July 2007

Volume 35 Number 7 $5.00

Contents R S I J U L Y

INDUSTRY NEWS
2 0 0 7

7 Sign up to participate in the new

Court Activity Monitor
7 Martina Navratilova headlines USTA
Tennis Teachers Conference
7 Lee Tennis to host indoor clay
court conference
8 Prince says it’s poised to break
$100 million in sales
8 Penn offers chance to
win Chrysler Sebring
8 Dunlop expands its line
of Aerogel racquets

SPECIAL SECTION 10 Lever 2000 launches huge

grassroots promotion
18 Selling Tennis Balls 11 Head introduces new
Bulk purchases, consumer promotions, and new packaging all help to give MicroGel Radical line
your customers what they need.
11 Aussie Open to get new
20 Ball Testing court surface for 2008
In our exclusive tests, we follow the bouncing ball from the lab to the court.
16 USPTA schedules 2007
26 How a Tennis Ball is Made World Conference on Tennis
A tour through the Penn factory in Phoenix, where 330,000 tennis balls roll
out every day. 16 Prince adds three
new Ozone frames
16 PTR Development Weekend set
FEATURES for September
30 Court Appeal 16 Head Radical promotion offers
The latest tennis apparel features something for every player.
chance to hit with Agassi
35 Ball Machine Selector
Our exclusive guide will help you find the right ball machine for your business.

DEPARTMENTS 44 Ask the Experts

4 Our Serve 46 Tips and Techniques
42 String Playtest: Head Sonic Pro 17 48 Your Serve, by Kevin Theos

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

Our Serve
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Keep Your Business Rolling Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

W hen it comes to tennis balls, some dealers just

don’t get it. They treat the product almost with a
kind of contempt. True, you may not be making a huge
Editor-in-Chief
Crawford Lindsey

Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
percentage of your income selling tennis balls, but the
Associate Editor
product is critical to your business—in so many ways. Greg Raven
I was talking recently to Jason Collins, Wilson’s global business Design/Art Director
director for tennis balls, and he said something that made me Kristine Thom
think about what selling balls means to a tennis business—or Contributing Editors
rather, should mean to a business. “We encourage our dealers not Cynthia Cantrell
to fall into thinking, ‘It’s just a tennis ball,’” said Collins. He went Rod Cross
Kristen Daley
on to note that not only are there differences among brands, but
Joe Dinoffer
within a brand, the different balls offered are all designed to help Liza Horan
players find the right product for the courts they’re going to play James Martin
on. Chris Nicholson
Bob Patterson
That, fundamentally, is why you need to pay attention to the Cynthia Sherman
kind of tennis balls you stock for your shop. If you offer the wrong
type of ball to your customers, or don’t stock a variety that allows RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
them to choose the right product for their game, they’ll simply
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
look elsewhere. And, as you probably know, players frequently Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
complain about the balls they use—probably because they Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
weren’t able to find the ideal ball for the courts and conditions. Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
But marketing tennis balls goes well beyond simply selling cans
in your shop. It’s a pretty safe bet that tennis balls will bring peo- Advertising Director
ple into your shop more times than any other product. (In the John Hanna
U.S., as Collins mentioned to me, the expectation is that players 770-650-1102, x.125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
will pretty much open a new can of tennis balls for each match or
day out on the courts. In Europe, the attitude is a bit different— Apparel Advertising
they play more matches with the same can of balls.) This means Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
that if you stock the right tennis balls in your shop, customer traf-
cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
fic will increase, and you’ll have more opportunities to sell cus-
Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-
tomers more products. 5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly Janu-
In this issue, we have stories about the all-important tennis ball, ary through August and combined issues in
September/October and November/December by
including some tips on how to sell them (page 18) and our first- Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA
ever test of tennis balls (page 20), in which we put 26 different 92084. Periodicals postage paid at Hurley, NY 12443
kinds of balls from eight manufacturers through their paces, both and additional mailing offices. July 2007, Volume
35, Number 7 © 2007 by USRSA and Tennis Industry.
in the lab and on the court. And we take a tour of the Penn ball All rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and
manufacturing plant in Phoenix (page 26). logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
Tennis balls may command a small price from consumers, but lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-
punc for your business.
they pack a powerful punch tions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry,
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

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

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007


INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU
Martina Navratilova
Headlines USTA Tennis
Teachers Conference
Hundreds of tennis coaches, instruc-
tors, and professionals will again
gather in New York City on the eve
of the US Open to network, share
knowledge, and watch some of the
best tennis in the world as the USTA
hosts the 37th annual Tennis Teach-
ers Conference Aug. 25 to 28 at the
Grand Hyatt New York.
This year’s theme, “Working
Smart, Working Together,” promotes
the idea of presenting the latest
techniques and technologies to
teachers and coaches. Tennis legend
Martina Navratilova will be the
keynote speaker at the opening ses-
sion, sharing the greatest moments
in her career and discussing coach-
ing techniques and the importance
of fitness and nutrition.
Other top speakers include Tom
Gullikson, former U.S. Davis Cup
captain, Olympic coach and person-
al coach to Jennifer Capriati; Bruce
Elliott, internationally renowned
Australian bio-mechanist; and
Wayne Bryan, national clinician and
father of top U.S. men’s doubles
team Mike and Bob Bryan. USTA
programs, such as Jr. Team Tennis
and the Schools program, will be
featured along with the newest ini-
tiative, Project 36/60.
TTC sessions cover coaching
skills, strategy and tactics, tennis
techniques, health sciences, and the
tennis business. Events are held
both at the Grand Hyatt and the
USTA Billie Jean King National Ten-
nis Center. Anyone who has an
interest in coaching or teaching ten-
nis is welcome to attend.
For more information or to regis-
ter, visit www.usta.com/ttc, call 914-
696-7004 or e-mail ttc@usta.com.
R S I J U L Y 2 0 0 7
RUN YOUR BUSINESS
Sign Up to Participate In New
‘Court Activity Monitor’
he TIA, USTA, PTR, and USPTA are backing a new system to keep tabs
T on the amount of tennis being played at the grassroots level in the U.S.
The new “Court Activity Monitor” will provide a monthly count of tennis
activity, but to be as accurate as possible, it requires some simple, no-cost steps
from tennis facilities, which stand to gain in benefits for their participation in this survey.
“Providing input from each facility takes only a few moments,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn
de Boer. “All data provided is confidential, and there is no fee required. Plus, for participating in the
Grassroots Monitor, facilities will realize a host of benefits.”
To participate, go to www.GrowingTennis.com/public and enter your facility details. You will see an
instant report on the level of tennis activity in your area.
When you register your facility, you’ll:
Q Automatically be entered in a drawing to win one of five $200 gift certificate at
the end of the year.
Q Receive a quarterly summary of grassroots tennis activity in your area from
the TIA.
Q Qualify for a discounted rate on TennisConnect, an online business system
designed for tennis facilities that provides an e-calendar, online court
scheduling, an email marketing system to promote your programs,
and much more.
As a bonus, facilities that register for the Court Activity Moni-
tor can link to www.GrowingTennis.com and enter additional
details about their website to get a free listing on the tennis
industry’s major online databases. The free exposure will help
players find your facility and can increase your business.
“When you sign up now, you’ll be contributing toward the further
development of grassroots tennis in the U.S.,” says de Boer.
Lee Tennis to Host Indoor Clay Court Conference
ee Tennis, the manufacturer of Har-Tru, will host its Fourth Annual Conference
L
on Indoor Clay Courts on Aug. 27 and 28 in Syosset, N.Y. The purpose of the
conference is to bring together leading experts on indoor clay courts to discuss
the construction and maintenance of clay in an indoor environment.
The event, held at Sportime Syosset, is designed for anyone managing, main-
taining, or considering installing indoor clay courts. Lee Tennis will share new find-
ings on the causes of indoor surface compaction and what techniques are being
used to alleviate it. Additionally, there will be a discussion of ClayTech, a new clay
court surface from Lee that the company says is ideal for indoor facilities.
The conference will consist of presentations, panel discussions and on-court demonstrations.
Attendees will tour several indoor facilities and participate in Q&A sessions with the facility
managers and maintenance personnel.
For more information, contact Pat Hanssen at 877-4HARTRU or phanssen@luckstone.com,
or visit the indoor forum at www.leetennis.com/indoorforum.
July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7
INDUSTRYNEWS J U L Y 2 0 0 7
Prince Poised to Break
$100 Million in Sales
P
rince Sports Inc. says it is looking to
break $100 million in sales by the
end of its fiscal year, which would be
the first time in 10 years the company has
reached that mark.
“The first quarter of 2007 was
extremely positive for Prince, not only
compared to our competitors, but also in
the company’s recent history,” says
George Napier, CEO of Prince Sports. “We
have come out of the gates strong and are
heading in the direction of a banner year,
with our sights clearly focused on break-
ing the $100 million sales mark. Without
question, our extended team of dedicated
retail partners, suppliers, coaches, and
athletes, all of whom bleed green and are
doing so much to support us, deserve the
biggest ‘thank you.’”
Global sales for Prince were up 12 per-
cent in Q1, led by the company’s Euro-
pean region (Europe, Middle East, and
Africa), which surged up 52 percent ver-
sus the same period last year. The U.S
was also strong, registering 11 percent
growth.
Prince says the global growth was led
by a solid performance in the company’s
racquet category, due in large part to the
extension of its line of O3 products. In
January, Prince launched its new O3
Speedport racquets, a build on its original
O3 technology. In addition, Prince’s
footwear division contributed as its new
M Series line expanded its distribution
base. And a successful introduction of a
new Synthetic Gut Multifilament string
fueled additional growth, says the
company.
In a statement in mid-May, Prince says
its dollar share in performance racquets
in the specialty channel, as reported by
SMS/TIA, hit 26.7 percent, the 31st con-
secutive month in which Prince's share
has been higher than the corresponding
month in the prior year. Prince also
reported having three of the top four, and
four of the top eight, best-selling racquets
on a year-to-date basis—including the No.
1 best selling racquet in the sport, the O3
White. The company says that in the two
years since it launched the O-tech plat-
form, close to 100 touring pros have
switched to O3 technology.
8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
Penn Offers Chance
to Win Chrysler Sebring
F
or a limited time this summer, specially
marked four-packs of Penn Championship and
Pro Penn tennis balls will include a chance to
win a 2008 Chrysler Sebring convertible and other
prizes from Head/Penn. Also included in the pack
is a digital carabiner sports watch.
Chrysler and Penn partnered through their
mutual sponsorship of USTA’s League Tennis pro-
gram—the largest grassroots league program in the
country with more than 600,000 tennis players.
Chrysler is the presenting sponsor of the program
while Penn serves as the official ball.
“By offering the instant gratification of the sports watch as well as a chance to
win a 2008 Chrysler Sebring convertible, we are able to provide our retail partners
and consumers with an incredible
value in these special packs of ten-
nis balls,” says Jennifer Parker, busi-
ness manager for Penn Tennis Balls.
Special pack graphics and insert
cards alert consumers to the promo-
tion. The “prize decoder” drives
consumers to a website where they
can see if they have won the
Chrysler Sebring Convertible or
other Head/Penn tennis products.
Dunlop Expands Aerogel Line
D
unlop is expanding its line of Aerogel racquets with the introduction of two new
models: the Aerogel 7Hundred and 9Hundred.
The new racquets feature Vibrocore com-
fort technology, which significantly reduces
frame vibration, says Dunlop.
The racquets are constructed using a
sleeve made from thermal plastic resin and a
silicon core that greatly diminishes shock
waves at ball impact, according to the com-
pany, resulting in a comfortable racquet that
reduces the risk of tennis elbow.
Dunlop says that Aerogel, a substance used
by NASA scientists and nicknamed “Frozen
Smoke” for its lightness and hologram-like trans-
parency, is the lightest solid on earth, with a strength
4,000 times its own weight. Currently three of the
ATP’s Top 12 players are playing with Aerogel frames:
Tommy Robredo, Tomas Berdych, and Tommy Haas.
The Aerogel 7Hundred is a lightweight, oversize frame
that Dunlop says is ideal for players seeking a blend of
Aerogel
power and control. The Aerogel 9Hundred is the most 7Hundred
powerful racquet in the line and is ideal for players look-
ing for extreme power without sacrificing comfort, says Aerogel
9Hundred
the company. For more information, visit
www.dunlopsports.com.
INDUSTRYNEWS J U L Y 2 0 0 7
‘Yoga for Tennis’ DVD
Health and fitness industry veteran Rick Devereux
combines two of his passions, tennis and yoga, in
a new DVD, “Yoga and Yoga Stretches for Tennis.”
As a tennis player, tennis coach, and yoga teacher,
Devereux is fully aware of what yoga can do for a
player’s tennis game, both the mental and physical
sides. His new DVD, which has a brief introduction
by Bud Collins, is for tennis players of all ages and
ability levels. Chapters cover loosening up; attend-
ing to tennis trouble spots; yoga routines for flexi-
bility, balance, and strength; cool down, and more.
It’s available from www.coacheschoice.com.
10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
Lever 2000
Launches Grassroots
Promotions
L
ever 2000, the lead sponsor of the
US Open Series, will conduct one
of the largest tennis promotions
in history, intended to challenge
Americans of all ages to “raise the
game” on physical fitness, says the
USTA.
The promotion includes a free ten-
nis lesson offer on more than 2 mil-
lion specially-marked packages of
Lever 2000 Bar Soap through Septem-
ber 2007 and an on-line reality
webisode series featuring four ama-
teur teams competing on US Open
Center Court.
Tennis fans can receive a free ten-
nis lesson by purchasing a six- or
eight-bar pack of Lever 2000. Lessons
can be redeemed at participating ten-
nis facilities across the country; loca-
tions can be found at www.USTA.com/
Lever2000.
Lever 2000 is also producing an
online tennis reality show that started
filming in mid-May at several US
Open Series sites as well as the USTA
Billie Jean King National Tennis Cen-
ter, home of the US Open. The show
will feature a competition between
four mixed-doubles teams, selected
from a national pool of tennis enthu-
siasts, who will participate in a series
of events designed to test and
improve their tennis skills. Tennis
stars Mary Joe Fernandez and Murphy
Jensen will serve as motivators and
coaches for the competitors, and
Patrick McEnroe will make a guest
appearance in the finale in New York.
The winning team will be present-
ed with a VIP US Open Experience. To
view the webisodes, log on to
www.USTA.com/Lever2000 through-
out the summer.
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Head Introduces
MicroGel Radical Line

H
ead has launched its new Tour Series racquet line, the
MicroGel Radical, featuring new MicroGel technology that
Head says will offer aggressive, competitive players with a
solid feel and tremendous spin properties.
The MicroGel Radical line includes the MicroGel Radical Pro,
Radical MP, and Radical OS. Suggested retail price for each is
$200. The line also includes new Radical bags in orange, black, and
white.
MicroGel Technology combines a new space-age material with a
stiff and strong carbon composite. MicroGel is a silica-based, semi-elas-
tic solid with a honeycomb-like structure, and the lowest density of any
known solid, says Head. When combined with carbon composite fibers
in the racquet head, MicroGel deforms and compresses upon ball impact,
uniformly absorbing and distributing the impact load around the entire
frame, according to the company.
“MicroGel gives the Radical amazing response qualities,” says Kevin
Kempin, vice president of sales and marketing for Head/Penn. “Fans of
the original versions of the racquet will be wowed by the feel of this
one.” For more information, visit www.head.com.

Prince Offers New 5000 Stringing Machine

P
rince’s new 5000 stringing machine offers many top features for professional
stringers. The “high-speed quad” four-point mounting system locks the frame
in place quickly, easily, and securely. The “Silencer” ten-
sion head has a unique electro-mechanical
design and microchip processing to provide
accuracy, speed, and quiet operation, says the
company.
With the “Versa Clamp” system, stringers can
decide on gravity-based or pushbutton release,
and the “Quick Click” clamp bases lock at the flip of a
lever. The unit adjusts for height, and it has a detachable
pedestal so it can sit on a table top. It also comes with a
drawer-style tool tray. And the liquid-crystal screen tilts up
to 15 degrees for easy viewing.
For more information, visit www.princesports.com.

New Surface for 2008 Australian Open

T
he court surface at the 2008 Australian Open will no longer be Rebound Ace,
Tennis Australia officials announced in May. Reports indicate that the Aussie
Open will use Plexicushion, an acrylic composition manufactured by U.S.-based
California Products Corp.
Tournament Director Craig Tiley says the speed of the courts would continue to
play in the medium to medium-fast range, and the courts would be firmer and would
also have lower heat retention to reduce the chances of the event's extreme heat pol-
icy being invoked. He said the new surface would also have more consistent pace
and bounce.
Rebound Ace, which is an Australian product, has been the court surface at the
Aussie Open for 20 years. Some in Australia voiced concern that the Australian Open
would now become a “second-rate” US Open, since the Plexicushion surface is man-
ufactured by the same parent company that makes the DecoTurf surface used at the
US Open.

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 J U L Y 2 0 0 7
SHORT SETS
INDUSTRYNEWS
> Just before the French Open, pro play-
er James Blake went back to Dunlop
Sports Group. He’ll play with a Dunlop
Aerogel racquet. Blake was with Prince
for the last 18 months, and helped that
company develop new frames.
> The director-general of the French Ten-
nis Federation says that he is optimistic
that Roland Garros could have a
retractable roof over a nearly 15,000-seat
court within four years. Jean-Francois
Vilotte told the Associated Press that
negotiations with the Paris city council
have been positive. He said construction
could start in 2008 at an estimated cost
of $234 million.
> The U.S. will meet Russia July 14-15 in
a Fed Cup semifinal match, to be played
at the Topnotch Resort and Spa in Stowe,
Vt. The USTA will build a 3,000-seat
venue next to the existing indoor tennis
facility at Topnotch. For tickets for the
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
two-day, best-of-five match series, call 888- > “On Court with USPTA,” the cable TV show
334-USTA (8782). Tickets will be sold as a two- produced by the USPTA, received the Award of Dis-
day series with prices ranging from $35 to tinction in the Videographer Awards 2007 compe-
$250, with VIP packages available. tition. The award-winning episode “Tennis—In the
Balance,” which aired on The Tennis Channel, won
> Lee Tennis, the maker of Har-Tru, launched in the category of TV programs/sports. “On Court”
its first national TV partnership with the Tennis is a 20-minute instructional show featuring USPTA-
Channel’s coverage of the French Open in May certified pros as guest instructors.
and June. Lee endorsed live in-match features,
custom vignettes, and billboards. “We’re excit- > USTA Members who upgrade to a five-year
ed about this opportunity to educate, inform, membership will receive one year free, plus a US
and inspire…to demonstrate our commitment Open Sports Bag. Call 800-990-8782 and use code
to the clay-court community,” says John Wel- 2678 for this offer, which is available while supplies
born, Lee’s director of business development. last and valid until Dec. 31.
> The fall version of the USPTA Texas South-
west Tennis Buying Show will be Aug. 24-25 at
> The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation
awarded $288,160 to 17 programs throughout
the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference the country during its Spring grant cycle. Grants
Center, near DFW airport. For information on ranged in size from $7,660 to $50,000.
buying a booth, call Jenny Gray at 903-561-
3014 or e-mail gray.jenny@hotmail.com. Hotel
rates are $99 per night for USPTA members,
> The USTA announced that the 2008 U.S. Men’s
Clay Court Championships will move to the River
vendors and buyers. To get the special room Oaks Country Club in Houston. The event has been
rate, call 800-243-3105 and mention USPTA held for the last seven years at Houston’s Westside
Texas. Tennis Club.
 INDUSTRY NEWS

NGI Sports Offers Eco-Friendly Courts USRSA MEMBER

T
ennis courts are going “green.” And we’re not CLASSIFIEDS
just talking about the color. For the past nine
years, NGI Sports of Chattanooga, Tenn., has
FOR SALE: Tennis and Health
been applying “environmentally sensitive” methods
Club. Four indoor tennis courts,
for manufacturing and installing tennis courts, using
racquetball, Nautilus, free
recycled and sustainable materials. The company, a
weights, six outdoor courts
division of River City Athletics LLC, provides surfac-
with clubhouse and garage.
ing systems that replace the use of solvent and
423-341-3484 visit web site at
petroleum-based materials and employ alternative “green” materials instead.
www.toddsmith.usptapro.com
For instance, NGI says that its Nova’ProBounce—a cushioned, all-weather surface system— FOR SALE: (3) Fischer Magnetic
replaces environmentally unfriendly solvent and petroleum-based asphalt pavements. The pro- Tour 100 sq. in. All in new con-
duction process for ProBounce, says the company, doesn’t employ high volumes of fossil fuels or dition, all strung at 60 lb. with
release hazardous gases, such as carbon dioxide. Also, no heavy equipment is required for the different strings. Grip #3—All
installation, further reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. have the plastic grip. Sell for
ProBounce is constructed using cold-applied, water-based resin coatings and natural aggre- $120 ea. with shipping. Please
gates. The patented pavement also utilizes a urethane waterproofing, says NGI, which is made call Jim Wahl 678-762-1466
from 60 to 70 percent recycled and sustainable natural materials by weight. Components of the home, 404-539-3347 cell.
coating are based on polymers extracted from soybean oil, a renewable resource. And NGI says
it is a stronger material than traditional latex backing that requires extreme heat in the produc-
FOR SALE: 1 Prince SpeedPort
tion-curing process.
Red Racquet—New condition,
NGI surfaces are “divorced slipsheets”—free-floating above the surface—and can be installed
grip #3—$199.00 with ship-
directly over cracked existing asphalt and concrete courts. The existing surface does not need to
ping. Strung with Ashaway
be removed, and the deteriorating pavement can be recycled, says the company. The surfaces can
18ga. hybrid. Please call Jim
also be used in new construction and installed directly over a crushed rock base.
Wahl 678-762-1466 home,
For more information, contact NGI Sports at 800-835-0033 or info@ngisports.com, or visit
404-539-3347 cell.
www.ngisports.com.

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

 INDUSTRYNEWS J U L Y 2 0 0 7
O P L E W AT C
PE • Tim Beyer,
formerly with the USPTA
and Wilson Sporting Goods,
has joined Lee Tennis of Char-
lottesville, Va., as a new markets
sales associate. Beyer’s efforts will cen-
ter on creating Har-Tru and ClayTech play-
ing experiences for players in
non-traditional clay-court markets such as
northern and southern California and Ari-
zona. The addition of Beyer is a result of
Lee Tennis’ commitment to advancing the
clay-court experience nationally by further
educating and engaging pros, club owners,
and players about the benefits of clay tennis
surfaces.
• World TeamTennis CEO and Commissioner
Ilana Kloss was named the “Sports Business
Woman of the Year” by the James H. War-
saw Sports Marketing Center in the Lundquist
College of Business at the University of Ore-
gon. Kloss was honored for her significant
contribution to the advancement of women
in sports at a luncheon at the Multnomah
Athletic Club in Portland, Ore.
• Don Paitrick, head tennis director at the
University of Mary Washington's new
University Tennis Centre, was honored
with the NIRSA/USTA National Professional
Tennis Ace Award at the 2007 NIRSA (Nation-
al Intramural-Recreational Sport Association)
Annual Conference and Recreational Sports
Exposition held in Minneapolis in April. The
award honors an individual who has been
implementing a NIRSA-endorsed USTA Tennis
On Campus program.
• Bruce Fendell is the new vice president of
U.S. sales for Fila. Fendell will focus on
rebuilding Fila’s footwear and apparel distri-
bution in specialty and sporting goods trade
channels, as well as in tennis and golf special-
ty accounts.
• USPTA pro Kevin Brandalik is the new
director of high performance at the Five
Seasons Sport Club in Cincinnati. Bran-
dalik has been coaching high-per-
formance players for 19 years and
was named the 2005-06
USPTA/Midwest Junior
Coach of the Year.
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
• The nation’s
H
No. 1 USTA Boys’ 18
player, Jordan Rux of Kerrville,
Texas, has signed an apparel con-
tract with Bälle de Mätch.
• The International Rescue Committee
today announced that Ivan Ljubi-
cic of Croatia, the No. 7 tennis
player in the world, will pro-
mote the IRC and the cause
of refugees by wearing an
IRC-logo patch at select
matches and events through the
summer. Ljubicic, who led Croatia
to victory in the Davis Cup in 2005, was him-
self a refugee in 1992 as a 13-year-old when
he and his family fled the city of Banja Luka,
now in Bosnia, during the Balkan civil war, liv-
ing for months as refugees in Slovenia and
Croatia.
• Jack Huczek, a member of Head’s pro staff,
won his eighth International Racquetball Tour
tournament title of the season
recently by capturing the Allen-
town (Pa.) Open. With the win,
Huczek retained his No. 1 IRT
World Ranking. He plays with
a Head Metallix racquetball
racquet.
• USPTA pro Ken Obermeier is the new tennis
superintendent for the City of Palm Coast, Fla.
• Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams have
signed on to play in the WTT Pro League pre-
sented by Advanta, which begins July 5.
Sharapova, currently ranked No. 2 in the
world, will play for the Newport Beach Break-
ers and former World No. 1 Williams will play
for the St. Louis Aces. The Pro League regular
season is July 5 through July 25.
• Pam Shriver, Darlene Hard, Gertrude
“Gussy”Moran, Charlie Pasarell, Dennis Ral-
ston, and the late Ted Schroeder will be
inducted into the Southern California
Tennis Association Hall of Fame on July
13 at the Four Seasons Hotel—Bever-
ly Hills. For details concerning the
black tie gala, call 310-208-
3838, ext. 252.
 J U L Y 2 0 0 7
INDUSTRYNEWS

Head ‘Radical’ Promo USPTA Schedules World Conference

Offers Chance to Hit with Agassi
T
he USPTA’s World Conference on Tennis
will be Sept. 17 to 22 at the Saddlebrook

H
ow radical can the
Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla. The confer-
game of tennis get?
ence, which typically attracts about 1,500 ten-
Head is asking ten-
nis professionals, industry leaders and
nis fans around the world
representatives, manufacturers, wholesalers,
to weigh in with a new
and media, will have more than 40 general ses-
“How Radical Are You?”
sions, seminars, and specialty courses.
promotion that coincides
Also during the conference, USPTA hosts its International
with the launch of the
Tennis Championships, board and executive committee meet-
new MicroGel Radical rac-
ings, nighttime parties, industry meetings, a tennis-only buying
quet.
show, silent auction, awards presentation, and more.
Head wants fans to
Details about the conference, including registration informa-
submit one- to two-
tion, will be available soon at www.uspta.com or by calling 800-
minute videos showing
877-8248.
how their tennis game
The Tennis Buying Show will be Sept. 20 during the World
has “evolved into an indi-
Conference. Booth space is still available. Manufacturers are
vidual, spontaneous, and
encouraged to submit booth registrations early to guarantee
adventurous sport.” Participants will compete for a chance to
space. To obtain booth reservation forms, visit www.uspta.com
win an afternoon on the court with Andre Agassi.
and click on the World Conference link.
Fans can submit their videos on www.head.com through
Exhibitors include marketers and wholesalers of hard and
July 8.
soft goods, video-analysis and pro shop software, teaching aids,
In addition to court time with Agassi, the Grand Prize win-
court surfacing and lighting, awards, backboards, educational
ner will receive round-trip airfare for two and a two-night stay
materials, nutrition bars and vitamins, and more.
in Las Vegas. The runner up will receive a new MicroGel Radical
In addition, the USPTA Silent Auction, which benefits the
racquet signed by Agassi.
USPTA Foundation, will be held during the Buying Show. Anyone
The MicroGel Radical line will hit shelves in July 2007 and fea-
interested in donating an item for the auction can visit
ture three racquets, the MicroGel Radical OS, the MicroGel Radi-
www.uspta.com and click on the World Conference link to
cal MP and the MicroGel Radical Pro.
obtain a donation form, or call John Dettor at 713-978-7782.

PTR Development Prince Adds New Ozone Frames

P
rince introduces three new frames to its lineup: the
Weekend Slated Ozone One, Ozone Four, and Ozone Seven.

T
he PTR will hold its annual Profes-
sional Development Weekend from
Sept. 13 to 16 at PTR Headquarters
on Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Mike Barrell, a world-renowned
expert on teaching tennis to children,
will conduct a “Growing Kids,
Growing the Game” work-
shop. Sports psycholo-
gists Dr. Bryce Young and
Linda LeClaire will present a course on
The Ozone line features Prince’s new Car-
bon Wave Matrix Construction. The racquets
also have a re-engineered hitting zone that
Prince says will add extra strength and stability
Ozone One
for a larger, more consistent sweetspot.
Prince says the 118-square-inch, 9-ounce
Ozone One is for players looking for lightweight power
and a larger hitting zone. The head-heavy racquet
has a 16 x 19 string pattern.
The oversize (110-square-inch) Ozone Four is
for players seeing an enhanced sweetspot, says

“Mental Game Mastery,” as well as con-
duct “Mental Match Play.” PTR Directors
Iñaki Balzola and Jack Waite, are offering
a new course, “Teaching Advanced
Stroke Production,” and in Stan Oley’s
workshop, “Teaching Today's Modern
Game with a Ball Machine,” one partici-
Ozone Four
the company. The evenly-balanced frame weighs in
at 9.7 ounces and has a 16 x 19 string pattern.
Prince describes the 105-square-inch Ozone Seven as
having the ultimate blend of power and control for
players across all levels. The head-light frame is
10.1 ounces and has a 16 x 18 pattern.
All three frames carry a suggested retail price

pant will win a Playmate ball mower, val-
ued at $450.
For information or to register, visit
Quick Links at www.ptrtennis.org.
Ozone Seven
of $190. For a limited time, with the purchase of
any Ozone racquet, Prince is offering a free triple bag and
a four-pack of balls (valued at $29.99), at participating outlets. For more information,
visit www.princesports.com.

16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

 SELLING
TENNIS
TENNIS BALLS
BALLS
Bulk purchases, consumer promotions, and
new packaging all help to give your
customers what they need.
Y
ou might call them the Rodney Dangerfield of tennis
products.
They’re swatted mercilessly by tennis pros and tennis
hacks. Their lifespan can be a matter of hours. And even their
material worth is abysmal—one can is cheaper than almost
anything made by the barista at your local Starbucks.
We’re talking, of course, about tennis balls. These fuzzy fel-
lows may be low on the tennis totem pole in some ways, but
they’re as essential to the game as a racquet, net, and white
lines.
In fact, the health of the whole industry is often linked to the
sale of tennis balls—if sales are up, that’s proof that more play-
ers must be hitting the courts, more often. The Tennis Industry
Association reports that 2007 first-quarter tennis ball ship-
ments are up 8.4 percent in dollars and 8.7 percent in units
compared to last year, which is welcome news for manufac-
turers and retailers alike.
Tennis balls certainly lack the industry buzz of the latest rac-
quet or string technology introductions—has any tennis prod-
uct changed less in the last 25 years?—but they remain a staple
and barometer for the industry. Here’s a closer look at the cur-
rent state of tennis balls, and where this product category may
be bouncing in the months to come.
Trend Watch: Buying in Bulk
Consumers may still be able to buy a can of balls for pretty
much the same price they paid some 20 years ago, but indus-
try insiders have noticed at least one significant shift in recent
18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
BY MITCH RUSTAD
times—more tennis players are buying tennis balls in bulk.
“The landscape of tennis balls has changed a lot over the
last five years,” says Jennifer Parker, business manager of
Head/Penn Racquet Sports in Phoenix, who notes that a rising
number of consumers are buying the 4-can shrink-wrapped
packages. “People are just finding it easier and more conve-
nient to buy them in packs,” especially when shopping the big-
box outlets, says Parker. “Our pro specialty stores still tend to
sell more single can units, because they are easier for them to
stock.”
“There have been a lot more of the 4-, 6-, and 8- packs at
retail,” says Jason Collins, Wilson’s global business director for
tennis balls. “But 4-packs have been the most common.
There’s a little more perceived value.”
Specialty retailers such as Chris Gaudreau, the owner and
president of Racquet Koop in New Haven, Conn., however,
have also noticed the “buy in bulk” trend and encourage cus-
tomers to go beyond the single-can purchase.
“I’m finding a huge pattern in consumers buying balls by
the case,” says Gaudreau, who won’t display or visually pro-
mote cases of balls on the sales floor, but makes sure his cus-
tomers know they’re available. “If I see someone grabbing 12
cans of balls, I’ll just suggest that they buy a case, and they usu-
ally do it. You can’t play tennis without balls, so it’s a matter of
convenience, because I charge the same price,” says Gaudreau,
who will even offer customers a “mixed” case of balls, for both
clay and hard courts.
Specialty retailer Kim Cashman, owner of the Advantage
Yours tennis shop in Clearwater, Fla., has also noticed tennis
consumers bulking up. “We have found that offering the 4-
pack of balls has increased our tennis ball business,” she says.
Promotions That Sell: Big & Small
Some major ball manufacturers are looking to elaborate pro-
motions to keep ball sales healthy. This spring, Penn rolled
out a major promotion featuring a corporate sponsor
(Chrysler) giveaway with an immediate gratification, high-end
incentive (one can includes a sports watch), which follows on
the heels of other mainstream promotions such as putting
codes for free music downloads in 4-pack cans of premium
balls.
“It adds value to what a lot of people consider a commod-
ity purchase,” says Parker. “And these promotions give retail-
ers a way to sell through their ball inventory more quickly.”
Other ball manufacturers use higher end products to pro-
mote their ball brand. “We’re new to the product, so we’re
planning to leverage our status in racquets in our summer
promotions,” says Jay Simmons, Prince’s senior category
director of tennis balls and recreational racquets.
In July, Prince launches a new racquet, and with each pur-
chase, customers get a 4-pack of Prince balls and a racquet
bag. “It’s a way to stimulate trial for our product and give
added value with purchase,” says Simmons. “Then you have
everything you need to go straight to the court and play.”
Prince will turn to national print ads and in-store counter
cards to get the word out, he says.
Currently, Wilson is offering a visor with a 4-pack pur-
chase, says Collins. “It’s generally a good incentive to buy,” he
adds. Wilson has future promotions planned, says Collins,
that take advantage of Wilson’s “official ball” status at the US
Open, Australian Open, NCAAs, Davis and Fed Cups, and
more.
Tennis club managers like Ken DeHart of San Jose Racquet
and Swim in San Jose, Calif., promote tennis ball sales by
offering freebies within the club, one way to gain a unique
edge over the competition. Says DeHart: “Build a display
pyramid about 4 to 5 feet high featuring a "ball of the month"
and members who purchase get their name immediately
entered for a free tennis clinic or free hour on the ball
machine at the end of the month.”
Cashman opts for manufacturer-supplied “ball tower dis-
plays” but suggests displaying it near the register, not near the
front door. “You want to have the customers walk by as many
products as possible before reaching the balls,” she says.
“They just might see something else that they can’t live with-
out.”
Options, options, options!
While price points and general technology haven’t changed
much over the years, the variety of options on many retail
shelves can confuse even a seasoned tennis player. The
options can be mind-boggling—the “levels” of balls are tagged
with names like “Pro,” “Championship,” “Recreational,”
“Practice,” “Extra Duty,” “Regular Duty,” “Pressureless,” or
merely branded with a variety of logos, such as the “official”
ball for each Grand Slam.
“The manufacturers make so many different kinds of balls
now that people get so confused because they don’t know the
difference,” says Vince Chiarelli, owner of String Along with
Vince, in Largo, Fla. “What I have to do is make my customers
understand the quality of balls is different.”
One manufacturer says he hasn’t seen that much of a shift
in overall options—the changes are more on the can than in
the can.
“When it comes to producing tennis balls, the only thing
you can really change is the core compound or the felt, and
everything has to pass specifications, so there isn’t much to
tinker with,” says Simmons. “The things you can change are
more in the packaging.
“In the last 20 years or more, there’s always been the vary-
ing felt types for specific court surfaces, and two-,
three-, or four-ball cans, and different packs,” says Simmons.
“Another change has been a shift to bulk packaging.”
To limit potential confusion, however, many specialty
retailers simply refuse to carry lower-end balls, leaving the
larger list of options to big-box outlets. But like most products,
the ultimate decision to purchase isn’t in the hands of retail-
ers or manufacturers.
“There’s a number of reasons why people choose one ball
over another,” says Parker. “Whether it’s American-made is
meaningful to some, or others might like an ATP logo on the
can, so who knows what makes them tick? There isn’t one
ball that fits all tennis players, and that’s why there’s such a
big selection out there.”
The Never-Changing Product
While racquet and string technologies have changed dramati-
cally over the last 30 years, basically the same balls have been
bouncing off your racquet for just as long. Despite all the
dressed-up packaging, multiple logos, etc., there’s a limit to
what manufacturers can do to “improve” a tennis ball, says
Parker.
“Coming up with new ball technologies always poses a lit-
tle bit of a challenge,” says Parker. “It’s heavily regulated and
all need to fall within the same general level of playability, so
our challenges are to come up with new technologies within
the limits imposed upon the industry by the ITF and USTA.”
“My feeling is, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” says Wilson’s
Collins. However, that doesn’t mean the packaging can’t
change—for the better. Wilson has come out with ball cans
containing 25 percent post-consumer recycled material,
Collins says, which will help reduce the amount of new plas-
tic needed.
“The tennis ball package is one of the most difficult items
to produce,” Collins says. “It’s pressure sensitive and heat
sensitive. Any small changes have to be tested long before we
go to market. We’ve been working on the new recycled pack-
aging for 16 months.”
In the meantime, consumers (and retailers for that matter)
can count on continuing to buy balls without much damage to
their wallets. “Tennis balls are viewed by consumers as a dis-
posable commodity,” says Simmons, “so they’re willing to
pay a certain amount, but very reluctant to pay more. That’s
why the cost has stayed the same for so long.” Q
July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19
 BALL
TENNIS BALLS
TESTING:
WE FOLLOW THE
BOUNCING BALL
FROM THE LAB
TO THE COURT
BY ROD CROSS AND CRAWFORD LINDSEY
V
arious tennis ball types are designed differently, manu-
factured differently, and perform differently. We set out
to measure these differences using 26 different kinds of
balls from eight manufacturers.
We tested only one can from each manufacturer. Was
that can representative of all cans? Who knows? Would balls
from 100 cans test the same relative to each other? Again,
who knows? Were some balls fresh from the factory and oth-
ers months old? What we do know is that our sample was
probably just as good as any player's "sample" when he
goes to the store. Chances are that we got an average slice of
reality, but we warn against making any absolute generaliza-
tions about specific ball types based on this limited data.
What you can take away from the data are commonalities
about the universe of balls. And these are interesting indeed.
All balls must meet ITF regulations in order to be
approved for tournament play. Balls are subjected to strict
testing procedures to determine whether they fall into the
approved range of specifications for any given property of
the ball. These tests include weight, size, rebound, and
deformation. The acceptable ranges for the standard type 2
(medium speed) ball are as follows:
ITF Specifications
Mass: 56-59.4 grams
Size: 2.575-2.700 inches (6.541-6.858 cm)
Bounce: 53-58 inches (135-147 cm)
20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
Forward deformation: 0.220-0.290 inches (0.559-0.737 cm)
Return deformation: 0.315-0.425 inches (0.800-1.080 cm)
Together, these properties will determine how the
ball bounces and feels on your racquet.
We performed the ITF tests plus a durability test.
After the durability test, we put the used balls through
the same tests again. The durability test involved firing
each ball 30 times at high speed and oblique angle onto
a cutout slab of hardcourt. The ball hit the fence and
was returned to the ball machine via one bounce on
the tennis court. In this way, we were able to measure
new and used ball mass, diameter, bounce, and defor-
mation.
One caveat is necessary. Although we performed all
the ITF tests, they were not performed at the required
temperature of 68 degrees F. An air-conditioning glitch
necessitated that tests were performed at 73 degrees F.
So the tests were not valid “pass/fail” tests, but they
were accurate indications of the difference between
balls. In any case, balls bounce a lot higher on a hot day
than they do on a cold day, so a complete performance
test should really be done at several different tempera-
tures.
Due to time constraints, we did complete “used-
ball” tests on only one ball from each can. We did
“new-ball” tests on all three balls in each can.
Mass and Mass Loss
The range of all masses was
between 54.66 and 59.04 grams.
Three balls were below ITF specifica-
tions. The average mass of all three
balls per can ranged from 55.25 to
58.90 grams.
The weight variance for all three
balls within a can ranged from .04 to
.58 grams.
After durability testing, balls lost
between .34 and .94 grams. The
photo shows a ball next to .22 grams
of fuzz. Some balls lost four to five
times that much fuzz!

A ball loses mass by losing

some of its cloth cover (see
opening photo with ball fuzz
accumulating around the
court slab, ball machine,
and side of the court). We
subjected each ball to a
rapid wear test by firing it
30 times at high speed from
a ball machine (which creat-
ed and removed fuzz each
time) onto a hardcourt slab.
The slab itself acted like
sandpaper in creating and
removing fuzz. The result
was roughly equivalent to
20 games of tennis on a
hardcourt (depending on the
surface roughness of the
court and the speed at
which players hit the ball).

Diameter
The ITF approval is only a pass/fail test and does not measure
the actual diameters. For the test, the ball in all orientations must
be small enough to slip through the large hole and too large to
drop through the small hole (see photo). We additionally meas-
ured the diameter of the largest of three perpendicular axes.
Using a smooth vise, we measured the width of the vise gap that
allowed the ball to drop when aligned along its widest axis. (Most
balls were not absolutely round.)
The interesting observation is that the ball changes shape a
little bit each time it is squashed, or in other words, after each
hit. This was especially obvious after removing balls from the
compression tester, but this is a slow compression (not like rac-
quet impact) and the rubber has time to deform more.
Diameter variance within a can for all three balls ranged from
0.01 to 1.27 mm.

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21

 Diameter is measured after
balls have been compressed
three times on three axes. All
balls complied with the ITF
diameter specifications.

Balls change shape very

slightly when they are hit or
bounce very hard. One hit
might round out a ball or flat-
ten it in the same direction in
which it is already asymmet-
rical. So the ball on the far
right might be on the far left
next time we measure the
same balls. The lesson of the
graph is to show the range in
which this change of shape
can happen.

Bounce
Under our test conditions of 73
degrees, balls dropped from 100 inches
onto a granite surface bounced
between 52.93 and 58.43 inches. The
ITF requirements are for a bounce
between 53 and 58 inches at 69
degrees.
Surprisingly, most balls bounced
higher after the durability test than
before—some more than 1.5% higher.

22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

 We can speculate that
the higher bounce of
most of the used balls
has to do with the
removal of fluff. The
rubber core on its own
bounces higher than the
core+ball cloth combi-
nation. A bounce on a
carpet is lower than on a
hard surface because of
energy loss in the car-
pet. Similarly, adding
cloth to the ball will
increase energy loss.

Stiffness (deformation)
Standard ITF deformation (i.e., compression) tests were
performed on all new balls. This involved (1) compress-
ing each ball three times by 1 inch along all three axes
to make sure the ball was round before testing it, (2)
compressing the ball with a load of 18 pounds to meas-
ure the “forward deformation,” (3) increasing the load
until the ball compressed 1 inch, and (4) decreasing the
load back to 18 pounds to measure the “return defor-
mation.” These steps were repeated for all three axes
and the averages of each measurement were calculated.
These are static (not dynamic) stiffness tests.
Consequently, it does not necessarily follow that a stati-
cally measured softer or stiffer ball will also be relative-
ly softer or stiffer on racquet impact or that it

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23

 Stiffness (deformation) continued...
will bounce higher or lower when it bounces off the court. In
some respects, step 3 is more important than steps 2 or 4.
Surprisingly, there is no ITF rule about the force required to
compress a ball by 1 inch. A ball hit firmly compresses by
around 1 inch. The compressions at steps 2 and 4 are only
about 0.25 to 0.4 inch, which is about the same compres-
sion as a player achieves by squeezing the ball by hand. The
ITF legislated “forward/return” deformation data is mean-
ingless to most people, so we converted it to a simple stiff-
ness calculation in terms of pounds necessary to compress
the ball 1 inch.
Stiffness variance within a can for all three balls ranged
from 0 to 10.53 lb/in with an average variance for all balls
and brands of 2.63 lb/in.

Players sometimes com-

plain that balls are either
too soft or too hard. The
official rules of tennis
include specific guidelines
about ball stiffness. A play-
er can test a new or old
ball by squeezing it by
hand. The test here
involved compressing the
ball by 1 inch in a materi-
als testing machine.

A used ball is generally

softer than a new ball since
ball stiffness depends on
the wall thickness and the
amount of air inside the
ball. The rubber is about 3
mm thick and the cover is
also about 3 mm thick. If
the cloth cover wears down
to say 2 mm thickness, the
ball will become softer. The
ball will also become softer
if some of the compressed
air leaks out (but this does-
n't happen with pressure-
less balls).

24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

 After a pressurized ball is
removed from its can, air
gradually leaks out over time.
The results here show the
resulting decrease in ball stiff-
ness over a 5 month period for
balls sitting unused in the can
with the lid on. Players can
feel this effect simply by
squeezing an old ball by hand.
Two of the pressureless balls
became stiffer over the 5
month period, indicating that
the rubber became stiffer with
age. This is a well known
characteristic of rubber. The
change in stiffness over time
depends on the type of rubber
compound. The rubber in the
pressurized balls may also
have become stiffer, but the
overall stiffness of the ball
lessened due to loss of air
pressure.

Summary Regular and Extra Duty Balls

Some very interesting and surprising observa-
tions arise from the results of these tests. Some
What is the difference? Regular duty felt is composed of a com-
of these are:
 Balls may bounce higher after use.
bination of slightly more wool than nylon fibers woven onto a
 Balls become softer with use.
cotton backing. As a rule, regular duty balls are designed for soft
 Balls lose up to a gram even after minimal
surfaces such as grass, carpet, and clay. These balls have a tighter
weave, shorter nap, and thus play a little livelier and quicker due
use (if 30 bounces and throws by a ball
to less air friction and drag. The tighter weave is more clay, dirt,
machine count as minimal).
 Each ball in a can is different in weight,
and moisture resistant; indoors, it leaves less fluff cleanup on the
court and it inhibits fluffing due to static electricity.
diameter, and bounce.
 Each can from the same manufacturer can Extra duty balls are designed for hard surfaces such as asphalt,
be different. concrete, and other outdoor hardcourts. Extra duty felt has a
 Balls bounce differently on different axes. higher nylon content, resulting in a looser weave. Nylon does not
 Balls are not round. weave as tightly as wool because it is a much smoother fiber.
 Balls change shape during play. This causes the nylon to move around and fluff. A fluffy ball
 Balls bounce up to 5 inches different moves a bit slower through the air. Nylon is more resistant to
between brands. abrasion than wool, but on an abrasive, hardcourt surface the
 Some balls/cans off the shelf may not be fluff tends to be cut off as it forms.
legal.
 Bounce depends on days out of the can, use,
Thus, if you use a regular duty ball on a hard court, it will fluff
because the wool is not good against abrasion. It will also sheer
and temperature.
 Fuzz happens early in ball wear and then
more quickly. If you use an extra duty ball on grass or clay, it will
pick up dirt in the loose weave and become heavier. If the ball
sheared off (this process might have been
does get fluffed up (from both the court and a lot of spin shots),
exaggerated with the ball machine).
it will tend to stay fluffy because there is not as much abrasion
So, differences abound. Seemingly, no two
to shear it off. So if you use the wrong ball for the surface, you
tennis balls, like no two fingerprints, are the
get either a prematurely bald ball or a poorly performing hairy
same. No one can actually prove that. So far, all
one.
40 million fingerprints held by the FBI are differ-
ent, but the next one might well be an identical As a rule of thumb, a ball felt for your dog to chase in the back
copy of number 12,583,912. Similarly, no one yard might be 100 percent unwoven Dacron or acrylic. An inex-
can prove that all tennis balls are different. So pensive mass merchandise ball might have a felt that is 15 per-
far, all 26 balls we tested were different, but it is cent wool, and a performance ball will be woven with about 50-
possible that we might find two balls one day 60 percent wool, with extra duty types having more nylon.
that are the same. 

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25

 THE BALL
TENNIS BALLS

GAME
HOW A TENNIS
BALL IS MADE BY CRAWFORD LINDSEY

There’s nothing like opening up a new can of tennis balls. The “pssshhht” as
you pop the top, that new tennis ball smell, the distinct texture of the felt, the
firm feel of the pressurized ball—then the tingle of excitement you feel as you
drop the ball for that first hit.
How does all that get packed into those clear plastic cans? We went to the
Penn factory in Phoenix to find out. Penn Racquet Sports manufactures 330,000
tennis balls a day. Here’s how they do it.

Step One
A top-grade natural rub-
ber compound is mixed
Penn Racquet Sports

with 11 chemical ingredi-

ents.

Step Two
The mixture is perfect-
ly smoothed out and
extruded into pellets,
Penn Racquet Sports

each made precisely

the same weight.

26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

Step Three
The pellets are
placed into a mold
and formed into
hemispheres.

Step Four
The edges are then
buffed to extremely
fine tolerances, then
coated with a natural
Penn Racquet Sports

rubber adhesive.

Step Five
The halves are then
placed in another
mold for the second
cure process, which
Penn Racquet Sports

fuses them into com-

plete ball centers.

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27

 Step Six
During this process, a controlled degree
of pressure (equivalent to twice the
Earth’s atmosphere) is sealed into the

Penn Racquet Sports

centers. These pressurized ball centers are
then abraded to better retain the adhe-
sive and grip the cover when applied .

Step Seven
The cover for Penn
balls is made of a
blend of nylon, wool,
and cotton felt, pre-
tensioned to prevent
shrinkage in produc-
tion as well as in play.

Step Eight
The process of bonding the covers
involves a unique mechanical process
exclusive to Penn.
Penn Racquet Sports

Step Nine
A third cure assures a
solid bond between
cover and center.
Penn Racquet Sports

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

 Step Ten
The balls are steam-
fluffed to raise the
nap, thus ensuring
that they react better
to the court surface
and racquet.

End of the Line

Once the balls are made, cans are filled, labelled, boxed and shipped.

The finished balls are tested for uniformity of bounce and deformation, durability of the cover, as well
as flight, impact, wear and resistance characteristics to ensure that every ball precisely meets the
International Tennis Federation’s specifications in the Rules of Tennis.

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

 COURT
FOCUS ON FASHION

APPEAL The latest tennis apparel features

something for every player.
BY CYNTHIA SHERMAN

ACE COLLECTIONS
Ace Collections is a year-old company making a big splash out of
Canada. They combine classic styles with smart white coordinates
trimmed in signature “Ace” plaids of red, blue, green, or yellow. Ace
Diva is a youthful and fitted poly-spandex line, sporting a 13-inch skirt
length and features go-with
bags and accessories. The
Ace Classic line is geared to
35- to 65-year-olds and fabri-
cated of a high-quality Sup-
plex, which is more forgiving
and flattering. The skirt in the
Classic line is 14 inches long
and the Ace plaid trim runs
up the side of the skirts and
dresses. www.ace-collec-
tions.com; 416-932-3308

TAIL
Tail combines functional, breathable
fabrics with dynamic color blocking
of bright marina blues and yellows;
and graphic prints in coordinating
pieces in pink, whites, grays, and
black. Black is also featured with
canary yellow, white, and sil-
ver accents in clothing that
moves well on and off the
court in box-pleats, A-
lines, and flirty flouncy
skirts and matching
tops.
www.tailinc.com;
305-638-2650

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

 LBH
LBH/Lily’s/Wimbledon combines fashion and function in all
their lines. Lily’s clothing is elegant with a more forgiving fit
in contemporary looks. The decidedly feminine Bella
Donna group’s graphic black and white print tops in “tactel
poly-spandex” combine with solid-black flouncy skirts. LBH,
geared toward the 35-plus crowd, has a contemporary feel
and transcends court wear to active lifestyle wear. The
Wimbledon line focuses on the classic looks of the ’70s
updated in stylish combos of white, jacquard, and plaids
with colorful trims. www.lbhgroup.com; 310-768-0300

FILA
The Fila US Open Collec-
tion features traditional-
retro red, white, and
BOLLE blue updated in con-
Blue is Bolle’s theme for its “Planet Blue” group, slat- temporary looks
ed for September delivery. Comprised of skirts, sko- and linear pat-
rts, shorts, and a stylish mix of go-with tops, the line terns in youthful
shows off medium blue and white pieces, mixed feminine silhou-
with trims and color blocks of black, yellow, and ettes. Poly-spandex
blue. Classy blue and white pinstripes are a highlight dresses, skirts, and
of this fashionable court-savvy group. tops highlight this col-
www.bolletenniswear.com; 888-977-7272 lection and will be promi-
nently featured at the
Grand Slam event.
www.fila.com; 800-845-FILA

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31

 BÄLLE DE MÄTCH
Bälle de Mätch goes after the junior
fashion category in a big way with
funky shorts, tank tops, and hood-
ies. A trendy red hooded sweatshirt
pairs up nicely with green shorts
and popular mix-and-match
pinks and reds are featured in
tank tops and shorts. This
“tweener” category ships in
December.
www.balledematch.com;
949-574-7305

PRINCE
Apparel will be a huge focus for Prince. For the fall,
the trendy, youthful “Tour” line in shades of pink,
rose, and gray sports skirts and tank tops with
mesh for breathability in poly-lycra-spandex
blends. The accompanying men’s “Tour” collec-
tion goes retro with zip-front shirts and shorts in
gray, red, and white for a striking fashion state-
ment. www.princetennis.com; 800-2-TENNIS

LEJAY
Lejay’s “Opposites IN-BETWEEN
Attract” collection fea- Last fall, In-Between
tures a new take on Sportwear introduced plus
the very “in” black- sizes and fills a much-needed
and-white combo. A niche in this fashion group.
splash of geometric They feature mix-and-match
and animal prints cre- skirts, performance shorts,
ates an abstract yet tops, leggings, and under-
sophisticated garments in sizes 2-24.
look. Trendy White, black, navy, and
details like red combine with lime
rhinestones and coral in pieces that
accent this styl- go from on-court to
ish theme group. off. In-Between’s
Delivery sched- Courtshorties line is a
uled for Aug 15. staple in active
www.lejay.com; “innerwear.”
800-932-7535
O-91.COM
WWW.STUDI

32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

BALL
2007 GUIDE TO BALL MACHINES

MACHINE
SELECTOR
I
nvesting in a ball machine is kind of like putting money in a high-
yield fund. The initial amount you may need to pony up may
be a stretch for you, but you know in the end you’ll come out
ahead.
A ball machine should be a key component of your
business. It’s a versatile piece of equipment and can be
used during lessons and clinics, to rent out to individ-
uals or groups who want to work on their own, as a
new member perk, and much more. Many players
like the idea of going off on a court by them-
selves to hone their strokes with a ball
machine—which frees up your pros to work
on other courts.
Our 2007 Guide to Ball Machines has
all the information you need to help you
find the right machine for your business.
The Ball Machine Selector on page 36
charts all the machines available today
and the features they offer. Keep in
mind that with ball machines, there
are a lot of things that you can
change about the unit at the time of
purchase, or later. In our chart,
we’ve listed the specs and prices
of the most basic model of each
machine. Then, if options are
offered, we’ve listed the addition-
al cost of adding that feature.
July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35
2007 GUIDE TO BALL MACHINES PROPULSION

Electronic
M anual
econds)
lsion
lsion

pin &
heel Propu

spin
C ontrol -
C ontrol -
ure Propu

nterval (s

eed T ops
ed Lobs
(M PH )

eed Side
ity

s)
Spinning W
Ball C apac

A ble to Fe
T op Speed
W eight (lb

Feeding I

A ble to F
A ir Press

Elevation
Elevation

A ble to F
PriceWar- Dimensions
Brand Model (MSRP (Storage
Economy Ball Bucket 202
$469 2 12 x 12 x 2750 20 X 3, 6, 1255 X X $50
Lobster Ball Bucket 201 $549 2 12 x 12 x 3150 28 X 3, 6, 1255 X X $50
www.lobsterinc.c
Hybrid 301 $689 2 36 x 13 x 21
150 31 X 3, 6, 1270 X X $50
om
Tournament 401 $789 2 36 x 13 x 21
150 32 X 3, 6, 1270 X X $50
800-526-4041
Elite Freedom $799 2 24 x 16 x 19
150 30 X 2 - 10 70 X X
Elite Model 1 $1,049 2 24 x 16 x 19
150 42 X 2 - 12 80 X X X
Elite Model 2 $1,299 2 24 x 16 x 19
150 44 X 2 - 12 80 X X X
Elite Model 3 $1,549 2 24 x 16 x 19
150 44 X 2 - 12 80 X X X

Playmate Portable $1,695 1 19 x 21 x 25

200 55 X 1 - 10 80 X X X
www.playmateten ACE $3,495 3 35 x 21 x 38
200 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
nis SMASH $4,395 3 35 x 21 x 38
300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
machines.com DEUCE $5,495 3 35 x 21 x 38
300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
800-776-6770 GENIE $5,995 3 35 x 21 x 38
300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
GENIE PC $7,995 3 35 x 21 x 38
300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
GRAND SLAM $7,495 3 35 x 21 x 38
300 110 X 1 - 10120 X X X X
GRAND SLAM PC $8,995 3 35 x 21 x 38
300 110 X 1 - 10120 X X X X

SAM I-SAM Model 1 $549 1 19 x 17.5 x 18

250 29 X 2 - 7 60 X X
www.MasterSport I-SAM Model 2 $749 1 19 x 17.5 x 18
250 34 X 2 - 7 60 X X
s.com SAM Professional Model 1$849
Portable 119.5 x 16 x 21.5
300 48 X 2 - 1370 X
800-837-1002 X 4,6,10,11
SAM Professional Model 4$1,429
Portable 119.5 x 16 x 21.5
300 48 X 2 - 1370 X
X 4,6,10,11
SAM Sport $2,099 3 35 x 25 x 50250 87 X 1.5 - 885 X X X
Robot Opti- SAM Coach $2,499 3 35 x 25 x 50250 87 X 1.5 - 885 X X X
mizers
Boomer $14,450 138.5 x 31 x 21.5
300124 X 1.0 - 10
100 X X X
Silent Part
-
ner Ultra Lite $599 1 22 x 18 x 14
200 35 X 1.0 - 1595 X X X
Sport $949 1 22 x 18 x 14
200 46 X 1.0 - 1595 X X X
Sports Pro $1,199 1 22 x 18 x 14
200 48 X 1.0 - 1595 X X X
7
Attack

Sports Ace Attack $5,499 1 34 x 53 200 150 X 1.5 - 12

110 X X X X

Tutor
www.sportstutor.Tennis Twist $199 1 10 x 11 x23 28 11 5 15 X
com Tennis Tutor ProLite - $549
Basic 1 12 x 19.5 x 18 125 20 X 1.5 - 1060 X X
800-448-8867 Tennis Tutor ProLite $649 1 12 x 19.5 x 18 125 22 X 1.5 - 1060 X X
Tennis Tutor $989 1 12 x 19.5 x 20 150 42 X 1.5 - 1285 X X
Tennis Tutor - Plus $1,199 1 20 x 19.5 x 20 150 46 X 1.5 - 1285 X X X
Tennis Tutor - Plus Player $1,549
Model 1 20 x 19.5 x 20
15046 X 1.5 - 1285 X
X 4,9
Tennis Tower $1,195 1 44 x 23 x 22 225 60 X 1.5 - 885 X X $200
Super Coach
Shot Maker - Standard
$2,900 238.5 x 31 x 21.5 300 96 X 1 - 6 95 X X X
www.tennismachi
Shot Maker - Deluxe $4,000*OtherOptional
238.5 Accessories
x 31 x 21.5
300 96
5 - X
Built-in1 transformer
- 6 95 Xfor X X
international power
ne.com 1 - Spin adaptor $50 standards $111
2 - Fast charger $99 6 - 110/220 Volt AC converter $99
3 - 3-Hour rapid recharger 7 - Additional removable battery $40
$219.70 8 - Extra heavy duty battery $25
36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
 OSCILLATION POWER REMOTE CONTROL MISC.

*
y
es Stan-

cessories
O ptional
-

Standard
e

O scilla-
Program

A ccessor
W ireless
ilable as
ram m abl

or Porta-
ithin Pro

ptional
rd O nly

tandard
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hat C an

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ontrol
W ithin

C ord
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tor
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om

ontrol of
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arger com
arger ava

tional A c
ow er - S
Pow er C o

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w apabilit
ife Indica
ogram s t

W heels f
ontrol -

ontrol -

ontrol -
Battery o
le H eight

Battery O

ontrol -
le Interva

O ptional
n - R and

m p/H ou
e Feed C
le Spin W

Standard
n - Prog

le D epth
of Shots
lation

R em ote C

R em ote C

R em ote C
R em ote C
R em ote C
R em ote C

Serving T
Serving T

O ther O p
Sm art C h
Battery A

Sm art C h
N o. of Pr

Battery L
Interactiv

Battery S
O scillatio
O scillatio
N o O scil

Includes
A djustab
A djustab
A djustab

R u n s on
A djustab

R u n s on
R u n s on
N um ber

C over -
C over -
X X $70 X $49 1
X X $70 X $49 1
X X $70 X $49 X 1
X X X X $70 X $49 X 1
X X 8.5 X X X X $49 X 2
X X 18 X X $199 X X $49 X 2
X X X X 18 X X $199 X X $49 X 2
X X X X 18 X X $199 X X $49 X 2

3 X 15 X X X X $85 3
X 3 X X X $4,395 $85 5
X X 7 X X X $4,395 $85 5
X X 7 X X X X X X X $4,395 $85 5

∞
X X 7 X X X X X X X $4,395 $85 5
X X 8 X X X X X X X X X X $4,395 $85 5

∞
X X 7 X X X X X X X $4,395 $85 5
X X 8 X X X X X X X X X X $4,395 $85 5

X $99 X X 7.5 X X X 6,8,11

X $99 X X 15 X X X X X X 6,12
X X X $99 X X 15 X X X X X

X X X X 2 $99 X X 15 X X X X X X X

X X 3 X $99 X X 12,13
X X 6 X X X X X 12,13

X X 301000 X X X X X X X X X X $3,895X X 15

X X 7.5 X X X $40 X 7
X X 15 X X X $40 X 7
X $299 2 $249 $80 X 15 X X X X X X $40 X

X 4 X $300 X X $200 X

X X 6 D Cells

X X $50 9 X $70 X $35

X X $50 9 X $70 X $35
X $200 4 $50 X 18 X X $200 X X $35 X 9
X $200 4 $50 X 18 X X $200 X X $35 X 4,9
X X X $200 4 X $50 X 18 X X $200 X X $35

X $300 4 X $200 X X X X 4
X X 3 X $200 X X X X
X9 - XExt.6 batteryX
pack $130, ext. AC X
power 13 - Feeds ballsX from 30
supply $125, above Xground
X X X
smart charger upgrade $40 14 - Can deliver any type of ball, (topspin, underspin, flat, lob) to any place
10 - Lob enhancer $20 court, in any sequence
11 - Water-resistant cloth storage cover $49 15 - Plays games, rates shots, uses a camera, talks to players,- cordless head
12 - Ships via FedEx Ground phone system ($500 or $50/mo),
Julyor
wireless printer for analysis ($2000 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
$100/mo) 37
2007 GUIDE TO BALL MACHINES
DISCLAIMERS
Specific Features
Keep in mind that whenever you try to devel-
op a chart like this, it is necessary to create
some pretty broad, non-detailed features. For
example, when we mark that a machine offers
random oscillation, it means that the machine
can be set to shoot balls to different locations
on the court in a random pattern. However,
this does not indicate how many different
places the machine can shoot the ball. Some
machines will just shoot the balls randomly
between as few as 2 locations at the same
depth, while other machines might be able to
shoot the ball virtually anywhere on the court
at different heights and speeds.
Durability
There really is no easy way to measure the
durability of a ball machine. The only true
test of durability is to use the machine for
years and see how it holds up. We assume
you don’t want to wait that long to see the rest
of this information. So, we don’t have a category for dura-
bility. However, you can learn more about how long the
machines last by talking to the manufacturers and asking for
references from people they have sold machines to. Just like
we recommend when buying stringing machines, don’t just
buy a ball machine based on price. If you buy an inexpen-
sive machine that isn’t designed for the type and amount of
use you will be asking of it, it can end up costing you a lot
more money down the road than a machine that cost more
FEATURES
at first, but was designed for what you have in mind.
Brand & Contact Info
The name of the manufacturer
and how to get in touch with
them. You can contact them to
get more information or to order the
machine that looks best to you. There are
eight manufacturers making machines under
nine brand names.
Model
The specific model of machine. However,
remember that many of the machines offer
several different options. In some cases, when
you buy different options, the name of the machine
may change slightly. But, in each case, the available
options for each machine list the price of adding that option.
Price
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Prices range from car.
$199 to $14,450.
38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
Make sure you have confidence in the durability of the
machine and the customer service of the company to help
you when you have problems. You should feel comfortable
that the company has a system in place to fix anything that
might go wrong with your machine. In some cases, they
may have local service reps to come fix it
at your facility, while in other cases
they should offer a way to ship all or
part of the machine back to the manu-
facturer for repairs.
So, you probably won’t want to buy a
machine strictly based on what you read in
this chart. Rather, this chart should help you
to narrow the universe of machines by elim-
inating the machines that don’t offer fea-
tures you really want. Then, when you
have narrowed your choices, you can do
more research by visiting the websites
or calling the phone numbers listed for
each company.
Demo Before You Buy
Lobster Elite As always, when investing in a piece
of equipment as expensive as a ball
machine, we recommend that you look for an opportunity
to try the machine before you buy it. Ask the manufacturers
for ideas about how you can try their machines. In some
cases they may be able to send you a sample to try, in other
cases they may have sold one to someone near you.
So, now that you know what we’re trying to do, let’s talk
about what all the features listed across the top of the chart
mean.
Warranty
How long the manufacturer guaran-
tees the machine against defects. How-
ever, keep in mind that many of the
manufacturers do offer extended war-
ranties. See the specific manufacturer for
more information and costs of extended
warranties.
Dimensions
These are the measurements of the
machines for storage or transport. In
other words, some machines will be
Playmate Genie Deuce considerably bigger than these mea-
surements when you are using them
because you add a ball holder. We list the smaller mea-
surements because the size of a machine really only matters
when you are trying to fit it on a shelf or in the trunk of a
Ball Capacity
This indicates how many balls you can put in the
machine at a time. However, several of the manufacturers
indicated that their machines can actually hold more balls
than they have listed if you stack the balls higher than the
sides of the machine. There are machines that hold as few
as 28 balls and as many as 300 balls. But keep in mind that
some machine manufacturers tell us that most
PROPULSION
people don’t come close to filling their
Spinning Wheel Propulsion
An “X” in this column indicates that the
machine uses two spinning wheels to feed the
ball to you. In almost every case the spinning
wheels are stacked vertically with just enough
space between them for a ball to squeeze
through. So, the faster the wheels are spinning,
the faster the balls will be propelled.
Air Pressure Propulsion
An “X” in this column indicates that the
machine shoots the ball through a tube like a
cannon. The amount of air pressure determines
the speed and depth of the shot.
Feeding Intervals
This column indicates how often the machine can feed
balls. Most machines offer a range of intervals. Smaller
intervals make for a harder workout, while higher intervals
allow more time for preparation and watching your results.
Top Speed
Almost every machine offers the ability to adjust the
speed at which the ball is shot from the machine. They all
are capable of feeding a very slow ball for shots
shorter in the court and for weaker players.
So, we just list the fastest speed that each
manufacturer says the machine will shoot
the ball. However, most of the time, most
players don’t need the ball speed maxed
out because the players they play with
don’t hit that hard.
OSCILLATION
No Oscillation
Machines with an “X” in this column are not capable
of feeding the ball in more than one direction. So, if you
want to practice forehands you have to point the machine
toward your forehand and vice-versa for backhands. How-
ever, you cannot practice forehands and backhands at the
same time unless you’re willing to use a little extra foot-
work.
machines. Who wants to carry and pick up 200 or more
balls?
Weight
This is an indication of how much the basic machine
weighs without balls in it. So, if you add options or balls, the
weight will increase. We list the weight without balls because
this is probably how you will transport the machine
to the court.
Elevation Control
Electronic — An “X” in this column indicates
that the machine can change the height of the
shot by pushing a button or turning a knob.
Elevation Control
Manual — An “X” in this column indicates that the
machine can shoot balls at different heights, but
you have to physically aim a shooting arm or tilt
the machine in some way to do so.
Able to Feed Lobs
An “X” in this column indicates that
SAM Millennium the manufacturer tells us the machine is
capable of feeding lobs to allow you to
practice your overheads.
Able to Feed Topspin & Underspin
An “X” in this column means that the machine uses spin-
ning wheels to propel the balls and you can make one wheel
spin faster than the other to put spin on the top or bottom
of the ball. If you see a price in this column, it means that
the machine is capable of putting spin on the ball, but you
must purchase an extra option to do so.
Able to Feed Sidespin
An “X” in this column indicates that
the machine has spinning wheels that
don’t just touch the ball on top and bot-
tom. The wheels that are on the sides of
the balls can be spun faster than the oth-
ers to put spin on the sides of the ball.
This is mainly helpful for simulating
serves.
Oscillation – Random
These machines are capable
Robot Optimizers Boomer of feeding balls randomly to dif-
ferent locations on the court to
simulate real play. However, as we explained before, you
need to do a little more inquiring to find out just how ran-
domly the machine can shoot balls. Some machines can
choose randomly between two positions, while others can
shoot balls virtually anywhere on the court.
July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39
 2007 GUIDE TO BALL MACHINES
OSCILLATION CONT.
Oscillation – Programmable
This is another feature that requires a closer look.
Machines in this column have a control panel
that allows you to shoot balls in a pattern
that you determine. But look to the next
few columns to see how complicated a pro-
gram you can give it.
# of Shots in Program
This column indicates how many differ-
ent shots you can program before the
machine repeats its program. So, machines
that have a higher number in this column
offer you the opportunity to create a more
complicated drill for yourself or your stu-
dents.
Number of Programs
That Can Be Stored
If you see a number in this column, it indicates
that the machine can store programs you design for
use at another time, and how many programs it can
store in its memory.
Adjustable Depth within Program
These machines offer the opportunity to create even more
complicated drills because they allow you to feed one ball
deep in the court followed by another ball that is shorter in
the court.
Adjustable Spin within Program
Again, these machines offer more com-
POWER
Runs on Battery or Power Cord
An “X” in this column means that you can
power the machine with a battery or a power
cord plugged into an electrical outlet.
Runs on Power Cord Only
Machines in this column require an
electrical outlet for power.
Runs on Battery Only
These machines can only be powered by a rechargeable
battery.
Battery Amp/Hour
This is an indication of how much “juice there is in the bat- tive than others. Talk with the manufacturer for a more
teries.” It is a measure of the number of amps of electricity detailed description of how it works.
40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
plicated drills because they allow you to vary the amount of
topspin or underspin from one shot to the next.
Adjustable Height within Program
These machines allow you to vary the height
of the balls during the program. So, you can
practice against a ball that comes high over the
net followed by another ball that is fed low
over the net.
Adjustable Interval within Program
These machines allow you to vary the time
between ball feeds during the program. This way
you can tell the machine to feed you a lob and
wait long enough for you to hit the overhead
before feeding the next ball. Or you can program
a longer time between balls you will be hitting
from the baseline than balls you will be hitting
from the net.
Interactive Feed Control
Silent Partner Pro The Boomer from Robot Optimizers fea-
tures a video camera, a powerful computer,
and can even talk to a player.
These features allow a player to play a game against
Boomer, where Boomer is the opponent, umpire, ball-boy,
cheerleader, and wiseguy (it even trash talks). The camera is
used to rate each shot a player hits from 1 to 9 based on
speed, depth, and width. In game mode the machine varies
its feeds based on the quality of the shot from the
player. In drill mode, it says the score of each
ball and even tells the player if the shot is out.
the battery can deliver in 1 hour. One manu-
facturer described amp/hours as being like a
car’s gas tank. More amp/hours is like a bigger
gas tank, meaning that the machine can run
longer on a charge. We are publishing this num-
ber instead of the machine’s battery life. We felt
publishing this number for each machine helps
reduce any discrepancies in the battery life that is
indicated by each of the manufacturers.
Battery Life Indicator
These machines have some sort of
indicator to let you know how much
Sports Attack Ace Attack battery life is left. Once again, some
of these indicators are more informa-
Battery Swapability
An “X” in this column means that the machine allows you
to take out a battery that is almost out of juice and replace it
with a fresh battery. However, keep in mind that to do this
you will have to purchase a spare battery.
charged, it reduces the voltage that it feeds to the battery to
just enough to keep it fully charged. A regular charger would
keep feeding excess electricity to your battery after it is fully
charged until the charger is unplugged. This excess electricity
can degrade your battery and ultimately shorten your bat-
tery’s lifespan. But, a smart charger allows you to keep your

Smart Charger comes Standard

charger plugged in without damaging your battery.

Smart Charger available as

Option
All battery-operated machines come
with a charger to recharge the batteries
as they wear down. But, machines with Machines with a dollar amount in this
an “X” in this column come with a column come with a standard charger includ-
smart charger included in the listed ed in the listed price. But, for the extra fee
price. A smart charger is designed to listed in this column, you can get a smart
recharge your battery until it is fully charger (as described in the previous fea-

REMOTE
charged. Then, when your battery is fully ture) instead.

CONTROL
Remote Control
these machines are not actually attached to

Available as Option
the machine. So, you can take them wherever you
want as long as the signal is strong
Tennis Tutor Pro Lite
These machines do not come with a remote, but you can enough to reach the machine.

Remote Control of Oscillation

buy one. Look at the next several columns to find out what
the remote controls and whether it is wireless.

Remote Control – Cord

These remotes are actually able to turn the oscillation fea-
ture of the machine off and on in addition to being able to
The remote controls that are available for these machines start or stop the balls from feeding.

Remote Control of Program Settings

are actually wired to the machine, making them a little less
portable. However, some of them do allow you to control
more of the settings on the machine. These remotes allow you to control the program settings.

Remote Control – Wireless

So, you don’t have to go back to the machine to change the
order of shots.

MISCELLANEOUS
The remote controls that are available for

Cover Comes Standard Other Optional Accessories

These machines come with a cover included This column lists any other optional acces-
in the price listed. sories that are available for each machine and

Cover Available as an Option

how much each accessory costs. It also lists
any special features that we did not create
This column indicates whether the manu- columns for.
facturer makes an optional cover available
and how much it costs.

Includes Wheels for Portability

Machines with an “X” in this column
have wheels attached to them to make the Super Coach
machine easier to move around.

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 41

 string PLAYTEST

Head Sonic Pro 17

Sonic Pro is a new polyester string from pulling crosses. Sonic Pro
Head, the first polyester string it has feels as if it has a very
light coating of lubricant,
added to its Control line-up. According
which also facilitates
to Head, Sonic Pro is a uniquely stringing.
processed co-polymer polyester with No playtester broke
extra combinations of resins and fibers. his sample during
stringing, 14 reported
Head tells us that it designed Sonic Pro
problems with coil
to be soft enough to give today’s mod- memory, four report-
ern, aggressive players the feel and con- ed problems tying
trol they want with the durability they knots, and none
reported friction
need.
burn.
Sonic Pro is available in 17 in white
only. It is priced from $13 for sets of 40
feet, and $180 for 660-foot reels. For EASE OF STRINGING
more information or to order, contact (compared to other strings)
Head at 800-289-7366, or visit Number of testers who said it was:
www.head.com. Be sure to read the con- much easier 0
clusion for more information about get- somewhat easier 2 ON THE COURT
ting a free set to try for yourself. about as easy 16 Of the 112 published string playtest
not quite as easy 18 reports to date, Head Sonic Pro rated in
IN THE LAB not nearly as easy 2 the top 20 in five of our nine cate-
The coil measured 40 feet. The diameter gories: 6th overall for Resistance to
OVERALL PLAYABILITY
measured 1.22-1.26 mm prior to string- (compared to string played most often)
Movement, 9th overall in Power, 11th
ing, and 1.19-1.22 mm after stringing. Number of testers who said it was: overall in Tension Retention, 13th over-
We recorded a stringbed stiffness of 73 much better 0 all in Durability, and 18th overall in Spin
RDC units immediately after stringing at somewhat better 7 potential. Our playtest team also rated
60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 about as playable 8 Sonic Pro well above average in a sixth
(16 x 18 pattern) on a constant-pull
not quite as playable 18 category: Control. These ratings are
not nearly as playable 4 good enough to put Sonic Pro in the
machine.
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed top 20 of our published string playtest
OVERALL DURABILITY
stiffness measured 64 RDC units, repre- (compared to other strings reports.
senting a 12 percent tension loss. Our of similar gauge) One playtester broke the sample,
Number of testers who said it was: after two hours of play.
control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Origi-
much better 0
nal Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units somewhat better 20
immediately after stringing and 71 RDC CONCLUSION
about as durable 16
units after 24 hours, representing a 9 per- Head Sonic Pro does indeed seem to be
not quite as durable 1
cent tension loss. Sonic Pro added 16 best suited for big hitters, given its
not nearly as durable 0
grams to the weight of our unstrung resistance to movement and durability.
RATING AVERAGES Players who prefer thinner strings will
frame.
From 1 to 5 (best) appreciate the fact that Sonic Pro’s
The string was tested for five weeks
Playability 3.3 durability comes not from its gauge but
by 38 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat- Durability 4.2
ings from 3.0 to 6.0. These are blind tests, from its construction. Finally, its power
Power 3.6
with playtesters receiving unmarked level, as noted by our playtesters, might
Control 3.5
strings in unmarked packages. Average even provide an edge over other poly
Comfort 3.1
number of hours playtested was 23.9. strings.
Touch/Feel 2.8
During stringing, Sonic Pro is similar to Spin Potential 3.4 If you think that Head Sonic Pro
other polyesters in terms of stiffness and Holding Tension 3.6 might be for you, fill out the coupon to
Resistance to Movement 4.0 get a free set to try.
—Greg Raven Q
coil memory. It does have a smooth sur-
face, which is very nice for weaving and

42 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007

 TESTERS TALK

“ This string has no learning curve. It's very

predictable. I never have to worry about
tweaking my swing path, head speed or
angle of attack. Full swings can be executed
without fear of hitting long, and counter
punches tend to find their mark. The control
”
and spin inspire confident tennis. 5.5 male
all-court player using Head i.Tour MP strung
at 62 pounds CP (Polyester/Nylon 16)
“ This string feels extremely solid at impact.
Sound mechanics are rewarded with a refresh-
ing amount of pop. Given the resistance to
movement, spin control is a constant. This is
definitely a string I would stock and use.
4.5 male all-court player using Prince O3 ”
Speedport Red strung at 70 pounds CP (Poly-
ester 16L)
”
cerns, but it’s too stiff for me. 4.5 male all-court
player using Babolat Aeropro Drive strung at 57
pounds LO (Gamma Live Wire Professional 17)
“ This comfortable polyester has uniquely con-
trollable power. It seems to hit a very heavy ball
without requiring a massive, energy draining
swing. Polyester fans looking for some pop are

“ This polyester has remarkable softness and ”

advised to check this out. 4.0 male all-court
player using Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 5.0 Stretch MP

“ This is a fun string to use. A full swing is

rewarded with tons of spin and control. The
comfort is unbelievable. If you have any wor-
ries about getting into polyester, start
comfort. It is on par with the best polyesters on
the market. The playability makes it a good fit
strung at 54/52 pounds CP (Luxilon Big Banger
Timo 18)
for a wide range of stroke styles and ability lev-
els. It performs like a fancy multifilament, but

”
here. 3.5 male all-court player using Dun-
lop 200G 95 (Muscle Weave) strung at 60
pounds LO (Nylon 17)
”
with twice the durability. I’m sold. 4.0 male “ While the string starts out stiff, it breaks in
quickly and becomes quite comfortable. The ten-
baseliner with moderate spin using Head i.S2
sion maintenance and resistance to movement are
MP strung at 55 pounds CP (Wilson Natural
top notch. The high level of control gives it a user-
15L)
friendly predictability, making nearly every shot

“ Excellent control and great bite. More

power than I expected. This string’s spin
potential allowed me to achieve safer net
clearance. The ball rotation is out of this
“ This string is quite stiff and boardy. Com-
fort, touch and feel are not up to my multifila-
ment standards. The tension maintenance and
”
easy to execute. 4.5 male serve-and-volleyer
using Wilson Hyper Hammer 2.3 Stretch OS strung
at 62 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 17)

”
world. 5.0 male all-court player using
Prince Original Graphite OS strung at 56
lack of string movement are impressive. This is
a good string for big hitters with durability con-
For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit
pounds LO (Head RIP Control 17) www.racquetsportsindustry.com.

FREE PLAYTEST
STRING PROGRAM
HEAD has generously offered to
send a free set of the
Sonic Pro 17 to the first 500
USRSA members who request it.
Just cut out (or copy) this coupon
and mail it to:
USRSA, Attn: Head Sonic Pro 17
String Offer, 330 Main Street,
Vista, CA 92084
or fax to 760-536-1171, or email
the info below to stringsam-
ple@racquettech.com
Offer expires 15 July 07
Offer only available to 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.

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 43

 ask the EXPERTS
Your Equipment Hotline
DOUBLE-BRIDGE
RACQUET MOUNTING
I HAVE A RACQUET TO STRING
Q that I'm not sure how to mount.
The racquet is a Wilson Hyper
Hammer 2.6 Overdrive with Rollers. I have
a six-point stringer that would allow me to
set the contact point either on the inner
bridge or the bridge closest to the grip.
Intuitively, I feel the bridge closest to the
grip (which looks strongest) is the place to
set the post because it is taking the ten-
sion for six strings whereas the inner
bridge is merely touching the strings with
rubber inserts. But I'm not experienced in
this area and would like an expert opinion.
A YOU CAN MOUNT THIS RACQUET
either way. On some machines,
there's only enough room between the
towers to use the "inner" bridge. Howev-
er, if your machine can accommodate the
extra length, use the "outer" bridge (near-
44 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
er the butt of the racquet), which is clearly
built to withstand the stress. There is a
complete Service Review of this frame —
including mounting procedures on many
different machines — on page 26 of the
July 2000 issue of RacquetTECH magazine.
MISSING DIGEST LISTING?
A STRINGING CUSTOMER OF MINE
Q gave me a racquet to string that he
purchased during a recent visit to
Japan. It was strung there, but incorrectly.
After cutting out the string I referred to
my Stringers Digest. Though the racquet
was listed, the listing didn't match the rac-
quet I had.
Could the book be wrong, or could
this racquet be made to different specs for
the Japanese market? Could this racquet
be mislabeled?
A MANUFACTURERS DO SOMETIMES
make slightly different versions for
different markets, and very rarely you
might find a mislabeled racquet. Howev-
er in this case, the listing in the Digest
didn’t match your customer’s racquet
because we went to press before we
learned the stringing instructions, so we
only showed the known (at that time)
variant of that frame. Once we con-
firmed the stringing instructions for the
new version, we made it available on-line
for USRSA members at www.usrsa.com.
The Digest on-line also has many older
racquets that no longer appear in the
semi-annual books we send out.
USRSA members who find themselves
facing a new racquet that is neither in
the printed Digest nor in the Digest On-
line are invited to call technical support
at 760-536-1177. Our contacts with the
various manufacturers are often able to
provide the stringing instructions, even
before the frame has been released to
the public.
CHEWED-UP TURNTABLE machine has an effective turntable brake, and
you can operate it quickly and easily, your

Q OUR SHOP RECENTLY purchased

A brand new constant-pull string-
ing machine, one of the better
models from a leading manufacturer. It
stringing time will probably be lower using
the brake. If, on the other hand, your
machine has no turntable brake, or it doesn’t
has all the bells and whistles, and an alu- work well or easily, the tool is invaluable.
minum turntable. After a couple of USRSA members who need a boomerang tool
months of use, the underside of the can contact customer support at 760-536-
turntable, where the clamp bases ride, 1177 to have one sent free of charge.
has gotten pretty chewed up, to the —Greg Raven Q
point where it is difficult to slide the We welcome your questions. Please send them to Racquet
base clamps when they are loose. I’ve Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-
tried filing off some of the chewed-up 536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
aluminum that sticks out into the slots in
the top of the turntable, but it doesn’t
seem to help much. How can we restore
the smooth operation of our base
clamps?

A THE SITUATION YOU DESCRIBE IS

not normal, as the clamping sur-
face should not gall or deform as you
describe it. Even if smoothing the rough-
ened slot surface makes the situation
better, you are filing off metal that
should be part of the clamping surface.
Sooner or later you’ll have to adjust the
clamps to compensate for that missing
material. Once enough material has
worn away, you will not be able to
adjust the clamps properly. Because you
purchased you machine new from a rep-
utable manufacturer, you should contact
the manufacturer immediately about a
replacement turntable.

BOOMERANG TOOL

Q I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS a

tool that helps in stringing the
Prince O3 racquets. Does it work?
If so, where can I find one?

A YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE

“boomerang” tool. It’s used to
preserve string alignment through the
top four O-Ports when stringing the
crosses. Prince used to bundle one of
these with each O3 racquet, but many
stringers simply used the turntable brake
instead of the tool. If your stringing

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 45

 tips and TECHNIQUES
Readers’ Know-How in Action
SHALLOW BUMPERGUARDS
Regarding Jeremy Plumley’s February 2006
tip on the shallow bumpers on the Head
i.Radical and Ti Radical, it turns out that the
deep, well-made bumpers from the Liquid-
metal Radical are interchangeable with the
older bumperguards.
5 sets of Prince Tour 16 to:
Bob Tuttle, MRT, Baldwin, NY
HANDLE WEIGHTING
When you need to add weight to the han-
dle, some racquets make it much easier, via
a trap door that can be removed separately
from the butt cap. All it takes is a small
screwdriver to pry it out.
Once you get the trap door off, if you
see a piece of graphite dividing the inside
of the handle in half, with two hollow
chambers on either side, you’re in business.
You'll also see the ends of the butt cap sta-
ples, but they're easy to work around.
Cut your lead tape into sections about 6
46 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
inches long, and fold each section into a
"V" shape, sticky side in, but not closed.
Slide the lead tape down around the divider,
so that if your racquet is standing handle
up, the lead tape will be hanging down over
the divider. Use a screwdriver to press the
lead tape against the divider wall. I've added
a little over an ounce on a racquet this way
before, stacking layers of lead tape, and it
has never come loose. If you want to make
sure it stays put, dab some rubber cement
around the edges where the tape meets the
divider. Then, reattach the trap door.
It's also easy to undo. Remove the trap
door, and pry the tape loose with a small
screwdriver.
Wilson Pro Staff 6 Racquet Bag to:
Steve Huff, Mechanicsville, VA
GETTING STARTED
AS A STRINGER
I have found that a good way for a begin-
ning stringer to gain experience is to vol-
unteer to string the store demo and
recycled "grassroots" racquets, such as
those that will be donated to youth pro-
grams. The store owner is often so busy
stringing racquets for paying customers
that he is happy to have someone else do
the ones that "don't pay."
In my association with a shop, I have
gained knowledge of how to string a
wide range of "classic" frames as well as
demos of the latest models.
Soon the owner might trust you with
more important jobs, like stringing his
own racquets!
5 sets of Head FXP Power 16 and crushing of bubbling. There’s no danger of
Hydrosorb Grips and Xtremesoft damaging your string job.
Overgrips to: They come in a set that also includes
Scot McMillan (age 12), Salisbury, CT diagonal cutters and needle-nose pliers. The
regular price is under $10, but sometimes
QUICK BOX PATTERN they’re on sale for half price.
I know there are more exotic box pattern 5 sets of Babolat Xcel Premium 16 to:
stringing techniques out there, but the one I Glenn Brewer, Marietta, GA
use comes from RSI Stringer of the Year Bob —Greg Raven Q
Patterson.
• Leave the last short side main unstrung Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA members, and appearing in this column, have all been
and tie off at the head. gathered into a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Service Techniques which is a benefit of
• With the long side main, leave off the USRSA membership. Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or email
greg@racquettech.com.
outside main and instead weave the first
cross at the top, then the last short side
main, then the bottom cross, then the
last long side main.
• Install the rest of the crosses.
Just remember, when installing that bottom
cross during the “boxing,” if there is an odd
number of crosses, the top and bottom
weaves are the same. If there is an even
number of crosses, the top and bottom
weaves are opposite.
5 sets of Dunlop M-Fil Tour to:
David Pavlich, MRT, Mandeville, LA

Editor’s note: Typically, stringers use the

box pattern technique to (among other
things) avoid blocked holes, minimize
the amount of string outside of the
frame, or both. This technique doesn’t
meet either of these goals, but it does
allow you to do one-piece stringing on a
racquet where you’d otherwise have to
do two-piece stringing to start the cross-
es at the head. Don’t forget that using
an around-the-world or box pattern
technique on Head racquets that specify
two-piece stringing will void your
warranty.

PERFECT NIPPERS
I’ve been stringing for almost 40 years, and
have the tool collection to prove it, but Tim
Sullivan of Laserfibre recommended my new
favorite tool to me: The end nippers from
Sears (item 45698). He calls them grommet
nippers, but they do a lot more than that.
In the closed position they push out
undamaged grommets without scratching
the inside of the racquet. Flared or cracked
grommets are easily snipped clean down to
the frame, still with no marring.
But that’s not all. These nippers cut
string bands, tie off knots, and make perfect
plastic awls on any type string without

July 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 47

 Your Serve
Recruit Volunteer Leaders
A Tennis Service Rep says bringing in more
volunteers will unleash a giant sales force for
the sport and vastly increase participation.
R
ecreational tennis participation is on the rise.
We see that not just through the player
research that the TIA and USTA does, but
also through leading industry indicators such as
ball and racquet sales. This is great news for all of
us in the tennis business.
But what if we could find a way to
increase tennis participation that would
dwarf the increases we’ve seen in recent
years! The solution may be easier than you
think.
Some of my Tennis Service Representative
colleagues and I believe that we can greatly
increase tennis participation by actively
recruiting more volunteer leaders to help
organize, administer, and sell tennis pro-
grams, especially on our public tennis courts.
Our tennis sales force consists of individu-
als who earn their living from tennis pro-
grams—such as tennis pros—as well as
volunteers who love tennis and just want to
share our sport with others. While teaching
pros do a fabulous job of promoting tennis,
most teach at private clubs, not public
courts, because private facilities appear to
provide greater income and stability.
Unfortunately, this leaves the 70 percent
of people who play tennis on public courts
without the opportunity to benefit from the
organizational services of a tennis teaching
professional. Moreover, even where pros are
available, they understandably tend to focus
on programs that are the most profitable.
Pros have relatively little time to devote to
programs that generate less revenue, but
that might increase participation, such as
USTA Junior Team Tennis.
Volunteer organizers compliment the
work of tennis teaching pros because they
can operate programs that are not particu-
larly profitable for a teaching pro. Volunteers
also can stimulate play on our public
courts—where most individuals first experi-
ence tennis. Relatively few public courts,
however, are ever likely to generate suffi-
cient revenue by themselves to sustain a ten-
nis professional.
Examples of volunteer organizers are
48 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2007
BY KEVIN THEOS
everywhere. In fact, you probably know of
a volunteer in your area who has done an
outstanding job of organizing adult
and/or junior play. We are fortunate to
have the involvement of many such indi-
viduals. But imagine what we could
accomplish if we could motivate many,
many more people to become such
exceptional volunteers.
The USTA already assists volunteer
leaders in a number of ways. The USTA
trains volunteers in how to teach tennis
through its Recreational Coach Work-
shops, and it provides training on a broad
spectrum of other topics at its annual
Community Tennis Development Work-
shop. Andrew Feldman, who is the USTA
Volunteer Development Manager, is also
an outstanding resource for volunteers. actively recruiting greater numbers of vol-
More recently, the USTA has begun pro- unteer leaders and guiding them toward
viding advocacy training to volunteers available resources, we will multiply the
who wish to access resources in their number of people in and the effectiveness
communities to support the construction of our tennis sales force. Given the chance,
of new and/or expanded tennis facilities. volunteer leaders can augment the work of
These resources benefit existing volunteer our teaching pros by promoting programs
leaders greatly. that pros cannot afford to promote, espe-
In addition, some of my TSR colleagues cially on our public tennis courts.
and I are crafting an approach toward Think again of a specific exceptional
recruiting far more community tennis tennis volunteer. By vastly increasing the
leaders than we currently have. During number of similar volunteers, we can reach
the last few months, we have been sur- toward our staggering potential for tennis
veying volunteer leaders in order to learn participation, and encourage more people
how their volunteer commitment evolved. to have the audacity to think, as I do, that
The preliminary answers that we have tennis can one day be the most popular
received indicate that virtually all of our participation sport in the country.
top volunteers began after being asked to All you have to do is ask. Q
get involved.
We don’t know how committed a par-
ticular individual will eventually become. Kevin Theos is the USTA Southern
But, perhaps, by more frequently inviting Section Tennis Service Representa-
people to volunteer, we not only will tive for Alabama. He is a USPTA pro
with more than 15 years teaching
accomplish more, but we will give our-
experience and is the former execu-
selves greater odds of developing commu- tive director of the Birmingham Area
nity tennis leaders. Tennis Association. He may be reached at
Observing volunteer effectiveness in theos@sta.usta.com.
other youth sports as well as within tennis
We welcome your opinions. Please email
indicates that tennis would benefit from comments to rsi@racquetTECH.com or fax
having more volunteer organizers. By them to 760-536-1171.