201206 racquet sports industry

June 2012Volume 40 Number 6 $5.00www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Selling Racquets

Residential CourtAward Winners

Tennis Dresses

Prince Files ForBankruptcy

Selling Racquets

Residential CourtAward Winners

Tennis Dresses

Prince Files ForBankruptcy

HAR TRU

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DEPARTMENTS

R S I J U N E 2 0 1 2

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Prince files for bankruptcy

8 USPTA announces plans to move forward

8 Dan James named ITFWheelchair Coach of Year

8 Four coaches honored by USOC

8 New court constructionmanual available

9 Tennis Show planned for Aug. 24

9 TGA awards 12 youthtennis franchises

9 Register for TennisTeachers Conference

10 Peoplewatch10 ITPA formed to certify

trainers, coaches

11 TennisResortsOnline lists top 100

11 Nominate for USTA Facility Awards

12 Short Sets

4 Our Serve7 Industry News14 Letters to the Editor17 TIA News18 Retailing Tip

20 GSS Symposium22 Finances38 Tips & Techniques40 Ask the Experts42 String Playtest: Ashaway Zyex MonoGut44 Your Serve, by Randy Walker

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

ContentsContentsFEATURES

24 Expecting Miracles Are your customers asking to try poly-ester strings? An MRT lays out thecase for managing, and adjusting,their expectations.

26 RSI Champions of TennisHonor RollWe celebrate 11 years of our Champi-ons of Tennis winners, and look toyour nominations for 2012 honorees.

28 Hitting WinnersThese four stores seem to have founda formula that takes racquet sales tonew heights.

32 Dresses That Break The FallTangerines, pinks, bold blues andgreens are some of the hot colors ofthe year, and they are not lost oncourt couture going into the fall.

34 Lucky ThirteenIt’s hard to beat these award-winningexamples of residential court construc-tion.

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Our Serve(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

PublishersDavid Bone Jeff Williams

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate EditorGreg Raven

Design/Art DirectorKristine Thom

Contributing EditorsRobin BatemanCynthia CantrellJoe DinofferKent OswaldBob Patterson

Cynthia ShermanMary Helen Sprecher

RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCorporate Offices

PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096Phone: 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 DirectorJohn Hanna

770-650-1102, [email protected]

Apparel AdvertisingCynthia Sherman203-263-5243

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times peryear: monthly January through August and combinedissues in September/October and November/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, PO Box 3392,Duluth, GA 30096. Periodcal postage paid atDuluth, GA and at additional mailing offices (USPS#004-354). May 2012, Volume 40, Number 5 ©2012 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rightsreserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logo aretrademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phoneadvertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulationand editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions$25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Sendaddress changes to Racquet Sports Industry, PO Box3392, Duluth, GA 3009.

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

www.racquetsportsindustry.com

The Growing Sports Travel Market

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2012

In April, I had the chance to attend the NASC SportsEvent Symposium, held in Hartford, Conn. The NationalAssociation of Sports Commissions was founded in

1992 and represents more than 550 organizations. Mem-bers include cities, sports commissions, convention & visi-tors bureaus, sports event owners, and vendors andsuppliers to the sports event industry.

The one thing that struck me immediately when I walked into theHartford Convention Center was how upbeat everyone was. The sportstravel industry has been doing well for years, and in fact has been grow-ing even through the economic problems that have plagued everyoneelse. The phrase “recession-proof industry” was knocked around morethan a few times in the NASC exhibit hall and in presentations.

Among the exhibitors at the NASC Symposium were about 25 sportsgoverning bodies, covering everything from cycling to field hockey tosoccer, fencing, bowling, volleyball, football and more, including the U.S.Olympic Committee. Tennis, unfortunately, wasn’t represented, despitethe fact that tennis has competition of all sizes for all levels and ages ofplayers—from kids to students to college players to adults to profession-als—in tournament and event formats that can help CVB’s and sportscommissions bring in players and consumers to their areas.

While the NASC is about sports participation, that’s not the whole story.NASC members know that most of the time, when one family membertravels to play in an event—whether for a day, an overnight, or a week—other family members join in the trip, spending money on food, lodging,sightseeing and more. (In an interesting note, research in the sports travelarea shows that when a girl is traveling to play, more family members willgo on the road with her than if her male sibling were playing.)

And that, I think, may be one of the messages we might be able to useto boost tennis. Many tennis facilities host events that have a huge eco-nomic impact on their areas. Granted, large tennis events require largetennis facilities. But that doesn’t mean your facility, or your public parkcourts, can’t host appropriately sized events, tournaments and campsthat can have a positive economic impact on your business and yourcommunity.

If you haven’t done so already, consider connecting with your localconvention & visitors bureau, chamber of commerce or local sports com-mission to see how you can work together. Sometimes just making thesegroups aware of your facility and that you are willing to host events canget the ball rolling in a way that will benefit everyone. And you might besurprised at the help you may receive.

Peter FrancesconiEditorial Director

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THE NEW F.A.S.T. FULL ACCELERATION SHAFT

TECHNOLOGY

INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSI N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S

R S I J U N E 2 0 1 2

Prince Sports Files for Bankruptcy Protection

Prince Sports Inc. announced on May 1 that it filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 reor-ganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The filing, which includes Prince’s U.S. affiliates,also included a proposed plan of reorganization.

“After considering several business options, the Board of Directors and the senior manage-ment team firmly believe that the Chapter 11 filing is not only a necessary step but also theright thing to do to ensure a secure future for Prince,” said Gordon Boggis, president andCEO of Prince Sports. Prince says it will utilize the Chapter 11 process to develop a morecompetitive business model.The proposed reorganization calls for Prince to be acquired by Authentic Brands Group

LLC, which is now the single holder of Prince’s secured debt of more than $60 million. “Aspart of the bankruptcy process, an affiliate of Authentic Brands Group is expected toacquire 100 percent of the new equity in the reorganized company in exchange for itsdebt,” Prince told RSI.The bankruptcy filing says Prince has a value of $54.2 million. In addition to the debt

held by ABG, there’s another $12 million in debt to vendors and other payables. Accordingto the bankruptcy filing, the tennis unit had $59 million in sales last year, or 83 percent of thecompany’s revenue. Just over half of Prince’s sales come from North America. Prince says sub-sidiaries outside of the U.S. are not subject to the bankruptcy proceedings and are expected tooperate normally. Prince Sports’ portfolio of brands includes Prince (tennis, squash and bad-minton), Ektelon (racquetball) and Viking (platform/paddle tennis).In answer to questions from RSI, Prince Sports says it is continuing to move ahead with product

and distribution. “A formal restructuring will give us the time and resources we need to address ourfinancial challenges while we continue daily operations,” Prince says. “We anticipate continuing toserve all of our customers globally during this process. Retailers can continue to place orders in thesame way that they currently order product. The process remains unchanged.”The company says it “anticipates to continue bringing innovative products to market on a regular

basis. We have several innovative products in the pipeline and we are currently finalizing launchplans.”Authentic Brands Group is a “brand development and licensing company,” according to its web-

site, whose “mandate is to acquire, manage and build long-term value in prominent con-sumer brands.” Current ABG brands include Marilyn Monroe, Bob Marley, Iron Star andTapouT.“We anticipate to emerge from this period

as a more efficient, performance racquetsports brand with a more competitive modelin the market, while eliminating the econom-ic constraints that have prohibited the brandfrom achieving its potential,” Boggis says.Prince has changed hands a few times

over the last decade. Apparel company Ben-netton Group sold Prince in 2003 to Lin-colnshire Management Inc., which then soldit to Nautic Partners LLC in 2007. Over thelast two years, there had been speculation thatPrince was up for sale again.

June 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7www.racquetsportsindustry.com

4 Coaches Honored by USOC

Four members of the tennis community were honored withnational awards as part of the USOC Coaching Recognition

Program.w USTA Lead National Coach Kathy Rinaldi was named the 2011USOC National Coach of the Year for Tennis.

w Vesa Ponkka of Huntingtown, Md., who coaches at the JuniorTennis Champions Center, a USTA Certified Regional TrainingCenter in College Park, Md., was named USOC Developmen-tal Coach of the Year for Tennis.

w Craig Boynton of Tampa, Fla., was named USOC “Doc” Coun-silman Coach of the Year for Tennis for his contributions tothe sport in the areas of training and conditioning.

w USTA National Manager for Wheelchair Tennis Dan James ofOakdale, Minn., was named USOC Paralympic Coach of theYear for Tennis.

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USPTA Announces Plans to Move Forward

The USPTA will form a search committee as it seeks to hire anew executive director, to take over leading the staff of the

teaching pro organization after longtime CEO Tim Hecklerretires at the end of December. In January, Heckler had announced his intent to retire at

year’s end, after serving as CEO for 30 years. At a meeting inHouston April 13-14, the USPTA’s board of directors offeredHeckler a one-year severance package, which was then ratifiedby the USPTA’s executive committee.The organization says a search committee will be formed

and the process to hire a new executive director will start bysummer. The USPTA plans to announce a timeline and applica-tion process soon.“The USPTA is indebted to Tim Heckler for taking USPTA to

the next level, and his 30 years of service as CEO is a demon-stration of his passion, his commitment to the

association, and his endless hard work forhelping and improving the well-being oftennis-teaching professionals,” said USPTAPresident Tom Daglis.When Heckler, a USPTA Master Profes-

sional, was tapped as CEO in 1982, the organ-ization had about 2,400 members and an annual budget of$700,000. Today, the group serves more than 15,000 membersin 66 countries, with a budget of $6.5 million. The USPTA’s equi-ty has grown from $60,000 in 1980 to $4.2 million today.Heckler started his tennis-teaching career in 1970, the same

year he joined the USPTA. He was elected president of theUSPTA Texas Division in 1974 and served as national presidentfrom 1980 to 1982. The USPTA honored Heckler in 2000 bynaming him a grand inductee in the Association’s Hall of Fame.He also received the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s TennisEducational Merit Award in 2002 and was inducted into theTexas Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2008, he received theUSPTA’s highest honor, the George Bacso Lifetime AchievementAward.

Dan James NamedITF WheelchairCoach of Year

Dan James, the USTA man-ager of Wheelchair Tennis

and the U.S. Wheelchair Ten-nis coach, has been namedthe 2011 Wheelchair TennisCoach of the Year by the International Tennis Federation.James will be presented with a trophy during the 2012 BNPParibas World Team Cup in Seoul, Korea.This is James’ second ITF Wheelchair Tennis Coach of

the Year Award, with the first coming in 2007, where heserved as the head coach at the Parapan American Games.“I am truly honored to be recognized with this award

once again by the ITF,” said James. “Without the USTA staff,coaches, and especially our exceptional players, this wouldnot be possible.”This summer, James will serve as the head coach for the

2012 London Paralympic Games. James was the men’shead coach at the Sydney, Australia, Paralympic Games(2000), and head coach at the Athens, Greece (2004) andBeijing, China (2008) Paralympic Games.

New Edition of TennisCourt Construction Manual Available

The seventh edition of “Tennis Courts: AConstruction & Maintenance Manual” is

now available from the Americans SportsBuilders Association and U.S. Tennis Associ-ation. The book is designed for anyoneinvolved in building, maintaining and/or repairing/renovat-ing tennis courts and facilities, and it has been consideredan indispensable guide in the industry.A joint effort of the ASBA and USTA, every two years the

book’s manuscript is reviewed and updated by a Joint Edi-torial Board (JEB) with representatives from both organiza-tions. The JEB for the seventh edition is Mark Brogan ofDevon, Pa.; David Clapp of Knoxville, Tenn.; David LaSotaof Johnstown, Pa.; and Richard Zaino of Orange, Calif. RSIEditorial Director Peter Francesconi worked with the JEBand edited the edition.“For the seventh edition, we’ve made the book much

more user-friendly,” says Clapp, who chaired the JEB. “First,we’ve reorganized the information into a more logicalflow—from conception to construction to completion—andincluded extensive chapters on maintenance and repairand renovation. But also, we’ve broken out information intomany more chapters, and we’ve included ‘tabs’ so userscan quickly and easily find the information they need.”For more information and to obtain a copy of the sev-

enth edition of the “Tennis Courts” construction manual,visit www.sportsbuilders.org.


I N D U S T R Y N E W S

TGA Awards 12 Youth Tennis Franchises

TGA Premier Youth Tennis (TGA) announced that it has 12new youth tennis franchises across the country. TGA part-

nered with the USTA to help introduce tennis to kindergartenthrough eighth-graders.The new franchise territories include Rockland County, NY;

Bergen County, Essex County and Mor-ris County, NJ; Los Angeles, BeachCities, West Valley, Peninsula Valley andPlacer County, CA; West Wake County,NC; Denver, CO; and Hamilton andBoone County, IN. Six additional fran-chises are also scheduled to open in the

next few months.“To be able to launch this new franchise opportunity and

have this many franchises come on board so quickly is a testa-ment to the top-notch program we’ve put together with theUSTA and the successful business model our team has devel-oped at TGA,” said Steve Tanner, chief operating officer of TGA.“We are thrilled to be able to offer another youth based sportsprogram that enriches kids’ lives while creating business own-ership and job opportunities within the industry.”For more information on TGA, visit www.playtga.com.

Three USOS Events Sign Title Sponsors

Three financial institutions have cut sponsorship dealswith tournaments that are part of the US Open Series of

summer events leading up to the US Open.Citigroup is sponsoring the ATP event in Washington,

D.C., and at the same time merging it with the smallerWTA Tour event held in that area, which was already spon-sored by Citi. The Citigroup deal is for five years andreplaces Legg Mason, which sponsored the ATP event for 18years.BB&T announced that it will be the new title sponsor of

the ATP event in Atlanta in July, for the next three years.And Western & Southern is renewing as title sponsor of themen’s and women’s combined tournament in Cincinnati.

Dual Layer Fiber TechnologyHelps Drymax Socks Stay Dry

Drymax says its tennis socks are designed with two differ-ent fiber technologies interwoven to form a dual-layer

sock that keeps feet drier, no matter how much the playersweats.On a molecular level, moisture doesn’t stick to the inner

Drymax fiber terry loops, allowing them to squeegee sweatoff the skin into the outer moisture-attracting fiber layer,says the company, to keep feet dry and comfortable and tohelp prevent blisters. “Drymax socks need no drying time;they dry at the speed of sweat,” says Gus Blythe, founderand president of Drymax Sports.Suggested retail prices are $10 to $12. Visit www.dry-

maxsports.com.

Ashaway Offers UltraKill R-Ball Strings

Ashaway’s UltraKill family of racquetball strings offersplayers a full range of playing characteristics, allowing

them to choose the precise combination of power, durabili-ty and feel that is right for their game, says the company.The strings are available in 16, 17 and 18 gauge thickness-es, and each is built on a specially constructed Zyex poly-mer core engineered to provide specific performancecharacteristics while maintaining tension for longer stringlife. Ashaway says.

Tennis Show Planned for August 24 in New York City

Last August, Hurricane Irene swept up the East Coast and can-celed the inaugural Tennis Show in New York City, just before

the start of the US Open. But the show will go on.The Tennis Show 2012 will

take place on Friday, Aug. 24,from 3 to 9 p.m. on the ballroomlevel at the Grand Hyatt in New

York, the day before the start of the USTA’s popular Tennis Teach-ers Conference (which starts at 9 a.m. the next day).For the one-day Tennis Show, plans call for an exhibitor area

with more than 35 industry exhibitors, along with a demo court.From 6 to 7 p.m. in the same space, the TIA Tennis Forum willtake place and include the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame induc-tion ceremony for Nick Bollettieri. Following the Forum, theexhibitor area will re-open and include a cocktail reception andprize drawings.For information, including the current schedule, visit

www.TennisShow.com. For those interested in exhibiting, call(843) 686-3036 x.223 or email [email protected].

Register for Tennis Teachers Conference

The morning after the Tennis Show, the 42nd Annual USTA Ten-nis Teachers Conference is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the

Grand Hyatt New York. The TTC will run from Saturday, Aug. 25,through Aug. 27 and bring together hundreds of tennis teachers,coaches, tennis advocates and industry partners. World-classspeakers will provide current, cutting-edge educational opportu-nities for all tennis providers. For more information and to regis-ter, visit www.usta.com/ttc.


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• Tennis Hall-of-Famer Gigi Fernandez recently became a certified Profes-sional 1 member of the USPTA. Fernandez, who has 17 Grand Slam titles andtwo Olympic Gold Medals, is the president of the Gigi Fernandez CharitableFoundation and the director of tennis at Chelsea Piers, a 400,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art sports and recreation facility in Stamford, Conn.

• Marikate Murren is the new executive director of the USTA New Englandsection.

• Ken DeHart is the new director of tennis at the Almaden Valley AthleticClub in San Jose. He had been tennis director at San Jose Swim & RacquetClub for 10 years. Joining him will be head pro Manny Fernandez.

• The Jensen brothers will spearhead the tennis program at Sea Islandresort in Georgia. Murphy Jensen will serve as tennis ambassador and LukeJensen as a year-round touring pro.

• Ebix Inc., a supplier of on-demand software and e-commerce services tothe insurance industry, signed a multiyear global deal with tennis star JohnIsner, currently ranked No. 10 in the world, for Isner to be an Ebix brandambassador.

• Longtime tennis advocate Marilyn Fernberger died May 2 in Pennsylva-nia at age 84. She was a volunteer, promoter and 25-year co-chair ofPhiladelphia’s US Pro Indoor Championships. She and her husband, Ed,

donated more than 1,300 items to the International Tennis Hall of FameMuseum.

• Edward La Cava of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Graham Edgar of theUniversity of North Florida have been selected as the 2012 Wilson/ITANational Promoter of the Year Award winners. The award recognizes indi-viduals who promote the game of tennis at the collegiate level. Both stu-dents will receive a paid summer internship at Wilson's headquarters inChicago.

• Polar, the supplier of heart rate training devices, appointed Herb Baer aspresident of Polar USA.

• Tony Larson of Brooklyn Park, Minn., won the men’s open title for thethird year in a row at the USPTA Indoor Championships in April. CalleeConda of Minneapolis won the women’s crown.

• Wilson advisory staff member Jansen Allen won the2012 Intercollegiate Nationals Tournament, takinghome both the singles and doubles titles for CSUPueblo.

• Paola Longoria, age 22, of Mexico, the current No. 1 rankedfemale racquetball player in the world, has signed a long-term contractwith Head Penn.

PEOPLEWATCH

Participation in Outdoor Recreation Reaches Five-Year High

In 2011, participation in outdoor recreation reached afive-year record in the U.S. More than 141 millionAmericans, or 49.4 percent of the U.S. population, par-ticipated in outdoor activities last year, an increase of 3million compared to 2010 and continuing a five-yeartrend.In addition, Americans made a total of 11.6 billion

outdoor outings in 2011, which is 1.5 billion more thanthe previous year. Annually, participants averaged 82outdoor outings – from hiking to biking, skiing to pad-dling. The findings are part of the 2012 Outdoor Recre-ation Participation Topline Report, the leading reporttracking outdoor participation trends in the U.S. pub-lished by The Outdoor Foundation.“This report shows that Americans are getting up and

getting outside—a great trend for the outdoor communi-ty and the country,” said Christine Fanning, executivedirector of The Outdoor Foundation. “We are encouragedby the growing population of active young people, whichreflects recent efforts to re-engage and re-inspire Ameri-ca’s youth to get outdoors.”The research shows increases in youth and young

adult participation, continuing an encouraging, yet mod-est, trend over the last few years. The 2012 Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline

Report is available for free at outdoorfoundation.org.

ITPA Formed to Certify Trainers, Coaches

The new International Tennis Performance Association(www.itpa-tennis.org) has been formed as an education and

certification organization for trainers, coaches and specialistsinvolved in tennis-specific performance enhancement and injuryprevention“Over 100 million people play tennis worldwide and the ITPA

was established to ensure that these players receive the best train-ing from ITPA-certified individuals usingthe latest evidence-based practical infor-mation to improve on-court tennis per-formance while limiting the likelihood ofinjuries,” said Dr. Mark Kovacs (right),ITPA executive director.The ITPA offers three levels of tennis-

specific certification: Tennis Perform-ance Trainer (TPT), Certified TennisPerformance Specialist (CTPS) and Mas-ter Tennis Performance Specialist(MTPS). The educational curriculum is competency based, whichensures individuals who become certified have the knowledge,skills and abilities to effectively train tennis athletes at all levels.“An organization like the ITPA has been needed for many years

in the tennis industry,” said Todd Ellenbecker, founding chair ofthe ITPA Certification Commission. “Training tennis playersrequires specific knowledge about the unique movements anddemands of tennis, which is different to most other sports.”

June 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11



TennisResortsOnlineLists Top 100

TennisResortsOnline.com pub-lished its 2012 list of the Top 100

Tennis Resorts and Camps world-wide on May 1. Issued annually, thiscompilation bases its rankings onthe evaluations of those in the bestposition to assess a tennis property:tennis vacationers themselves.More than 3,000 avid players par-

ticipated in the survey. Taken as awhole, the Top 100 reflects not onlytheir wide-ranging opinions aboutwhat constitutes a great resort butalso the broad diversity of the tennislandscape. For the complete list, visitwww.tennisresortsonline.com.Top 10 Tennis Resorts1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort, SouthCarolina

2. Topnotch Resort and Spa, Vermont3. La Quinta Resort & Club, Califor-nia

4. Wild Dunes Resort, South Carolina5. Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Tirol, Austria6. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hawaii7. Tops’l Beach & Racquet Resort,Florida

8. Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Nevis,West Indies

9. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort& Spa, California

10. Wintergreen Resort, Virginia

Top 10 Tennis Camps1. Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks,Switzerland

2. John Newcombe Tennis Ranch,Texas

3. Saddlebrook Tennis, Florida4. New England Tennis Holidays atSugarbush, Vermont

5. Wintergreen Tennis Academy, Virginia

6. PBI Tennis Camp at Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Tirol, Austria

7. Topnotch Tennis Academy, Vermont8. Cliff Drysdale Tennis School atStratton, Vermont

9. Reed Anderson Tennis School, California

10. Vermont Tennis Vacations, Vermont

Nominate for 2012 USTA Facility Awards

Nomination forms are due June 29 for the 31st Annual USTA Outstanding FacilityAwards program, which recognizes outstanding tennis facilities under the juris-

diction of park & rec departments, educational institutions, nonprofit corporations,and private and/or commercial operation.The USTA’s facility awards program in intended to encourage high standards for

the construction and renovation of tennis facilities. Nominations are evaluated oncriteria such as: quality of court area and surface; quality of the court enclosure andlighting; overall layout; accessories and amenities; evidence of good and green main-tenance; tennis programs that include USTA tournaments and programs, 10 andUnder Tennis programs, and more. Winners receive a wall plaque and large lexansign to mount at their facility and a one-year membership to the USTA. Visitusta.com/facilityawards for more information and to nominate.


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> The 86th Annual National Public Parks Ten-nis Championships will be July 21-29 in Denverat the Gates Tennis Center and Denver CityPark. Competition will include singles and dou-bles events for all categories and NTRP divi-sions for 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5. For moreinformation and to register, visitdenvergov.org/recreation.

> Former Tennis Channel founder and execSteve Bellamy has started Tennisinsiders.com,“a communication tool/platform for peoplewith tennis in their DNA to share ideas,thoughts, best practices and anything else per-tinent and positive to the growth of the sport,”says Bellamy.

> Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will meeton July 14 at Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium in anexhibition event that organizers hope willbreak the record for attendance at a tennisevent. The stadium seats 80,000; the currentrecord for attendance at a single session tennisevent is 35,681 fans who watched an exhibi-tion between Serena Williams and Kim Clijstersin Belgium in July 2010. The event is to raisemoney for the Realmadrid Foundation and theRafa Nadal Foundation.

> The U.S. team swept Ukraine 5-0 in April in

the 2012 Fed Cup Playoffs to get back into theWorld Group for the 2013 competition.

> Construction of the new Montgomery Tennis-Plex (montgomerytennisplex.com) in Boyds, Md.,has begun. The complex, located in the South Ger-mantown Recreational Park, will have eightindoor and four lighted outdoor hard courts andis expected to be open for play in the fall. Theindoor courts will be in two air-conditioned, year-round bubbles. Coach Jack Schore is a principal inthe public-private venture with MontgomeryCounty.

> Kulture has released a DVD of the 2012 Aus-tralian Open men’s final, which featured worldNo.1 Novak Djokovic defeating No. 2 RafaelNadal in a five-set marathon match. Visitwww.kultur.com.

> IMG Academies will host the 2012 Nick Bol-lettieri Discovery Open, June 1-4. This first-year,elite singles-only event will feature 32 of the best11-, 13- and 15-year-old players in the world, witheach boys’ and girls’ age group winner receivingone free week of camp evaluation, and the overalltop player earning the opportunity to receive ayear-long scholarship to attend IMG Academies.

> Dunlop was the official ball for the U.S. vs.

France Davis Cup tie in April, held at theMonte Carlo Country Club, and for the Fam-ily Circle Cup, played in Charleston, S.C.

> The USTA will host its annual open cast-ing call on June 19 at Harlem’s worldfamous Apollo Theater in New York City toselect children age 12 and under to performat the 2012 US Open. Winners will perform“America the Beautiful” live in Arthur AsheStadium during night sessions. The audi-tions, in front of a panel of judges from themusic and entertainment industries, are freeof charge.

> The USTA has entered a three-yearagreement with CommerceTel to facilitatetext messaging tactics such as voting, alerts,special offers, and in-venue activations.

> The University of California–Berkeleydefeated the University of Virginia, 25-23, tocapture the 2012 USTA Tennis On CampusNational Championship title in April. Sixty-four teams competed for the title.

> Sunglasses maker Maui Jim has namedtwo new “tennis ambassadors”: 30-year-oldSpanish veteran player David Ferrer and 18-year-old British pro Oliver Golding.

SHORT SETS

Blue Clay at Pro Event in Madrid Draws Mixed Reactions From Players and Fans

The blue-colored clay courts at the Mutua Madrid Open in Maywas the source of much chatter recently. The tournament, a

combined ATP and WTA tour event that is a tune-up to the FrenchOpen, had used red clay since 2009. But tournament owner IonTiriac said switching the color of the clay to blue improves thevisibility of the ball, for both players and spectators—and impor-tantly, improves how the yellow ball shows up on television.Reaction to the blue clay was mixed, by both players and

spectators. However, there is plenty of scientific evidence to sup-port the fact that a yellow ball does show up better against a bluebackground than a red one. To make the blue clay, traditional redclay goes through a process that introduces a blue dye. Using blue as a court color is not new—when the US Open

changed its courts to blue, that became the dominant court colorin the U.S., and now, in fact, the vast majority of ATP hard-courtevents take place on blue courts.Will blue clay courts catch on? Tennis is steeped in tradition,

and change doesn’t come quickly. Chances are Roland Garroswill never switch from red clay, but who knows, we may see blueclay courts popping up here and there, as players realize thereactually is a benefit to seeing the ball better. Mutua Madrid Open



13 Sections to Hold US Open National Playoff Events

There is still time to register for sec-tional qualifying tournaments for

the US Open National Playoffs.In January, the USTA announced

today the return of the Playoffs forthe third year. The event includesboth men’s and women’s singles andmixed doubles and provides anopportunity for all players 14 years ofage and older to earn a berth into theUS Open. The US Open National Play-offs men’s and women’s singleschampions earn a wild card into theUS Open Qualifying Tournament,held the week prior to the US Open.The US Open National Playoffs mixeddoubles champions receive a maindraw wild card into the 2012 USOpen.The Playoffs begin as a series of

sectional qualifying tournaments andwill be held in 13 USTA Sections. Theentry deadline for the last sectionalqualifying tournament, Southern, isJune 18. The 13 men’s, women’s and

mixed doubles champions from eachsectional qualifying tournament willadvance to the US Open NationalPlayoffs, which will be held in con-junction with the New Haven Open atYale in August. For information andschedules visit USOpen.org/Nation-alPlayoffs.

HJTEP Celebrates 40 Years

The Harlem Junior Tennis & EducationProgram (HJTEP) celebrated its 40th

anniversary in May with an all-star line-up at an event held at the USTA BillieJean King National Tennis Center inNew York. The daylong event featureda celebrity pro-am with stars thatincluded tennis players Mary Joe Fer-nandez, Zina Garrison, Gigi Fernandez,Chanda Rubin, James Blake, ThomasBlake and Patrick McEnroe, along withGeorge Martin of the New York Giantsand former NBA stars Allan Houstonand John Starks of the New YorkKnicks. Katrina Adams is the executivedirector of HJTEP.


LettersLet Them PlayI must strongly disagree withAngela Buxton’s Your Serve in theApril issue (“Too Much of a GoodThing?”). I believe today's protennis players are very aware ofthe fitness level required to com-pete in their sport and know theirown limits. I would not want todeprive the competitors or thefans of such a rare and beautifulextended battle of wills when theskill sets of the players match soclosely to one another. Ms.Buxton’s fear for the tennis play-er's safety is unwarranted. I useas an example the Ironmantriathlon with its 2.4-mile swim,112 miles on a bike, and 26.2-milerun, all completed without achangeover or stop in a little over8 hours by the best in the world.Certainly the Ironman is muchmore demanding on the bodythan tennis.

Yes, tennis is taxing on yourbody and requires amazing coor-dination and skill. But it’s a non-contact sport in which you playyour game in a controlled envi-ronment, have breaks every twogames and can call a trainer ifneed be. In tennis, the player istruly the master of their own des-tiny. Let them play—for as long asthey want, or as long as they can.

I will also say that a large partof the beauty of the sport is itsunpredictability as far as thelength of match and who mightwin. Why take anything awayfrom the sport, or prevent espe-cially rare and special momentsfor the sake of not inconvenienc-ing the networks? What a crimethat would be.

Anyone who knows tennisunderstands what they are get-ting into when the match starts. Itcould be short and sweet or along, tough battle. Tennis wasnever intended to be played inthe allotted time, it is to beplayed until the match is over…especially at the highest level ofcompetition in the sport.

Steve Worthingtonoi

Helpful Sales RepsI like for my sales reps to initiate the contactbetween us. My two main reps are tennis playersat a high level and know the game. They are activeat state meetings and keep up with junior playersand programs. I think one of the biggest problemsis that many reps cover a vast territory and do nothave time to have much face to face contact withshops that are not in their immediate home area.

In tennis, reps also have to be careful howthey handle each account because of the fiercecompetition between shops and clubs that allservice the same clients and prospects. I haveheard of clubs that actually try to keep the repsfrom opening new accounts in their vicinity, andthis can put the reps in a bad position.

But in my area, shops do try to support eachother by sending customers to other shops whenwe may not have the merchandise the customersneed in stock. Tennis shops’ main concern is tokeep customers from purchasing online. This iswhy it is important to be able to get merchandiserapidly from the companies our reps represent.Many times small shops who cannot pre-bookoften find the manufacturers out when they tryto order items as they sell them. Oftentimes thereps can help with this problem, and in fact minehave. Bill Oliver

Top-Selling Tennis Stringsat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date units, By year-to-date units, January-March 20121. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex2. Wilson NXT3. Babolat RPM Blast4. Wilson Sensation5. Prince Lightning XX

Top-Selling Racquets at Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars, Jan-Mar 2012Best Sellers1. Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT (MP)2. Babolat Pure Drive GT 2012 (MP)3. Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP)4. Wilson BLX Juice (MP)5. Babolat Pure Drive Lite 2012 (MP)

“Hot New Racquets” (introduced in the past 12 months)1. Babolat Pure Drive GT 2012 (MP)2. Wilson BLX Juice (MP)3. Babolat Pure Drive Lite 2012 (MP)4. Wilson BLX Pro Staff 6.1 90 (MS)5. Wilson BLX Pro Staff 6.1 95 (MS)

Tennis Racquet PerformanceSpecialty StoresJanuary-March, 2012 vs. 2011Units 2012 138,764 2011 121,297 % change v. ’11 14%Dollars 2012 $19,477,000 2011 $17,462,000 % change v. ’11 12%Price 2012 $140.36 2011 $143.96 % change v. ’11 -3%

Top-Selling Tennis Shoes at Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars, By year-to-date dollars, Jan-Mar 20121. Prince T222. Adidas Barricade 6.03. Nike Air Breathe 2K114. Babolat Propulse 35. Nike Air Breathe Free 2

(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)

Hard-Working Sales RepsI've been fortunate to work for some of the bestracquet companies in the industry, and now I’malso fortunate to have a dedicated and loyaldealer base in the Mid-Atlantic. I've worked withsome of the very best teaching professionals intennis, squash, platform tennis, and racquetball.Recently, I completed certification for PTR toteach adults and children. And I've been able toforge excellent relationships with USTA Maryland,USTA Virginia and the Baltimore Tennis Patrons.

In response to Peter Francesconi’s “Our Serve” inthe May issue about demanding more from yoursales reps, I've tried to attend as many trade shows,events, promotions, and other tennis-related activi-ties as could be accommodated. Could I have donemore? Maybe, but I did the best I could to balancework, family, company and personal responsibilities.

I do know that I've been blessed to havespent the past 30 years working in a vibrant,stimulating, yet family-style industry. I like tothink that everyone—dealers, teaching pros,USTA competitors, etc.—consider me a friend and ally.

Tom Holmes

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TI-lE TENNIS Friday, Aug. 24 Grand Hyatt New York

I ........._ 3-9 p.m.

Mark your calendars now for the 'Tennis Show 2012: Celebrating the Sport of Opportunity," which will take place on Friday, Aug. 24, on the ballroom level at the Grand Hyatt in New York City.

This one-day celebration of tennis will run from 3 to 9 p.m. and will include the Tennis Forum and the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Nick Bollettieri, in addition to an exhibitor area with more than 35 industry exhibitors and a demo court, allowing attendees to try out products. The Tennis Show, which is free to industry attendees, will be followed the next morning by the opening session of the 42nd Annual USTA Tennis Teachers Conference.

The Tennis Show industry exhibitor area will be open from 3 to 6 p.m., then will close from 6 to 7 p.m. for the TIA Tennis Forum, held in the same area. The Forum will include an update from the TIA on the state of the industry, then Bollettieri , who was named the next inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame last year, will be formally honored. Following the Forum, the Tennis Show will re-open and include a cocktail reception and prize drawings.

The Tennis Show will offer a prime networking opportunity for all involved in the tennis industry. The exhibitors include manufacturers, businesses and organizations, showcasing their latest products and services. (Exhibitor space is limited; for information, visit TennisShow.com, call (843) 686-3036 x.223 or email [email protected].)

For more information, including the current schedule, visit TennisShow.com.

New 'Industry Dashboard' Shows Positive 01 Shipments

The TIA's home page at Tennislndustry.org now has an "Industry Dashboard" link that shows quarterly numbers for wholesale racquet, ball, transition ball and string shipments in both units and dollars. The Dashboard currently has first-quarter figures, and will be updated when 02 numbers are announced in July.

Also included in the

Industry Dashboard

Wholesale Racket Shipments t--

Wholesale Ball Shipments

Wholesale Transition Ball Shipments

Wholesale String Shipments

•• percentages reflect percent change comparable to same period 2011

1st Quarter 1st Quarter 2012 Units 2012 Dollars

0.98 Million (+ 1 %) +1 5%

I 34.8 Million (+ 12.3%) +15.7%

1 1.15 Million (+54.6%) +57.3%

1.1 Million (-3.0%) +0.7%

Industry Dashboard is a "2011 By the Numbers" section that shows the current total "economic value" of the industry, participation numbers, number of tennis facilities in the TIA's database, and more.

Tennis Industry Hall of Fame Inductee: Nick Bol Tennis coaching legend Nick Bollettieri will be the newest inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame, which recognizes those individuals who have made a significant impact on tennis. Bollettieri will be honored at the 4th Annual Tennis Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which will take place during the TIA Forum, part of The Tennis Show, on Aug. 24 at the Grand Hyatt New York. The TIA invites anyone in the tennis industry to attend; visit TennisShow.com for more details.

Previous inductees are Howard Head (2008), Dennis Van der Meer (2008), Alan Schwartz (2009), and Billie Jean King (201 0). Plaques of Tennis Industry Hall of Fame inductees are on permanent display at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.

State of the Industry The annual State of the Industry is an analysis of the more than 70+ reports produced each year by the TIA. The 16-page State of the Industry for 2011 narrates the story of the tennis industry from the past

Til ITITE IF TIE IIIIITU

year by focusing on four key segments-the economy and tennis, tennis supply, tennis demand, and media & pro events. TIA industry-level members and above have access to the report. For information, or to obtain a copy, contact the TIA at [email protected].

June 2 012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY

-TP...


Retailing 111

This is part of a series ofretail tips presented bythe Tennis IndustryAssociation and writtenby the Gluskin Townley

Group (www.gluskintownleygroup.com).

event in your area, including local clubchampionships, park and rec tourneys,district or sectional USTA events—anytime people will be gathering in yourarea to play tennis, your store may beable to play a role or have a tie-in tothat event.

Many specialty tennis retailersalready play tournament videos in theirstores, or have a flat screen TV tuned tothe Tennis Channel or other coverage ofpro events so customers can stop andwatch. Remember, the longer a cus-tomer is in your store, the more likelythey are to buy. And you can enhanceyour special event store promotion within-store signs and staff reference.

Local marketing is fast becoming themost important form of marketing forall specialty sports retailers, and con-tacting your local park and rec depart-ment about sponsoring theirtournaments and bringing in supportfrom your sales reps and suppliersshould be high on your list of specialevents store promotions.

Additional local special events toinclude in your planning are demo daysat your store involving a sales repdemonstrating one brand’s products, aswell as bigger off-site “demo” events.With a little advance planning you canpartner with a local tennis facility tosponsor or co-sponsor a weekend orevening special event with reps from anumber of brand’s and their products.Include one or more teaching pros toprovide clinics. Or, do a separate set ofspecial events built around partneringwith teaching pros in your local market.With all your local special events, usecoupons or invitations that consumershave to bring with them for entry tomeasure response and ROI.

Promotions geared to special eventscan move your store toward becomingthe place to shop for tennis, and estab-lish you as the primary supporter oftennis in your community.

Coming Up:The impact of technology on con-sumers. w

involved early to assist with the eventsthat they already sponsor or are commit-ted to. By “assist,” we mean the repbeing at your tie-in special event promo-tion, and arranging special pricing orother financial support.

Next, decide which special events inyour local market space your store willproduce and sponsor or otherwise partici-pate in during the coming year—and bud-get and plan accordingly. Your sales repsand suppliers need to be involved withand help you support these sponsoredevents as well.

Tie-In LocallyTournaments often are favorite times forretail stores to stage special promotionalevents. You can actually use any type oftournament as a promotional platform foryour store. Grand Slam events, such asWimbledon or the US Open, are greattimes to promote tennis locally, via yourstore, as the tournament is being promot-ed nationally and internationally. (Seesample Grand Slam sale “coupon.”) Also,many pro players wear new outfits forthese events; if you are able to stockthem, make sure you promote their avail-ability.

(And don’t forget, as a tennis retailer,you’re an expert in this field. Make itknown to local media that you’re availablefor interviews about pro players, playingstyles, tennis equipment, etc.—it will givea local flavor to national or internationalstories, while promoting your store.)

But don’t just stop at the Grand Slamtournaments. You should tie-in with any

uilding retail store sales promo-tions around special events, suchas product demonstrations, local

tennis events, and national or interna-tional tournaments, are opportunitiesfor specialty tennis retailers to createsynergy and to make the combinedmarketing effort greater for the retailerthan the cost—resulting in a higherreturn on your investment.

Special events marketing falls intotwo categories. 1) “Tie-ins” are whenyou and your store get involved insomeone else’s event, so you ride thewave and take advantage of the localexposure and visibility to benefit yourstore. 2) Sponsored events are whenyour store produces or co-producespromotional events.

Both types are store sales promo-tions, and their objective is to bringcustomers into your store while pro-moting your retail business in yourlocal market. You need to determinewhich special events work best foryour store, and what your ROI is.Accordingly, employ the full range ofdirect response tools, which we wroteabout in the May issue of RSI (“Retail-ing 110: Direct Appeal”) and whichyou can find online at www.tennisin-dustrynews.org.

The first step is to look ahead atyour year and pick the special eventsyou would like to tie your store into.Get these events on your planning cal-endar and into your financial plan forthe coming year. Then get your manu-facturers’ sales reps and suppliers

B

Special Effects Store promotions around special events canbring a nice return on your investment.


Your Tennis StoreGrand Slam SALE: During the US Open Aug. 27 – Sep. 9, 2012Bring this coupon with you to receive….25% off when you spend $150 or more on non-sale tennis merchandise20% off when you spend $100 to $150 on non-sale tennis merchandise15% off when you spend $50 to $100 on non-sale tennis merchandiseSale items receive an additional 10% off.


Racquet Tech

sium provides learning opportunities forbeginners all the way up to pro tourna-ment stringers.”

Seminars cover the craft of racquetservice and also focus on aspects of theretail side of the business, including mar-keting, customer service, and even takinga home-based business and converting itto a brick-and-mortar shop. There arealso classes on stringing natural gut, theaesthetics of stringing, machine repairand maintenance, and using social mediato promote business. USRSA certificationtesting is offered at the end of the train-ing, complemented by a three-hourreview of the test material prior to theexam.

For those interested in becoming atour-level racquet technician, you can testyour skills in the Wilson tour simulationstringing room. Rocchi leads the Wilsonstringing team that services players at theUS Open and Australian Open. At the2012 event he’ll present a seminar thatwill let the participants see if they havewhat it takes to be a member of a world-class professional stringing team.

Rocchi and Wilson have been onboard with the GSS Symposium since thebeginning. “For me it’s extremely gratify-ing when I can be a part of this eventand work with stringers of all ability lev-els and share some things,” he says.“Stringers who participate go back homeand they use what they learn at the sym-posium. Then when you see them thenext year they make comments like, ‘I’vebeen using that technique ever since youshowed it to me last year and it’s reallyhelped.’ It’s a very tangible way to knowthat you’ve helped someone become abetter stringer.” Other corporate sponsorshave included Alpha Racquet Sports,Babolat, the USRSA, Gamma, Prince andHead.

For the 6th Annual GSS Symposium atSaddlebrook, Sept. 22-26, new classesand new seminar leaders have beenadded. For information, visit www.grand-slamstringers.com or contact Strawn at540-632-1148 [email protected]. w

The event is also a networkingopportunity. “We’ve had techniciansattend from Brazil, South Korea, Canadaand Puerto Rico,” says Strawn.

“For stringers who may be a bit iso-lated and want some help, and evenstringers in the mainstream who wantto share ideas, you can go to this eventand get it all,” Rocchi says. “The sympo-

he GSS Symposium debuted in2007, aimed at those who work inthe racquet service side of the

business. The event was created byUSRSA member and Master RacquetTechnician Tim Strawn, who asked him-self a simple question: Why aren’t rac-quet technicians gathering under oneroof once a year to train, network andshare ideas?

Strawn contacted fellow racquet tech-nicians and potential sponsors and askedthem the same question, and they wereinterested. “There’s really no other eventlike this that I know of for stringers,”says Ron Rocchi, global tour equipmentmanager for Wilson. “There seems to bea gap to connect with other stringers in agroup setting. You can get informationonline, but where can you physically goto interact, share ideas, and meet newpeople with like interests? To me, this isthe only event geared toward that.”

The symposium started in Texas,moved to Orlando in 2008, then to Sad-dlebrook Resort in Tampa in 2011. “Sad-dlebrook was a huge success for us.We’re tennis people and the group reallyneeded to get in some serious tennistime,” Strawn says. “Saddlebrook was aperfect fit, with over 40 courts includingall four Grand Slam surfaces.”

What happens at a GSS Symposium?For starters, it gets participants involvedin physically doing what they’ve justlearned. “Everyone who comes awayfrom it is impressed with the amount ofinformation,” Rocchi says. “It’s veryhands-on and there’s a lot of interactionbetween the seminar leaders and partici-pants.”

Strawn believes it’s the hands-onaspect that keeps people coming back.“After I talked to Tim I decided to go tomy first GSS Symposium,” says LarryHackney, a racquet technician from Ten-nezSport in Union City, N.J., “There’sjust no comparison when it comes tohaving the opportunity to work withworld-class technicians in a one-on-oneenvironment. I have attended every yearsince.”

TGSS Symposium Celebrates 6th Year



Finances

of a part or component. An increase invalue is only one of many factors thatmust be considered to determinedeductibility or capitalization.

Changes in the RulesThe new regulations are the IRS’s thirdattempt to provide comprehensive guid-ance under the repair or capitalize rules.They attempt to answer such questions ashow to treat environmental remediationexpenses and how to treat rotatable spareparts used in repairs. One significant rulechange allows a tennis business to deductretirement losses for building compo-nents.

If, for example, you replace the roof onyour shop or tennis facility and dispose ofthe old roof, you now have the option oftaking a retirement loss for the old roof.Of course, the replacement must be capi-talized, but at least taking a retirementloss can be claimed.

Another change involves the “de min-imis” expensing rule, a rule that allows atennis business to expense or write-off theacquisition cost of property on its booksfor financial reporting purposes. Thisimmediate write-off is available to a tennisshop or facility with a written policy inplace to do that, but only up to a thresholdor ceiling. The new regulations alsoinclude more types of materials and sup-plies among those now eligible for the deminimis expensing rule.

Materials and supplies may now becurrently deducted as an expense if theyare acquired to maintain, repair orimprove business property owned, leased,or serviced by the tennis business, consistof fuel, lubricants, water and similar itemsthat are reasonably expected to be con-sumed within 12 months, with an eco-nomic useful life of less than 12 monthsor costing less than $100.

Under an elective “de minimis” rule,amounts (other than inventory or land)along with amounts paid for any materials

restore its value or use, substantiallyprolong its useful life, or adapt it to anew or different use.

Repair/Replace BasicsThe basic tax rule hasn’t changed thatmuch: Expenditures are currently taxdeductible as a repair expense if theyare incidental in nature, and neithermaterially add to the value of the prop-erty, nor appreciably prolong its usefullife. Expenditures are also currentlydeductible if they are for materials andsupplies consumed during the year.

Similarly the cost of incidentalrepairs is typically deductible. The regu-lations state that the cost of incidentalrepairs that neither materially add to thevalue of the property, nor appreciablyprolong its life, but keep it in an ordinar-ily efficient condition, may be deductedas an expense.

Quite frequently, new additions aremade to already existing property.These additions are not replacementcomponents nor are they repairs, butare instead newly installed components,so they must be capitalized.

At other times, replacement parts orcomponents are added to business prop-erty. For example, a car’s engine isworn out and replaced. This replace-ment returns the car back to its condi-tion prior to the deterioration of thepart. It would be logical to consider thisreplacement as an increase in the car’svalue requiring capitalization. But it alsowould make sense to say that by return-ing the car back to its prior condition, ithad been repaired. Under this theory, allrepairs would be deductible, no matterhow substantial they might be.

This example makes any distinctionbetween a deductible business expenseand a capital expenditure meaningless.Thus, it is often insufficient to merelylook at increased value as the determingfactor for characterizing the replacement

n an effort to resolve the controversyover whether certain expendituresmade by a tennis business are cur-

rently deductible as repair expenses, orwhether they must be capitalized anddeducted over the life of the underlyingbusiness asset, the Internal RevenueService has finally released new regula-tions. These expanded regulations canhave a significant impact on every ten-nis shop, facility, manufacturer, courtbuilder or teaching pro that acquires,produces, or improves its tangible property.

In addition to clarifying and expand-ing the current rules, the new regula-tions create tests for applying the repairor capitalize standards, provides guid-ance for accounting for—and disposingof—repaired property, as well as clarify-ing other aspects of the repair/capitalizedilemma.

Since the Reconstruction Era IncomeTax Act of 1870, taxpayers have beenprohibited from deducting amountspaid for new buildings, permanentimprovements, or betterments made toincrease the value of property. Whilethis concept has been recognized aspart of tax law almost from its incep-tion, exactly what must be capitalizedand what may be currently deducted asan expense has been at issue eversince.

According to the IRS, expendituresare currently deductible as a repairexpense if they are incidental in natureand neither materially add to the valueof the property nor appreciably prolongits useful life. Expenditures are also cur-rently deductible if they are for materi-als and supplies consumed during theyear.

On the other hand, expenses mustbe capitalized and written-off over anumber of years if they are for perma-nent improvements or betterments thatincrease the value of the property,

I

Capitalize vs. DeductWhen it comes to repairing or replacing business assets,should you write it off over time or deduct the expense?

www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Mark E. Battersby is a tax advisor and free-lance writer in Ardmore, Pa., who has spe-cialized in tax and finance topics for morethan 25 years.

and supplies don’t have to be capitalized.That is, the amounts do not have to becapitalized if the operation has an applic-able financial statement (AFS), or a certi-fied audited financial statement, writtenaccounting procedures in place for treat-ing the amounts as expenses on its AFSand if the amounts paid and not capital-ized are either less than 0.1% of grossreceipts or 2% of the total depreciationexpense as determined in its AFS.

Leased and Rented PropertyThe temporary regulations retain a ruleallowing your business to amortize andwrite-off the costs of acquiring a lease-hold over the term of the lease and makeonly minor revisions to the rules fortreating the cost of erecting a building ormaking a permanent improvement toproperty leased by the operation if it is acapital expenditure and is not deductibleas a business expense. The temporaryregulations do, however, require a lesseeor lessor to depreciate or amortize itsleasehold improvements under the costrecovery provisions without regard to theterm of the lease. Removed under the

new regulations are the rules permittingamortization over the shorter of the esti-mated useful life or the term of the lease.

A safe harbor has been created forroutine maintenance on property otherthan buildings. Routine maintenanceincludes the inspection, cleaning, andtesting of the unit of property andreplacement of parts of the unit of prop-erty with comparable and commerciallyavailable and reasonable replacementparts. To be considered routine mainte-nance, you have to expect to performthese services more than once.

The new temporary regulations aregenerally effective for amounts paid orincurred in tax years beginning after2011. The new rules generally requirecapitalization rather than deduction inclose situations. For example, previousrules treated buildings as a single “unit ofproperty” so that replacement of a struc-tural component such as a roof was not a“substantial” modification and thus couldbe deducted. Under the new rules, how-ever, primary components of a buildingstructure or a specifically defined buildingsystem (such as HVAC, plumbing, electri-cal, etc.) must be treated separately, so

that replacement of those componentsmust be capitalized.

But some changes are business-friend-ly. For example, if the cost of animprovement is capitalized, it must bedepreciated as a new asset and recov-ered over the life of the improved proper-ty. The old rules did not permit a tennisbusiness to recognize losses upon theretirement of the old property followingan improvement, which resulted insimultaneously depreciating multiple por-tions of the same property. The new reg-ulations address this problem byexpanding the definition of a dispositionto include retirements of structural com-ponents of a building.

It’s never too late to look at whatyou’re doing for repair and maintenancecosts for your tennis business. But thesheer volume of the new 255-page regu-lations on deduction vs. capitalization oftangible property costs makes profession-al assistance a necessity. w

June 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com


T H E S T R I N G E R ’ S F I L E


EXPECTINGMIRACLESEXPECTINGMIRACLES

B Y T I M S T R A W N

Are your customers asking to try polyester strings?A Master Racquet Technician lays out the case formanaging, and adjusting, their expectations.

Iknow you’ve heard it—and so have your customers. You’rewatching a match on television and the announcer talksabout the new super strings the pros are using. They boast

about that tremendous “up and down” effect they have on theball and how they’re changing the game. But are they? Have youtried them? Did they work the same magic for you—or for yourplayers? Chances are, most consumers who may have gone to their

local racquet technician and asked for the new “miracle” stringsprobably were somewhat surprised at the results they had withthem. I’ll bet it wasn’t quite what they were expecting.Yes, touring pros get enhanced spin and power with these

strings. And so recreational players may think if they use them,too, the strings can produce the same result. Well, not exactly.These “new” strings are co-polymer or polyester, as they’re

most often referred to. The name most thrown about these daysis Luxilon, so I’ll use that as my example. What makes thesestrings perform the way they do? First, a few basics, then we’llgo from there:w Elongation is the string’s ability to stretch.w Elasticity is the string’s ability to recover to its original stateafter stretching.

w Strings absorb energy from the impact of the ball and store it.

w Strings return that energy to the ball when they recover.w Natural gut stretches and recovers naturally, as designed bynature. Tests have shown that natural gut will stretch morebetween the tension range of 60 to 70 pounds than nylon (asHoward Brody, et.al., wrote about in “Tennis Science for Ten-nis Players”).

w Natural gut has remarkable recovery (elasticity). It will returnto its original state for a much longer period of time thannylon.

w Common synthetic strings stretch, but after hours of play, theylose their elasticity (ability to recover).

w Strings on their own do not produce topspin. That “up anddown” effect on the ball comes primarily from two things: 1)an effective low-to-high motion with the racquet, and 2) rac-quet-head speed. Without these two elements you can forgetabout hitting topspin forehands and slice backhands.Luxilon is a relatively stiff string with a very unique coating.

The coating actually allows the string to move or “slide” atimpact and when the string recovers (slides back into place), itcan increase the amount of spin on the ball. Just how much isnot known, but there is some residual effect from this movement. Because these strings are much stiffer than typical synthet-

June 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

ics, the player can take a much biggerswing at the ball (reduced elongation= less energy stored in the ball). Thatbigger swing equates to faster racquet-head speed, and when coupled with anenhanced low-to-high motion, thatadditional momentum is what bringsthe ball down into the court when youthink it’s going to be 3 feet out. This isone reason why you see fewer andfewer players using a racquet strungwith all natural gut—they store toomuch energy, and with today’s biggame, the string is harder to control.We do, however, still see it in manyhybrid configurations.But here’s the real difference and

what often gets left out of the conver-sation: 1. Average club players do not gen-

erate the same racquet-head speed asRoger Federer or Rafael Nadal, so theirresults will not be as pronounced. 2. Also, the average recreational

player strings once or twice a year. Ina tournament situation, the typical pro-fessional strings before each practiceand before each match. That’s a hugedifference in how long the string is inuse. How many club players do youknow who are going to pay $35 for aset of good Luxilon and then cut it outin two days? It’s just not going to hap-pen.3. The third point is probably one of

the most important. Many players aresimply stringing poly way too tight.When you have a string with limitedelongation and you string it up tight,you’re going to kill whatever elonga-tion properties that string had to beginwith. This is where club players getinto trouble. They think that becausethey were stringing at 64 pounds whenthey were using softer synthetic gut,they can still string at 64 with poly.They’re told that the string has excep-tional durability, and this is correct.However, because it doesn’t break asquickly as their old synthetic gut, theystring it up at 64 and leave it in the rac-quet far too long. We’re talking monthshere. Remember this stuff is notcheap. It’s really important to under-stand this pro/club player comparison.So just how should recreational

players figure out what tension theyshould use if they’re going to try thenew string, and how long should they

USRSA Master Racquet Technician and tour stringer Tim Strawn owns and operateswww.grandslamstringers.com and www.gssalliance.com and is the founder andowner of the GSS Symposium, an annual global training event for racquet techni-cians. His tour stringing experience includes working for the Bow Brand team atWimbledon and the Wilson team at the US Open and Sony Ericsson in Key Biscayne.Contact him at [email protected].

leave it in the racquet before restringing?Recreational players need to work

with a trained racquet technician whounderstands what’s really going on.Choosing a starting point that is 20pounds less than what the rec player usedwith his old string might be the right wayto go. Yes, you heard that right—20

pounds less, then experiment from there.Keep accurate records so you have a base-line from which to work and a timeline forrestringing. The “new” strings can work for or

against recreational players. To best servicethem, you need to arm yourself with thefacts. w


Person of the Year2011: Pat Freebody2010: Jon Muir2009: Eric Babolat2008: Dave Haggerty2007: George Napier2006: Kirk Anderson2005: Max Brownlee2004: Arlen Kantarian2003: Jim Baugh &

Kurt Kamperman2002: Alan Schwartz

Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year2011: All About Tennis2010: NYC Racquet Sports2009: Tennis Express2008: Tennis & Golf Co.2007: Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop2006: Swetka’s Tennis Shop2005: Racquet World2004: Players Choice Tennis2003: Advantage Yours2002: Chicago Tennis & Golf2001: Dale Queen

Park & RecreationAgency of the Year2011: Tualatin Hills Park & Rec

District

Private Facility of the Year2011: Western Racquet Club2010: The Polo Club2009: Reynolds Plantation2008: Boar’s Head Sports Club2007: Meadow Creek Tennis

& Fitness

2006: Midtown Tennis Center2005: Brookhaven Country Club2004: Indian Creek Racquet Club2003: New Albany Country Club2002: Woodfield Country Club

Municipal Facility of the Year2011: Roger Scott Tennis Club2010: Copeland-Cox T.C.2009: Reffkin Tennis Center2008: Surprise Tennis &

Racquet Complex2007: Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis &

Education2006: Cary Tennis Park2005: John Drew Smith T.C.2004: Lexington County T.C.2003: Midland Community T.C.2002: Cooper Tennis Complex2001: George E. Barnes T.C.

Builder of the Year2011: Leslie Coatings Inc.2010: Pro-Sport Construction2009: DeRosa Tennis Contractors2008: Boston Tennis Court Constr.2007: Sportsline Inc.2006: Courtsmiths2005: Fast-Dry Companies2004: Zaino Tennis Court2003: General Acrylics2002: Cape & Island Tennis and

Track2001: Welch Tennis Courts

Sales Rep ofthe Year2011: Lee Sponaugle2010: Rick Walsh

2009: Tracy Lynch2008: Jim Haneklau 2007: Hunter Hines 2006: Jim Willwerth 2005: Kay Barney 2004: Dustin Perry2003: Bob Strimel2002: Bob Pfaender2001: Sheri Norris & David Blakeley

Grassroots Champion of the Year2011: Brenda Gilmore2010: Robert Pangrazi2009: Lisa Stone &

Susan Chambers2008: Sue Jollensten2007: Dan Vonk2006: Beverly Bourguet2005: Shirley Ruane2004: Gwen & Dan Ramras2003: Scott Biron2002: Mark Platt2001: Donna Owens

10 and Under TennisFacility Developer ofthe Year2011: Hinding Tennis

Junior Tennis Champion of the Year2011: Jeff Rothstein2010: Butch Staples &

Leah Friedman2009: Dan Faber2008: Chuck Kuhle2007: Craig Jones2006: Bwana Chakar Simba2005: Wayne St. Peter

RSI Champions of T

Our January 2012 issue marked the 11th year thatRSI has named its Champions of Tennis winners.As we start the process for picking this year’s

Champions of Tennis, we’d like to recognize all of those win-ners—people, businesses, organizations—that have helpedto make a difference in tennis, and the business of tennis.

One of the striking things about this impressive list is how

many of these Champions of Tennis are still at it, still dedi-cated to making this sport the best it can be, to bringing innew participants, to supplying players with equipment andplaces to play, and to making tennis businesses grow. Youcan also see how interdependent all of us are in this indus-try—none of these winners accomplished their goals all bythemselves. w

RSI Champions of T

f Tennis Honor Roll

2004: Emma Hubbs2003: Phyllis Greene2002: LaMont Bryant2001: Ned Eames

Wheelchair Tennis Champion of the Year2011: Jeremiah Yolkut2010: Harlon Matthews2009: Dean Oba2008: Michael Mercier2007: Jason Harnett2006: Bruce Karr2005: Karin Korb2004: Julie Jilly2003: Dan James2002: Tina Dale2001: Nancy Olson

Community Tennis Association of theYear2011: Bucks County T.A.2010: Southern Crescent T.A.2009: Western Wake T.A.2008: Lee County T.A2007: Grants Pass CTA2006: Montgomery County T.A.2005: Baltimore Tennis Patrons2004: Pikes Peak CTA2003: Milwaukee Tennis &

Education Foundation2002: Macon Tennis Assn.2001: Homewood-Flossmoor

Public Park of the Year2011: Cadwalader Park2010: Dwight Davis T.C.2009: Darling Tennis Center2008: Roswell Park & Rec2007: Fort Lauderdale

Park & Rec

f Tennis Honor Roll


2006: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

2005: Scalzi Park

Stringer of the Year2011: Todd Mobley2010: Tom Parry2009: Ron Rocchi2008: Nate Ferguson2007: Tim Strawn2006: Grant Morgan2005: Bob Patterson2004: Randy Stephenson

Tennis Advocateof the Year2011: Mike Woody2010: Robin Jones2009: Ellen doll

Online Retailer of the Year2005: Tennis Warehouse

High School Coach of the Year2011: Jim Neal and Jim

Solomon2010: Bill Wagstaff2009: Rich Johns2008: Sue Bordainick2007: Marian DeWane2006: David Steinbach

USTA Section of Year2011: Middle States2010: Southern2009: Midwest2008: Pacific Northwest2007: Florida2006: Texas2005: Florida2004: Pacific Northwest

2003: Southern2002: Northern2001: New England

Mass Merchant/Chain of the Year2011: PGA Tour Superstores2008: Sport Chalet2007: The Sports Authority2006: PGA Tour Superstores2005: Golfsmith2004: City Sports2003: Sport Chalet2002: Dick’s Sporting Goods2001: Galyan’s

PTR Member of the Year2011: Jorge Capestany2010: Rodney Harmon2009: Ken DeHart2008: Jorge Andrew2007: Luke Jensen2006: Ajay Pant2005: Lisa Duncan

USPTA Member of the Year2011: Feisal Hassan2010: Ron Woods2009: Robert

Greene Jr.2008: Tom Sweitzer2007: Mike Van Zutphen2006: Brett Hobden2005: Bob Reed

Send Us Your 2012 RSI Award NominationsTo nominate for RSI’s 2012 Champions of Tennis, email [email protected], and put “Champions” in the subject line. In the email, includethe category, the name of the person or organization you are nominating, contact info (phone and email) for the nominee, and—briefly—some information about the nominee, including a website address if appropriate. All nominations will be confidential, but we’d also like

your name and contact info, in case we have questions. Deadline for nominations: Sept. 30, 2012.



RACQUETS


B Y K E N T O S W A L D

Selling tennis racquets may not be rocket science,but these four stores each seem to have found aformula that takes sales to new heights.

HITTING WINNERS HITTING WINNERS

TENNIS PLAZAFloridaIt may be counterintuitive, but in retail, complacency, not failure, is the oppositeof success. That is the lesson to draw from the continuing growth of sales atFlorida’s Tennis Plaza, which was called “Racquet World” in 2005 when theretail store was named the RSI Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year.What was once one Miami-area store—whose business began to boom with

a move closer to a major highway and the addition of about 50 percent moresquare footage and 30 percent more merchandise—is less than a decade laterthree stores in Miami and one in Orlando (the most recent to open is a 5,000-square-foot tennis destination), as well as a bur-geoning website. It’s all in keeping with owner Leon Echevarria’s business philosophy to, “Go and see where there is opportu-nity. …[If I] don’t see big competition, then I just go for it.”One area in which he has “gone for it” is in reaching out by partnering with the local Sony Ericsson Open and via the website,

both of which are major draws to the stores’ growing South American clientele.Ironically, given the upward trend of his internet business, one of master stringer Echevarria’s business maxims is, “Don’t

give people an excuse to shop online.” He keeps up to four demo frames of newracquets in stock and makes sure he has a large offering of all racquet brands,as well as grip sizes and accessories. Most important, he balances good cus-tomer service, full inventory and competitive pricing with keeping the staff veryfamiliar with the latest USRSA information. As Steve Huber, South Central regional manager for Wilson, explains, “The

entire staff at Tennis Plaza fully immerses themselves into the marketing strategy from each company so they can explain tothe consumer what the manufacturer’s story line is for that particular season. Tennis Plaza also is committed to telling that storyon the wall.”Carrying eight lines of racquets and 12 lines of strings, Echevarria has an overriding goal of providing “big-box” opportunities,

but with a specialty shop feel. “To tell the truth,” he says, “[doing a good business] is very simple. I don’t see myself as anythingspecial.” Cash register receipts, however, offer a very different narrative.


TENNIS PLAZA“See where the opportunityis,” then just “go for it.”

STURTEVANTSBellevue, Wash.Like others explaining their good fortune in these tough economic times, JohnGorman, head of tennis at Sturtevants in Bellevue, Wash., makes the path to suc-cess sound simple: “Start with good ingredients.” He praises his fairly affluentsuburban Seattle community for it numerous leagues (many indoor, so there istennis year-round) and support for play at all levels. “Tennis is hot here,” he says.“All we have to do is not screw it up.”Of course, not screwing it up—doubling sales of tennis gear to more than

$1 million in about five years and growing a seasonal shop into a main-floor mainstay all year long—doesn’t happen unless youare connecting with customers. Greeting walk-ins is the 50-foot wall of racquets representing six lines, with three stringingmachines in use on the floor (instead of one in the back room, which they had years ago). All of it is beautifully framed by anewly redesigned Nordic-themed, dramatically lit, exposed cedar interior.Mostly though, it doesn’t happen without passion. Gorman is enthusiastic about the overall management, commitment and

financial support he gets from Sturtevant’s (the Ski Magazine 2009 National Shop of the Year) top tier. He also has only kindthings to say about the partnerships he has established with manufacturers. However, the highest praise is reserved for his staff.

“I’ve got the best crew,” he says. “Guys who work here are constantly switchingracquets. We’re just psyched about [selling the game].”There is also attention to every customer. “When you walk into John’s, it’s

like walking into your local corner bar, like ‘Cheers,’” says Babolat sales rep RoseJones. “Everyone in the store knows you and you know them.” Sturtevants has numerous programs reaching out to the community,

whether it is product support for local tennis-related charities, or making sure tobe seen at local events, or checking in with local coaches at least once a season.

It’s all part of what Gorman claims is the “wow” factor upon which the business model rests, because, he says, “If you give peo-ple the ‘wow’ factor, they don’t mind spending the money.”

STURTEVANTS“If you give people the‘wow’ factor, they don’tmind spending the money.”


DO IT TENNISOceanside, Calif.Take even a quick look at DoItTennis.com and you’ll see a retailer implementinga “knowledge is power” mantra as the foundation for its continuing success.There are instructional videos, product reviews, blogs and posts with the latestnews manufacturers are sharing about their gear—all of it offering knowledge tocustomers, or anyone else who happens to visit the site. Start clicking throughall that might be relevant to your game and soon, you’ll forget that you wereactually there to shop.“The key is not necessarily to sell [customers],” says owner Hans Paino, “but to give them information, to give them the

tools to decide what works for them.” It’s the same for visitors to the 1,600-square-foot Oceanside, Calif., mother ship north ofSan Diego that has been open in an industrial/manufacturing/retail office park since 2005. “Everyone who works here plays ten-nis,” Paino continues. “When you are speaking with someone on our staff, you are speaking with someone who is knowledge-able about the game of tennis.”According to Paino, the key to the steady, upward growth during these past years has been the combination of having mul-

tiple channels to sell racquets—the store carries about 100 different modelsrepresenting nine manufacturers—as well as a soft-sell to consumers whohave been empowered with Do It Tennis-provided knowledge. “We try togive people the best experience online” and in person, he says.The store is highly invested in its local clientele, even making “club calls”

to service ball machines or other equipment. But eyes are on the horizon aslocal competitors have folded. Growth has and will likely continue to come from outside the San Diego north area, drawn bymembers of the staff who specialize in improving the website and the business’s social media postings, in addition to the uniqueselling proposition Paino explains as, “The more knowledge people have about product and tennis and what’s out there, the bet-ter off they are and the more information we have. The more we offer them, the more we’ll benefit from it.”

DOITTENNIS.COM“Give customers the tools todecide what works for them.”

TIM’S RACQUETJenkintown, Pa.It’s not that time stands still at Tim’s Racquet of Jenkintown, Pa., which has beenin business for 22 years. It’s just that, as owner Tim Stumpf says, “There is nolunchtime here. We eat when there is an opening since the customer is so muchmore important than mere food.” Nor is it a mistake that the website has noemail address, but that the phone number is in headline type on each page. “Iwant people to call and talk to somebody, not just type back and forth.”The store’s success is built from nothing flashy, just business basics of service

and inventory. “When someone comes here, we are giving them the experienceof having almost anything they could possibly need.” With over 1,000 new rac-quets and more than 250 racquets ready to demo (after being playtested and sometimes “tweaked”) in the 2,600-square-footstore located in a suburban Philadelphia shopping center, Stumpf wants to be sure the perfect match for each customer is readilyat hand. He believes many people are “fooled by the convenience” of website shopping, explaining, “You can order almost any-thing online, but you really need to be fitted sometime. To me, service is everything to the customer.”Among others, Jeff Lininger, Prince territory manager, has been impressed by that focus, describing a “dedication to cus-

tomer service” as a “key element that provides continued customer satisfaction and results in trust and loyalty.” “Service” does not mean or require numbers of staff, just knowledgeable and focused personnel. The store has only one

other full-time employee, some longtime part-timers and a revolving crew oftennis junkie local kids. This frugality continues in the extreme care Stumpftakes regarding opportunities to expand, as local competitors have closed.Stumpf has taken over only two pro shops at local clubs, and his website is muchmore an online brochure than cyber-revenue stream.He also pays attention to MAP pricing, and if there is a rebate he can offer a

customer, it is theirs. Additionally, each sale includes the oft-ignored detail thatthe frame is not the game. “It’s so important,” says the 40-year stringing veteran, “that once we sell someone the racquet, wetalk about the tension and the string.” It‘s just one more key to a business plan built on service: “You‘re never going to see thestringer again if you buy online.” Stumpf’s motto is, “Make consumers happy and [they will] want to come back to you. You have to find ways to make people

feel they not only are getting a good deal, but a great deal.”

TIM’S RACQUET“Once we sell someone the racquet, we talk about thetension and the string.”

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A P P A R E L

32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com

DRESSESTHAT BREAKTHE FALL

DRESSESTHAT BREAKTHE FALL

B Y C Y N T H I A S H E R M A N

ELIZA AUDLEYEliza Audley’s Toni dress in turquoise, shown here on WTA pro Liga Dekmei-jere, is made of a poly-spandex blend, with a pattern of the silver “mezzos”along the seams inspired by a floor design that uses nail heads in a lead floor.Retail price is $112. www.ElizaAudley.com/262-691-4770

BOLLEThe jade V-neck racerback dress from Bolle’s High Velocity col-lection shines with its forest color-blocking and etched paisley-like design on the back. It’s poly-spandex composition featureswicking, UV protection and anti-bacterial and anti-static prop-erties. Retail price is $84.www.Bolletenniswear.com/301-362-0360

Tangerines, pinks, boldblues and greens—theseare some of the hot colorsof the year, and they arenot lost on court couturegoing into the fall.

June 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com

FILATo usher in the US open, some of Fila’s pros, such as Polona Hercog(shown), will attack the net dressed in Fila’s Peony pink Heritagedress. Made of a performance poly spandex jersey, the dress hasFila’s heritage F box patch logo embroidered on the hip, features adrop waist with flowy skirt, and has contrasting trim on the V-neckand armholes. Retail price is $70. www.Fila.com/410-773-3000

LIJACanadian company Lija steps into fall withthe Compression Grand Slam dress, fea-tured on Canadian pro player RebeccaMarino in cobalt blue. Fabricated of anylon-lycra combination, it has flatteringseaming detail, front bound pockets andbound hem. It ships in October and retailsfor $110.www.Lijastyle.com/604-248-1079

TAILTail brings the watercolors of the beach to the court with itsEase dress from the Beachside collection. A smashing mosaicpattern in a flattering racer back style, the dress sports color-blocked mesh inserts and an internal bra in a high-perfor-mance jersey for comfort and flexibility. www.Tailactivewear.com/305-638-2650 w

PURE LIMEPure Lime’s bold styles are reflected in theBlack Moderne dress, which is made of amicrofiber polyester in the company’s BreatheDri fabric. Highlighted with sparks of turquoiseand “new lime,” a V-neck and V-back make itboth comfortable and versatile. It’s available inAugust and retails for $90.www.Purelime.com/516-468-1722

D I S T I N G U I S H E D F A C I L I T Y - O F - T H E - Y E A R A W A R D S

Here are some quick stats on the 13 winners of the2011 Racquet Sports Industry/American SportsBuilders Association Distinguished Facility-of-the-

Year Awards in the “residential court” category: 10 of thewinners are new construction; 11 are hard courts, two areclay; five are post-tensioned concrete courts; and two areindoors. For many of these winners, court builders seemedmost adept at overcoming difficulties accessing the con-struction sites, or stabilizing steeply sloped sites.At the Berce residence in Franksville, Wis., it was discov-

ered that the electrical, telephone and cable lines ran underthe construction area for the new court. The utility compa-nies had to be called in to, first, run temporary lines to thehouse so the excavation could get started, then place thepermanent lines around the court perimeter.

Located down a long alley, access at the Bourne resi-dence in Salt Lake City was limited, so trees were trimmedand concrete was poured from an empty lot behind theproperty. The contractor also changed the slope of the orig-inal court away from the house to a compound slope thatdirected water into a new dry well.

A granite ledge at one end of the Cohen residence site inWeston, Mass., along with a 21-foot elevation difference,made construction extremely difficult. About 10,000 cubicyards of structural fill had to be brought in and compacted,and cranes were needed to get equipment into the site.

Access also was difficult at the Cox residence in Ogden,Utah, where the asphalt court was upgraded to a post-ten-sioned concrete court. The site was on the side of a moun-tain, held up by a 17-foot retaining wall below grade on oneside, with a 6-foot wall above grade on the other side. Thenew court at the Crossland/Kirkpatrick residence in Napa,Calif., had to fit between a stand of oak trees protected byNapa County, a new vineyard, and an existing building.

Built into a hillside, the new court in Glen Ellen, Calif.,required a large and complex drainage system to prevent

water from vineyard irrigation and the hillside from under-mining the court. A large wall constructed on the hillsidedoubles as a hitting wall. The JJJ Ranch in Dawson, Texas,put in a new, post-tensioned concrete court that has multi-sport capabilities (basketball, volleyball, shuffleboard) andis suitable for other entertainment purposes for the workingranch—all blending into the natural setting.

A 250-foot access road had to be built to reach the heav-ily wooded, hillside site at the Kirslis residence in Norwell,Mass. To help fix the steep elevation change, 450 tons ofrecycled road base was trucked in to replace material thathad been removed. The new post-tensioned concrete courtat the Roberts residence in Wellesley, Mass., was made asan extension to the house by matching the foundationgrades and excavating around 12-foot retaining walls.

One of the two soft-court winners was the new subsur-face-irrigated court at the Gin Lane residence in Southamp-ton, N.Y., which also included creative landscaping and adecorative, yet functional, fence enclosure. The other soft-court winner was a Miami Beach residence that upgradedeverything, including converting from above-ground water-ing to a subsurface irrigation system. The site provided noaccess, so all equipment and material had to lifted in bycrane.

One of the private indoor courts, at Butternut Hollow inGreenwich, Conn., includes a 500-square-foot fitness area,shower and storage area. The brick and concrete building,complete with steel trusses, wasset into the rocky ground so thatthe exterior appearance is that ofa single-story accessory building.The indoor court at the Schmidtresidence in West Linn, Ore., hadto contend with a site heavy withtrees, and with drainage concerns regarding interferingwith the household septic system. —Peter Francesconi w

It’s hard to beat these excellent examples of residential court construction.

For details on the 2012 Outstand-ing Facility-of-the-Year Awards,contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or [email protected],or visit www.sportsbuilders.org.

LUCKY THIRTEEN


LUCKY THIRTEEN

Berce Residence, Franksville, Wis.(Nominated by Munson Inc., Glendale, Wis.)General Contractor: Munson Inc.Consultant: Fred Kolkmann, Tennis & Sport Surfaces LLCColor Coating: California ProductsLights: Har-Tru SportsNet, Posts: JA Cissel


Butternut Hollow, Greenwich, Conn.(Nominated by Global Sports & Tennis Design Group LLC, Fair Haven, N.J.)Design Consultant: Global Sports & Tennis Design Group LLCSurface: Ace Surfaces Inc. Rebound AceNet, Posts: DouglasPadding/Backdrops: JA Cissel

Bourne Residence, Salt Lake City, Utah(Nominated by Tennis and Track Co., Salt Lake City)General Contractor: Tennis and Track Co.Lights: LSI Courtsider XLNet, Posts, Windscreens: Douglas Center Straps, Anchors: Douglas

Cohen Residence, Weston, Mass.(Nominated by Cape & Island Tennis & Track, Pocasset, Mass.)Specialty Contractor: Cape & Island Tennis & TrackSurface: Beynon Sport Surfaces polyurethane cushionColor Coating: DecoTurfLights: LSI Courtsider Aero SystemNet, Posts, Anchor: JA CisselDrainage: ACO Sport

Cox Residence, Ogden, Utah(Nominated by Tennis and Track Co., Salt Lake City)Surface: World ClassNet, Posts, Windscreens: DouglasCenter Strap, Anchor: DouglasDrainage: ACO Sport

Crossland/Kirkpatrick Residence, Napa, Calif.(Nominated by Vintage Contractors Inc., San Francisco)Contractor, Architect/Engineer: Vintage Contractors Inc.Surface: California Products PlexicushionNet, Posts: Fraser Edwards Co. LLCFencing: Vintage Contractors Inc.

Gin Lane, Southampton, N.Y.(Nominated by Global Sports & Tennis Design Group LLC, Fair Haven, N.J.)Surface: Hamptons Tennis Co.Irrigation: Har-Tru Sports HydroCourtNet, Posts: EdwardsMaintenance Equipment: Har-Tru Sports


JJJ Ranch, Dawson, Texas(Nominated by Patriot Court Systems Inc., Houston)Contractor: Patriot Court Systems Inc.Surface: California Products PlexipaveLights: TechLightNet, Posts: EdwardsVolleyball Net: Douglas

Glen Ellen Residence, Glen Ellen, Calif.(Nominated by Vintage Contractors Inc., San Francisco)Architect/Engineer: Backen Gillam ArchitectsGeneral Contractor: Jim Murphy AssociatesSpecialty Contractor: Vintage Contractors Inc.Surface: California Products PlexicushionNet, Posts, Drain: Fraser Edwards Co. LLCFencing: Jim Murphy Associates

Kirslis Residence, Norwell, Mass.(Nominated by Patriot Court Systems Inc., Houston)Contractor: Patriot Court Systems Inc.Surface: California Products PlexipaveLights: TechLightNet, Posts: EdwardsVolleyball Net: Douglas

Miami Beach Residence, Miami Beach, Fla.(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)Specialty Contractor: Fast-Dry CourtsSurface: Har-Tru Sports HydroBlendSub-Irrigated System: Fast-Dry CourtsFencing: Fast-Dry CourtsDrainage: Zurn IndustriesCourt Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts

Schmidt Residence, West Linn, Ore.(Nominated by Atlas Track & Tennis, Tualatin, Ore.)Surface: California Products PlexipaveLights: LSI CourtsiderNet, Center Strap: DouglasBackdrop Curtains, Padding: M. Putterman

Roberts Residence, Wellesley, Mass.(Nominated by Cape & Island Tennis & Track, Pocasset, Mass.)Specialty Contractor: Cape & Island Tennis & TrackSurface: California Products DecoTurfCushion Surface: Beynon Sport Surfaces polyurethaneLights: LSI Courtsider Aero SystemNet, Posts, Anchor: JA CisselDrainage: ACO Sport


from the adjusting nut. A couple of noteshere: It is very easy to round out the flatsin the jamb screw, so do not force matters— make certain your Allen wrench is fullyseated in the opening. Also, it is almostalways easier to loosen the jamb nut by

RELEASING FROZEN STAR 5 BASE CLAMPSMy Babolat Star 5 came with a nice Velcroband to hold the base clamps during ship-ping, but because I rarely move mymachine, I set it aside. Then last week Ineeded to transport my machine. Ratherthan find where I’d put the Velcro band, Ilocked the base clamps to the turntableand put the machine in my trunk. Thisturned out to be a bad move.

When I arrived at my destination, thebase clamps would not move, even whenunlocked. Apparently, the heat had tem-porarily fused the clamping material to theturntable. With summer coming on, Ithought someone else might find himselfin this situation, too. Here’s what I did tofix the problem.

First, remove the center cap on thebase clamp. I used a small flat screwdriv-er. This will give you access to the clampadjustment fasteners.

Second, loosen the center jamb screw

Tips & Techniques

turning the adjusting nut clockwise(tighter) first, while counter-holding thejamb screw.

Remove the center jamb screw andthe adjusting nut.


Readers’ Know-How in Action

Remove the ergo knob by liftingstraight up on it.

Remove the base clamp by liftingstraight up on it.

Remove the top sliding disk by liftingstraight up on it. This disk has a roughside and a smooth side, so keep track ofwhich side goes up.

You will now see the center post forthe clamp protruding up through theturntable. Beneath the turntable, you willsee the bottom friction material.

Thread the adjustment screw backonto the center post to protect thethreads for the next step.

Using a block of wood to protect thecenter post and threads, tap down onthe center post until it releases from theunderside of the turntable.


Clean everything before reassembling,of course. According to Babolat, the opti-mum working angle for the ergo handle is15 degrees. You can set it for more if youlike, but if you set it much lower you will

find you have trouble getting a consis-tent lock on the base clamps. Don’t for-get to use thread locking fluid on thejamb screw!5 sets of Babolat Revenge 16 to:L. Hodges, Lucerne Valley, CA

—Greg Raven◗

Tips and Techniques submitted since 1992 byUSRSA members and appearing in this column,have all ben gathered into a searchable data-base on www.racquettech.com the official mem-ber-only website of the USRSA. Submit tips to:Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main Street, Vista, CA92084; or email [email protected]

? Ask the Experts

CHEAPEST SOURCE FOR STRINGS?

WHO HAS THE LOWEST PRICESon string, especially reels?

IT DEPENDS ON THE VOLUME ofstring you are buying. Your firstcall should be to the sales repre-

sentatives for the brands you carry.USRSA members also should check withAlpha, Ashaway, ATS, Dunlop, Gosen,Head, Tecnifibre, Tourna, and Yonex forspecial discounts.

If you don’t yet have a relationshipwith any manufacturer, there are a lot ofonline sources you can check, and someof them offer prices that match or beat theprices you can get direct from the manu-facturer because they buy in such largevolume. Some even offer free shipping. Ifyou are buying this string to use in cus-tomer racquets, don’t be afraid to mention

that you are a reseller, to see if you canshave a bit more off of the price.

CAP RECAPWHAT’S THE POINT OF THE com-bination grommet strip/bumper-guard that Head uses on the

Prestige racquets? It’s so distinctive anddifferent from other bumperguards, theremust be a reason for it, but it doesn’tappear even on other Head racquets.

YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE CAPsystem. According to Roger Peters-

man at Head, the answer is easy: The feeland sound imparted to the racquet with theCAP system is part of the experience ofusing a Prestige. Secondarily, the CAP sys-tem is better than traditional grommet-and-bumperguard systems when playing on claycourts.

As for it not appearing on other Head

racquets, some of the CAP system grom-mets do fit the Radical as well, as demon-strated by Andy Murray and others.


Your Equipment Hotline

QA Q

A

WHICH SOLUTION?I’VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE Rac-quet Customizer online tool at Rac-quetTECH.com, as I have been

thinking about trying to match my newracquet to the old racquet I used to use. Iplug in all the numbers the way it asks,but then it gives me hundreds of “solu-tions” of where to add the lead tape. Howdo I choose which solution to use? Thecalculator gives you many options ofplacement of lead to result in swingweight, but there is also a note aboutadditional weight at 3 o’clock and 9o’clock optimizing torsional stability (twistweight).

AS STATED ON THE RESULTSpage, each solution represents an

attempt to match your new racquet to yourold one, at least in terms of weight, bal-ance, and swing weight. Torsional stability(AKA twist weight) is not a factor in theresults, as twist weight matching is current-ly a separate step that involves, amongother things, measuring the twist weight ofyour original racquet, your new racquet,and your new racquet with modifications.

Another way of saying this is that eachof the solutions is essentially identical forweight, balance, and swing weight, but notnecessarily identical for twist weight, norfor ease of application. You may find thatsome solutions require placing additionalmass (usually in the form of lead tape) onsections of the racquet where it is difficult,ungainly, or unsightly to do so. With multi-ple solutions, however, you can pick thebest one for your situation.

Multiple solutions also allow you toexperiment with racquets having the sameweight, balance, and swing weight, butwith different twist weights. A higher twistweight might be desirable for increasingstability in a racquet with a narrow head,or for a player who plays from the base-line. For many players, increases in twistweight are most noticeable on the serve,when the wrist is ready to pronate but

higher torsional stability of the hoop resiststhe rotation of the racquet at first, and thenmakes it more difficult to stop the rotation.

LOWER TENSIONS FOR THE PROS?

ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE IN theWall Street Journal (“Tennis, WithoutAll the Tension,” March 6, 2012),

some of the pros have dropped their ten-sions by up to 20 pounds, into the 30-40pound range. I’ve been thinking of droppingthe tension on my racquet, but this seemsway too low.

A LOT OF THE STRINGERS AT THISyear’s BNP Paribas Open at the Indian

Wells Tennis Garden noticed the move to lowertensions by some of the pros. We have yet toprocess the stringing logs from that tourna-ment, but the sense was that the ATP playershad lowered tension more than the WTA play-ers had.

Keep in mind that when its strings werefirst starting to become popular, Luxilon recom-mended reducing the reference tension by 20percent compared to a typical nylon string,which at the time seemed like crazy talk. In away, players are finally catching up with theoriginal tension recommendations.

—Greg Raven w

We welcome your questions. Please send them to RacquetSports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].


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String Playtest

EASE OF STRINGING (compared to other strings) Number of testers who said it was:much easier 1somewhat easier 5about as easy 20not quite as easy 8not nearly as easy 0

OVERALL PLAYABILITY (compared to string played most often)Number of testers who said it was:much better 0somewhat better 8about as playable 13not quite as playable 12not nearly as playable 0

OVERALL DURABILITY (compared to other strings of similar gauge)Number of testers who said it was:much better 3somewhat better 7about as durable 18not quite as durable 4not nearly as durable 1

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)Playability 3.5Durability 3.5Power (20th overall) 3.6Control 3.6Comfort 3.2Touch/Feel 3.2Spin Potential 3.4Holding Tension 3.3Resistance to Movement 3.4

Zyex MonoGut is a 100 percentZyex monofilament string thatAshaway tells us provides excep-

tional dynamic stiffness, gut-like playabili-ty, and superior durability. Because of thedifficulties involved in creating a pureZyex string, Ashaway has been workingon perfecting it for some time now.

Despite the fact that it is a monofila-ment, and that out of the package it looksand feels as if it’s a typical polyesterstring, there is no polyester in ZyexMonoGut. Thus, you get the increasedelongation and lower dynamic stiffness ofZyex, with the superior durability of amonofilament. Ashaway plans to marketthis string as the “anti-polyester.”

Ashaway recommends Zyex MonoGutfor top amateur and professional players,and for players looking for softer feel sim-ilar to natural gut.

Zyex MonoGut is available in 16gauge (1.27 mm) only, although Ashawaytells us that there is a 1.22 mm versioncoming in Summer 2012. Zyex MonoGutcurrently comes in natural only, with ared version coming in Summer 2012. It ispriced from $15 per set of 40 feet, and$130 for reels of 360 feet. For more infor-mation or to order, contact Ashaway at800-556-7260, or visit ashawayusa.com.Be sure to read the conclusion for moreinformation about getting a free set to tryfor yourself.

IN THE LABWe tested the 16-gauge (1.27 mm) ZyexMonoGut. The coil measured 40 feet. Thediameter measured 1.28-1.31 mm priorto stringing, and 1.22-1.24 mm afterstringing. We recorded a string bed stiff-ness of 75 RDC units immediately afterstringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson ProStaff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a con-stant-pull machine.

After 24 hours (no playing), string bedstiffness measured 68 RDC units, repre-senting a 9 percent tension loss. Our con-trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut OriginalGold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi-ately after stringing and 71 RDC unitsafter 24 hours, representing a 9 percent

tension loss. In lab testing, PrinceSynthetic Gut Original has a stiff-ness of 217 and a tension loss of11.67 pounds, while AshawayZyex MonoGut 16 has a stiffnessof 151 and a tension loss of 18.89pounds. Zyex MonoGut added 15 gramsto the weight of our unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeksby 34 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-ings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blindtests, with playtesters receivingunmarked strings in unmarked packages.Average number of hours playtestedwere 24.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Ashaway advises stringing ZyexMonoGut at tensions of 60 pounds orless, which we passed along to ourplaytest team members. Ashaway alsoadvises setting the reference tension 10to 15 percent lower than you wouldwith traditional nylon strings, but Ash-away wanted to allow playtesters to settheir own tensions, and see what theirimpressions were.

As mentioned above, when you firsttake Zyex MonoGut out of the package,your first impression is likely to be thatit is a stout-feeling polyester. As youwork with it, however, there are indica-tions that it is not as it seems. ZyexMonoGut stretches more under tensionthan poly, and it’s easier to handle. Witha pre-production sample, we gave ZyexMonoGut the “poly tug” when tighteningthe knot during tie-off and broke thestring, as did a couple of our playtesters.

Three playtesters broke the sampleduring stringing, two reported problemswith coil memory, none reported prob-lems tying knots, and none reportedfriction burn.

ON THE COURTThe members of our playtest team mostenjoyed Zyex MonoGut’s power, rating it20th best of the 164 strings we’veplaytested to date for publication. Inaddition, their rating show ZyexMonoGut has excellent Control, SpinPotential, and Playability, and has wellabove average Durability, Resistance toMovement, and Touch/Feel. As a result,Ashaway Zyex MonoGut 16’s overallscore is also well above average.

Four members of the team brokethe sample during play, one each ateight hours, 11 hours, 14 hours, and 40hours.

Ashaway Zyex MonoGut


FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAM

Ashaway will send a free set of Zyex MonoGut to

USRSA members who cut out (or copy) this coupon

and send it to:

Offer expires 15 June 2012 • Offer only availableto USRSA members in the US.

Name:

USRSA Member number:

Phone:

Email:

If you print your email clearly, we will notify you

when your sample will be sent.


USRSA, Attn: Ashaway String Offer

330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084

or fax to 760-536-1171, or email the info

below to [email protected]

“ This string adds extra kick to serves.Excellent control on both groundies andtouch shots. Outstanding comfort.”4.0 male all-court player using PrinceTriple Threat Viper strung at 60 poundsLO (Gamma Ruff 16)

“ Excellent spin and power. It staysplayable longer than most polys I’vetried.” 5.0 male all-court player usingWilson BLX Blade strung at 52 poundsCP (Tecnifibre Black Code/Babolat VSTouch 17/16)

“ This is a comfortable string withgreat control. Power is just right.” 4.0male all-court player using Babolat PureStorm LTD strung at 58 pounds CP (Gen-esis Typhoon 16L)

“ Good touch and comfort. Power isthere when needed. Baseliners will likethe control.” 4.5 male all-court playerusing Head Liquidmetal Radical OSstrung at 56 pounds LO (Luxilon AluPower Rough 16L)

“ Recommended to hard hitters look-

For the rest of the tester comments, visit www.racquet-sportsindustry.com.

TESTERS TALKing for more control.”3.5 male all-court player using Pro KennexAcclaim strung at 55 pounds CP (HeadFXP/Babolat VS Touch 16/16)

“ Power is definitely there when needed.A vibration dampener is recommended tothose who like a quiet ride.” 4.5 male all-court player using Babolat Pure Storm GTstrung at 55 pounds CP (Head Synthetic GutPPS 17)

“ This is an arm-friendly control stringwith above average power.” 5.5 male all-court player using Wilson BLX Pro Tourstrung at 52 pounds CP (Polyester 16)

“ Touch and feel are lacking. There is aslight buzzing on softer strokes.” 4.0male all-court player using Donnay X-DualGold strung at 54 pounds CP (Gosen PolylonSP 17)

“ This string might make a good hybrid part-ner. As a full set-up, it lacks the necessary com-fort and feel.” 5.0 male baseliner with heavyspin using Babolat Aero Storm Tour strung at58/55 pounds CP (Babolat VS Gut 16)

—Greg Raven◗

CONCLUSIONTo its credit, Ashaway has created anentirely different type of string with ZyexMonoGut. It may look familiar at firstglance, but Zyex MonoGut is liable to feelunlike any other string you’ve ever used.As you read through the comments fromour playtesters, you’ll find that manycompare its characteristics and perfor-mance to poly, but conclude that ZyexMonoGut is different and often better.Keep in mind, too, that these results donot take into account Ashaway’s recom-mendation to reduce the reference ten-sion by 10 to 15 percent. Staff testingshows that it is possible to retain playa-bility even when reducing the referencetension by 20 percent or more, givingZyex MonoGut the potential for a widerange of applications.

If you think that Ashaway ZyexMonoGut might be for you, fill out thecoupon to get a free set to try.

Tennis has given me much in mylife—friends, exercise, worldtravel and many great jobs and

experiences. I was fortunate to haveamazing opportunities with the Univer-sity of Georgia men’s tennis team, withthe USTA as Player Development, DavisCup, Olympic team and US Open pressofficer, and in my current marketing/publishing role at New Chapter Media.

Of late, I was looking for more waysto give back to the sport that has givenme so much. I decided that I wanted getback on the court doing some teachingon the side, hit with upcoming kids andbe a mentor. I learned of a job openingas the JV boys’ tennis coach at Colum-bia Prep high school in New York City. Iapplied for and was offered the job.

During team tryouts, my friend BillMountford at the USTA implored menot to cut any players from the team.Keep as many as really want to play, hesaid. This keeps the kids interested intennis for their lifetime. Being cut froma JV team can be traumatic and pushthem away from the game forever.

As the JV team materialized, it wasapparent there would be a sharp dividein ability between the top and bottomof our team. How was I going to havethese players participate in the samepractice, potentially on the same court,and keep them all engaged? The schoolwanted me to take only 10 players, butthere were 13 who wanted to play. Itwould be much easier for me to man-age the team—and practices—if I cutthree kids. However, Bill’s message wasclear; I didn’t cut any of the players.

But still, how was I going to handlethis steep divide in ability at practices? Iapplied a lesson I first learned from Bil-lie Jean King at the Olympic Games in


I told him to think of all of those greatcomebacks he had read about and, likeLaver wrote, just concentrate on not miss-ing a ball. Keep the ball going. My playerthen reeled off 10 straight games andended up winning the match.

Then I glanced over at the No. 1 singlesplayer, who was banging ground strokesfearlessly. However, lo and behold, he wasthrowing in slice backhands every once ina while. Then he stepped up to the line tohit a first serve, followed it to the net andknocked off a volley winner. He stayed atthe net and waited for his opponent toshake his hand. He had served andvolleyed on match point!

Two of my players were out sick, soanother student—one I had thought aboutcutting early on in tryouts—found himselfin the lineup. Weeks before, he was barelyable to hit balls in play. But I switched himfrom a one-handed to a two-handed back-hand and taught him to aim higher over thenet for more margin for error, and he soonwas winning challenge matches and mov-ing up the lineup. Playing the first “official”match in his life, he and his partner wonthe clinching match for our team’s victory.His smile after the match was as big as I’dever seen.

Lessons well-learned. w

Your Serve


Lessons Well-LearnedWhile hoping to give back to tennis, a newhigh school tennis coach finds this gamecontinues to give to him.

We welcome your opinions. Please email comments to [email protected].

B Y R A N D Y W A L K E R

Randy Walker is a PR, market-ing and publishing specialistand the managing partner forNew Chapter Media (www.New-ChapterMedia.com). He is theformer press officer for the U.S.Davis Cup and Olympic tennis

teams for the USTA and author of the book,“On This Day in Tennis History.”

2000, when she was working with Venusand Serena Williams—better playerswould use practices and matches againstlesser-talented players to work on theirweaknesses. Our top player, for instance,was then charged during practice match-es to serve and volley on every servicepoint—first and second serves—and toonly hit slice backhands. Those were theskills he needed to perfect for more vari-ety in his game.

I also noticed that some playersseemed to get down on themselvesquickly and would give up on matcheswhen they would get behind early or losethe first set. To help inspire them, I gaveeach player a copy of my book, “On ThisDay in Tennis History,” and told them toread through it and pick out the biggestcomeback wins they could find.

Another simple lesson I gleaned fromanother book, Rod Laver’s “The Educa-tion of a Tennis Player,” was to have themindset of not making mistakes. WroteLaver, “You win tennis matches on theother guy’s errors and by keeping the ballgoing.” This would also become teamdoctrine.

In a recent match, one of my players,who was competing in singles for the firsttime, quickly found himself down 0-3 inthe first set and was getting discouraged.

'As the JV team mate-rialized, it was appar-ent there would be asharp divide in abilitybetween the top andbottom of our team.'

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