200403 Racquet Sports Industry

8/8/2019 200403 Racquet Sports Industry

1/68


2/68


3/68


4/68


5/68


6/684 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2004

o you ever wonder what all those people

are thinking about as you sit bumper-locked

in morning rush hour traffic? Millions of

separate consciousnesses all doing the

same thing, encased in their metal shells, as if in

their own private universes. What are they thinking?

Well, heres a news flasha good portion of them are thinking about

tennis. How do I know this? Because Ive read, and been overwhelmed by,

the vast quantity of information in this months RSI. It would appear that

tennis, as a physical, psychological, conceptual, and business entity has

tentacles reaching out and grasping every nook and cranny of existence. It

has become entwined as one huge neural network tennis brain. We are all

ganglions in this huge super-existent tennis super-entity.

Yes, this is cosmic. People are designing, manufacturing, building,

negotiating, marketing, advertising, viewing, playing, programming, teach-

ing, administering, thinking, breathing, and living tennis every day in every

way. That guy in the car next to you is, on average, only one degree ofseparation removed from the tennis business. Either he is in it, or his sister,

uncle, best friend, or mother-in-law is somehow actively engaged in tennis.

Its the same with the guy honking at you in the rear view mirror, as well as

the guy cutting you off. The nose-picker, rear-view makeup artist, head

banging rocker, cell phone yakker, and coffee slurping commuter are, were,

or will be touched by tennis. Some are tennis junkies already, some

obsessed, and some still dont know that one day soon, uncontrollable urges

are going to consume their being.

If we could just get them all to turn the radio dial to a drive-time, 7 am

public service announcement: This is an emergencyplease exit your

nearest off-ramp to a Tennis Welcome Center. Suddenly the worldwide

tennis brain would gel into a unified tennis thought. The entire neural

network would be surging with bioelectrical energy and neuromuscular

impulses all combining in a crescendo of cascading activities culminating in

a tennis experience, realization, or happening.

Ok, perhaps Ive been sniffing new tennis ball cans. Actually, reading RSI

has the same effect.

Our Serve

D

One Degree of

Separation...From Tennis

(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Crawford Lindsey

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate Editor

Greg Raven

Production Manager

Kristine Thom

Design Director

Amy Berger

Art Director/Production

Lorri Elton

Designers

Amy Herling, Debbie Kossoff

Assistant to the Publisher

Cari Feliciano

Contributing Editors

Cynthia Cantrell

Rod Cross

Joe Dinoffer

Liza Horan

Andrew Lavallee

James Martin

Mark Mason

Chris Nicholson

Mitch RustadDrew Sunderlin

Jonathan Whitbourne

RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCorporate Offices

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171

Email: [email protected]: www.racquetTECH.com

Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time

Advertising Director

John Hanna

770-650-1102, x.125

[email protected] Advertising

Cynthia Sherman

203-263-5243

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry (application to mail at Period-icals Postage Rates is pending atVista, CA, and ataddi-

tional offices) is published 10 times yearly by USRSA,330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084. February 2004, Volume1, Number 1 2004 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All

rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logoare trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone

advertising: 770-650-1102 x.125. Phone circulation andeditorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $55 in theU.S., $65 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address

changes to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,Vista, CA 92084.


7/68


8/68


9/68


10/68


11/68


12/68


13/68


14/68


15/68


16/68


17/68


18/68


19/68

SUCCESS

March 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17

Everyone knows that the acquisition

of customers, or players, is much

more expensive than retaining them

in the first place. As one executive with

Club Corporation of America once told

me, You have to sell a ton of French

fries for every lost member at a club.

By now, weve all heard the dramatic

statistics from the groundbreaking 2002

tennis participation study: More than

70 million Americans have tried orsampled tennis, and of those, a whop-

ping 97 percent have no interest in trying

tennis again.

Why? asks Jim Baugh, the presi-

dent of the Tennis Industry Association.

He answers his own question: Because

their initial experience was not positive.

The Tennis Welcome Center cam-

paign is designed to improve our statis-

tics. But there is also a very simpleand

importantingredient that often is miss-

ing in tennis. That ingredient is drama-tized in this example that, for me, hit

very close to home.

A few months ago my daughter won

her first USTA-sanctioned 10-and-under

tournament. What did she get for this

tremendous accomplishment? Nothing!

No trophy, no medal, no prize. That

same week, one of her friends came

home from a soccer match that her team

lost. But she had a small trophy. Why?

Because she participated in the league

and showed up to play!

I asked a few of my daughters

friends what they thought about receiv-

ing awards. Sarah, who takes dance

classes, said that after just a few months,

she received her first trophy for a perfor-

mance. She was only 6 years old. In fact,

everyone got a medal or trophy, receiv-

ing their awards on stage in front of an

audience. Now 10, she still remembers

every detail of that first trophy, and each

one since. She now has a shelf in her

home to display her awards.

It helps me stay with it, Sarah says

of the importance of receiving

awards and recognition. It makes

me think that if I keep doing it, I will

get more awards and get better. It is

very helpful to make me stick with

the program.

Another friend, 9-year-old Sally, is

into ice skating, dance and gymnastics.

She says the children in her classes are

divided into small groups and that

most receive some type of reward or,at the least, regular small prizes and

gifts to recognize their efforts. So far,

shes received nearly 10 medals or

trophies.

Sallys younger sister is 4 and has

already received a medal for participating

in Little Gym, an after-school activity

group in Dallas. This is interesting

because its at a private business, and it

is clear that they are doing this to get an

edge over their competition, namely the

other businesses in the area who arecompeting for the childrens business.

In ice skating and dance, for example,

there is practice leading up to a perfor-

mance. For children, the performances

usually just last a few minutes. In tennis,

the children practice leading up to

competition, but the competition can last

for hours, in hundred-degree weather.

What do the tennis-playing children

receive as recognition for their efforts?

Most of the time, nothing. Frankly,

its shocking.

No wonder we lose so many children

to other activities. If you were 7 years old

and your friends who played tennis had

no awards, while your friends in soccer,

ice skating and gymnastics all had

trophies and medals on display, would

you stick with tennis? Its doubtful.

But lets take this even further. Are

participation awards only important for

children? Not by a long shot. Adults

need that sort of encouragement as well.

We actually did this test: Take two novice

adult teams that both participated in a

league. Give one team

participation awards

and dont give anything

to the second team. First,

watch their faces. Second,

track their participation.

I guarantee that

more players in thegroup who

received participa-

tion awards will stay

in the game.

Whats the cost?

For $2, $3 or $4 per

person, your player reten-

tion will increase. No doubt

about it. Its a small cost that

is easy to build into any

program.

My daughters friend

Sally may just have the last word on

receiving awards for participating: It

makes you feel good, she says, and it

makes you want to keep on going. w

Joe Dinoffer is the author of 15 books and 28videos and is currently featured on 10 programson The Tennis Channel. He is also president ofOncourt Offcourt, which designs and distributesproducts for tennis teachers and facilitymanagers. Sign up for his free monthly onlinenewsletter with marketing and teaching tips atwww.oncourtoffcourt.com. You can reach himat [email protected].

Rewards for Participation Are Goodfor Your Business B Y J O E D I N O F F E R

&marketing



T H E E X P E R T Sask?

Your Equipment & Business HotlineNATE UPDATE

IN YOUR PIECE ON Nate Ferguson,

he says he could string Pete Sam-pras racquet with gut in 12 minutes

when he had to. What special techniques

did he use to achieve this level of speed and

accuracy?

WE CAUGHT UP WITH NATE

between tournaments (he is now

stringing for other players on the ATP tour).

He says that while it often took longer than

12 minutes to string Sampras racquet, he

could do it that quickly when circumstances

demanded it. Nate says he used an around-the-world pattern (which makes it possible

to start the crosses at the head instead of at

the throat of racquets where the mains tie

off at the throat, such as Petes Wilson Pro

Staff 6.0, when using one piece of string for

the entire racquet). Pete used very thin nat-

ural gut, which helped in some ways, but it

is so fragile that Nate had to use tubing on

every hole where the string made a turn

when passing through the frame to prevent

breakage. When we asked him to what he

attributed his amazing speed, Nate told us,For years, I used the same stringing

machine to string 700 racquets a year for

one client [Pete Sampras]. I just got very

good at it.

BALANCE POINTS

WHAT THE HECK IS A POINT? When

they say a racquet is 6 points head

light, what does that mean?

THE POINT AS A MEASUREMENT

is 1/8 (0.125 inches). The trick is

that the measurement is taken from the

mid-point of the racquet. If a racquet is the

standard 27 inches long, the mid-point is

going to be at 13.5 inches. If the racquet

balance is at 13.5 inches, then it is said to

have even balance. If the balance point is

toward the butt of the racquet, the racquet

is head

light. If the

balance

point is

more

toward the

head of the racquet, the racquet is head

heavy. In the example you give, a racquet

that is 6 points head light would have itsbalance point 6/8 of an inch closer to the

butt than the mid-point.

Although people have been using points

to refer to racquet balance for many years,

it is becoming more common now to refer

to balance in terms of the distance in cen-

timeters from the butt end of the racquet to

the balance point. Referring to balance

measurements from the butt end allows you

to more easily compare racquets of different

lengths. A 27-inch racquet that is 8 points

(1 inch) head heavy will have the same firstmoment (pick-up weight) as a 29-inch

racquet of the same weight and with even

balance, because the balance point on both

is 14.5 inches.

To take your example again, a 27-inch

racquet that is 6 points head light would

have its balance point at 32.39 centimeters.

If you are doing a lot of work with rac-

quet balance, it can become tedious to do

all the measurement conversions yourself.

USRSA members can make use of our on-

line Points Converter, which can be found athttp://www.racquettech.com/members/

tools/points2cm.html.

STARTING CLAMP USES

WHEN EXACTLY is a starting clamp

needed?

A STARTING CLAMP (also known as

a bridge clamp) can be one of the

handiest tools in your tool tray. Depending

on your stringing technique, you may need

one at various points through the stringing

process.

For example, even before you get to

your machine, you can use two starting

clampsone at each end of the stringto

pre-stretch the string. Once you start string-

ing, if your machine clamps let the string

slip a little when you are pulling the first

main string, you can mount the starting

clamp right behind your machine clamp to

eliminate slippage. After you finish the

mains on a two-piece string job, you can

often use a starting clamp instead of a start-

ing knot on the first cross to avoid the pos-

sibility of pulling the starting knot throughthe grommet. Then, after you have installed

the first three crosses, you can re-tension

the first cross (removing the starting clamp

in the process), and use a tie-off knot

instead. If, on the other hand, you are using

an around-the-world pattern, you may find

that at some point you need an extra

clamp, and the starting clamp will do the

trick.

Speaking of knots, you can use a start-

ing clamp as you would use a pair of pliers,

when cinching up knots. Finally, if you get

to the end of the crosses (or the mains, for

that matter), and find that although you

have enough string to tie off, you havent

allowed enough string to reach the tension

head, you can grab the end of the string

with the starting clamp, and then run a

piece of scrap string through the holes on

the outside of the starting clamp to the ten-

sion head.Greg Raven w

We welcome your questions. Please sendthem to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,

Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email:[email protected].

QQ

T H E E X P E R T Sask

A

A

Q

A

Starting clamp used to prevent slippage through a

machine clamp.

Starting clamp can be used instead of a startingknot on the crosses, or as a third clamp on

around-the-world patterns.

Using a starting clamp instead of pliers to cinch

up a tie-off knot.


21/68


22/68

YOUR finances

20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY March 2004

Effective Tax Planning is aYear-Round Endeavor B Y M A R K E . B A T T E R S B Y

Every tennis-related business owner

and manager should recognize the

need forand the benefits that can

be derived fromtax planning. The objec-

tive of tax planning is to defer or reduce

taxes whenever possible. Unfortunately,

tax planning is often complicated when

state and local business taxes are brought

into the equation.

One of the most difficultand often

overlookedaspects of tax planning

involves your businesss liability for state

and local taxes. All too often, planning to

take advantage of a legitimate loophole

in the federal tax laws will reduce or even

eliminate the benefits that transaction

generates on the state tax return.

We may be in the midst of tax season

right now, but at its most basic, tax plan-

ning is an ongoing event. Every retailer

should be on the lookout for ways to

reduce their operations federal and state

tax liability. Many businesses have a lot of

ups and downs from one year to the next.

Sizable profits in one year reduced by a

big tax bill often leaves the operation

without the reserves necessary to tide it

over when business might not be so

good.

Effective tax planning for any business

involves a number of steps, including:

w Assessing the personal tax situation of

the owners, shareholders or partners;

w Developing and implementing tax-

reducing strategies on an ongoing basis;w Reviewing the form of doing business,

such as sole proprietorship, partnership,

limited liability company, S corporation,

regular C corporation or even multiple

entities;

w Reviewing your businesss accounting

period and accounting method;

w Coordinating the businesss tax strategy

with that of the owners;

w Minimizing state and local taxes; and

w Factoring tax law changes into the

ongoing tax planning process.

reportedly too large for many state legisla-tures to go along with. A majority of

states have declined to fully adopt both

the depreciation bonus and the net-

operating-loss provisions. The result will

be more tax dollars flowing into straitened

state treasuries while many businesses will

face increased complexity as they account

for their income and assets differently for

state and federal purposes.

On your businesss federal tax returns,

the 30 percent bonus depreciation is

allowed for both regular and alternativeminimum tax (AMT) purposes for the tax

year in which the property is placed in ser-

vice. Naturally, the basis of the property

and the depreciation allowance in the year

of purchase as well as in later years must

be adjusted to reflect the additional first-

year depreciation deduction. In other

words, any bonus deprecation claimed on

the tax return will reduce the book value

of the underlying asset and the amount of

depreciation deductions that can be

claimed in later years.

But since only 13 states have laws that

conform to the new federal provisions on

bonus depreciation, businesses operating

in states that choose not to conform will

find themselves compelled to keep multi-

ple sets of books on the current book

value (basis) for each asset that qualifies

for the federal provision.

Under our federal tax rules, net operat-

ing losses (NOLs) can be carried back two

years. The new law temporarily extends

that carryback period from two to five

years. In addition, certain NOLs usually

It is obvious that recent tax law

changes have

significantly

increased both

the complexity and the

rewards for tax planning. Remem-

ber, however, law changes do not impact

only the federal tax bill.

The federal Job Creation and Worker

Assistance Act of 2002, for example,

made a number of significant changes to

our basic tax law. Designed to stimulate

the economy, many retailers have already

benefited from those changes, several of

which were retroactive to the 2001 tax

year. Unfortunately, the tax authorities in

many states have been somewhat cool to

the federal stimulus efforts.

Since most states use the Internal

Revenue Code, the federal tax law, as the

base for their state income taxes, the fed-

eral cuts threatened to reduce state rev-

enues. Many state legislatures have

forestalled that possibilityand reducedthe amount of savings that many retailers

might otherwise enjoy as a result of the

economic stimulus packagewith other

tax legislation passed in 2002.

With states limiting, or taking away

completely, the benefits of JCWA, how

can any owner hope to fully stimulate the

economy of their tennis business? The

answer lies in the systemsboth federal

and state.

GIVING EM A TAX BREAK?

The JCWA included a provision that

allows businesses a bonus 30 percent

depreciation deduction on capital equip-

ment purchased between Sept. 11, 2001,

and Sept. 11, 2004, and a second one

that extended the time period for using

net operating losses to offset taxes. In

essence, it creates refunds of previously

paid taxes for many troubled retail

operations.

But the implications of the federal

stimulus package for state budgets were


23/68

carried back for three years, such as casu-

alty losses, can also be carried back five

years under the JCWA.

This enhanced federal carryback applies

only to losses that arise in tax years ending

in 2001 and 2002. Businesses are given

one opportunity to elect out of or reject

this treatment, and the choice is final.The new law also allows a taxpayers NOL

deduction to reduce its alternative mini-

mum taxable income up to 100 percent.

Unfortunately, only seven states have

adopted the NOL provision and only four

of thoseAlaska, North Dakota, Okla-

homa and Vermonthave adopted the

provision as written in the federal law.

Delaware, New York and Wisconsin have

adopted the basic NOL provision but limit-

ed the amounts that can be carried back.

FACTORING INTO PLANNING

Faced with budget shortfalls, many states

are balking at adopting tax breaks includ-

ed in the federal economic stimulus pack-

age and other federal tax-related

legislation. The quandary for the states is

this: Should they go along with the tax

The fact that a state is out of conformity

with the JCWA and other federal tax

breaks now doesnt mean that it will

necessarily remain so in the future. A

number of states normally synchronize

their law to the federal provisions as of

Jan. 1 of each year.

Remember, however, tax law changeswhether on the federal or state levels are

not the only reasons for business tax

planning. The changing economic climate,

competition, the personal circumstances

of the owners and, of course, the goal of

both the business and its owners are

constantly changing. Tax planning should

reflect those changes.

Tax planning isor should bea year-

round endeavor. You should know what

deductions are available to your operation

and you need to keep the records neces-

sary to support and document every trans-

action.

In this manner, the resulting tax sav-

ings can be used to successfully operate

and grow the business. w

Mark E. Battersby is a tax and financial advisor,

lecturer, writer and author in Ardmore, Pa.


Every retailer should be

on the lookout for ways

to reduce their

operation's federal and

state tax liability.

breaks and suffer another revenue hit, or

refuse, thereby denying business taxpayers

some benefit and complicating an already

complex tax code?

Regardless of whether the states decide

to accept or reject tax benefits created on

the federal level, businesses can claim a

legitimate federal tax deduction for all

state, local and foreign taxes paid or

accrued within the tax yearat least tothe extent that they are directly attribut-

able to the business (or to the production

of income). In fact, even advance pay-

ments of estimated state income taxes

made by a cash-basis tennis business

under state law are tax deductible in the

year paid.


24/68

Theres no denying that 2003 was a

down year for racquet sales at

pro/specialty stores. For the whole year,

sales were down in units, dollars and

average price compared to 2002.

But if you take a closer look, 2003

fourth-quarter numbers show a decided

upturn, compared to the same period in

the year before. In addition, the average

price for a premium frame recovered latein the year, unit sales were up and, as a

whole, the market exhibited a recovery

from a poor first half. Plus, dealers are

expressing optimism about future sales

going into 2004.

The numbers for the whole of 2003,

as compared with 2002, show that the

gap in unit sales continued to close,

finishing up 3 percent for the fourth

quarter. Dollar sales in the last three

quarters had a somewhat similar recovery

compared to 2002, and the average price,which had sunk well below $140 in mid-

year, recovered slightly in Q4.

Combine these signs of recovery with

the fact that racquet inventory levels are

looking better and that dealers themselves

are forecasting improved sales, and there

may possibly be good news around the

corner for tennis retailers.

Early in 2003, nearly 60 percent of

dealers said they were overstocked with

tennis racquets. But late in the year,

that figure had dropped

significantly. Now, just over

half of all dealers say they

are at the rightinventory levels.

This, as weve

seen, has

helped

push the

average

racquet price back

up, adding to dealer margin.

All of this has helped dealers feel

much better about what the current year

may bring. In early season 2003, only 17

percent of dealers were predicting anincrease in racquet sales. By the end of

last year, that figure had improved

dramatically, to 36 percent. And

significantly, while 41 percent of dealers

early last year predicted a decrease in

future racquet sales, that figure has

dropped to 21 percent who feel their

sales will decrease.

So if the current trends continue,retailersand racquet manufacturers

may indeed have reason to feel optimistic

about whats ahead. w

Keith Storey is the vice president of SportsMarketing Surveys USA, based in North PalmBeach, Fla. He has more than 20 years ofexperience in market research and businessanalysis, most of which has been spent in thesports industry.

Inventory Levels Improve

Over Under RightEarly Season 2003 57% 3% 40%

Late Season 2003 44% 4% 52%

Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys USA-Dealer Trend Reports


Racquet Sales, 2003 vs. 2002

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 YTD

Units Sold

2002 110,861 170,475 245,664 145,095 672,095

2003 102,011 160,782 241,887 149,672 654,352

% Change -8% -6% -2% 3% -3%Dollars (000s)

2002 $15,763 $23,946 $33,650 $20,464 $93,824

2003 $14,432 $21,432 $31,557 $20,410 $87,832

% Change -8% -10% -6% 0% -6%

Average Price

2002 $142.19 $140.47 $136.98 $141.04 $139.60

2003 $141.48 $133.30 $130.46 $136.37 $134.23

% Change -1% -5% -5% -3% -4%

Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys USA-Retail Audit

Dealer Forecasts for Future Sales

Increase Decrease Same

Early Season 2003 17% 41% 42%

Late Season 2003 36% 21% 43%

Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys USA-Dealer Trend Reports

B Y T H E numbers

Late-Year Rally Is Leading To AnOptimistic 04 Forecast BY KEITH STOREY

#


25/68


26/68


27/68


28/68


29/68


30/68


31/68


32/68


33/68


34/68


35/68


36/68


37/68


38/68


39/68


40/68


41/68


42/68


43/68


44/68


45/68


46/68


47/68


48/68


49/68


50/68

MEN

Round Racquet Racquet StringRank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand

1 W Roger Federer SUI Wilson Pro Staff Tour 90 Luxilon/Babolat

2 S Juan Carlos Ferrero ESP Prince Tour NXGraphite MP 100 Luxilon

3 Q Andy Roddick USA Babolat Pure Drive + 100 Babolat

4 1 Guillermo Coria ARG Prince Tour NXGraphite MP 100 Luxilon

5 S Andre Agassi USA Head Liquidmetal Radical OS 107 Luxilon

6 1 Rainer Schuettler GER Head Liquidmetal Prestige Mid 93 Polystar

7 Carlos Moya ESP Did not play

8 Q David Nalbandian ARG Yonex RDX-500 98 Luxilon

9 4 Mark Philippoussis AUS Head Prestige 93 Babolat10 4 Paradorn Srichaphan THA Yonex Ultimum RD Ti-80 98 Luxilon/Babolat

11 3 Tim Henman GBR Slazenger Pro X1 95 Luxilon/Babolat

12 Q Sebastien Grosjean FRA Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Babolat

13 4 Lleyton Hewitt AUS Yonex RDX-500 90 Babolat/Luxilon

14 1 Nicolas Massu CHI Babolat Pure Control Plus 97 Luxilon

15 4 Sjeng Schalken NED Dunlop 300G 98 Babolat

16 3 Jiri Novak CZE Volkl Tour 10 MP 98 Luxilon

17 3 Gustavo Kuerten BRA Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Luxilon

18 1 Martin Verkerk NED Head Liquidmetal Prestige Mid 93 Luxilon

19 1 Tommy Robredo ESP Dunlop 300G 98 Luxilon

20 2 Agustin Calleri ARG Head Liquidmetal Prestige Mid 93 Luxilon

WOMEN

Round Racquet Racquet StringRank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand

1 W Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL Wilson HTour 95 BDE

2 F Kim Clijsters BEL Babolat Pure Drive 100 Babolat

3 Q Amelie Mauresmo FRA Dunlop 300G 98 Babolat

4 Serena Williams USA Did not play

5 Jennifer Capriati USA Did not play

6 Q Lindsay Davenport USA Wilson HTour 95 Babolat

7 Q Anastasia Myskina RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Kirschbaum

8 1 Elena Dementieva RUS Yonex MP Tour-1 98 Luxilon

9 2 Ai Sugiyama JPN Prince More Control DB 800 97 Prince

10 4 Chanda Rubin USA Head i.X6 MP 102 Gosen

11 1 Nadia Petrova RUS Prince TT Hornet MP 97 Luxilon

12 4 Vera Zvonareva RUS Fischer Pro Tour FT 98 Kirschbaum

13 3 Paola Suarez ARG Prince Experimental 100 Prince

14 3 Venus Williams USA Wilson H4 110 Wilson

15 S Patty Schnyder SUI Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Kirschbaum

16 1 Conchita Martinez ESP Wilson HTour 95 Gosen

17 Jelena Dokic AUS Did not play

18 2 Francesca Schiavone ITA Fischer Pro No. One 95 Luxilon

19 2 Anna Pistolesi ISR Babolat Pure Drive 100 Babolat

20 4 Silvia Farina Elia ITA Prince TT Graphite Oversize 107 Luxilon

player E Q U I P ME N T L O G


Australian Open


51/68

String String Footwear ClothingString Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model BrandBig Banger Alu Power Rough (M) /VS Team (X) 16L/16 Nike Air Zoom Breathe Free Nike

Big Banger Original 16 53/51 Nike Air Court Implosion Sergio Tacchini

Pro Hurricane 16/VS Team 16 16 73 Reebok Figjam DMX Reebok

Big Banger Original 16 55 Adidas Forefoot a3 Tennis Adidas

Big Banger Alu Power 16L 66 Nike Air Zoom Breathe Free Nike

Classic/Energy 16L 25/24 Fila Ventor Fila

Big Banger Original 16 64 Yonex SHT-303 Yonex

VS Touch Natural Gut 16 75 Fila Ventor FilaBig Banger Alu Power(M )/VS Touch Natural Gut (X)16L/16 64 Adidas Forefoota3 Tennis Adidas

Big Banger Timo 17 (M) /VS Team Natural Gut (X) 17 51.6 Adidas Barricade III Adidas

VS Touch 16 50.6 Nike unknown Lacoste

VS Touch Gut (M) /Big Banger Alu Power (X) 16 56 Nike Air Zoom Breathe Free Nike

Big Banger Alu Power 16 53 Adidas Barricade III Adidas

VS Touch 16 68/70 Nike Resolve Nike

Big Banger Alu Power 16L 29/28kg Australian

Big Banger Alu Power 16L 55/59.4 Nike Olympikus

Big Banger Alu Power 16L 53 Puma Puma

Big Banger Original 16L 23.5kg Sergio Tacchini Sergio Tacchini

Big Banger Alu Power 16L Diadora Champion DA Diadora

String String Footwear ClothingString Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model BrandBDE Performance 16 57.5 Adidas Barricade III W Adidas

VS Touch 16 66 Fila Magna Fila

VS Touch 16 57.2 Nike Air Zoom Breathe Free Nike

VS Touch 16 63/64 Nike Air Zoom Thrive Nike

Super Smash Honey 17 26/24 Nike Air Zoom Breathe Free Nike

Big Banger Alu Power 16L 57.2/55 Yonex Power Cushion 300 Yonex

Natural Gut 16 57 Nike Air Court Motion Nike

OG Sheep Micro 16 58 Adidas Incentive III W Adidas

Monotec Supersense 16L 20kg Adidas Barricade III W Adidas

Super Smash Spikey 16 Adidas Barricade III W Adidas

Nylon 15L Lotto Lotto

Natural 16 65 Reebok VESW DMX Reebok

Super Smash Spikey 17 Adidas Barricade III W Adidas

TecGut Pro 16 Robe di Kappa Robe di Kappa

Big Banger Alu Power 18 Diadora Kynetech W DA 2 Diadora

Tour Duralast 16 77.2 Puma Puma

Big Banger Original 16 52/50 Sergio Tacchini Sergio Tacchini


Wondering what equipment your favorite pro players used at this years Aussie Open, or how

they strung up their frames to play in the heat of a Melbourne summer on the Rebound Ace

surface? Post these pages in your shop, so your customers can check out their favorites, too.


52/68

string PLAYTEST


Princes new Premier is a multifilamentstring designed for ultimate gut-like

playability. To achieve this goal, Prince

wraps their micro-filament core with

filament outer wraps made of Softflex,

which they tell us is the most elastic

material ever used in tennis string.

Premier also has a soft polyurethane

coating.

Prince says the elasticity of Softflex pro-

vides tremendous shock absorption and

dampening for an ultra-soft, enhanced

feelmaking it ideal for players with tennis

elbow. Due to Softflexs excellent recovery

from stretch and impact, Prince also claims

tremendous resiliency and minimal tension

loss.

Where a standard synthetic fiber

rebounds only partially after stretching, Soft-

flex fibers stretch and rebound almost like a

rubber band.Prince Premier with Softflex is available

in 16 and 17 gauges (1.30 and 1.25 mm) in

gold only. It is priced from $14 for sets of 40

feet. For more information or to order, con-

tact Prince at 800-2-TENNIS. Be sure to read

the conclusion for more information about

getting a free set to try for yourself.

IN THE LAB

We tested the 16-gauge Prince Premier with

Softflex. The two coils measured 40 feet 4

inches and 40 feet 3 inches. The diameter

measured 1.31 mm to 1.32 mm prior to

stringing, and 1.27 mm after stringing. We

recorded a stringbed stiffness of 68 RDC

units immediately after stringing at 60

pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18

pattern) on a constant-pull machine. After

24 hours (no playing), stringbed stiffness

measured 64 RDC units, representing a 6

percent tension loss. Our control string,

Prince Synthetic Gut Original Gold 16, mea-

sured 78 RDC units immediately after string-

ing and 71 RDC units after 24 hours,

representing a 9 percent tension loss. Prince

Premier with Softflex added 13.8 grams tothe weight of our unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeks by

40 USRSA playtesters with NTRP ratings

from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind tests, with

playtesters receiving unmarked strings in

unmarked packages. Average number of

hours playtested was 21.8.

Stringing Premier is notably easy. There

is virtually no coil memory, and most tan-

gles shake out. You almost have to knot it

before you have a problem. There feels to

be a light coating of lubricant on the sur-face, which is normal for a polyurethane-

coated string, as the polyurethane can

become sticky toward the end of the

crosses.

Premier cuts to a nice point, and

although supple out of the package, it

retains enough stiffness that blocked holes

are not a problem.

As noted by several of our playtesters,the surface of the string seems to deform

rather quickly at intersections, so its a good

idea to straighten your cross strings as you

work, as the longer the string sits in one

position, the more difficult it is to move it

later. Once again, though, this could be a

function of the polyurethane coating.

Thirty-five out of 40 of our playtesters

rated Premier as being as easy or easier to

install than other strings. None of the

playtesters broke his sample during string-

ing, reported problems with coil memory, orreported problems tying knots. Three

playtesters reported friction burn, which is

not unusual for string with polyurethane

coating, even one that is lubricated.

ON THE COURT

Our playtesters were pretty excited about

Premier. Perhaps not surprising given

Princes goal for Premier, playability and spin

potential garnered ratings well above aver-

age. We did not expect, however, that 34

out of 39 of our playtesters would rate Pre-

miers durability as being as good as or bet-

ter than other 16-gauge strings, or for the

16-gauge Premier to tie for second place in

Power of all the strings we have ever

playtested.

Our playtesters also felt that Premier was

above average in touch/feel and comfort, all

of which combined to give Premier an aver-

age rating well above average, putting it in

the top 20 strings weve tested.

Seven playtesters broke Premier during

play, with the breaks coming after 3, 5, 7, 8,

10, 13, and 26 hours of play.

Prince Premier 16

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)

No. of testers who said it was:

much easier 2

somewhat easier 15

about as easy 18

not quite as easy 4

not nearly as easy 1

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)


much better 3

somewhat better 8

about as playable 13

not quite as playable 9

not nearly as playable 5

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other strings

of similar gauge)


much better 2

somewhat better 13

about as durable 19

not quite as durable 4

not nearly as durable 1

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)

Playability 3.5

Durability 3.5

Power 3.6

Control 3.5

Comfort 3.5

Touch/Feel 3.4

Spin Potential 3.3

Holding Tension 3.3

Resistance to Movement 3.2


53/68March 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 51

CONCLUSION

In addition to its high scores, Premier gar-

nered high praise from a large number of

our playtesters, and we had an unusually

high number of enthusiastic responses.

For players seeking a comfortable string

with good playability for a lot less than

the price of natural gut, Premier may be

the way to go. So, if youre a USRSA

member and would like to see if you are

as impressed with Premier as our

playtesters were, make sure to complete

the coupon at right and fax or mail it

today.Greg Raven w

If there was a perfect synthetic, this would be it. It is as close to

gut as you can get, much like Babolat Xcel Premium but with better

durability. It doesnt fray like NXT Tour and it seems to hold tension

better than most multi-filaments Ive used. Its a soft string thats easy

on the arm and has great pop. This really stands out. Awesome dura-

bility. Every time I picked up the racquet it felt as though I had just

strung it. And, it strings up very easily. Kudos

to the manufacturer.4.5 male all-court player using Prince Control

DB strung at 63 pounds LO (Prince Lightning

XX 16)

A great players string. Love the overall feel

and comfort, and Im surprised by the pop it

has. Would recommend this string to higherlevel players.

5.0 male serve-and-volleyer using Wilson H2

strung at 62 pounds LO (Wilson NXT 16)

Outstanding comfort! Virtually no vibration

even without a dampener. Sound is excellent,

too. This is a superior players string that

installs easily and yet resists movement very

well. Teaching was a breeze easy on the

arm even in cold weather. It did have somecontrol issues in play, especially with topspin.

I attribute this to the fact that it has more power than my normal

polyester. This should be a strong competitor for Tecnifibre- and Wil-

son NXT-type strings.

5.0 male serve-and-volleyer using Fischer Pro Extreme FT strung at 39

pounds LO (Gamma ZO 16)

This string holds tension better than any other string Ive tested.The RDC stringbed stiffness dropped only one unit (59 to 58) in the

first 24 hours after stringing. This is phenomenal. Subsequent weekly

measurements were 53, 52, 52. ERT 700 measurements substantiated

the RDC values.4.0 male all-court player using Fischer Pro Impact FT strung at 58

pounds CP (BDE Perf 17)

This string was very easy to install. Not

much in the way of coil memory, and the

lubricated coating made weaving easy. Knots

tied up with no problems. Playing-wise, this

string was slightly better than average. I had

excellent power on my serve and ground-

strokes. Control wasnt quite as good as mynormal string. I seemed to lack power on my

volleys. Overall I was satisfied with this

string.

4.0 male all-court player using Gamma Dia-

mond Fiber M6.5 strung at 61 pounds LO

(Tecnifibre NRG2 SPL 17)

This was a frustrating string to play with.

While I appreciated its feel, I was annoyed

with its seeming unpredictability and poorresistance to movement. There was also a

lack of spin/grip from the strings.

5.5 male all-court player using Volkl C10 Pro strung at 57 pounds CP

(Gamma Live Wire XP 17)

For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com

I thoroughlyenjoyed playingwith this string.Excellent mix of control, power,

touch/feel, and spin. Strings did

not move much at all, even

after several hours of play.

With the spin I put on my serve,

I sometimes have elbow

problems, but not with this

string. Fantastic.4.0 male all-court player using

Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 strung

at 60 pounds CP (Wilson Synthetic

Gut Extreme 16)

TESTERS TALK

(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAM

Prince has generously offered to send a free set of Premier 16 with Softflex to

the first 2000 USRSA members who request it.

To get your free set, just cut out (or copy) this coupon and mail it to:

USRSA, Attn: Prince Premier 16 String Offer, 330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084

or fax to 760-536-1171 Offer expires April 15, 2004

One set of free string per USRSA membership Offer only available to USRSA members in the US

FREE! PRINCE Premier 16 with Softflex!Name:

USRSA Member number:

Phone:

Email:If you print your email clearly, we will notify you when your sample will be sent.


54/68

string PLAYTEST


Uniques Tournafiber Irradiated is a

new and improved version of their

multifilament, multi-wrap string, the

original of which we playtested in early

2002 (see Racquet Tech magazine, May

2002, for the playtest report). Unique says

that the multifilament fiber center core

and surrounding fine monofilaments give

Tournafiber Irradiated exceptional

comfort and control.

According to Unique, the irradiation process

injects energy into the molecular structure of

the string to enhance elasticity and lower

dampening, thus giving faster rebound and

less loss of energy.

Unique Tournafiber Irradiated is available

in 16 and 17 gauges in natural only. It is

priced from $5.95 for sets of 40 feet, and

$39.95 for coils of 330 feet (16-gauge only).For more information or to order, contact

Unique at 770-442-1977, or visit their web-

site at www.uniquesports.us.

IN THE LAB

We tested the 16-gauge Unique Tournafiber

Irradiated. The two coils measured 39 feet

9.5 inches and 39 feet 10 inches. The diam-

eter measured 1.32 mm prior to stringing,

and 1.24 mm after stringing. We recorded a

stringbed stiffness of 88 RDC units immedi-

ately after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson

Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a con-

stant-pull machine. After 24 hours (no play-

ing), stringbed stiffness measured 78 RDC

units, representing an 11 percent tension

loss. Our control string, Prince Synthetic Gut

Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units

immediately after stringing and 71 RDC units

after 24 hours, representing a 9 percent ten-

sion loss. Unique Tournafiber Irradiated

added 14.95 grams to the weight of our

unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeks by 30

USRSA playtesters, with NTRP ratings from 3

to 6.5. These are blind tests, with

playtesters receiving unmarked strings in

unmarked packages. Average number of

hours playtested was 15.8.

For the most part, installing Tournafiber

Irradiated is as easy as any other high-qual-

ity multifilament string. The surface is

smooth enough that the crosses dont saw

on the mains when pulling them across,

and yet it has enough texture that you can

grab a hold of it. The string also feels clean,

with little or no surface lubricant.

Although it does not have a strong coil

memory, Tournafiber Irradiated does have a

tendency to twist, reminiscent of natural gut.

Fortunately, it doesnt tend to kink, and with

a little care the twisting can be kept under

control.

The ends cut to a nice point, and the

string is stiff enough that blocked and sharedholes are not a problem.

None of our playtesters broke his sample

during stringing, eight reported problems

with coil memory, one reported problems

tying knots, and none reported friction burn.

ON THE COURT

Our playtesters were impressed by Tour-

nafiber Irradiated, rating it well above aver-

age in playability, control, spin potential and

tension holding. Playtesters also thought

Tournafiber Irradiated was above average in

power, touch/feel and comfort. These high

ratings combine to give Tournafiber Irradiat-

ed an overall score that is well above

average.

Twelve of our playtesters broke their sam-

ples during testing, one after 20 minutes,

one after 2 hours, nine with between 6 and

16 hours of play, and one after 24 hours.

CONCLUSION

Unique has clearly hit their target of wanting

to improve on the original Tournafiber

Irradiated, as the new version rates more

Unique Tournafiber

Irradiated

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)


much easier 0

somewhat easier 5

about as easy 19

not quite as easy 4

not nearly as easy 1

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)

No. of testers who said it was:much better 1

somewhat better 6

about as playable 11

not quite as playable 10

not nearly as playable 1

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other strings

of similar gauge)


much better 1

somewhat better 5

about as durable 16

not quite as durable 5

not nearly as durable 1

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)

Playability 3.5

Durability 3.3

Power 3.3

Control 3.6

Comfort 3.4

Touch/Feel 3.3

Spin Potential 3.4

Holding Tension 3.4

Resistance to Movement 3.1



highly than the original in every category

except resistance to movement. Further-

more, Tournafiber Irradiateds dealer price

is well below that of other irradiated strings.

I found the test sample to have crisp response throughout the playperiod. There was no significant tension loss, and the strings settled in

after about two hours of play. If I knew how well it retained tension I

would have strung it at less than the highest tension, to increase

power, the lack of which was the only limitation of the string. I would

certainly recommend it and look forward to hearing who makes it and

what it is called. 5.0 male all-court player using Head i.S6 OS strung at 61 pounds LO

(Wilson NXT 16)

I find it difficult to say anything negativeabout this string because the first time playing

with it I beat my opponent 6-0 without losing a

point. Ive never done that before. I liked this

string, too. It had a nice feel and plenty of con-trollable power. It also held tension well. Dura-

bility may be an issue, as although it

didnt break, it was notched more than average

for the amount of time I played with it.

4.5 male all-court player using Prince More

Game MP strung at 55 pounds CP (Prince Per-

fection 16)

I like it! Has a crisp and comfortable feel,

and its easy to string. Plays well. If it wouldresist movement better, it could be my string

of choice.

5.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using Wil-

son Pro Staff Surge X strung at 64 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 16)

Easy to string except for a little kinking. The string moved a greatdeal during play, which impeded spin production. Flat balls were more

crisp. A good string for hard, flat hitters, and very comfortable. It did

start notching, though, after about two hours of play.

5.5 male all-court player using Gosen Secret Carbon strung at 62

pounds LO (Gamma Live Wire XP 16)

I used the proportional tensioning method because I have beenexperimenting with this with my normal string. Performance of the

test sample was similar to other synthetics I have tried, however con-

trol was excellent albeit with markedly reduced power. String move-

ment was more than I expected. I added string savers after

approximately 1.5 hours of singles and 4.5 hours of doubles. Serves

and volleys had some pop, but ground strokes didnt seem to have the

depth one gets from seemingly similar string at similar tension.

3.5 male all-court player using Volkl VX1 strung at 61/46 pounds CP

(Bow Brand Pro 17)

Very easy to string up. Good feel. Itmoved around more than my regular string,

but lost tension at about the same rate as

other synthetics.

5.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using

Head Liquidmetal 4 strung at 55 pounds CP

(Head Intellitour 17)

This string is average, and comparesclosest to Gamma TNT 16. It moved more

than normal for the first three hours, but

then stopped and behaved as most strings

do after settling. I see no need to add this

string to my inventory as others are as good

or better.

3.5 male all-court player using Wilson

Sledge Hammer 3.8 strung at 61 pounds CP(Gamma Professional 17)

This string had a lot of coil memory. Itkinked easily during stringing and wanted to stay that way, which

was a headache when pulling the cross strings. The string plays very

dead: I have to provide all the power myself or else the ball will barely

make it over the net. It does hold tension well and produce good spin,

but this does not compensate for the lack of power and feel. The

outer coating started peeling off after three hours of play.

4.5 male all-court player using Head Radical OS strung at 70 poundsLO (Tecnifibre 515 17)

For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com

I really enjoyedplaying with thisstring. It held the tensionwell, very little string move-

ment, and it felt good on all

strokes. Plenty of feel and con-

trol with no loss of power. A

very all-around good string. I

would definitely carry this

string. It was easy to install,

with no problems with tying of

knots.

4.5 male all-court player using

Head i.Speed strung at 58 pounds

LO (Wilson Stamina 16)

TESTERS TALK

(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

In fact, the price of the new version is the

same as that of the original Tournafiber

from two years ago. If youre looking for an

irradiated multifilament string and you

dont mind playing a lesser-known brand

name in exchange for a substantial

monetary savings, Uniques Tournafiber

Irradiated may be for you. Greg Raven w


56/68

a n d TE C H N I Q U E S


tips

CALIBRATION VS.TECHNIQUE

I have a drop-weight stringer. For best ten-sion accuracy, the manufacturer recom-

mends keeping the tension arm level to

within plus or minus 5 degrees when ten-

sioning a string.

I created a template that allows me

quickly and easily to measure the tension

arm angle, but while I was checking my

work I noticed that string stretch caused

the tension arm to drop more than 10

degrees after tensioning had started. In

other words, waiting time for the tension

bar to come to a stop was more of a ten-

sioning factor than the plus or minus 5

degrees of the tension arm.

I connected a tension gauge to deter-

mine the effect of the tension arm being

slightly above or below the 5-degree posi-

tion and didnt see any appreciable differ-

ence in tension from horizontal.

Because of this exercise I have become

more aware of the need to let the tension

arm settle before clamping off each pull.

Alpha 5-string pack to:

Brian OReilly, Greenwood, SC

CALIBRATING THECALIBRATORThere is always a big discrepancy with

those spring loaded tension calibrators.

Unless you work for a calibration center, it

is difficult to find one that is accurate. I use

a force gauge, but they are a bit pricey.

Thisis what I have found tobe the best and

easiest way for the average person to get

the job done.

w First: Determine what your most com-mon tensions are (for example, 30 pounds

for racquetball, 55 pounds for tennis, etc.)

w Second: Get a loop of stout string and

tie it to one end of your calibrator, leaving

a loop on the free end.

w Third: Find a weight that most closely

corresponds with your most common ten-

sion(s). You should be able to find dumb-

bell plates at second-hand sporting goods

stores.

w Fourth: Loop your string around the end

of the dumbbell (making sure all your knotswill hold!) and lift the calibrator and dumb-

bell just off the ground. If you are using 50-

pound weights or more, you may need

some help with the lifting.

w Fifth: If your calibrator is off, mark the

shaft for future reference.

5 Prince 5-string pack (including

Polygut and Lightning XX) to:

Russ Bruns, MRT, Chesapeake, VA

ALPHA CLAMP PINNINGI used to have a problem with the clamps

on my Alpha Revo 3000 stringing machine.

The problem was that over time the hinge

pins in the clamps would slowly work their

way out of the clamp and I would have to

pound them back in. I have solved this

problem by using a center punch to put a

small dimple in the clamp at each end of

the hinge pin. The dimple is made right

next to the pins hole and deforms the

clamp metal just enough to stop the pin

from moving out.

Head briefcase to:

Bill Hughes, The Colony, TX

SHOE GOO GROMMETSTRIPSI have found a solution for old racquets

with worn-out, unobtainable head guards.

My first step is to try and get the member

to purchase a new racquet that will allow

them to take advantage of the more mod-

ern technology. If that fails, I rebuild the

head guard (not the grommets) using Shoe

Goo. Before I apply this product to the

head of the racquet I tell the member that

it is semi-permanent. I have never tried toremove it but I dont want to take a chance

of destroying the frame. I apply the Shoe

Goo along the frame taking care to keep it

out of the stringing well. I also keep the old

head guard in place. This replacement

head guard extends the life of my cus-

tomers old favorites.

Ashaway 5-string pack (including 1

set of Dynamite WB) to:

Mike Hobbs, MRT, North Olmsted, OH

BEGINNER TIPSSPEEDIER CROSSESWhen weaving crosses, I work one ahead

of course, and I do so in such a way that

the previous string, which is ready to be

pulled, is already positioned next to the

tension head. I dont rotate the racquet

until after I pull tension on the previous

string, which cuts out unnecessary move-

ment and saves time.

Klip hat, wrist bands, and decal to:

Randy Stephenson, MRT, Dallas, TX

The ideas, suggestions and techniques

found in Tips and Techniques have

all been submitted by USRSA

members. This department has run

almost every month since its inception

in 1993, recounting stringers tricks

and tales of the trade garnered from

everyday, real-life stringing and

business experiences. All these tips

have been gathered into a singlevolume of the Stringers Digest

Racquet Service Techniquesthat is

a benefit of USRSA membership.

Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA,

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804;

or email: [email protected].

Readers Know-How in Action


57/68


58/68


59/68

and offer them a reduced stringing cost

(straight cost + $10 for example) if they

want to try any strings that I do not typi-

cally stock.

The benefits are the following:1. The customer has a convenient opportu-

nity to hit with strings that may not be typ-

ically available in my stock or any area

tennis shop.

2. I gain more experience stringing differ-

ent types of string.

3. Although you must keep the high-

demand strings in stock for your frequent

customer base, I am truly expanding my

virtual inventory by offering nearly every

available string on the market to your

customers.4. I feel this motivates certain customers to

restring prior to breakage, because this

also serves as a friendly reminder to

restring.

5. My customers and I may come across

some excellent strings that are not (yet) in

my inventory.

Gosen padded equipment bag and

t-shirt to:

Chris McGovern, Grafton, WI

A RESTRINGING IN TIMEA promotion that has worked well for me

involved giving our customers 10 percent

off if they bring their racquets to us before

the strings break. Not only does it make us

more money, it helps customers pay atten-

tion to their strings and to learn when the

string is going bad, losing tension and

notching.

5 packs of Unique Tourna Grip 5-pack

(3 overgrips per pack) to:

Randy Stephenson, MRT, Dallas, TX

Editors note: In addition to helping

customers diagnose wear patterns,

and educating them about string, this

is a good way to get customers to

bring racquets in with strings intact,

so that in cases where the customer is

using an odd-ball frame, the stringing

instructions for which are unknown,

you can immediately determine the

pattern, the tie-offs, the skips and

shared holes (if any).Greg Raven w

a n d TE C H N I Q U E S


tipsHANDLING THE LONG SIDEIf you have wondered what to do with

that long, loose end on a one-piece job,

try tucking it under the grip band at the

top of the grip. It may or may not save you

any time, but the reduction in the nuisance

factor is priceless.

5 Prince Air Cushion Grips to:Christopher Clark, Yakima, WA

MINIMIZING TANGLESBecause of my diverse customer base, I

buy individual packets of string rather than

large coils. The convenience of a reel is

that the string rarely tangles as do individ-

ual packets, depending on the amount of

coil memory in the string. I use a Gamma

Progression II portable machine and like

most portables, they have small rubber

legs. One day I decided to put the coil ofstring under my machine so the leg was in

the center of the coil and see if it I could

just pull the string like I do on a large coil,

and sure enough it worked. Rarely do I get

a tangle, but I need to take my time. Pull it

too hard or fast and it may start to knot.

Its working for me, and it saves me from

getting frustrated over tangles.

5 sets of Volkl Power-Fiber 18 to:

Mike Trinchitella, Mahopac, NY

MARKETING TIPSPOWER OF E-MAILI know that several members have already

discussed the power of e-mail; however,

here may be a slight variation of some of

the common marketing uses of e-mail.

Prior to placing an order with my sup-

plier, Ill send an e-mail to my customer

base and fellow tennis players and refer

them to the supplier website. I give them a

couple of days to check out the available

strings, offer guidance to them if needed,


60/68



ADVERTISERS INDEX

For more information on products and services in

this issue ofRacquet Sports Industry, please contact

the manufacturers directly.

Company Page

Advantage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Ashaway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55ATS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Babolat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Bow Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Classic Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Courtsider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Fischer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Forten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Gamma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 13Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFCICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

K-Swiss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BCLee Tennis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Novagrass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,15Nova Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . insertPrince . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBCRLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Silent Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Spermies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Tecnifibre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6TIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 58Unique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8USPTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61USRSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63USTC&TBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Vlkl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Wise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

NEW MEMBER CITY STATE/COUNTRY

David Anderson APO AE

Phillip Waugh Montgomery AL

Dixie Macias Los Altos CA

Vadim Gurman Los Angeles CA

Michael Kord San Clemente CA

Scott Nuechterlein Ridgway CO

Edward Fitzgerald Bolton CT

Mary Yoder Bradenton FL

Raphael Ongsiako Sebring FL

Jim Fineis Alpharetta GA

Edwin Matheson dunwoody GA

Steve Morche Lawrenceville GA

Shawn Zinke Sugar Hill GA

Joe Wainright Woodstock GA

Jerry Layne Greenwood IL

Charles Pitt Fairmont IN

Stan Edwards Bowling Green KY

Albert Chao Milton MA

Thomas Burghard Allegan MI

Kalamazoo Tennis Connection

Kalamazoo MI

Vic Kemming Burnsville MN

Darrell Crocker Springfield MO

Thomas LeTard, Jr. Biloxi MS

Mary Johnson Jackson MS

Beatrice Bork Flemington NJ

Stewart Bunn Lawrenceville NJ

Robert Mulligan Mays Landing NJ

Robert Veracca Saugerties NY

Brian Bateson Setauket NY

Ole Westergaard Syracuse NY

Gary Granger Toledo OH

Barb Schmitz Albany OR

Robert Lawler Gibsonia PA

Leah Goldberg Pittsburgh PA

Floyd Rowe Alamo TN

S. Patrick Flynn Memphis TN

NEW MEMBER CITY STATE/COUNTRY

Sheryl Osborn Arlington TX

Trevor Harris Austin TX

Robert Frnka Houston TX

Lane Shioji Arlington VA

Brittany Stevens Midlothian VA

Kevin Roop LaCrosse WI

Kimberly Ann Spiel Muskego WI

Greg Selby Shapardstown WV

Akihiko Aoki Chiba JAPAN

Rafael Fabregas Hato Rey PUERTO RICO

Melvin Tan Singapore SINGAPORE

Kelly Kao Kaohsiung TAIWAN

Claire Bridges Derbys UK

MASTER RACQUET TECHNICIANS

Congratulations to the following members who

recently achieved MRT status:

Nate Donath Cincinnati, OH

Frederick Lenhard Homer, NY

Kevin McGovern Boulder, CO

Josh Newton Boulder, CO

David Valencia Santa Maria, CA

CERTIFIED STRINGERS

Congratulations to the following members who

recently achieved CS status:

Gaines Hillix Marietta, GA

MRTs: 408 CSs: 2497

NEW MEMBERS

USRSA MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

USRSA membership dues: $99 annually. (CA resi-

dents add 7.75% sales tax. $106.67 total.) Canadian

Members add $20 (US) for postage costs. US Total:

$119. Mexican Members add $25 (US) for postage

costs. US Total: $124. All other International Mem-

bers add $36 (US) for airmail postage costs. US Total:

$135. Membership includes: 10 issues of Racquet

Sports Industry, the five-volume StringersDigest, free

consultation, free classified advertising and access to

the member's-only website.

January 2004U S R S A

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

Production Manager Kristine Thom

Technical Support

Dot Hogen, MRT; Greg Raven, MRT

Membership ServicesNancy 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 Senior Designer,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



RETAILERS Tired of looking at yourunsold merchandise? Let someone else sellit. Why not offer it to other retailers in aclassified ad here? See bottom of this page

to placea classified ad.

STRINGERSWant to sell a stringingmachine you don?t use anymore? Why notoffer it to someoneneedinga machine,suchas college teams who want to string theirown rackets? Or to an experienced stringerwho wants to open his own business? Seebottom of this page to place a classified ad.

TENNIS PROS Want to change jobsand let everyone know you are available?Place a Tennis Position Wanted classifiedhere?everyone gets RSI magazine. Seedetails at the bottom of this page.

MEMORABILIA COLLECTORS Want

to sell your duplicates? Looking for a hard-to-find item? Want to trade with other col-lectors? Place a classified ad here. Let theothercollectors know what you want. See bottomof page for details.

TENNIS CLUBS Want to add to staff?Place an ad in RSI; everyone reads it. Allinformation is at bottom of this page. Wecan help.

SUMMER CAMPS Are you looking forstaff for this summer? All college coachesget RSI 10 times a year. They can tell theirplayers or they can come and work for you.Place a classified here at RSI. See details atbottom of this page.

DO YOU WANT TO BUY OR SELL ARACQUET BUSINESS? If you don?twant to keep it a secret, place a classifiedad here. If you want confidentiality, let usadvise you. For details, see bottom of thispage.

DO YOU SELL A PRODUCT OR SER-

VICE TO TENNIS CLUBS OR

RETAILERS?Whynot contact them withaclassified ad here in RSI? It?s easy, just seedetails at bottom of this page.

DO YOU WANT TO BRAG A LITTLE?

Would you like to congratulate someonewho has excelled? Celebrating an anniver-

sary? Justplacean Announcement classifiedad and let the tennis world know.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TENNIS CELEBSis a new weekly publi-cation with stories and pictures of the richand famous tennis people. TENNIS CELEBSgets its news from reporters around theworld sending it the latest news about thestars . For a f ree sampl e, [email protected].

FREE SAMPLE TENNIS NEWSPAPER.

Get a free one-month subscription to DailyTennis, the worlds only daily tennis news-paper. Get the latest news about the play-

ers, tournaments, companies, college tennis

and even job availability. For free samplewrite [email protected].

HOW TO HIRE A TENNIS PRO

Get this free booklet that tells how to hire a

pro, step by step and avoid making a mis-take. For free copy, Call Bob Larson at 952920 8947 or by e-mail [email protected].

MERCHANDISE TO BUY/SELL

BOOKS FOR SALE We have a smallnumber of Vic Braden's book "Laugh andWin at Doubles" at a closeout price of$9.77USvs. regular price of $19.95.Postageand handling in US $6.50. If you buy beforeMarch 31, we will waive the postage andhandling. To order, [email protected].

WE BUY TENNIS BOOKS 952 9208947

WE BUY TENNIS RACKETS952 9208947

POSITION WANTED

Highly successful Tennis Director/Head ten-nis professional, seeks a position in theSouthern California area. This professionalhas extensive experience in all aspectsincluding world class instructional pro-grams, national junior development, and allduties concerning operating, maintaining,and transforming a facility into an elite classorganization. Professional is currentlyemployed, but will consider any position inSouthern Calif. Inquries to

[email protected] or 952 920 8947.

HELP WANTED

TENNIS PROFESSION -

ALS/CHAPERONES - EUROPE

AND NORTH AMERICA

Males and females are invited to coachjuniors on tournament circuits in Europe orNorthAmerica this summer. You must be21years old and have experience working withteenage tennis players.

We conduct serious-minded tournamentcircuitsdesigned to givejuniorsmatchexpe-rience and mental toughness. Each of ourteams consists of a maximum of 15 players(ages 14-18). Two coaches travel with each

team. We provide you with training andsupport to make the summer successful foryou and your players. The ability levelranges from high school varsity players tonationally ranked players with trips from 16to 31 days. We have 15 teams with our firstteam leaving on June 21st and the teamdeparting on July 24th.

Thiswill be TENNIS:EUROPE's 32ndsum-mer. Deadline for application is March 30,2004 or whenever positions are filled.Please send resume and cover letter andwrite for detailed job description to: TEN-NIS: EUROPE, 73 Rockridge Lane, StamfordCT 06903 or telephone 203 322 9803 or e-mail to [email protected].

CAMP STAFF MAINE

The Laurel Camps represent the finest inMaine=s co-ed residential summer camp-ing. Both camps are currently seeking tal-ented Tennis Instructors and Professionalswho have strong tennis backgrounds andwho have experience as instructors orcoaches. Both camps boast superb tennisfacilities, as well as a strong commitment toour programs. We offer top instruction, aswell as intercamp and tournament. Eachcamp offers state-of-the-art facilities, a pro-fessional atmosphere and excellent salary.We also welcome internships. Please visitour extensive website atwww.TheLaurelCamps.com to submit anonline application, or call us toll-free at 800-327-3509 for a staff information packet andapplication.

TENNIS COACHES CONNECTICUT

Indoor Tennis Clubs in Connecticut is seek-ing hardworking, enthusiastic and dedicat-

ed instructors. Minimum two-yearsexperience and commensurate salary. USVisa sponsorship will be considered forqualified applicants, if required. Contact JeffGocke at 203 655 2852 X 308, or via fax203 656 1091.

TENNIS ADVISORY STAFF SALES

Bancroft Sports, America's Oldest RacquetBrand, is seeking qualified tennis profes-sionals for part-time area sales positions ofour new racquet line. A successful candi-date will receive commissions from all salesin their area. There are a limited number ofterritories available. Phone 1-800-779-0807or e-mail [email protected].

SALES REPS Join the fastest growingstring company with a new fresh approachto the tennis industry. We are seekingestablished and motivated sales reps thatare looking to add a string and accessoryline to their current products. We offer a fullrange of strings including synthetics, poly-esters, natural gut an gut hybrids. Sales repsare needed across the US, Mexico andCanada. Positions are commission-basedonly. Please e-mail all resumes and/or ques-tions to [email protected] or fax us at720 559 3253.

TEACHING PROS AND COACHES

Book your dream trip NOW! Enjoy sevendays and six nights at an all inclusiveSuperClubs resortthe most exclusive

vacation destination in the Caribbean (13locations) for you and a companion (or withyour family). Small fee and limited teachingobligation required. Visit our websites atwww.superclubs.com andwww.sportsinternationaltennis.com. Tobook or for more information, call 978 4669393 or e-mail to [email protected].

VACATION OPPORTUNITIESFOR TENNIS PROFESSIONALS

For only $250 plus airfare, your guest and

you could be vacationing at the #1 ultra all-inclusive Sandals and Beaches Resorts inJamaica and St. Lucia. Your food, drinks andaccommodations are included as well as allthe amenities of the resort. These workingvacations run from Sunday to Sunday. Formoreinformation, contact MikeRomisher at847 207 9475. E-mail [email protected].

BUSINESSES FOR SALE

TENNIS TOUR BUSINESS FOR SALE

This is a rare opportunity to own a tennistour company. Travel the world escortingyour clients to the most prestigious tenniseventsWimbledon, Roland Garros, Aus-tralian Open and the USOpen, MastersSeries events, plus Davis Cup and Fed Cup

events. Business can be re-located to wher-ever you choose! 12 successful years inbusinesshundreds of repeat clients. CallDaily Tennis for information 952 920 8947or e-mail [email protected].

TENNIS SERVICES

At no cost for clubs, ProMatch Tennis Ser-vice finds qualified tennis teaching profes-sionals. We interview, check references andcriminal background, and train. Profession-als are certified either with the USPTA or thePTR. ProMatch Tennis Service can be con-tacted by calling 770-817-0559. You canemail us for more information at [email protected].

COURT CONSTRUCTION

Is it time to resurface or repair your tenniscourt? Sport-Masters nationwide andworldwide network of professional sportsurfacing contractors are available to pro-vide free on-site assessment and recom-mendations. Phone 1 800 395 7325, [email protected]. www.sealmaster.net.

TENNIS EQUIPMENTFOR SALE

BUBBLE FOR SALE

Air supported structure bubble for a twotennis court enclosure, translucent, avail-able immediately. Used only for one season,118 by 108 by 40 high. Complete with

new heater/inflation system, doors andlighting. Contact Walter Ptaszek at MSS Inc.908 876 0146. Cell phone 908 693 6232. E-mail [email protected] .

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

INCREASE YOUR NET INCOME

WITH NO INVESTMENT!Promote the new tennis publication, TEN-

R S I C L A S S I F I E D SB Y B O B L A R S O N

TO PLACE AN AD IN RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCLASSIFIEDSClassified ads are $100 for up to 50 words. Additional words are $1 each. To place an ad

or for help in writing the ad, call Bob Larson, 952 920 8947. Deadline for the April issue

is March 10. E-mail [email protected].


63/68


64/68

M a yDate Event Location

Phone Number

1-2 USPTA Certification Big Rapids, MI

713-978-7782

1-2 USPTA Certification Nashville, TN

713-978-7782

1-2 PTR Cert if icat ion Fishervil le, VA540-332-5280

1-2 PTR Cert if icat ion Mississauga, ON

905-521-4560

3-4 PTR Cert if icat ion Lexington, SC

803-754-5223

7-8 USPTA Certification Minneapolis, MN

713-978-7782

8-9 USPTA Certification St. Louis, MO

713-978-7782

8-9 USPTA Certification Conway, AK

713-978-7782

8-9 USPTA Certification Hoover, AL

713-978-7782

8-9 PTR Cert if icat ion Mishawaka, IN

574-277-1000

8-9 PTR Certification Alban y, NY

518-436-3556

15-16 USPTA Certification Burbank, CA

713-978-7782

15-16 USPTA Certification Ponte Vedra, FL

713-978-7782

15-16 USTPTA Certification Wilmington, DE

713-978-7782

15-16 PTR Certification Dallas, TX

972-253-4832

19-20 USPTA Certification Flushing, NY

713-978-7782

22-23 USPTA Certification Fremont, CA

713-978-778222-23 USPTA Certification Atlanta, GA

713-978-7782

22-23 USPTA Certification Hilton Head, SC

713-978-7782

22-23 PTR Certification Brunswick, ME

207-729-8433

22-23 PTR Certification Chambersburg, PA

717-263-0048

22-23 PTR Certification Philadelphia, PA

215-947-8370

23-24 USPTA Certification Denver, CO

713-978-7782

27-28 USPTA Certification West Orange, NJ

713-978-7782


E V E N T C A L E N D A RA p r i lDate Event Location

Phone Number

1-2 USPTA Certification Freeport, NY

713-978-7782

3-4 PTR Certi fication Ft. Myers, FL

239-561-4170

3-4 PTR Certi fication Seaside, CA831-394-6629

3-4 PTR Certi fication Mt. Pleasant, SC

843-971-7834

3-4 PTR Certi fication Nashvil le, TN

615-361-3242

10-11 PTR Certification Easton, MD

410-822-1515

12-13 USPTA Certification Industry Hills, CA

713-978-7782

17-18 PTR Certification Mount Laurel, NJ

856-234-2990

17-18 USPTA Certification Bonita Springs, FL

713-978-7782

17-18 USPTA Certificcation San Ramon, CA

713-978-7782

17-18 USPTA Certification Indian Wells, CA

713-978-7782

23-24 USPTA Certificcation Tyler, TX

713-978-7782

23-26 USPTA Certification Kansas City, MO

713-978-7782

24-25 PTR Certi fication Tampa, FL

813-991-9741

24-25 PTR Certification Duluth, GA

770-418-9762

24-25 PTR Certification Pittsburgh, PA

412-343-3411

24-25 USPTA Certification Aurora, IL

713-978-778224-25 USPTA Certification Fayetteville, NC

713-978-7782

24-25 USPTA Certification Atlantic Beach, NC

713-978-7782

26-27 USPTA Certification Calabasas, CA

713-978-7782

FOR SALE: Babolat Sensor stringing machine. Like new andincludes $400 badminton kit. Asking: $4800. Contact: Vince

Chiarelli, PTR, MRT, Largo, FL 33774 727/595-7068

FOR SALE: Alpha BLU-DC Plus, new in box. Features: 5-yr.

limited warranty; 360 degree racquet rotation; DDS clamps;

Spring-action levers; Dual action swivel clamping system; 6-

point MSR mounting system; Linear string gripper; Conve-

nient metal tool tray; Height adjustment; Adjustable

level-pads; Reversible crank-handle. Asking: $995 (below

cost!). Contact: Jim Wahl, Roswell, GA 30067 678/762-

1466 or 404/312-1051

FOR SALE: Volkl C-7 Pro, new condition, 4-3/8 grip w/two

sets of grommets, $75; Wilson Prostaff Mid 85 Sampras, 4-

5/8, excellent condition, New Sensation 16g, $85; Prince

Precision Approach Ti S, new, 4-3/8, strung with Prince syn-

thetic gut 16g, $75; Prince More Attack OS, 4-1/4, new,

strung w/Prince synthetic gut 16g, $145; three (3) Prince

Triple Threat Ring supersize, strung w/poly, excellent condi-tion, $35 ea; Graphite Smash 115 tennis racquet, never

string, w/pattern, best offer; two (2) Babolat Pure Drive

Team, used, $75 ea. Also: Wilson Extreme synthetic gut,

16g & 17g, $3/pkg; Wilson Hammerlast, aramid, 16g,

$6/pkg; Wilson Sensation 16g, 17g, 18g, $3.25/pkg; Wilson

NXT Sensation, 17g, $8/pkg; Extreme Control, 16g & 17g,

$4/pkg; one (1) reel Extreme Control, 16g natural, $35; two

(2) reels Wilson Performance Plus, 16g, 1 white & 1 natural,

$30 ea. Contact: James Wahl, Roswell, GA 30067

678/762-1466 Cell: 404/312-1051

WANTED: B- kit for Prince Mach 1000. Contact: Ralph

Flohre, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 757/481-0497 or Email:

[email protected]

WANTED: Grommet set for Pro Kennex Diamond Kinetic15G racquetball racquet. The racquet is blue and black. If

anyone has one, please contact: Bill Bertagnoli, Racine, WI53404 Email: [email protected]

USRSA CLASSI -

USRSA CERTIFICA-

TION LOCATIONS

CALL FOR DATES

Birmingham, AL 205-985-4989

Anchorage, AK 907-244-9810

or 225-767-1379

Scottsdale, AZ 480-483-5560

Mountain View, CA 650-968-8952

Ojai, CA 805-640-2109

San Diego, CA 858-272-9063

Boulder, CO 303-442-1412

Boca Raton, FL 561-997-0881

Clearwater, FL 727-442-7923

Ft. Walton Beach, FL 850-862-2023

Palm Coast, FL 386-446-6360

Winter Park, FL 407-673-9200

Snellville, GA 770-982-8989

Honolulu, HI 808-373-1212

Boise, ID 208-794-6236

or 208-345-4140

Northbrook, IL 847-480-7841

Overland Park, KS 913-491-4116

Ba

200403 Racquet Sports Industry

Documents

Transcript of 200403 Racquet Sports Industry