera” of the US Open and
the US Open Series and will be named
the “Official Binocular” and “Official
Photo Image Storage and Image Print-
ing” sponsor of the US Open.
The USTA and Olympus apparently
are discussing the possibility of staging
a fashion show, the business publica-
tion reported. Olympus sponsors Fash-
ion Week in New York, which occurs
around the time of the US Open, and
both organizations appear to be looking
for crossover promotion opportunities.

New “TennisMind” CD
Sport psychology consultant and tennis
teaching pro Dr. Robert Heller has released
“TennisMind,” which combines visual and
auditory technology to address 20 key areas
to help your competitive athletes perform at
their best. The two-volume mental condi-
tioning CD/software program, written by
Heller in conjunction with Subconscious
Training Corp., contains lessons for develop-
ing confidence, managing mistakes, control-
ling anxiety, taming anger and 16 additional
topics designed to help players build “emo-
tional muscle.” TennisMind is $49.95 from
The Winning Edge (www.TheWinningEdge.
usptapro.com).

12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 INDUSTRY NEWS

OP L E W AT C “Got Milk?” Scholarships

P E • Völkl’s Ter- H Available For Student-Athletes
ritory Manager of the Year award has been

D
o you know of or coach a high school
presented to Chuck Heyde, who oversees New York State
scholar-athlete who’s looking to get
and Fairfield County, Conn. Also, Völkl has hired Chris Avery to
money for college? The National Milk
handle sales for the Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky areas. Mustache “got milk?” Campaign has
• Bälle de Mätch has hired Wolfgang Jaeger to handle sales in Pennsylvania teamed up with USA Today for the eighth
annual Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of
and Southern New Jersey. For more on the apparel company, call 800-356-1021.
the Year (SAMMY) Awards.
• Squash player Thierry Lincou won the World Open 2004 in Qatar in December, his The SAMMY’s grant 25 college scholar-
fourth tourney win of the year, playing with a Tecnifibre Carboflex 150 racquet with ships to stand-out high school seniors
TF305 strings. On the women’s side, Vanessa Atkinsson also won in Qatar then won the nationwide who have made milk their bev-
world championship in Kuala Lumpur in December playing the Tecnifibre Carboflex 130 erage of choice, excelled in the classroom
and are at the top of their game. In addi-
with TF305 strings.
tion to a $7,500 scholarship, each winner
•Former pro player Zina Garrison will continue as captain of the U.S. Fed Cup will attend a special awards ceremony at
team through 2005, the USTA announced. The U.S. will host Belgium in Disney’s Wide World of Sports and grace
April in the 2005 first round. the pages of USA Today with their own
milk mustache ad that will run in June
•Dani La Grace (left) joins Bollé and Serengeti as the senior product 2005.
manager for eyewear, overseeing product development, product A celebrity panel of athletes, including
launches, and strategic partnerships. Andy Roddick, Michelle Kwan, Jason Kidd,
Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, and Brad John-
•The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced the promotion son, will select the SAMMY winners based
of Marguerite A. Jones to manager of tournaments and special events on academic performance, athletic excel-
and the appointment of Daniel J. Medeiros as special events manager. lence, leadership skills, and community
service.
•Timothy Neilly, 17, of Tampa, defeated Atlanta's Donald Young to become the first High school seniors can visit
African-American to win the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships www.whymilk.com to complete and sub-
Boys' 18s singles title in the event's 58-year history. Jessica Kirkland, 17, of Day- mit an online application, where they’ll be
ton, Ohio, defeated Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva in the girls' final to become required to describe in 75 words or less
the first American to win the Orange Bowl girls' title since Luanne how drinking milk is part of their everyday
Spadea 15 years ago. It was the first time since 1974 that life and training regimen. Entries must be
Americans took both the boys’ and girls’ singles titles submitted by March 4. Finalists will be
at the Orange Bowl. named by June.

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

$ YOUR finances
Build Business, Enjoy Yourself,
And Write It Off
I
magine an enjoyable—and educational—
vacation, but with Uncle Sam picking up
part of the tab. Every racquet sports
business, owner, employees, even someone
who is a shareholder/employee, can legiti-
mately claim an income-tax deduction for
the expenses paid or incurred in attending
trade shows, conventions, and meetings.
Of course, there are restrictions. A
major downside is that the deduction does
not apply to the expenses of attending a
convention or meeting in connection with
investments, financial planning or other
income-producing property. But usually all
that is required to qualify for convention-
related tax deductions is that you be able to
show, if asked, that attendance at the
event benefited your business.
If you follow the rules, the Internal Rev-
enue Service will pick up the tab for a siz-
able portion of your expenses. The
expenses of selling at a show or event are
also deductible as legitimate sales expenses.
Tax-deductible expenses include the cost
of traveling by plane, train, bus, or car
between your home and the event site.
Also included are expenses for taxis, com-
muter buses, and airport limousines, bag-
gage and shipping costs for samples or
display materials, lodging and meals, clean-
ing, telephone, and even tips. And, don't
forget the costs associated with attending
the convention itself.
MEAL EXPENSE
Generally, expenses for meals include all
amounts spent for food, beverages, taxes,
and related tips. That tax deduction for
meals is considered “entertainment,” how-
ever, and is limited to 50 percent of the
amount actually spent. To compute the
convention-related meals expense, an
attendee can use either the actual cost or a
standard IRS amount. If you, as an individ-
ual, are reimbursed for those expenses,
how you apply the 50 percent limit
depends on whether your employer's reim-
bursement plan was accountable or nonac-
countable.
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
If a family member or other person
accompanies you, neither you nor the ten-
nis business can deduct their travel expens-
es unless that individual 1) is your
employee; 2) has a bona-fide business pur-
pose for the trip; or 3) would otherwise be
allowed to deduct the convention expens-
es. For a bona-fide business purpose to
exist, the attendee or the business must
prove a real business purpose for the indi-
vidual's presence. Incidental services, such
as typing notes or assisting in entertaining
customers, are no longer enough.
Consider a tennis business owner, John,
who, along with his wife, Mary, drove to
Palm Springs to attend a convention.
Because Mary is not John’s employee and
even if her presence serves a bona-fide
purpose, her expenses will not be tax
deductible. John pays $165 per night for a
double room. A single room costs $135
per night. He can deduct the total cost of
driving his car to and from Palm Springs,
but only $135 per night for his hotel room.
If he uses public transportation, he can
deduct only his fares.
As mentioned, as an alternative to the
actual cost method, both self-employed
business owners and employees can
deduct a standard amount for their daily
meals and incidental expenses. However,
even when this standard allowance is used,
records must be kept to prove the time,
place, and business purpose of any travel
or convention attendance. Unfortunately, if
your employer is related or is an incorpo-
rated business in which you are more than
a 10 percent owner, the standard meal
allowance can’t be used.
The standard meal allowance is the offi-
cial federal Meals and Incidental Expense
(M&IE) rate. During 2003 and into 2004,
the standard rate for meals varied between
$35 and $45 per day for most areas of the
U.S. Maximum per-diem rates, including
lodging, varied between $125 and $204
per day in 2003. Whether you use the
standard M&IE rate or not, make sure you
back up all your deductions with receipts
BY MARK E. BATTERSBY
and other records.
The expenses of exhibiting or actually
selling at a trade show or other event are
also tax deductible business expenses. Even
where the business is engaged in direct
sales to the public, the expenses, for the
most part, are tax deductible.
However, expenses incurred in creating
a unique display or booth may not qualify
for an immediate income tax deduction.
But if that display or booth is for one-time
use, if it is not adaptable to other events or
venues, then perhaps an immediate tax
deduction as an expense for property with
a useful life of one year or less might be in
order. Otherwise, depreciation rules come
into play.
VACATION TIME
What if you decide to combine the conven-
tion with a vacation? If the trip was "pri-
marily" for business and, while at the
event, you extended your stay for a vaca-
tion, made a nonbusiness side trip, or had
other nonbusiness activities, you may still
deduct your business-related travel expens-
es. If, however, the trip was primarily for
personal reasons, the entire cost of the trip
is a nondeductible personal expense. Natu-
rally, you can deduct any expenses you
have while at your destination that are
directly related to attendance at the trade
show or convention.
In reality, the agenda of the convention
does not have to deal specifically with your
business. It is enough that you can reason-
ably be expected to gain some business
benefit from attending or exhibiting.
So when the USTA, PTR, USPTA, ASBA,
TIA, or other industry groups get together,
either locally or nationally, consider all you
stand to gain by attending the events, with
the added incentive that it’s a legitimate
tax deduction. Q
Mark E. Battersby is a tax and financial
advisor, lecturer, writer and author in
Ardmore, Pa.
G
retailing SUCCESS
Tough Customers?
Every retail operation will come up against people who make life difficult.
Here are some strategies to help you keep things under control.
Illustrations by Kristine Thom
D
ifficult customers can be a challenge
to any business. They can negatively
impact other customers, your
employees, your bottom line, and your
stress level.
To a large degree, “difficult” is a mat-
ter of perception. “Difficult” for one per-
son may be “manageable” to someone
else. The owner's or employee's personali-
ty, tolerance, and people skills will go a
long way to influencing this perception.
These factors, along with others such as
the store policy, inventory, expertise, pric-
ing and so on, can sometimes turn a satis-
fied customer into a difficult one or a
difficult one into a satisfied one.
RECOGNIZING
YOUR TRIGGERS
What type of person or situation do you
find most difficult to handle? Think about
the times you've felt annoyed, angered, or
frustrated following a phone call or face-
to-face interaction with a customer. Recall
the situation, what happened, what
16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
BY ROBERT F. HELLER, ED.D, ABPP, USPTA
thoughts were going through your mind
and what your feelings, mood, and emo-
tions were like. Was it someone who was
very demanding? Very loud? Was the per-
son looking for a deal? Was it one who
often brings items back? A customer who
wants “extra” or special treatment? A
namedropper? A person who blames the
equipment for their poor performance?
See if you can identify a particular pat-
tern or style of person that you find most
difficult to take. Each of us has a sensitivi-
ty that can be easily triggered and can
lower our tolerance and ability to manage
certain customers and situations as effec-
tively as we would like. Knowing our own
vulnerabilities can help us develop strate-
gies to handle tough situations more suc-
cessfully while taking less of a toll on us
emotionally. Awareness is the first step in
learning to effectively manage difficult
people.
For example, if you are impatient with
people who are slow in making decisions,
are unclear about what they want, or
change their mind frequently, you may
benefit by learning how to be more toler-
ant, patient, or understanding. Putting
yourself in the customer's shoes can help
you learn to see things from their point of
view.
If you are too sensitive about being
liked or approved of by others, you may
fail to set or enforce established policies
and procedures and be vulnerable to
being taken advantage of by certain types
of individuals. By learning to care less
about what others think about you, it will
be easier for you to communicate more
assertively with others and to better toler-
ate occasional criticism.
CHECK YOUR
BUSINESS PRACTICES
Frequently, the phone is the first point of
contact a customer has with your busi-
ness, and it can set the tone for what's to
follow. Of course, personal contact in the
store is always important, too.
Here are some questions you need to
ask about how you and your employees
deal with customers, both on the phone
and in person.
Q On the Phone:
How accessible is your business by
phone? Is the line often busy? Is the
customer put on hold for more than
a few seconds? If they want to speak
to you, are you often not available?
Does a person answer the phone, or
are callers put through a maze of
voice prompts? Are the people
answering the phone trained proper-
ly? Can they give prompt, knowl-
edgeable replies to most common
questions? Do they seem to care
about the caller's question and gen-
uinely want to help? Do they go the
extra step to get the answer the cus-
tomer is looking for or call them
back shortly once they find out?
Q In the Store:
Are customers greeted and offered
assistance? Are they given space to
browse and not feel pressured?
Are employees prompt, polite,
and service-oriented? Do they
make efforts to “build” rap-
port with customers? Are
items well-marked, orga-
nized, and accessible to the
customer? Are employees
trained in providing customer
service? Do they have accurate
knowledge of the products they
sell? Do they know who to refer to
for questions or additional informa-
tion? Do you role-play or rehearse
sticky situations, like someone walk-
ing out of the store and “forgetting”
to pay for an item? Are your policies
clear, written, and posted? Whether
it's your hours of operation or return
policy, are you consistent and reliable
in what you say and what you do?
Your customers can be a great source
of valuable information if you provide
them easy ways to tell you how they feel
about your store, products, policies,
prices, employees, services, etc. Do you
provide a suggestion box to solicit com-
ments from customers? Do you have an
in-house customer-satisfaction survey or
send out surveys to existing customers?
Do you periodically invest in paying peo-
ple to call or visit your business and pro- less. If you have an item that is 10 per-
vide you feedback on their experience cent off, they'll ask you to sell it to them
as “customers”? for 20 percent off. They may have facts
to back up their request
STRATEGIES FOR for an additional dis-
DEALING WITH count, such as an
DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS ad from a com-
In spite of your best efforts to work on petitor, or they
yourself, surround yourself with good may make up
employees, and establish excellent busi- a story and
ness practices and procedures, you will attempt to
at some point run into people who “bluff” you
make you question if you really want to into giving an
be in business. Here are several “cus- additional dis-
tomer types” you may encounter, along count.
with some options for dealing with Strategy: If your
them. mark-up warrants it and the
customer buys things frequently at your
THE IMPATIENT CUSTOMER store, you may be able to justify an addi-
Characteristics: This “type A” person- tional discount. Beware, for they may tell
ality is always in a hurry and seems to other customers of yours who will want a
be in dire need of immediate service all similar discount. Another strategy is to
the time. Not only are they offer a justification for your price in terms
always in a rush, but of your superior service, selection, conve-
also they seek to rush nience, etc. A third strategy is to make
others to accom- your own bargain. For example, “I can
modate them. give you 20 percent off, if you buy three
Their reasons for racquets instead of one.”
instant service are
similar: “My car THE TIRE KICKER
is double- Characteristics: This is the type of cus-
parked”; “There tomer who likes to shop but not to buy.
is only five minutes They try on lots of clothes many times,
left on the parking ask detailed questions ranging from
meter”; “I'm late for a where the garment was made to what
doctor's appointment.” famous athlete is promoting it, and so
They may crowd you physical- on. They take up a fair amount of your
ly, interrupt you on the phone, and time and energy, and rarely do they make
generally appear anxious and uncom- it worth your while.
fortable. Strategy: If you
Strategy: Acknowledge their pres- have the time and
ence and indicate that you will be with it's not terribly
them just as soon as you can. If possi- busy, you may
ble, give them the approximate time in choose to polite-
minutes until you can help them. Ask a ly answer their
co-worker who may be less busy to questions. If
assist them or suggest they might come not, you can tell
back at another (specific) time when it them you need
is likely to be less crowded and you will to assist another
have more time and attention for them. customer and
should they be
THE BARGAINER ready to make a
Characteristics: These people love to purchase, they can
bargain. It really doesn't matter what catch your eye and you
they are bargaining over. Whatever will be happy to assist them in taking the
your price is, they will ask to have it for merchandise directly to the counter.
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17
CONTINUED

retailing SUCCESS

“The balls seem fine to me but I want 3. “I recognize that people are not per-
THE PERFECTIONIST
you to be happy, so here's another can. fect and am tolerant of the sometimes
Characteristics: The perfectionist is highly
However, if this can is not suitable either, annoying behaviors of others.”
critical and rarely satisfied. The clothes
there is nothing more I can do since it is You'll be amazed at how simply being
don't look quite right. The racquet was
from the same batch and brand, and that's able to affirm to yourself that you can
supposed to be strung at 55 pounds, but
all I carry.” handle these types of difficult people and
it doesn't feel quite right
“At this point, Mr. Smith, it may be that situations will help you cope better day-
to them. It must
you would feel more comfortable with a to-day.
be strung too
'customized' racquet, which we are able to Dealing with difficult people is a part
loosely. The
provide at very competitive prices.” Alterna- of life, and dealing with difficult cus-
can of balls
tively, you can charge a daily user fee to try tomers is a part of every business. Accept
they just
out loaners and apply it to the cost of a the fact that you'll be faced with some
opened
purchase. tough customers, work with it, and
seemed a
remember, “Don't take life (yourself or
bit dead.
KEEPING IT TOGETHER others) too seriously, or you will never get
out alive!” Q
The first five
Keep in mind that we've only scratched the
racquets they
surface here—the types of difficult customers
demoed didn't Dr. Robert Heller is a perfor-
and situations you may encounter in your
have the desired mance enhancement psy-
business can be enormous. For some general
feel; can they demo a sixth racquet? chologist who works with
coping strategies, adapted from my CD pro- athletes, business owners,
Strategy: Give them the benefit of
gram “TENNISMIND,” try repeating these and executives to perform at
the doubt, but set limits: “The racquet
“affirmations” every day for the next month: their best. He is the director
was strung at 55 pounds, and we recently of “The Winning Edge” in
1. “I can handle difficult situations with skill
calibrated the machine so we know it was Boca Raton, Fla., and can be
and composure.”
correct when we gave it to you. Many reached at 561-451-2731 or
2. “When conflicts arise, I stay calm and in robertheller@adelphia.net.
factors can affect playability…”
control.”

18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

& SUCCESS
marketing
Form an Activities Committee
To Promote Your Events
S
uccessful retail merchandisers in
shopping malls across the country
create promotional events so
often and so well that we hardly ever
notice being lured into their stores. But
for most of us, our event programming
seldom consistently generates the kind
of participation we would like.
Here are some tips to consider if you
want to increase participation at your
events. Keep in mind that each part of
the country will always have its own spe-
cific ways to maximize participation.
COMMIT TO A COMMITTEE
The first steps are to set your goals and
get a committed group to work togeth-
er to achieve them. The best people to
have on your committee are enthusiastic
20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
BY JOE DINOFFER
and responsible hard-workers who are
also very busy. It’s long been proven
that busy people are most often the
ones who get things done.
Call the group your “event com-
mittee” or “activities committee” and
realize that this group will be your pro-
motional workforce, so take good care
of them. At the first meeting, offer
them a free one-hour clinic with
refreshments beforehand. Make them
feel special and you’ll have a much
greater chance of creating a highly
productive group.
SET THE CALENDAR
Work with your committee to establish
an annual calendar of events. Too
many tennis directors just sit down at
their computers and create the annual list
by themselves. Wrong approach.
Let your committee do the driving.
Your job is to subtly navigate from
behind the scenes. Get a commitment
from each as to which events they will
participate in themselves and also that
they will each sign up a certain number
of players.
MEET MONTHLY
The committee should meet monthly,
always including that free clinic and
refreshments. Schedule these meetings
within a week after each monthly event,
and limit the meeting portion of these
gatherings to 30 minutes.
The three main topics are: (1) To
briefly review successes and failures of
the event just held and put those notes in
a file for that specific event, (2) to break
into subcommittees to finalize plans for
the next monthly event, and (3) to dis-
cuss any other general business for the
committee.
Note that these meetings must start
punctually and end punctually. Get a
good person to facilitate the meetings to
keep them on track and focused, other-
wise, they will not succeed.
TIMELINES ARE
TIME-TESTED
To stay organized and focused, set up
promotional timelines for all events. For
example, at three months ahead, list the
event in your club newsletter, on your
website, and on your bulletin board.
Insert a flier of upcoming events into all
pro-shop purchases and mailings.
Two months ahead, post a sign-up
sheet and start it off with your own com-
mittee members who are committed to
participate. Have each of them commit to
sign up four more players each. One
month ahead get all the details together
in your monthly committee meeting.
SHARE INCOME
PROPORTIONATELY
This can be touchy and tricky. As manag-
er or tennis director, you need to main-
tain a global view in order to keep your
committee active and motivated.
The two extremes are the “one-man
show,” where the tennis director does
everything without the help of any com-
mittees and takes in all the revenues
from entry fees. The other extreme is
where the players or members do every-
thing. Guess which one always has the
largest participation? The member-run
programs, of course.
Your goal should be to support your
committee by doing the work they
don’t have the time or desire to do. We
won’t cover the potential details here,
but you will get a feel for your duties
very quickly. It all depends on the
strength of your committee. After all,
the strongest tennis event programming
in the U.S. is run largely or entirely by
volunteers. Look at the history of the
USTA or Atlanta’s renowned ALTA.
The bottom line? At your facility, be
generous with your members. You
should earn an appropriate percentage
of the income, but make sure there is
never a perception from your committee
that you are making too much money
off an event they are organizing.
What they do with their share of the
proceeds is up to them. A few ideas are:
(1) Start an emergency fund for a mem-
ber who may face a personal crisis. (2)
Start a scholarship fund for promising
juniors to get more private or group
lessons. (3) Buy a new ball machine or
backboard for the club.
RECOGNIZE YOUR
COMMITTEE
While all these ideas sound good on
paper, this is where they will stay unless
you take the first step. And remember—
while initiating a committee and getting
it started takes effort, the real trick is
maintaining it year after year. You need
to see the long-term goal of maintain-
ing your committee as the key to its
success.
And, of course, make the journey
fun for your committee members and
enjoyable for yourself. If you have fun,
your chances of success increase
tremendously.Q
Joe Dinoffer is Master Professional for
both the PTR and USPTA. He speaks
frequently at national and international
tennis teacher workshops as a member
of both the Head/Penn and Reebok
National Speaker's Bureaus. He is president of
Oncourt Offcourt Inc. and has written 16 books and
produced more than 30 instructional videos.
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21
RSI/ASBA OUTSTANDING FACILITY-OF-THE-YEAR AWARDS
WINNERS
These hard-court award winners are worth showing off.
L
ighting for night play and a backboard/“bang” board
seem to be the big attractions with the six outdoor
hard-court winners of the Racquet Sports Industry/
American Sports Builders Association 2004 Facility-of-
the-Year Awards.
Four of these winners (Carlton Woods, Corash Tennis
Courts, Logansport High School, and Hunnewell Tennis
Courts) went the extra mile and put in lights to extend play-
ing hours. And three facilities (Carlton Woods, Ona Orth
Athletic Complex, and Hunnewell) put in practice areas,
either with a backboard on one of the courts or a “bang”
board in a separate area, so as not to interrupt match play.
The six projects ranged from the four-court Allenwood
Tennis Center (which is the only project to list a “cush-
Corash Tennis Courts at Clark University
Worcester, Mass.
(Nominated by Geller Sport Inc., Boston)
Number of Courts: 6 (acrylic)
Architect/Engineer: Geller Sport Inc.
General Contractor: David W. White & Sons
Surface: Nova Sports
Windscreens: M. Putterman & Co.
Nets: Lee Tennis
Posts: Edwards Sports Products
For details on the 2005 Outstanding
Tennis Facility Awards, contact the
ASBA at 410-418-4875 or email
info@ustctba.com.
22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
ioned” surface) to the 10-court Logansport High School facili-
ty. Allenwood and Hunnewell also were upgrades of existing
facilities; the four others are new projects.
Facility managers seem to realize how important shade is
for players. Four of the projects included adding shade shel-
ters between or alongside the courts, and many included
water fountains, too. Spectator seating next to the courts also
proved popular among this group. And the Corash Tennis
Center, on a university campus, also had a safety phone
installed with a direct line to the campus police.
But for these new and upgraded outdoor hard-court facil-
ities, it’s a safe bet that the increased activity they’ll receive
will be a plus for membership and revenue. Q
—Peter Francesconi
Hunne
Wellesley,
(Nominated
Number of C
Architect/En
Surface: Ver
Backboard:
Windscreens
Nets: Lee Te
Posts: Edwa
 Logansport High School Tennis Facility
Logansport, Ind.
(Nominated by Leslie Coatings Inc., Indianapolis)
Number of Courts: 10 (acrylic)
Specialty Contractor: Leslie Coatings Inc.
Surface & Fencing: Leslie Coatings Inc.
Windscreens: M Putterman & Co.
Lighting: LSI Courtsider XL
Nets, Posts, Center Straps, Pipe: Ball Products
Acrylic Color: Latex-ite

Ona Orth Athletic Complex at Bethel College

St. Paul, Minn.
(Nominated by Anderson-Johnson Associates Inc., Minneapolis)
Number of Courts: 6 (acrylic)
Architect/Engineer: Anderson-Johnson Associates Inc.
General Contractor: Glenn Rehbein Excavating
Specialty Contractor: All-Surface Specialties
Surface: All-Surface Specialties
Surfacing: Vance Brothers
Fencing: Century Fence

Allenwood Tennis Center

Great Neck, N.Y.
(Nominated by DeRosa Tennis Contractors Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y.)
Number of Courts: 4 (cushion)
General Contractor: DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Posts, Shade Shelters: Lee Tennis
Court Surface: Deco Systems
Nets, Windscreens: J.A. Cissel Manufacturing

well Tennis Courts The Club at Carlton Woods

, Mass. (no image available)
The Woodlands, Texas
by Geller Sport Inc., Boston)
Courts: 8 (acrylic) (Nominated by Trans Texas Tennis Inc., Houston)
ngineer: Geller Sport Inc. Number of Courts: 6 (acrylic)
rmont Tennis Court Surfacing Architect/Engineer/General Contractor: Trans Texas Tennis Inc.
Bakko Bak Bord Surface: Laykold/Advance Polymer Technology
s: M. Putterman & Co. Lighting: RLS TE-1000 Championship
ennis Nets, Posts: Edwards Sports Products
ards Sports Products Backboard: Bakko Bak Bord

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23

Y ou’ve heard optimistic reports for the
tennis industry before, including in these
pages. But this time, we really mean it.
So much has happened in 2004, on so
many fronts, that tennis really does appear
to be poised to break loose in a big way, in
terms of tennis participation, retail sales,
increased play, court construction, etc.
Recent initiatives by the USTA, Tennis
Industry Association and many other
groups involved in tennis are getting the
ball rolling, and getting more and more key
people and groups involved in the long-
term health of the sport.
It’s still a little too early to see increases
in the participation numbers, but, finally, the
trend does appear to be upward. New pro-
gramming and initiatives, such as the Tennis
Welcome Centers and a major focus on the fit-
ness that tennis provides, are certainly help-
ing. Some of these initiatives are under way
now, and they’re being refined and fine-tuned
to get the best results. The following pages will
tell you about the trends in the economy, par-
ticipation and what manufacturers have in
store to help you anticipate your customers’
purchasing trends.
It’s fair to say that 2004 was a building
year for the sport. And now, in 2005, we
should start experiencing the growth.
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25
 The economy appears
poised for “reasonable”
growth, and signs are
pointing to a bullish
tennis market, too.
BY MITCH RUSTAD

W
ith the frenzy of a heated presidential election and
the war in Iraq, the state of the U.S. economy has at
times been treated like a media afterthought; not
forgotten but drowned in a sea of more urgent
headlines.
As we head into 2005, the economic reports remain
mixed and anything but explosive—consumer debt
remains at record levels and interest rates are heading up.
But many analysts suggest that the overall economy (which
grew by 3.9 percent in the third quarter of last year) is again
poised for moderate growth and modest gains in employ-
ment in 2005.
What exactly does this mean for tennis retailers? One of
the country’s leading financial watchdogs, Gary Wright,
CEO of G.A. Wright Marketing, a direct marketing and ful-
fillment company in Denver, is putting a positive spin on
the short-term future of America’s economy.
“I’m reasonably optimistic that the economy will con-
tinue to grow,” Wright says. “It’s not booming, but the
unemployment rate is low and the economy seems to be
growing at a reasonable pace.”
Modestly upbeat assessments like Wright’s abound in
economic circles, though that alone probably won’t help
anxious tennis retailers sleep a whole lot more soundly at
night. However, Wright says that today’s economy does
show clear signs of favoring the niche retailer who’s done
his homework.
“Our research has shown that specialty retailers with a
narrow niche have been doing well, especially when they
focus on specific areas,” says Wright, including thorough
knowledge of your customers, what those customers want,
and especially a significant focus on customer service. “I’d
look very carefully at your service component and make
sure it’s superior to the competition.”
Cooperative Effort
Economic indicators and retail strategies aside, a more
cohesive, well-oiled industry is one of the biggest rea-
sons for optimism in 2005, according to Kurt Kamper-
man, the USTA’s chief executive of Community Tennis.
“Regardless of any economic indicators, our goals for
tennis are still very much the same,” Kamperman says. “If
I was a retailer looking at 2005, I’d be sure to remember
that last year tennis launched several major initiatives,”

26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

such as the Tennis Welcome Center program and the US
Open Series of professional tournaments, along with the
major “Come Out Swinging” ad campaign—all of which gen-
erated significant exposure for the sport.
“We had over 100 million media impressions from the
ads, mostly in non-tennis media, and the celebrity involve-
ment was incredible,” says Kamperman. “We even have
Donald Trump pushing tennis.”
Kamperman expects a snowball effect as both initiatives
head into their second year. “We’re locked and loaded and
we’re going to take it to an even higher level in 2005,” he
says. “Effective marketing takes repetition, and we’re going
to create even more awareness. As a result, I’d be some-
what bullish right now if I were a retailer.”
Recent projections by the Tennis Industry Association
should provide more encouragement: Though total partici-
pation numbers are flat, total “occasions” or number of
times played increased slightly, meaning a rise in more fre-
quent players. That’s backed up by projected tennis ball
sales, which are up about 6 percent for the year.
“This is one of the best indicators of how tennis is doing
over a full year,” says Jim Baugh, president of the TIA.
Baugh also notes that pre-strung racquet sales were up—by
an impressive 12 percent—a sign that interest among new
players could be on the upswing.
“We had a good year in 2004, and I see nothing on the
horizon that should change this around,” says Baugh, who
projects a 5 percent growth in racquet sales in 2005, with
overall participation growth expected to match those num-
bers.
That optimism is echoed in the court construction field,
too. The December Technical Meeting of the American
Sports Builders Association (formerly the U.S. Tennis Court
and Track Builders Association) drew a record 350-plus
attendees to the event and trade show in New Orleans.
Many—from court builders to materials and equipment sup-
pliers to surfacing companies—said they had more business
in 2004 than they’ve had in previous years.
“Tennis is on an upswing—all my contractors were busy
[in 2004],” says Carl Peterson of J.A. Cissel Manufacturing
Co. “We’re designing more facilities than ever,” adds Shel-
don Westervelt of Global Sports & Tennis Design Group.
“Tennis is up, business is good,” says Teri Wysocki of M.
Putterman. “We’re having a great year,” adds Drew Stewart
of Bakko Bak Bords. “There were a lot more construction
projects in 2004, and we’re optimistic for next year,” says
Rob Righter of Nova Sports USA.
In 2005, the USTA will provide more money for the
Adopt-a-Court program to upgrade and repair existing facil-
ities. And a new USTA program kicks off that will offer seed
money for new projects.
Head/Penn Racquet Sports’ Kevin Kempin says the
recent uptick in sales of luxury goods bodes well for spe-
cialty retailers, and for tennis itself, and he’s encouraged
that tennis balls and racquet sales revenues are both up for
the first time in several years.
“As an industry, we have our eyes on the ball,” Kempin
says. “There are definitely some rays of sunshine out there.”
Questions and Challenges
Some clouds remain on tennis’s horizon, however. Baugh
says Tennis Welcome Center “ambassadors” will be imple-
mented to help local clubs improve their interaction with
fledgling players in 2005, as only 51 percent of TWC facili-
ties saw an increase in new players this year. “We have to
improve the quality of our delivery systems,” Baugh says.
A continuing question mark for many is how to best
manage the internet explosion. Recent statistics by the Pew
Internet & American Life Project say that a whopping 128
million Americans go online, and of those 78 percent
research a product or service before buying it, and 65 per-
cent buy products online (in higher income families, these
percentages are even higher).
But using the internet as a viable marketing tool without
stepping on retailer toes remains a minefield for the manu-
facturers.
“It’s like not advertising in a magazine,” says Katie
Curry, vice president of marketing and merchandising for
The LBH Group, which includes Lilys of Beverly Hills, LBH,
Wimbledon and Fancy Pants apparel brands. “We need to
be careful about how we support our independent retailer,
but also have an online presence. You have to let people
know you’re out there.
"We had a good year in
2004 and I see nothing on
the horizon that should
change this around," says
Baugh.
“It aggravates some of our accounts,” adds Curry, “but
the retailers are generating sales through their own web-
sites, and we have to work it into our mix, even if we don’t
like it. It’s a sales and marketing tool and it’s here to stay.”
But with unprecedented industry cohesiveness, decent
economic forecasts and solid marketing strategies in place,
tennis’s fortunes for 2005 are looking up.
“I think we’ve learned a lot last year and that will con-
tinue,” Baugh says. “I’m not looking for big booms in the
sport, because I don’t think we’re quite ready to handle that.
I want slow, comfortable, manageable growth. I think we’re
in good shape.”
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27
 With new construction and new materials, frames can
now improve both control and power.
T
he tennis world’s equivalent of the search for the
grand unified theory has been the never-ending quest
to deliver more power without sacrificing control, or
vice versa. For years, things haven’t worked out so
well. If a racquet delivered extra zip, the control was com-
promised. Produce a frame with outstanding control, and
you have to swing as hard as the pros to generate juice.
All That’s Changing
This season, racquet manufacturers have gone back to the
drawing board, altering the way frames are constructed
and adding new materials to improve control and power.
The zero-sum game that’s bedeviled companies for years
is no longer in play. With the latest technology, racquets
give you greater command of your shots and allow you to
him them harder, too.
Now advanced-player racquets combine the control
you expect with the extra power you’ve always wanted.
Frames for “tweeners”—players between intermediate
Dunlop
M-Fil 3 Hundred & M-Fil 7 Hundred
28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
BY JAMES MARTIN
and advanced levels—have a refined balance of control
and clout. And you’ll be surprised at the increasing num-
ber of game-improvement racquets with oversize and
super-oversize heads that aren’t only appropriate for play-
ers with abbreviated strokes, but also for players who want
to take slightly longer, faster cuts who no longer have to
worry about sending their shots into the next county.
Today’s oversize racquets allow them to harness the
power.
“The rules are changing,” says Bruce Levine, racquet
advisor for Tennis magazine. “More and more racquets can
be used by more and more players. It’s an exciting time.”
The season’s new racquets represent a big step for-
ward, as you’ll see below. And you can expect yet another
manufacturer to announce a major development in its
frames in the coming months. With new constructions and
materials, all these sticks will play better than those of
even a few years ago. Net result? They’ll improve your cus-
tomers’ games, and increase your bottom line.
DUNLOP
While Babolat is changing the shape of the frame,
Dunlop is adding softer materials to theirs for a
more forgiving feel. Its new M-Fil 2 Hun-
dred, an update of the advanced player’s
200G, has fiberglass and magnesium
in the head, at the 3 and 9 o’clock
positions, to give the racquet a flexi-
ble, soft feel reminiscent of a wood
racquet. Dunlop’s adding similar mate-
rials to the M-Fil 3 Hundred, which has
a slightly bigger head, and the game-
improvement M-Fil 7 Hundred.
“We want to make our racquets more com-
fortable on the arm,” says Martin Aldridge, group
product manager, tennis, for Dunlop. “It’s been
one area where we’ve wanted to improve our rac-
quets, and we’ve done that with our new multi-fila-
ment technology.”
 Babolat
Aeropro Drive & Aeropro Control

BABOLAT
Babolat is redefin-
ing how the racquet’s
throat should be built.
The Aeropro Drive has
(you guessed it) an aerody-
namic beam that resembles
the wing of an airplane (and the
unique beam also is in Babolat’s
new Aeropro Control racquet, too).
Its purpose is to allow tournament-cal-
iber players to swing faster and therefore
generate more racquet-head speed, for power.
The frame combines the new throat with the wide-
body head of the Pure Drive Team (Andy Roddick’s
racquet). The head features the Woofer grommet system,
which increases both power and control by enhancing the trampoline
effect.

WILSON
Whereas Prince is changing the construction of its racquets in a visible
way, Wilson is altering the racquet’s make-up from the inside with
its nCode technology. With nCode frames, Wilson uses silicone
dioxide crystals to fill the microscopic spaces between the
thousands of graphite fibers—the basic building block of
a racquet—for a more solid feel and greater stability
on off-center hits.
Fans of nCode can look forward to the new
nVision, a head-heavy tweener racquet that’ll
pump up your shots, particularly off the ground
and on serves. The popular H Tour, which has
been used by the likes of Lindsay Daven-
port, is now the nTour. Like its predeces-
sor, it’s a solid frame that’ll appeal to
baseliners who can drive the ball. If
you’re an advanced serve-and-
volleyer, doubles player, or
all-courter, Wilson’s got
you covered with
the head-light
nPro.

Wilson
nTour & nPro

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

 PRINCE
Your customers will probably be excited when they get a look at Prince’s latest racquets. The company is intro-
ducing O3 technology: huge grommet-less holes, dubbed O Ports, on the sides of the head that are designed to
significantly increase the sweetspot and improve maneuverability. How does it work? The holes allow the strings
maximum freedom of movement, which means the stringbed has more “give” on impact. This, in turn, expands
the sweetspot. And the friction from the strings rubbing against the frame dampens vibration. The huge holes
enable the frame to cut through the air faster, making it easier to swing. Prince also says that the O Ports, by
forming arches along the side of the head, increase the frame’s stability on off-center hits.
This spring, Prince will release at least two O3 racquets. The O3 Red is for improving inter-
mediates, while the O3 Silver, a super-oversize, will appeal to players with short to medi-
um-length strokes. Because of the dampening properties of the O3 technology, you
should tell your customers that if they typically use a vibration dampener, they’d
enjoy the racquets’ muted sensation, whereas those
who prefer not to use a vibration dampen-
er may be turned off.
Prince also plans to introduce
the O3 Tour, though it’s wait-
ing until one of its pro
players uses the rac-
quet on tour before it
hits retail. As of this
writing, Guillermo
Coria was testing
the racquet.

Prince
O3 Red MP
O3 Silver OS

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 N E W R A C Q U E T S F O R S P R I N G 2 0 0 5
Racquet Head Size Length Weight Balance Balance Flex Swingwt Pattern Power Price
(sq. in.) (inches) (grams) (cm) (inches) (RDC) (RDC) (MxC) Level MSRP
BABOLAT
Babolat 877-316-9435 • WWW.BABOLAT.COM
Aeropro Control 98 27.00 343 32.25 12.70 71 341 16x19 2373 $179
Aeropro Drive 100 27.00 324 33.75 13.29 69 337 16x19 2325 $179
Drive Z Lite 100 27.00 274 36.00 14.17 68 306 16x19 2081 $169
Drive Z Max 107 27.20 272 37.00 14.57 68 321 16x19 2382 $169
Drive Z Tour 100 27.00 298 34.75 13.68 74 316 16x19 2338 $169
Pure Storm MP Team 103 27.00 298 34.50 13.58 68 313 16x20 2192 $179
Pure Storm Team 98 27.00 311 33.75 13.29 64 320 16x20 2007 $179
DUNLOP
Dunlop 800-277-8000 • WWW.DUNLOPSPORTSONLINE.COM
M Fil 2 Hundred 95 27.00 346 32.75 12.89 58 337 18x20 1857 $169
M Fil 3 Hundred 98 27.00 309 35.00 13.78 63 308 16x19 1902 $179
M Fil 5 Hundred 105 27.25 279 34.75 13.68 68 293 16x19 2144 $199
M Fil 7 Hundred 110 27.50 268 35.50 13.98 67 294 16x19 2275 $209
Maxply McEnroe (70 Holes) 98 27.00 320 34.00 13.39 67 333 16x19 2186 $159
FISCHER
Fischer 800-333-0337 • WWW.FISCHERTENNISUSA.COM
Twin Tec 1250 FTi 118 27.75 272 36.00 14.17 63 297 16x20 2373 $240
HEAD
Head 800-289-7366 • WWW.HEAD.COM
Liquidmetal 1 110 27.38 258 37.50 14.76 65 306 16x19 2270 $120
Liquidmetal Heat 102 27.00 295 34.25 13.48 66 297 18x19 1999 $140
PRINCE
Prince 800-2 TENNIS • WWW.PRINCESPORTS.COM
AirDB Midplus 100 27.00 295 34.25 13.48 70 302 16x20 2114 $170
AirDB Oversize 110 27.50 288 35.00 13.78 68 312 16x19 2450 $170
Diablo XP MP 96 27.50 326 33.00 12.99 69 325 16x20 2260 $190
Diablo XP OS 110 28.00 299 35.25 13.88 69 326 16x19 2722 $190
O3 Red MP 105 27.25 294 34.50 13.58 73 312 16x19 2451 $250
O3 Silver OS 118 27.75 270 37.50 14.76 78 320 16x19 3166 $300
TECNIFIBRE
Tecnifibre 877-332-0825 • WWW.TECNIFIBRE.COM
T Feel 275 XL 107 27.50 294 36.00 14.17 65 323 16x19 2359 $190
T Feel 290 XL 102 27.50 297 35.00 13.78 72 325 14x18 2506 $190
T Feel 305 98 27.00 321 33.25 13.09 68 315 16x19 2099 $170
T Feel 305 XL 98 27.50 316 35.00 13.78 70 342 16x19 2463 $170
T Fight 315 98 27.00 334 33.00 12.99 65 318 18x20 2026 $170
T Fight 325 98 27.40 345 32.50 12.80 60 327 18x20 2000 $170
VOLKL
Volkl 800-264-4579 • WWW.VOLKL.COM
Catapult 4 Gen II 105 27.50 289 34.25 13.48 69 304 16x19 2313 $190
Catapult 8 V-Engine 100 27.25 307 33.50 13.19 64 301 16x18 1975 $190
Tour 10 MP Gen II 98 27.00 339 32.25 12.70 64 322 16x19 2020 $180
Tour 5 105 27.00 274 34.25 13.48 64 283 16x19 1902 $130
Tour 6 Gen II 100 27.00 289 33.50 13.19 61 293 16x18 1787 $150
WILSON
Wilson 800-272-6060 • WWW.WILSON.COM
H-Cyclone 115 27.90 251 38.75 15.26 75 315 16x19 2961 $160
H-Rival 112 112 27.50 256 38.50 15.16 70 317 16x20 2610 $150
H-Rival 96 96 27.50 285 36.25 14.27 72 323 16x20 2344 $150
nPro 98 27.00 311 33.25 13.09 70 304 18x18 2085 $200
nProStaff 95 95 27.00 298 34.25 13.48 59 315 18x20 1766 $170
nProSurge 100 27.00 313 33.25 13.09 59 305 16x19 1800 $200
nTour 105 105 27.25 297 35.50 13.98 67 334 16x20 2408 $220
nTour 95 95 27.25 305 35.50 13.98 63 340 16x20 2086 $220
nVision 103 27.25 277 36.50 14.37 63 316 16x20 2102 $180
Pro Staff Blitz 100 27.00 280 35.50 13.98 58 304 16x19 1763 $120

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31

 Research into strings and stringing are leading to a
whole new understanding of their effects on play.
R
esearch in the string field in the last several years has
revealed some perplexing, contrary-to-expectation
conclusions that are leading to a new understanding of
racquet strings and, possibly, a new vocabulary to go
along with it. What are some of these research conclusions?
Most have to do with the role of tension in string perfor-
mance, and many cause more questions than answers.
Tension and Power
Perhaps the most startling revelation is how altering string
tension affects power (ball velocity). The old adage “string
loose for power, tight for control” still holds, just not to the
extent that we previously thought (i.e., looser strings will not
change power by 20 percent, 10 percent, or even 5 percent).
If you drop string tension by 10 pounds, the percentage
gain in ball velocity will be less than 1 percent (about .7 per-
cent), or about .4 mph on a 60 mph ground stroke. That is
certainly not significant enough that you can feel the differ-
ence in the ball leaving your racquet or see during its flight.
But it can add several inches to the depth of your shot,
which is significant depending on your usual consistency
level and when viewed over the long-term of an entire
match.
The ball travels farther for two reasons. First, it actually
is traveling a bit faster, so it will land deeper. Second,
because the ball stays on the racquet longer with looser
strings, the player will swing through a larger arc during this
time and the ball will, therefore, take off at a higher angle
and travel farther. So the increased depth is due to both an
increased launch speed and angle.
If we can’t see or feel the power difference during the hit,
but only infer it by where the ball lands, and if the increased
depth is due to speed and angle, perhaps the old adage
should be revised to “string loose for depth and tight for
safety.”
Tension and Spin
Another old adage says, “String tight for spin.” Lab tests at
the University of Sheffield, England, have shown that string
tension has virtually no effect on spin. Yet players insist they
get more spin. What gives? The answer is probably two-fold.
First, because tighter strings produce less depth, the
player swings harder to get the depth back. A faster swing
will then produce more spin. The second explanation is
based on an illusion of more spin. If the ball is leaving the
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
BY CRAWFORD LINDSEY
racquet slower (i.e., assuming the player does not compen-
sate with a faster swing) with tight strings but with the same
spin, the spin-to-speed ratio will be greater, and the ball will
bounce as if it has more spin. So, tight strings do not in
themselves cause more spin, but they might cause the play-
er to create more spin. The adage might thus be rewritten to
read, “String tight if YOU want to add more spin.”
Tension and Stringing
But what does stringing tight or loose really mean? What you
feel when the ball hits the strings is the consequence of the
stringbed stiffness. Every string material, construction,
gauge, and tension, as well as every racquet head size and
string-pattern density contribute to stringbed stiffness. But
all that most players ask for when they go for a restringing
is a particular tension.
The tension is the closest thing to a universally used indi-
cator and prescription of stringbed feel. That is fine if you
use the same string in the same racquet. But tension in itself
is not a common denominator between different racquets
and strings. Stringbed stiffness is, however.
A stringbed stiffness reading that is the same in two dif-
ferent racquets with different strings should make the rac-
quets feel very similar; two different size racquets at the
same tension would not. Knowledgeable stringers can com-
pensate by adjusting tension to make racquets feel similar,
but wouldn’t it be easier if there was a universal compara-
tive such that a player would come to know what value they
like, regardless of the racquet or string being used?
There are two problems with establishing a universal
stringbed standard—one logistical and one technical. The
logistical problem is that stringbed diagnostic machines are
expensive and not widespread. The second problem is that
a stringer could never consistently combine all the variables
listed above to satisfy the new customer who comes in with
a new racquet and new string saying, “String this up to a 70 (a
typical RDC diagnostic machine reading) stringbed stiffness.”
Tension and Player Perceptiveness
Virtually all players assume that they can tell the difference
between different tensions. Some claim to be able to identi-
fy a difference of a pound or two. Tests have been per-
formed (Professors Rod Cross and Rob Bower) that bring
that claim into question. In a test of 41 advanced recre-
ational players, only 11 (27 percent) could determine a dif-
ference of 11 pounds or less. In fact, 15 (37 percent) couldn’t
correctly identify the difference even when the tension
between two racquets varied by 22 pounds.
Using earplugs to dampen auditory clues lowered the suc-
cess rates even more. Players were only allowed four hits with
each racquet, so the only data the player was interpreting was
feel, not an accumulated history of location of ball placement
that could be used to deduce string tension. Some players said
that they noticed a difference, but then incorrectly chose
which racquet had a higher tension.
Conclusion
These findings, of course, bring into question what players
really feel or think they feel and how they describe what they
feel. If they can’t properly differentiate the feel of power, spin,
and tension, what do they feel?
What is actually felt is the shock and vibration of the han-
dle hitting the hand. This sensation is made up of the rotation,
translation, and bending of the racquet.
You don’t actually feel the strings, but rather you feel how
they alter the duration and amplitude of the thump and buzz
of shock and vibration. The brain has to analyze this informa-
tion and turn it into the vocabulary of “feel.” As such, it is an
interpretation, not a raw feel. And there is not enough infor-
mation in this impact feel alone to produce the rich vocabulary
that players use to describe the sensation—crisp, dead, grab-
by, clean, springy—nor is there enough information to deter-
mine the amount of power or spin.
The natural conclusion is that players “experience” the
string; they don’t just feel it. This is a holistic experience that
includes feel, sight, sound, intellectual interpretation based on
the placement results of many shots, and how the player
knowingly or unknowingly alters his stroke as a result of those
shot results. The interpretation then becomes the lens through
which a player describes his “feeling.” And then, the player
attributes the cause of this post-facto interpretively construct-
ed “feeling” as a characteristic of the strings—“these strings
have a lot of bite.” It’s a convoluted web we weave.
However, there is no denying that string materials, ten-
sions, gauge, etc. alter the performance outcome of a racquet
and the player. Future string research will help clarify these
phenomena and help us talk about them, but in the meantime,
we will simply have to interpret each other’s string babble.
After all, we all know what we mean…right?

N E W S T R I N G F O R S P R I N G 2 0 0 5
Mfr String Gauges Construction Materials Length (Feet) Color Cost
ALPHA
ALPHA 800-922-9024 • WWW.ALPHATENNIS.COM
Alpha Vengeance 16L Monofilament Polyester 40 Silver $6.90
ASHAWAY
ASHAWAY 800-556-7260 • WWW.ASHAWAYUSA.COM
Ashaway Crossfire Monogut 16L/16 Hybrid Multi-Polymer/Nylon 23/20 Metallic Silver/White $4.00
Ashaway Monofire XL 16,17 Monofilament Polyester 660,1000 Gold $32,$40
BABOLAT
BABOLAT 877-316-9435 • WWW.BABOLAT.COM
Babolat Pro Hurricane + 16,17 Monofilament Polyester 20 Blue $4.50
Babolat VS+ 16,17 Multifilament Natural Gut 20 Natural $18.25
Babolat Xcel Premium + 16,17 Multifilament Nylon 20 Light Orange $8.50
GAMMA
GAMMA 800-333-0337 • WWW.GAMMASPORTS.COM
Gamma Prodigy 16,17 Solid Core w/ Wraps Nylon Copolymer 40,360 Natural $12.95,$116.55
Gamma Revelation 16,17 Multifilament Nylon Copolymer 40,360 Natural $12.95, $116.55
Gamma Zo True 17,18 Monofilament Polyester 40,360 White $15.95, $143.55
Gamma Zo Sweet 17/17 Hybrid Polyester/Nylon Copolymer 20/22 White/Natural $13.95
Gamma Natural Gut Tour 15L,16,17 Multifilament Natural Gut 40 Natural $32.00
GOSEN
GOSEN 800-538-0026 • WWW.GOSENAMERICA.COM
Gosen Tecgut Remplir 16 Multifilament Promilan & Polyurethane 40 Natural $7.00
HEAD
HEAD 800-289-7366 • WWW.HEAD.COM
Head Protector 16 Hybrid Nylon & Rubber/Nylon & Rubber 22/18 White/White $13.00
PACIFIC
PACIFIC WWW.RACQUETSTRINGS.COM
Pacific ToughGut 16 Multifilament Natural Gut 41 Natural $37.00
PRINCE
PRINCE 800-2 TENNIS • WWW.PRINCESPORTS.COM
Prince Lightning Power 16,17 Solid Core w/ wraps Polyester & Nylon 40 White $9.30
TECNIFIBRE
TECNIFIBRE 877-332-0825 • WWW.TECNIFIBRE.COM
Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 18 Multifilament H2C& NRG Microfil./Polyurethane 40 Natural $14.50
TOALSON
TOALSON WWW.POWERSCOURTTENNIS.COM
Toalson Cyber Blade Tour Thermaxe 123 17 Monofilament Polyester & Thermoplastic 40 Silver $9.95
Toalson Cyber Blade Tour Thermaxe 127 16L Monofilament Polyester & Thermoplastic 40 Gold, Yellow $9.95
UNIQUE
UNIQUE 800-554-3707 • WWW.UNIQUESPORTS.US
Unique Tourna Hybrid 17/16 Hybrid Polyester/Natural Gut 20/20 Silver/Natural $17.00
VOLKL
VOLKL 800-264-4579 • WWW.VOLKL.COM
Volkl V-Rex 16L Monofilament Co-Polyester 40,770 Volkl Yellow $26.00
WILSON
WILSON 800-272-6060 • WWW.WILSON.COM
Wilson Reaction 15L,16,17,18 Solid Core w/Bundle Wraps Nylon 40,66 Natural $10.50

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33

 In their latest lines, manufacturers are giving players
tenniswear with game.

Polo
877-229-6341

Bälle de M
847-729-24

34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 Diadora
253-520-8868
www.diadoraamerica.com
Marcia
800-423-5208
www.marciagolfandtennis.com

Tail
800-678-8245
www.tailinc.com

Mätch
497

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35

 LBH
800-421-4474
www.lbhgroup.com

Lily’s of Beverly Hills

800-421-4474
www.lbhgroup.com

Wimbledon
800-421-4474
www.lbhgroup.com

36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 Lejay
800-932-7535
www.lejay.com

Ellesse
561-491-9000
www.ellesse.com

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 37

 Manufacturers are turning to lightweight yet strong
materials for tennis shoes that add support,
not extra weight. BY JAMES MARTIN

Less is more. That’s the philosophy shoe manu-

facturers are taking this season. They are producing
lighter shoes than ever to help players get to the ball
faster.
“But the conundrum had always been, how do you
reduce the shoe’s weight without compromising stabil-
ity?” says Dr. David G. Sharnoff, a podiatrist in Shelton,
Conn., and a footwear advisor to the WTA Tour. “And
you don’t want to lose too much cushioning, either, or
else players won’t want to wear the shoes because
they’ll be uncomfortable.”
The solution has presented itself in the form of
lightweight yet strong materials, such as thermoplas-
tic urethane and graphite, that companies are using
for arch and heel supports. These types of materials are
also placed on the medial (big-toe) side of the shoe to help
prevent inward roll, which is a common problem known
as overpronation.
Consider the Yonex SHT-304. It has graphite in the
midsole, under the arch, and it weighs a mere 12.8
ounces for men and 10.3 ounces for women. That’s feath-
er-light compared to what was being offered even just a
few years ago.
Another new lightweight is the Diadora Speedzone. It
features the Air Flow Competition Comfort Bridge, which
combines a perforated
insole and a lightweight
arch support piece
Diadora
Speedzone
Adidas
A3 Accelerate
with holes cut into it, so your foot doesn’t heat up.
The Speedzone is the perfect example of how companies
are not only using lighter, stronger support materials, but
also incorporating ventilation into them. “It’s a three-fold
benefit,” Sharnoff says. “Reduce the weight, increase the
breathability, and enhance support.”
Nike achieves all three with its Air Zoom Vapor Speed. It
has a breathable synthetic upper and a low-to-the-ground
ride, which increases stability on quick changes of direction.
“Think car racing,” Sharnoff says. “On sharp turns, you want
your car to be close to the track to avoid tipping over.”
The Adidas A3 Accelerate is also designed for the court
instead of a stroll in the park. Instead of using foam, such as
ethyl vinyl acetate, for the midsole, which virtually every
shoe company does, Adidas has created a thermoplastic
urethane midsole, with columns that help guide
your foot to a proper landing and cushion the
blow. These support structures are also
supposed to aid in take-off. Because
TPU is stronger than foam, the
shoe’s cushioning will last much

38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 when you come to a hard stop. (Footnote: The T10 is
made for players, particularly juniors, who have a nar-
row foot and found the last Quiktrac model too roomy
in the forefoot.)
Other excellent shoes this season include the
Reebok Upset DMX, the K-Swiss Defier RS, and the
New Balance CT/WCT 802. These models are not the
lightest of the lot, but they’re hardly clodhoppers,
either. And if you’re looking for all-around shoes that
can be worn for the court, and beyond, these just
might be your Cinderella slippers.

Prince
T10

longer, yet it’s a light material so Adidas is able to pro-

duce a durable shoe weighing less than 1 pound (for
a size men’s 9 and women’s 7).
“It’s important for the consumer to under-
stand that a high-performance shoe typically
won’t offer a ton of cushioning,” Sharnoff says.
“It should be comfortable, but strong players
want to ‘feel’ the court much like they want to
‘feel’ the ball. As long as you know this, and know
whether a shoe is designed for high-performance or all-
day, you can’t go wrong.”
If stability is a concern, the Prince T10 is worth a look. It
uses supple TPU support straps, called 4Foot Wrap, that allow
you to thread the laces through the upper for a K-Swiss
snug fit and to prevent your big toe from
smashing into the front of the shoe
Defier RS

New Balance
WCT 802
HOW TO CONTACT THE SHOE MANUFACTURERS
Adidas: 800-448-1796 • www.adidas.com
Diadora: 253-520-8868 • www.diadoraamerica.com
K-Swiss: 800-291-8103 • www.kswiss.com
New Balance: 617-746-2421 • www.newbalance.com
Nike: 503-671-6818 • www.nike.com
Prince: 800-2-TENNIS • www.princetennis.com
Reebok: 781-401-5000 • www.reebok.com
Yonex: 800-44-YONEX • www.yonex.com
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39
 string PLAYTEST

Gamma
Revelation 16
Gamma Revelation is a new multi-core, outer coating seems a bit frag-
multi-wrap string formulated for players ile, and the crosses pull
through the mains like a
who want to use a multifilament string polyurethane string. Revela-
and are looking for the greater control tion knots up nicely, and is
that comes from a stiffer string. easy to string overall, a char-
Revelation is available in 16 and 17 acteristic noted by our
gauge in natural only. It is priced at playtesters.
$12.95 per set of 40 feet, and $116.55 No playtester broke the sample during
per reel of 360 feet. For more information stringing, reported problems tying knots,
or to order, contact Gamma at 800-333- or experienced friction burn. Two report-
0337, or visit www.gammasports.com. Be ed problems with coil memory. EASE OF STRINGING
sure to read the conclusion for more infor- (compared to other strings)
mation about getting a free set to try for ON THE COURT Number of testers who said it was:
Gamma Revelation 16 generated above- much easier 0
yourself.
average scores in every category across somewhat easier 13
the board, including playability, durability, about as easy 22
IN THE LAB not quite as easy 2
We tested the 16-gauge Revelation. The power, control, touch/feel, and spin, with
not nearly as easy 0
coil measured 42 feet 8 inches. The diam- even better scores for tension holding,
eter measured 1.31 mm prior to stringing, comfort, and movement. With no low OVERALL PLAYABILITY
and 1.24 mm after stringing. We recorded score in any category, this gives Gamma (compared to string played most often)
a stringbed stiffness of 72 RDC units Revelation 16 a strong above-average Number of testers who said it was:
overall score. Our playtesters liked the much better 0
immediately after stringing at 60 pounds
durability of Revelation 16 compared to somewhat better 10
in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pat-
their favorite string, and our lab test about as playable 11
tern) on a constant-pull machine. not quite as playable 14
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed shows good tension retention. There’s a
not nearly as playable 2
stiffness measured 67 RDC units, repre- lot to like about this string, and with its
senting a 7 percent tension loss. Our con- durability, you have plenty of time to OVERALL DURABILITY
trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original enjoy its characteristics. (compared to other strings
of similar gauge)
Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi-
ately after stringing and 71 RDC units CONCLUSION Number of testers who said it was:
Our playtester ratings indicate that this is much better 1
after 24 hours, representing a 9 percent somewhat better 11
tension loss. Revelation added 12.8 grams an extremely well-balanced string with
about as durable 21
to the weight of our unstrung frame. solid strengths and no weaknesses. Our
not quite as durable 3
The string was tested for five weeks by playtest results indicate that Revelation 16
not nearly as durable 1
37 USRSA playtesters with NTRP ratings could very well be a good string for over-
sized and super-oversized racquets, espe- RATING AVERAGES
from 3.5 to 6.5. These are blind tests,
cially considering the length of the coil From 1 to 5 (best)
with playtesters receiving unmarked
and its slightly stiffer nature. Playability 3.5
strings in unmarked packages. Average Durability 3.5
number of hours playtested was 20.4. If you think that Gamma Revelation
Power 3.3
At well over 42 feet, the coil felt just might be for you, fill out the coupon. The
Control 3.4
about long enough to do two midsize rac- first 500 USRSA members in the continen-
Comfort 3.5
quets. The string feels clean, and we did tal U.S. to respond will receive a free set Touch/Feel 3.3
not get any kinking or twisting. The string of Gamma Revelation and be entered in a Spin Potential 3.2
is so smooth we had to concentrate to drawing for five free sets and a T-shirt. Holding Tension 3.6
grab it while stringing the crosses. The —Greg Raven Q Resistance to Movement 3.4

40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005

 TESTERS TALK

“ This string provides plenty of power, control, and feel, all in one
string. That’s surprising. It holds its tension a reasonable time, and
“ From the first point, unbelievable power and control, which contin-
ued through the next two or three matches. Easy stringing, normal ten-
there is very little movement in the mains. It was relatively easy to
string and there wasn’t much coil memory. I’d recommend this string to
sion loss, movement was minimal.
”
5.0 male baseliner with moderate spin using Head Big Bang strung at
my customers, especially all-court players. If priced right, this string will 57 pounds CP (Head Ultra Tour 17)
be a big seller.
”
4.5 male all-court player using Head Liquidmetal Instinct strung at 60
pounds LO (Wilson Stamina 16) “ Very little coil memory. A very easy string to install. Plays nicely.
Good control, power, and touch. Also, comfortable to play with. Even
though it’s a heavier-gauge string than I normally use, I enjoyed playing

“ I generally like thinner strings, but this string played extremely

well for a 16 gauge. This is a more powerful string than I’m used to. ”
with it.
4.0 male all-court player using Fischer Pro No. 1 strung at 64 pounds
‘Lively’ would be a good way CP (Gamma XP 17)
to describe it. The string lasted
much longer than I thought it “Good overall string.”
would. It frayed right from the 4.5 male baseliner with heavy spin using “
A nice string (depending on the price), but not

first time out, but it actually

played better as time went on.
This string is a keeper. I’d make
room in my inventory for it.
”
4.5 male all-court player using
Dunlop 300G strung at 65 pounds CP (Kirschbaum Competition 1.20)
Wilson Tour 95 strung at 60 pounds CP
outstanding in any one area.
”
4.5 male all-court player using Head Radical OS
strung at 63 pounds LO (Gamma Advantrex 15L)
(Luxilon Ace 18)
“
I don’t like it, and wouldn’t recommend it.
4.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using Prince Triple Threat Bandit
”
strung at 60 pounds CP (Gamma Synthetic 16)

“ I really liked this string. It played equal to my regular string, with

For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com.
adequate power and good control.
”
3.5 male baseliner with moderate spin using Wilson Hyper Hammer (Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)
5.2 strung at 58 pounds CP (Wilson NXT Tour 17)

FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAM

“ Great string! It felt good from the start. It seemed to take a little
bit longer to break in, but after that I really enjoyed it. I would defi-
Gamma has generously offered
to send a free set of Revelation 16 to
nitely use this string.
”
4.5 male all-court player using Wilson H6 strung at 63 pounds LO
the first 500 USRSA members who request it.
You will also be entered into a drawing for
(Babolat Conquest 16) five free sets of Revelation 16 and a T-shirt!

To get your free set, just cut out (or copy)

“ After about five hours of break-in, the strings performed beautifully.
Response was crisp throughout the test period. Easy on the arm, great
this coupon and mail it to:
USRSA, Attn: Gamma Revelation String Offer,
touch, and with minimal loss of tension. There was no trampolining or 330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084
problems of control and yet adequate power. It held up terrifically for a or fax to 760-536-1171 Offer expires Feb. 15, 2005
soft string. Would very much recommend it.
”
5.0 male all-court player using Head i.x6 OS strung at 61 pounds LO One set of free string per USRSA membership
(Tecnifibre NRG SPL 16) Offer only available to USRSA members in the US

FREE! Gamma Revelation 16!

“ I am impressed with this string! It had an ample amount of power,
and it resisted movement well. The tension held up right until it broke,
Name:
USRSA Member number:
but it never felt harsh. I wouldn’t hesitate to stock this string in my
Phone:
shop.
”
5.0 male all-court player using Prince Tour Diablo strung at 66 pounds
Email:
CP (Gosen Polylon 17) If you print your email clearly, we will
notify you when your sample will be sent.

February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 41

 ask the EXPERTS
Your Equipment Hotline
LONG RACQUET SOURCE
DO YOU KNOW ANY COMPANIES
Q that might sell longer tennis rac-
quets—up to 32 inches—even if
they’re only for recreational play?
A OF THE RACQUETS WE KNOW to
be currently available, the longest
are 28.5 inches and are available from
Cayman and Wilson. For longer racquets
that are no longer being manufactured,
check with sellers of used sporting goods
equipment, such as Play It Again Sports,
and eBay.
PRO RACQUETS
YOU HAVE A SECTION that tells
Q the racquets, strings, and tensions
used by some of the top pros. Do
you have any information regarding how
they set their racquets up? I need to
42 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
know how much pro racquets weigh
(total weight) and what the balance
points are.
A WE DO HAVE INFORMATION on a
few players, past and present, and
some of it we’ve published over the years.
However, this information is sometimes
proprietary, always difficult to come by,
and in virtually every instance it is acade-
mic to everyone but the player involved
(and his racquet technician, of course).
There’s no one “pro” racquet, and no
pro’s racquet is going to make you play
like a pro. It is worth noting that some
pros use racquets that are custom-made
for them, so that even knowing all the
specifications, you still wouldn’t be able to
duplicate its feel and playability. We con-
ducted an experiment last year, in which
we measured all the specs of a racquet
from a well-known player who uses a cus-
tom racquet designed and built for him. We
then took a retail racquet that looked identi-
cal—except for the graphics—and had the
same flex. Using lead tape (60 grams of it!),
we modified the retail version so that its
measurements on a Babolat RDC exactly
matched those of the pro’s racquet. We
then played with these two racquets, which
had identical length, weight, headsize, bal-
ance point, flex, and swingweight, and
found that where the pro’s racquet was a
joy to use, our “identical” racquet felt to be
an assembly of disparate components flying
in loose formation. The difference was in
the “lay up,” or the way the racquets are
constructed at the factory. (This is not to say
that you cannot use lead tape to match one
racquet to another, but rather that the
more similar the racquets are to start with,
the better your results will be.) Ultimately,
you need to find what you like, regardless
of what others are using.
MATCHED RACQUETS
I’M LOOKING TO BUY four older
Q racquets, but from what I under-
stand, the racquet that interests me
changed specifications during its lifespan,
so I need to do more than find four of
them—I need to find four that match. Do
racquets have serial numbers or some kind
of marking so you know what batch they
came out of? This would be a big help in
my search.
A WHILE SOME RACQUETS DO HAVE
serial numbers, even if you had the
manufacturing information to translate
between the serial number and manufac-
turing batch, it would be of only marginal
utility. Each of the racquet manufacturers
has certain amounts of “tolerance” for
specifications in its products, so even two
racquets from the same batch can vary. If
that variance is more than you’re looking
for, then it doesn’t matter that the racquets
are from the same batch. We’ve had two
racquets purchased years apart from differ-
ent vendors that had virtually identical spec-
ifications, and we’ve had five racquets pur-
chased at the same time from the same
vendor that while similar in weight, bal-
ance, and swingweight, had flex measure-
ments ranging from 63 to 67. What this
means is that no matter how carefully you
buy your racquets, you’ll still need to have
them measured to see how they match up.
AIR TRAVEL FOR TENNIS
BALLS
AN OVERSEAS CUSTOMER of mine
Q wishes to purchase some tennis
balls. I am of two minds about sell-
ing to him, because sometime back when I
tried to purchase the pressurized balls over-
seas from stores in the U.S., they refused
on the basis that the lack of air pressure in
the cargo bay of the plane would flatten
the balls. Is this true?
A AN UNPRESSURIZED CARGO HOLD at
high altitude will have extremely low
pressure. Pressurized tennis balls—and for
that matter the pressurized cans in which
they come—would not flatten if exposed to
this low pressure. If anything, they would
expand. We checked with Dunlop, and they
tell us there is no problem shipping tennis
balls via air freight. Penn tells us that their
R&D team has determined that the length
of exposure to low pressure during air ship-
ment is not long enough to do any dam-
age, despite the pressure differential. With
that said, a shipment of tennis balls can
become damaged in ways that have noth-
ing to do with internal pressure. During a
recent shipment of a case of tennis balls
from Southern California to Seattle, the
original carton was utterly destroyed. When
the shipment arrived, the cans of balls had
been repackaged in another, larger box,
which was found to contain an electric
pencil sharpener that was part of someone
else’s shipment. If you decide to fill this cus-
tomer’s order, we recommend surrounding
the original carton of tennis balls with
padding, and enclosing it inside another
stronger box.
—Greg Raven Q
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Rac-
quet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084;
fax: 760-536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 43
 tips and TECHNIQUES
Readers’ Know-How in Action
FLAT SPIRAL
While I love the new format of this year’s
Stringer’s
Digest, the
volume with
the stringing
instructions
does not lay
out flat as
did the pre-
vious Digest
in the 3-
ring-binder.
To remedy this, I took my stringing
instructions volume to Office Max and
had it converted to a spiral-bound book.
The cost was $3 plus tax, and they did it
while I waited. Kinko’s and Office Depot
also offer this service.
Alpha string sample pack
(5 sets per pack) to:
Bob Provines, MRT, San Antonio, TX
DENSE DAMPENERS
After 11 years of stringing, it just now hit
me how to handle putting dampeners in
racquets with dense string patterns. I sim-
ply put the dampener in as soon as I have
the center mains tensioned and the
clamps out of the way. No more bent fin-
gernails, no expletives needed. Also,
because I do this early in the string job,
it’s easier to remember that I need to
reinstall the dampener.
5 sets of Prince Lightning XX 16 to:
Randy Stephenson, MRT, Dallas, TX
ONE-MAN PRESTRETCHING
I like multifilament strings and they bene-
fit greatly from prestretching. The best
way to prestretch a string is to tie a small
knot in each end and have a friend help
44 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
you stretch it between two starting clamps.
Unfortunately, I don't always have 40 feet
of space to stretch out a string. Also, here
in the Pacific Northwest it is often raining
so I can’t count on being able to take it
outside. To work around this situation I
screwed a bicycle hook (photo) into a stud
in the back of my garage. When I need to
prestretch a string I tie small knots in each
end, loop the center around the bicycle
hook and put both ends in a starting
clamp. Then I put some tension on it and
hold it for at least 45 seconds.
5 sets of Gamma Synthetic Gut 16 to:
Dan McManus, Auburn, WA
NEAT BABOLAT STENCILING
While applying the two-line stencil to the
Babolat Pure Drive and Pure Control rac-
quets I noticed that the ink often splatters
onto the white part of the frame adjacent
to the stenciled area. To keep the frames
free of ink I decided to use a piece of 2-
inch masking tape to cover the four white
areas where the stencil will be. I cover the
frames after the strings have been removed
and before mounting the frame for string-
ing. You will find that the string can easily
be pushed through the tape where it cov-
ers the grommets without disrupting your
string job. After the stencil is applied the
tape is easily removed and there is no ink
on the frame.
5 sets of Volkl Power Fiber 18 to:
Aex Armstrong, High Bridge, NJ
WRONG SIDE SHORT SIDE
Situation: When you start the short side on
the wrong side of frames with a unique
short side, such as Wilson Rollers, Mitt
Rockers, Fischer, or the new Prince O3
frames.
Solution: String the first cross with the
short side. This will resynchronize the pat-
tern and you're back in business. You
won't have to cut off the long side and
convert it to a two-piece string job.
I purposely start the short side on the
wrong side to make use of the one cross
to reduce tension loss on the last main on
the short side.
5 sets of Wilson Stamina 16 to:
Albert Lee, MRT, Potomac, MD
ELIMINATING SHARP ENDS
With the growing popularity of polyester-
based strings, a hazard exists with the tag
end of the knots. Most of us trim the
string with diagonal pliers (side cutters),
which will leave a sharp edge on each
side of the cut. If you or the player should
brush this trimmed end across your finger
(or other body parts) a moderate to fairly
severe scratch is possible. A simple way to
avoid this is to slightly mash the trim cut
across the sharp ends with pliers that
have a flat blade. This smoothes out the
sharp edges, thus preventing a scratch or
cut.
5 packs of tourna Grip
(3 sets per pack) to:
Bill Thompson, MRT, Farmville, VA
BEGINNERS
DANGEROUS TIPS
Don’t whip the string through your hands
too fast. The end of the string can hit you
in the eye. When you get near the end of
the string, slow down. Also, when trim-
ming the string near the knot, don’t get
your face too close. The piece you cut can
hit you in the face or eye. I’ve strung
thousands of racquets since the mid-
1970s, and both of these occurrences
happened to me on the same day.
Gosen T-shirt to:
Don Dwyer, MRT, Los Angeles, CA
—Greg Raven Q
Tips and Techniques submitted since 1993 by USRSA
members, and appearing in this column, have all been
gathered into a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—
Racquet Service Techniques which is a benefit of USRSA
membership. Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330
Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or email
greg@racquettech.com.
Classifieds
FOR SALE: LIVE IN PARADISE! Full
service Tennis Shop for sale on St.
Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Estab-
lished 2-1/2 years. Good regular busi-
ness with room to grow. Good
location and good lease. Nice cash
income for retired or semi-retired.
Must be able to give lessons. $15,000
for all including stringing machine,
new ball machine and inventory. Con-
tact smitty33333@msn.com for
details.
FOR SALE: Head Ti-S4 tennis racquet,
4-5/8 grip, 107 sq.in. frame, 27-1/2
inches long. Comes with full cover.
Racquets never been strung. String
will be sent with each frame. Asking:
$45 each plus shipping. Contact: Jon
Miller at jonmiller1@netzero.net
FOR SALE: Mega Age Racquets. Eight
(8) M-2’s. Assorted grip size. $35 each
plus shipping. Four (4) large Top Spin
tennis bags $10 each plus shipping.
Contact: Bob Payne at 716/373-1469
or email: racquets@localnet.com
FOR SALE: Prince Mono Mach 1000,
125 sq.in., 29 in. length. Asking:
$80. Contact: David Dunlap, McMin-
nville, TN 37110 • 931/473-6357
WANTED: Wilson Sledge Hammer 3.8
Power Holes, 112 sq.in., 4-1/4 grip.
Contact: David Dunlap, McMinnville,
TN 37110 • 931/473-6357
USRSA MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
USRSA membership dues: $99 annually. (CA resi-
dents add 7.75% sales tax. $106.67 total.) Canadi-
an Members add $20 (US) for postage costs. US
Total: $119. Mexican Members add $25 (US) for
postage costs. US Total: $124. All other Internation-
al Members add $36 (US) for airmail postage costs.
US Total: $135. Membership includes: 10 issues of
Racquet Sports Industry, the five-volume Stringer’s
Digest, free consultation, free classified advertising
and access to the member's-only website.
USRSA
330 Main St., Vista CA 92084 Tel: 760 • 536 • 1177
President Patrick Curry
Partner/Business Development Steve Schein
Executive Director David Bone, MRT
Managing Editor/Webmaster Crawford Lindsey
Advertising Director John Hanna
Design/Art Director Kristine Thom
Technical Support
Dot Hogen, MRT; Greg Raven, MRT
Membership Services
Nancy Crowley, Barbara Smith
Shipping/Receiving Pat Regan
USRSA TECHNICAL ADVISORS
Warren Bosworth Professional stringer,
racquet designer and industry advisor
Dr. Howard Brody Professor Emeritus of Physics,
Univ. of Pennsylvania; Science Advisor, PTR
Ron Carr R&D Manager, Gamma Sports
Rod Cross Associate Professor of Physics,
Univ. of Sydney, Australia
Bill Severa Director of Technology, Innovation and
Design Group,Wilson Racquet Sports
Steve Davis VP of Next Generation, Prince Sports
Dr. Simon Goodwill Research Assistant,
University of Sheffield, UK
Dr. Carl Love Professor Emeritus, Metallurgy;
President, Love Sports Enterprises
Bill Mitchell Director R&D, Powers Court
Tom Parry Product Development Manager/
Pro Tour Services Manager; Volkl Tennis GmbH
Roger Petersman Business Manager-Accessories,
Head/Penn Racquet Sports
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 45
 science
A New Twist on the Twistweight
Of a Tennis Racquet
O
ne of the most important parameters
of a tennis racquet, the “twist-
weight,” is rarely reported on. It is rel-
atively easy to determine a racquet’s weight
(all it takes is a scale) or a racquet’s balance
point (a knife-edge and a ruler are needed).
The swingweight of a racquet can be deter-
mined if you have a racquet diagnostic
device, which is commercially available, but
somewhat expensive. To the best of my
knowledge, there is no commercially avail-
able instrument to determine twistweight ,
yet it is an important parameter that great-
ly affects how a racquet plays.
WHAT IS TWISTWEIGHT?
The twistweight (also known as the polar or
roll moment of inertia) is a measure of the
stability of the racquet to resist twisting
around the racquet’s long axis. If you hit a
ball dead smack in the center of the head,
the racquet will recoil, but not twist around
its long axis. If you hit a ball and inch or so
away from the axis toward the 3 o’clock or
9 o’clock side of the strung area, in addition
to recoiling, the racquet will twist around its
long axis. The bigger the racquet’s twist-
Figure 1
46 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
weight, the less the racquet will twist when
the ball impacts off-axis. In other words, it
will be more stable against miss-hits.
In addition, because energy goes into a
racquet’s spinning motion when there is an
off-axis impact, the ball will rebound with
less speed. The power you get out of a rac-
quet degrades the further your impact is
from the axis, but not as badly when the
racquet has a large twistweight.
Since twistweight is a measure of the rac-
quet’s stability against twisting and its uni-
formity of power, you might assume the
bigger the twistweight, the better the rac-
quet. This is not always the case. As the rac-
quet’s twistweight increases, the racquet’s
maneuverability decreases, so you must bal-
ance one against the other. Do you want a
more stable racquet that has a more uni-
form response across its face or do you
want maneuverability? A top-flight player
with excellent eye-hand coordination, who
rarely hits the ball off axis, will choose
maneuverability. The recreational player,
who tends to hit the ball over a larger area
of the head, should go for stability and uni-
formity of response.
BY HOWARD BRODY
WHAT DETERMINES
THE TWISTWEIGHT OF A
RACQUET?
The technical definition of twistweight is
the sum of the square of the distance of
every bit of mass in a racquet from the
long axis. This definition does not directly
help a player, since that sum is an impossi-
ble calculation. The wider the racquet’s
head, the greater is the twistweight. Since
twistweight goes as the square of the dis-
tance the mass is from the axis, if a racquet
is 25% wider (10 inches versus 8 inches) it
will have a 50% greater twistweight.
Adding lead tape at 3 and 9 o’clock will
increase the twistweight, but adding tape
only at 12 and 6 o’clock will not increase
the twistweight.
MEASURING THE
TWISTWEIGHT OF A
RACQUET
In the laboratory, twistweight can be mea-
sured using a calibrated torsion pendulum.
Since players and tennis technicians do not
usually have a torsion pendulum handy,
this is not a good solution for the average
person.
There is a theorem in physics that says
the twistweight (or polar moment) is the
numerical difference between the swing-
weight (or moments of inertia) measured
around the other two axes of the racquet.
This is fine, if you can measure swing-
weight to an accuracy of a fraction of a
percent. Since this accuracy is not readily
achievable, this is also not a good method
for determining twistweight.
There are several other possible solu-
tions to the problem. The racquet manu-
facturer could list the twistweight of their
racquet or the USRSA, which publishes the
specifications of most racquets available on
the market, could list twistweight in their
annual Racquet Selection Map.
Another solution is that the twistweight
of a racquet can be measured by using the

Figure 2
Figure 3
procedure given on page 48 of the book
The Physics and Technology of Tennis and
using equation the following equation:.
The method is shown in Figures 1 and 2
and it is relatively straightforward. You sim-
ply tap the racquet to set it in a pendulum
motion, time how long it takes to make 10
swings, and you plug your numbers into
the formula. A problem arises if the balance
point is outside of the strung area of the
head, which is true in many cases. Then the
procedure is more complicated as shown in
Figure 3 and described in the book of page
49. To get around this difficulty, you can
shift the balance point well up into the
strung area by adding weight to the tip and
then use the method shown in Figures 1
and 2. Weight added at 12 o’clock will NOT
change the twistweight, since it is on the
axis of the racquet (it will greatly change
the swingweight and balance, so remem-
ber to take the weights off after the mea-
surement). To test this method, the
frames by just taking m (mass of the frame)
and multiplying it by D2 (the head diame-
ter, D, squared). If all you want to do is
compare two frames, it does not matter
what units you use for m and D, (grams,
ounces, inches or centimeters) as long as
you use the same units for both racquets.
This method will NOT work well if the man-
ufacturer has added extra weight at the
side of the head as Wilson did in its PWS
racquets or as Prince presently does in its
Triple Threat frames.
In general, the value of the mass times
the square of the diameter is about 16 to
18 times the measured twistweight. This
means that using the mD2 formula and
dividing by 17 will usually get you within
10% of the correct twistweight value. For
racquets like the Prince Triple Threat series,
the value is about 14.5, which means that
those frames are somewhat more stable
than a frame of comparable weight and
size that does not have the extra mass
added in the head
PLAYER SENSITIVITY TO
TWISTWEIGHT
In a study of college varsity players, it was
found that they could distinguish two rac-
quets apart if the twistweights differed by
more than 5%. In a related study, the same
twistweight of a racquet was measured players required a difference in swing-
with no extra weight on the tip, 50 grams weight of at least 2.5% to distinguish two
added and then 100 grams added. The otherwise identical racquets (same balance,
twistweight came out the same in each total weight and twistweight) from each
case, as long as the total mass (racquet another. Adding 5 grams to the racquet
plus addition) is used in equation at left. head at the 3 and the 9 o’clock locations
There is, however, a simpler solution to increases the twistweight by about 10%,
the problem. Since it is only the relative so a good player should be able to distin-
value of the twistweight from one racquet guish it from an unaltered frame.Q
to another that is of
importance, not the
actual value of the
twistweight that is
needed. The twist-
weight of a frame
scales fairly well with
the mass of the rac-
quet multiplied by the
square of the head
diameter. This is fully
explained in The
Physics and Technolo-
gy of Tennis and is pre-
sented here in Figure
4. A player can easily
compare the relative
twistweight of any two Figure 4
February 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 47
 Your Serve
Expanding Tennis’s Reach
The new USTA president lays out his agenda to grow the sport and to
advance the stature of tennis in the U.S.
T
he new year brings a great deal of per-
sonal excitement for me, having been
granted the opportunity to lead the USTA
for the next two years as its president and chair-
man of the board. I realize that the challenges
of this position are many. But thanks to a heart-
ening new era of cooperation between the
many and varied entities within our sport, the
USTA—and all of tennis—stands poised for
a significant surge. As I step into my new
role, tennis’s potential is evident.
Of course potential, in and of itself, is
not enough. We know that we have a
great sport that offers advantages
unmatched by other athletic endeavors.
Tennis is physically and mentally challeng-
ing. It is fun and promotes fitness. It is a
family sport that can be played for a life-
time. We need to advance the stature of
tennis in America to the level existing in
other countries. We need to do it now.
The USTA’s mission is simply stated: To
promote and develop the growth of tennis.
But the formula for substantial growth and
the sport’s long-term health is not so sim-
ple. Indeed, the growth of tennis in the
U.S. has been disappointing. Despite several
initiatives and considerable expenditures,
we still are faced with statistics that show a
decline in U.S. tennis participation over the
past 15 years and a rather serious decline
over the past four years in the number of
frequent players.
If this sport is to surge upward, we need
to look inward. Everyone with a stake in
the game needs to examine what we are
doing. What’s working? What isn’t? What
can be improved? What has been dis-
proved? Initiatives are not unlike invest-
ments: Some pay great dividends, other fall
flat. As a sport, we need to make changes
where past approaches are not working
and encourage and support those that are.
That’s the best—the only—way to ensure
that our efforts have impact.
One area particularly vital to the game’s
growth and long-term health is public
parks. For that reason, it is an area upon
48 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2005
BY FRANKLIN JOHNSON
which the USTA plans to focus a good deal
of attention and energy. Public parks are
where I learned to play tennis, and where
the majority of people in this country first
pick up the game. Sadly, tennis facilities in
many of our parks today are in disrepair
and have little tennis activity. We need to
change that.
We’ve established some great relation-
ships with the leaders of the National
Recreation and Park Association, and it’s
been encouraging to see the strong sup-
port that tennis enjoys in that association.
The USTA has created a new Tennis in the
Public Parks Task Force, and we’ll be work-
ing closely with the NRPA, stepping up our
efforts with grants to fund court repairs,
tennis pros, and programs in public parks.
This parks effort will be partnered by
tennis-loving volunteers at the local level
calling upon their city’s park and recreation
officials to ensure that tennis is getting its
fair share of the recreation dollar. This local
advocacy for our sport will be a key ele-
ment to our strategy.
Once we get people playing, we’ve got
to keep them playing—and keep them
playing often. One of the best tools for
producing frequent players are leagues,
and we intend to make a major effort to
grow league tennis through an improved
marketing plan. The focus of that plan
should not only be to promote significant
growth in USTA types of leagues, but in all
league play. Leagues help make tennis a
regular part of people’s lives. More regular
play translates into more frequent players.
Other avenues of pursuit in an effort to
create more frequent players will be get-
ting more people involved in tournament
tennis and developing more of a presence
for tennis on college campuses. We need
to better drive home the myriad social,
mental, physical benefits of the sport. To
that end, we believe that “Cardio Tennis,”
which combines tennis drills with a cardio-
vascular workout, will appeal to those who
have limited time and want to enjoy tennis
and still meet their aerobic and fitness
goals.
Whatever the initiative, it’s important
that we never lose sight of the fact that
tennis should be fun. We need always
ensure that the social aspect is a major play-
er in all of our efforts. Fun equals frequency.
Most important, we must achieve better
diversity throughout our sport. We must
reach out and be more inclusive and spend
the marketing dollars necessary to bring
more multicultural participants into tennis.
Penetrating the large, rapidly-growing His-
panic community has been a particular chal-
lenge. But this is a market of such
potential—and such importance—that we
must be aggressive in our pursuit.
Tennis is a game that grows from its
grassroots upward. Many of us recognize
that the marketing of tennis at the section
and local level cries out for major improve-
ment. We will be devising new approaches
and providing increased funding to achieve
better results. We have recently had some
great national marketing but need to but-
tress that with strong local marketing to be
truly effective.
As an association, the USTA is always
open to new and better ways to expand
our reach and get more people playing ten-
nis. I am heartened by the unprecedented
spirit of cooperation with the teaching pros
and other industry partners that the sport
today enjoys and feel fortunate to be
assuming my new role at a time of such
harmony. Working together, I sincerely
believe that we can elevate the stature of
tennis in the U.S. and fulfill the promise of
our potential. Q
New USTA President Franklin John-
son has been on the USTA board of
directors for eight years. He was a
managing partner of the accounting
firm Price Waterhouse.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to rsi@racquetTECH.com or fax
them to 760-536-1171.