RACQUET TECH
EUROPEAN RACQUET STRINGERS ASSOCIATION
MAGAZINE 2012 / ISSUE 2
NEW 2012 Racquets Industry News Ashaway Zyex Monogut Jimmy Arias FAVOURITE DRILLS
UNLEASH BEAST THE
BEAST XP
PRECISION TUNED THERMO-POLY WWW.BEASTXP.COM
RACQUET TECH
contents 4 6 14 18 22 25
My Serve Industry News New Products Jimmy Arias Drills Racquets 2012 Ashaway String Test
INDUSTRY NEWS Congratulations to Janko Tipsarevic Almagro Liebt Brasilien Bryan Brothers ‘Unleash the Beast’ at Australian Open Dunlop Senior Tour startet 2012 wieder in Moers Dunlop Junior Series startet auch 2012 erfolgreich Mantis signs Greg Rusedski as Brand Ambassador Who’s Next: 15 Year Old Taylor Townsend Tecnifibre is at Open Sud De France Tournament Multi-Stranded Zyex® Monofilament
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RACQUET TECH EUROPE EUROPEAN RACQUET STRINGERS ASSOCIATION
MY SERVE Welcome to our second issue of 2012.
Director
Mark Maslowski
Offi ce Manager Sanda Maslowski
ERSA Managers
Australia Anthony Aley UK Jamie Pethick UK Tester Roger Dalton Spain Richard Parnell France Jean Baviera Italy Marco Rosanni Greece Petros Biris Greece Workshop George Pahiakas Czech Republic & Slovakia Vaclav Smat Netherlands Mark Verschoor
Founding Members Ashaway Head Kirschbaum Pacifi c
Babolat Isospeed Luxilon Wilson
Corporate Members Ashaway Prince GOSEN
Isospeed Technifi bre Head
String Supplier Members Apollo Leisure Kirschbaum
Bow Band Signum Pro
Consultants
Technical Rod Cross Tennis Gabe Jaramillo
ERSA Lenaustr. 38 40470 Düsseldorf DE Germany
Phone / Fax
+49-(0)211-87511548
Website
www.ersa-stringers.com
As we wrote several times over the last issues, we are now publishing 12 issues of RacquetTech Magazine this year. Every second month the magazine is only published as a HiRes PDF magazine. If this is your fi rst issue, make sure we have your current e-mail address. After checking, some of our members either have changed e-mail addresses and have not notiifed us or the e-mails with the links are being returned to us as our e-mail addresses are being blocked. Please check that the e-mails mmaslo3330@aol.com and mark@ersa-stringers.com are allowed. With the addition of our new managers at the end of 2011, workshops and testing are at record levels. We are expecting a minimum growth of over 10% for 2012 in memberships and certifi cation testing. Tests, Study Guides and Digests are available in 8 languages this year so there is no reason not to sign up for the tests you have been putting off. The latest marketing research has shown, racquet sales were down around the world for 2011 due to the recession. As we saw in other downturns over the years, this can also mean a positive increase in stringing. Many of our members have reported no decrease or an increase in stringing for 2011. Tennis is not recession proof, but is the strongest traditional sport in the world after soccer. In this issue of RacquetTech we will introduce new racquet releases for 2012 from several manufactureres. The remaining racquets will be featured in next months magazine. We are preparing to update our stringing machine stats and article for 2012 and will be released in 2 months. Coming up this summer/fall, we are making stringing instruction videos for the website which will be available as a DVD to members. Best Wishes, Mark Maslowski
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Congratulations to our New Certifi ed Members!
E R S A
Pro Tour Stringer Mathew Mathew - Chicago, IL, USA Master Racquet Technician Italy - Gianmarco Righi, Sergio di Carlo, Corrado Giampieri, Vincenzo Mo, Luisito Canu, Fabio Bosello, Vittorio Fiorillo, Francesco Leonardo, Francesco Bardine, Andrea Candusso, Ivan Buffoni, Gianni Tessari, Paolo Aramini, Mauro Lissandrini, Gianluca Dede, Giancarlo Sparla, Giancarlo Mari, Marcello Calicchia
HELIX
®
Built like nature
The Kirschbaum HELIX monofilament is helically wound in a multistage twisting process, followed by an additional heat setting treatment. The twisting process provides increased string elasticity for excellent playability and lively hitting feel. The additional heat treatment stabilizes the polymeric properties of the tennis string for better control and higher tension maintenance. • excellent playability • optimum mixture of power and control • high tension maintenance Gauges: EUR 7,5/US 17, EUR 8/US 16 L, EUR 8,5/US 16 Units: 40 f and 660 f
NEW Kirschbaum Sportartikel GmbH · Schweerstraße 1 · D-58456 Witten phone: +49 (0) 23 02-9 70 50 · fax: +49 (0) 23 02-7 76 76 www.kirschbaum-strings.de · info@kirschbaum-strings.de
INDUSTRY NEWS
Many of you remember the crazy Davis Cup Final last year where we saw Serbia at the pinnacle of the game! It seems the event not only gave wings to Novak Djokovic but also to our player Janko Tisparevic. Tecnifi bre is very proud to congratulate and furthermore, thank Janko for his amazing 2011 season and his great commitment with Tecnifi bre over the past years! Starting 2011 ATP #49, Janko fi nishes the year cracking the prestigious "club" of the Top10 players. Janko Tipsarevic (ATP#9) recorded his 31st Davis Cup singles win for Serbia in beating Sweden's Michael Ryderstedt 6-2, 7-6(5), 7-5. It gives the 2010 champion a quarter-fi nal tie against Czech Republic. Visit: www.tecnifi bre.com
Eurosport extends its tennis coverage portfolio Following the conclusion of the fi rst Grand Slam tournament of the year, Eurosport has extended its long-term broadcast arrangements with two more by agreeing new deals with both the French and the US Opens. In a three-year deal with the French Tennis Federation (FFT), brokered by sports marketing agency MP & Silva, the French Open at Roland Garros will continue to air on Eurosport until 2014. Meanwhile, in a separate arrangement with the US Tennis Association (USTA), fi nalised by IMG Media, Eurosport will continue to air the US Open until 2017. Both agreements cover live pan-European rights across all platforms and, as such, the second and fourth Grand Slam tournaments in the tennis season will be covered on television channels Eurosport and Eurosport 2 in addition to a range of online and mobile devices. The news comes hot on the heels of what many are calling of the game's best ever Grand Slam fi nal between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on Sunday in Melbourne. Throughout 2012, Eurosport will be offering tennis fans over 1,200 hours live, adding the WTA season and selected ATP events to its three Grand Slams. The events will be covered on TV channels Eurosport and Eurosport 2, available on PC and on mobile devices via Eurosport Player, the Eurosport Group's online subscription service. Subscribers to Eurosport Player will also have access to the live multi-court service.
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INDUSTRY NEWS ALMAGRO LIEBT BRASILIEN! Der 26 Jähriger Spanier sichert sich den dritten Sieg bei den Brazil Open. Mit seinem Sieg bei den Brazil Open gegen Filippo Volandri gelang Nicolas Almagro ein Hattrick. Damit ist er in der Geschichte des Turnieres der erfolgreichste Spieler. Die Nr. 11 der Weltrangliste sicherte sich mit seinem 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 Sieg in knapp über 2 Stunden seinen 11. Titel in seiner Karriere. Er feierte seinen Sieg und zog sich ein T-Shirt über mit dem Aufdruck „I Love Brazil“. Der Spanier, der alle seine Titel auf Sand errungen hat, spielte mit einer Wildcard, da aufgrund von Davis Cup Verpfl ichtungen seine Teilnahme am Turnier anfänglich ungewiss war. Nicolas Almagro spielt den Dunlop Biomimetic 500 Tour. Weitere Informationen fi nden Sie auf HYPERLINK "http://www.teamdunlop.de" www.teamdunlop.de
BRYAN BROTHERS ‘UNLEASH THE BEAST’ AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN After years of testing and denying dozens of other polyester strings, current No. 1 ranked doubles champions, Mike and Bob Bryan, cite more pop, ultimate feel and hands-down a better string,” as the reasons they have converted to the new Prince Beast XP thermo-polyester string starting at this year’s Australian Open. The Bryan Brothers were provided string by Prince’s Global Business Director of Strings, Grips and Accessories, Nathan Price, earlier this winter and the brothers called him immediately to get more string before heading to Australia. They dominated their fi rst event with the new strings, taking home the Australian Open warm up event in Sydney without dropping a set. Fans watching the fi rst Grand Slam tennis event of 2012 saw the twins wielding the new, bright yellow Prince EXO3 Rebel racquets weaponized with the identifi able Prince green Beast XP string to maximize performance.
Visit: www.princespports.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS SENIORTOUR DUNLOP SENIOR TOUR STARTET 2012 WIEDER IN MOERS Nach einer erfolgreichen Saison 2011 geht die DUNLOP Senior Tour auch 2012 wieder an den Start. Die Turnierserie umfasst in diesem Jahr 12 Qualifi kationsturniere. Die ersten beiden Stationen im April sind die schon traditionellen Auftaktturniere in Moers und Bad Laasphe. Beide Turniere sind im DTB Turnierkalender mit T5 kategorisiert, welches auf ein gutes Teilnehmerfelder hoffen lässt. Wie in den vergangenen Jahren werden wieder die Altersklassen Herren 30/40/50/55/60/65/70 und Damen 30/40/50/55/60 angeboten. Bei allen Turnieren können neben wichtigen Punkten für Deutsche und LK Rangliste auch Punkte für die interne DUNLOP Senior Tour Rangliste gesammelt. Die besten 16 der jeweiligen Altersklassen qualifi zieren sich für das abschließende Masters im September. Dieses fi ndet nach drei erfolgreichen Jahren beim DTV Hannover erstmals vom 11.-16.9.2012 beim Traditionsverein ETUF Essen im Tennisverband Niederrhein statt. Dort erwartet die Teilnehmer wieder eine tolle Veranstaltung mit vielen Rahmenprogrammpunkten, Spielerparty, Tombola und natürlich interessanten Sachpreisen. Alle Termine 2012 und alle Informationen zur Serie fi nden sie unter HYPERLINK "http://www.seniortour.de" www.senior-tour.de oder telefonisch unter 0172-6871863. Moers Bad Laasphe/Biedenkopf Brackwede Giessen Moers Betzdorf
16. - 22.4.2012 27.4. - 1.5. 2012 24. - 27.5. 2012 25. - 28.5.2012 04.-08.7.2012 05.-08.7. 2012
ENTDECKE DIE WELT DER
WE MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE 8
RacquetTech II - 2012
Usedom Göttingen Osnabrück Borkum Uslar Hamburg
08.- 15.7.2012 12.- 15.7.2012 09.-12.08 2012 13.-19.8.2012 16. - 19.8.2012 24.- 28.8.2012
Die Int. Plattform für alle Trainer und Coaches die professionell unterrichten
INFO: PTR European Headquarters Leichtergasse 28 - 39012 MERAN Fon: +39 0473 230097 - www.ptrtennis.de - info@ptrtennis.de
gauge: 1,20 mm/17 | color: petrol | length: 12 m/40 feet
gauge: 1,20 mm/17 | color: petrol | length: 12 m/40 feet
Axons, the body’s primary nervous system fibres, conduct impulses from the brain to the muscles. AXON – the new string from ISOSPEED – relays these impulses directly to the ball, guaranteeing precision play and comfort. Feel the game and keep the ball and your opponent under control. AXON – The ultimate union of player and ball!
www.isospeed.com
INDUSTRY NEWS DUNLOP JUNIOR SERIES STARTET AUCH 2012 ERFOLGREICH Größte bundesweite Jugend- Turnierserie dieses Jahr mit 55 Qualifi kationsturnieren
Die Turnierserie umfasst in diesem Jahr 55 Qualifi kationsturniere. Die Auftaktturniere zu Beginn des Jahres versprechen erneut eine qualitativ sehr hochwertige Serie mit gut besetzten Turnieren. Der Höhepunkt werden wie auch in den vergangenen Jahren sicherlich die deutschen Meisterschaften in Ludwigshafen sein. Die Dunlop Junior Series 2012 verspricht wieder viele spannende Spiele und vielleicht wird auch der ein oder andere Star von morgen dabei sein. Traditionell können , wie in den vergangenen Jahren, bei den Jungen und Mädchen in den Altersklassen U10, U12 und U14 Punkte für die DUNLOP Junior Series Rangliste gesammelt werden. Die besten 16 der jeweiligen Altersklassen qualifi zieren sich für das abschließende Masters im September. Dieses fi ndet vom 08.-09.9.2012 in Köln beim TC Weiden, im Tennisverband Mittelrhein, statt. Dort erwartet die Teilnehmer wieder eine tolle Veranstaltung mit vielen Rahmenprogrammpunkten und natürlich interessanten Sachpreisen. Alle Termine 2012 und alle Informationen zur Serie fi nden sie unter HYPERLINK "http://www.teamdunlop.de" www.teamdunlop.de, auf Facebook (Dunlop Tennis Deutschland) oder telefonisch unter 06181 - 363132.
NEWS SHORTS New number one and Australian Open Champion,Victoria Azarenka, appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show in the US and gave everyone in the audience free tickets to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Novac Djokovic, playing with the Head Youtek IG Speed MP, won the Austarlian Open singles title over Rafael Nadal in the longest final in a Grand Slam, 5 hours, 53 minutes. On the women‘s side, Victoria Azarenka won her first Grand Slam title, with the Wilson Juice 100 racquet Dunlop Tour squash team member Nick Matthew, playing with the Biomimetic Evolution 130 racquets captured his first-evr Tour-nament of Champions title recently and won back the world No. 1 squash ranking. Dunlop‘S Natalie Grinham of the Netherlands won the women‘s title,with the Biomimetic Evolution 120 World No. 1 and Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenca appeared on the „The Ellen Degeneres Show“ on Jan. 31 and gave each audience member tickets to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. Fila has signed an endorsement agreement with Grand Slam finalist Vera Zvonareva. 10
RacquetTech II - 2012
INDUSTRY NEWS MANTIS SIGN GREG RUSEDSKI AS BRAND AMBASSADOR
Exciting new UK based tennis brand MANTIS have announced former British number 1 Greg Rusedski as brand ambassador. The new addition to the MANTIS team comes on the back of a successful fi rst full year in the market and a fantastic response both in the UK and internationally, which has also seen them become the offi cial tennis racket and ball partner to the AEGON Masters Tennis Championship.
Rusedski, a US Open fi nalist, former World number 4 and Great Britain Davis cup star, will play a major role in future product development and an active part in the testing of new MANTIS ranges. The Wimbledon quarter fi nalist will be using a MANTIS Tour 305 racket in his day to day role as a talent and performance ambassador for the Lawn Tennis Association. Rusedski, who also works as a tennis pundit on TV, said; “I am delighted to be joining the MANTIS team as an ambassador for this exciting new British brand.” For more information about MANTIS go to www.facebook.com/mantissports Follow MANTIS on twitter @MANTISsport
The ATP‘s 2011 ATP World Tour Tournament Award winners include the Shanghai Rolex Masters, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and the SkiStar Swedish Open as the most favoured tournaments on the ATP World Tour in their respective tournament categories voted by the players. Tennis Australia, California Products‘ Plexipave Divsion and Australian Plexipave Inc. announced an extended designation of Plexicushion Prestige as the surface of the Australian Open through 2017. Total attendance at the 2012 Australian Open hit a record 686,006, surpassing the previous record set in 2010 by more than 32.000 fans. Daily attendance at 15 of the sessions set records this year, including 80,649 on the middle Saturday, a Grand Slam record for daily attendance. Also, the official Wilson stringers strung 3,300 racquets. New Chapter Press says tennis author and historian Steve Flink is doing some fast work to his upcoming book, „The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time,“ which is due out in June, to add a chapter about the five-set 2012 Australian Open Singles final that Novak Djokovic won over Rafael Nadal in nearly six hours, the longest singles final ever at Grand Slam tourney. RacquetTech II - 2012
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INDUSTRY NEWS WHO’S NEXT: 15 YEAR OLD TAYLOR TOWNSEND (EXO3 TOUR & BEAST XP STRING) 2012 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GIRL’S CHAMPION
Taylor Townsend, an American junior tennis player originally from Atlanta, Georgia captured the 2012 Australian Open Junior Girls singles and doubles titles at only 15 years-old. In her left hand, the aggressive serve and volleyer wielded a tennis racquet with EXO3 technology – visible, large holes around the frame of the racquet engineered to allow the strings to movefreely, therefore delivering better string and ball response even at the outer edges of the string bed. Townsend is now the second consecutive young player to take home a junior Grand Slam title using the EXO3 racquet technology. With her win, she now sits as the No. 2 ranked junior girl in the world.
Regular tennis ball eliminated from ten-and-under competition by ITF The ITF has announced that its new rule for ten-and-under competition came into worldwide effect on 1 January 2012. The rule states that Ten-and-Under competitions can no longer be played using a regular yellow tennis ball, with the mandatory use of slower ‘red', ‘orange' or ‘green' balls on the appropriate size court. The new ITF rule was approved at the 2010 ITF AGM in Washington. This was only the fi fth occasion the ITF Rules of Tennis have been changed in the history of the sport, following on from the foot fault rule, introduction of the tiebreak, introduction of set breaks and the new optional scoring methods. The rule change is a key part of the ITF's Tennis10s programme, which promotes the use of slower and lower bouncing balls, shorter and lighter rackets, and smaller courts to make it easier for children to take up the game. Tennis10s is a supporting programme of the Tennis Play and Stay campaign, the ITF's global initiative launched in 2007 aimed at increasing tennis participation worldwide. Tennis Play and Stay centres around the slogan of ‘Serve, Rally and Score' and seeks to promote tennis as an easy, fun and healthy sport. Fundamental to the campaign is the use of slower balls by coaches working with starter players, ensuring that their fi rst experience of tennis is a positive one by serving, rallying and scoring from the fi rst lesson. The three types of slower balls are intended to be used at different stages of a player's development. The ‘red' ball, made of foam or felt, is 75 per cent slower than a regular yellow ball, and aimed at children aged fi ve to eight on a court sized 12 x 6m. The ‘orange' ball is 50 per cent slower and aimed at eight-to-ten-year-olds on a court sized 18 x 6.5m. The ‘green' ball is 25 per cent slower and aimed at more advanced nine-to-ten-year-olds on a full sized court. The Tennis10s programme has already seen strong support from the ITF's 210 National Associations, some of whom have created promotions involving top players and other famous personalities to help communicate and implement the new rule change nationally. Dave Miley, ITF Executive Director of Development, said: "Nations that have already adapted their competition to use the balls for this age group have not only seen a signifi cant increase in participation, but are also witnessing large increases in sales of kids' rackets and the slower balls. "There has also been a big improvement in the technical and tactical quality of the ten-and-under players coming through into their high performance junior programmes. "As the rule change takes effect in all of the ITF member nations, we expect to see high growth in the number of tenand-under children playing tennis worldwide." ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: "The rule change is a great step forward for tennis. Tennis10s is improving the way we introduce tennis to young children and follows similar changes made in other sports. It is great to see such great results already in terms of increased participation." Details of the rule change and further information on Tennis10s can be found on the ITF's Tennis10s website: www.tennis10s.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS MULTI-STRANDED ZYEX® MONOFILAMENT GIVES ASHAWAY'S POWERNICK® SQUASH STRINGS "HARD POWER" Combination of Zyex polymer formulation and core structure provide superior power, resilience, and ball control. Ashaway‘s PowerNick® strings feature a multi-stranded Zyex® monofi lament core, and are encapsulated with a high tenacity monofi lament nylon wear surface that is textured to provide optimum ball response and spin characteristics. Designed to provide what Ashaway calls „hard power,“ the strings are available in two gauges, 18 and 19. PowerNick 18 (1.15 mm) is designed to provide optimum power and resilience. PowerNick 19, at 1.05 mm, is billed as the thinnest squash string ever made, and offers superior power and ball control. Both are rated high for tension holding characteristics, with PowerNick 18 having the edge in power and durability, and the thinner 19 gauge version offering superior feel and control. „What we mean by „hard power“ is crispness, or pop,“ said Steve Crandall, Ashaway‘s Vice President of Marketing. „It‘s that sensation of the ball leaping off the racquet the instant it strikes, which is a function of elasticity or dynamic stiffness. For more information visit www.ashawayusa.com
Tecnifi bre is offi cial stringer and ball at the « Open Sud de France tournament » Once again, the Tecnifi bre professional stringer team (Ronald, Stéphane and Bruno) did an great job to satisfy the needs of the ATP players. Patrice Dominguez (Tournament Director) and the ATP also expressed their Full satisfaction. Total rackets strung: 224 Winner: Tomas BERDYCH (13 rackets): 26-25 kgs / 57-55 lbs Finalist: Gael MONFILS (11 rackets): 26 kgs / 57 lbs Highest Tension: Dustin BROWN (2 rackets): 32 kgs / 70lbs Lowest Tension: Gilles MULLER (4 rackets): 17 kgs / 37 lbs Biggest consumer: Philipp KOLHSCHREIBER (17 rackets) Balls were appreciated by the players (no negative return for the quality of the ball) Tecnifi bre is also proud to be the offi cial ball & stringer on several ATP events. Visit: www.tecnifi bre.com
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NEW PRODUCTS MANTIS EXPANDS TENNIS BALL PRODUCT RANGE MANTIS have announced an extension to their range of tennis balls in the UK following a successful fi rst full year in the market. The exciting British based brand have added the MANTIS Pro ball and the MANTIS Team coaching ball to their ever expanding product portfolio. As part of the expansion programme MANTIS have also made their popular Tour ball, the offi cial ball of the AEGON Masters tournament, available in a 3 ball tube option. The MANTIS Pro ball will be available in both 4 and 3 ball tubes and is ideal for all courts in both match play and training. The MANTIS TEAM Coaching pressureless ball is a quality woven-cloth ball and available in a 72ball bucket.
ASHAWAY INTRODUCES CROSSFIRE® PLUS HYBRID TENNIS STRINGS
Ashaway Racket Strings has introduced a new member of its popular Crossfi re® family of hybrid strings for tennis players. New Crossfi re Plus combines a 1.25 mm (17 gauge) blend of braided Aramid and PTFE fi bers for the mains with Synthetic Gut with an abrasion resistant wear layer for the crosses. The result is a tough, durable hybrid combination with a softer feel, superior resilience, and maximum ability to impart spin. Crossfi re Plus is designed for chronic string breakers and top-spin players looking for a hybrid string combination that plays better than a heavier gauge Aramid, but wears just as well. Bright yellow in color, Ashaway's new Crossfi re Plus is available in 7/6 meter sets (23/20 ft.). Ashaway recommends stringing the Aramid/PTFE mains with 1015% less tension than the Synthetic Gut crosses, or up to 60 and 65 lbs. (27/30 kgs) respectively. Ashaway Racket Strings are made by Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co., the only U.S. manufacturer of string for squash, tennis, racquetball, and badminton. For more information visit www.ashawayusa.com
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RacquetTech II - 2012
NEW PRODUCTS NEW ON COURT WEAPONRY FROM PRINCE: T24 FOOTWEAR HAS ARRIVED
The The ! !
Issue: February 2012 The T Series footwear was fi rst developed in 2005 with the introduction of the T10. It was followed up with a lighter more Issue: February 2012 What’s Inside... breathable shoe in the T22, a model that has become the #1 tennis shoe in the US market today. What’s New Weaponry:Inside... NEW T24 Footwear for Men & Women At fi rst glance this model is clearly “T,” identifi able by its new expanNewBlog: Weaponry: NEW T24 The New Training and ded 4foot Wrap. In addition it’s weaponized with several other great Footwear forBlog MenLaunched & Womenfor Information Players new features: The Blog: New Training and
Advantage Advantage Taking Athletes to The Next Level Since 1970 Taking Athletes to The Next Level Since 1970
Who’s Next Spotlight : Taylor Information Blog Launched for Townsend, 2012 Australian Players Open Junior Champion Who’s Next Spotlight : Taylor What’s Next: Prince to Build Townsend, 2012 Australian Flagship Innovation Center at Open Junior Champion IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy What’s Next: Prince to Build Flagship Innovation Center at The Journey to the Top: David IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy Ferrer Shares Memories as a Junior The Journey to the Top: David Training Tip: The Approach Ferrer Shares Memories as a& Volley Junior
1.The new 4foot wrap has been upgraded with a fi ber reinforcement, making it lighter and stronger, enhancing forefoot stability during on court assaults. 2.The new Duraskin XD forefoot compound provides 360 degrees of perimeter wrap assuring superior durability & toe drag Training Tip:Unleash The Approach & Bryan Bros: the Beast Volley protection. Bryan Bros: Unleash the Beast 3.Full length PU insole provides unmatched cushioning & lasting NEW On Court Weaponry: T24 Footwear Has Arrived comfort. 1. ! The new 4foot wrap has been upgraded with a Þber reinforcement, In tennis it’s all about the footwork. You need to be quick, and you making it lighter and stronger, enhancing forefoot stability during need footwear that provides support for the side to side, and up and NEW Weaponry: T24 Footwear Has Arrived 4. A TPU Arch Bridge provides added torsional rigidity for quick on court assaults. back movements.On You needCourt a shoe that can get you there, yet take the 2.!! The The new new 4foot Duraskin compound 360 degrees pounding while protecting your feet. You need to be quick, and you 1. wrapXD hasforefoot been upgraded withprovides a Þber reinforcement, In tennis it’s all about the footwork. of perimeter wrapand assuring superior durability & toe drag during directional changes. making it lighter stronger, enhancing forefoot stability need footwear that provides support for the side to side, and up and protection. Built movements. with durability and stability mind, Series on court assaults. back You need a shoeinthat canTget youfootwear there, yetdoes takejust the 3. ! The Full length PU insole provides & lasting that. T Series wasyour Þrstfeet. developed in 2005 with the 2.! new Duraskin XD forefootunmatched compoundcushioning provides 360 degrees pounding whilefootwear protecting 5. Shock Eraser heel insert helps protect your heel against impact comfort. introduction of the T10. It was followed up with a lighter more of perimeter wrap assuring superior durability & toe drag 4.! protection. A TPU Arch Bridge provides added torsional rigidity for quick breathable shoe in the T22, a model become the #1 tennis shoe Built with durability and stability in that mind,has T Series footwear does just forces. changes. in theTmarket 3. ! directional Full length PU insole provides unmatched cushioning & lasting that. Series today. footwear was Þrst developed in 2005 with the 5.! comfort. Shock Eraser heel insert helps protect your heel against impact introduction of the T10. It was followed up with a lighter more forces. For 2012 weshoe set out to build this already successful 6. A PRC1000 rubber outsole with engineered tread pattern for 4.! A TPU Arch Bridge provides added torsional rigidity for quick breathable in the T22, aupon model that has become theplatform #1 tennisbyshoe 6.! directional A PRC1000changes. rubber outsole with engineered tread pattern for creating the ultimate in the market today. T Series shoe. superior traction multiple surfaces. WeÕve also impact increased 5.! Shock Eraser heelon insert helpscourt protect your heel against superior traction on multiple court surfaces. We’ve also increased the rubber wrap on the medial side walls to provide extra wear for Enter thewe T24. forces. For 2012 set out to build upon this already successful platform by heavy toe draggers. 6.! A PRC1000 rubber outsole with engineered tread pattern for creating the ultimate T Series shoe. the rubber wrap on the medial side walls to provide extra wear for At Þrst glance this model is clearly ÒT,Ó identiÞable by its new expanded superior traction on multiple court surfaces. WeÕve also increased The T24 is available in Black/White/Red & White/Navy Silver. 4foot In addition itÕs weaponized with several other great new the rubber wrapfor onmen the medial side walls to provide extra wear for Enter Wrap. the T24. For women it'sdraggers. available in Black/Purple & White/Silver. features: heavy toe draggers. heavy toe At Þrst glance this model is clearly ÒT,Ó identiÞable by its new expanded The T24 isFOR available for men in Black/White/Red & White/Navy Silver. 4foot Wrap. In addition itÕs weaponized with several other great new CLICK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE T SERIES The T24 is available for men in Black/White/Red & White/Navy Silver. For women it's available in Black/Purple & White/Silver. features: COLLECTION For women it's available in Black/Purple & White/Silver. Visit: www.princesports.com PAGE 1 - FEB. 2012 CLICK FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE T SERIES COLLECTION
PAGE 1 - FEB. 2012
TECNIFIBRE 305+ SQUASH STRING Tecnifi bre introduces their new squash string, 305+. The new 305+ has added Elastyl fi bers to their number one 305 squash string, which are used in their X-One BiPhase string. It is composed of 1540 multi-fi laments in Polyurethane and comes with an antiabrasion coating. The string was designed to give more long lasting performance. It is available starting in March 2012 in Black, single sets and 200 meter reels, in 1,20mm gauge. Visit: www.tecnifi bre.com
RacquetTech II - 2012
15
STARS OF TOMORROW
The Tennis Europe Junior Tour is the leading pan-European competitive forum for junior talent in any major sport. Jonathan Jobson reports
F
rom its earliest tournaments into the 1970s and its official creation in 1990, the Tennis Europe Junior Tour has come to be universally recognised as the best starting point for a successful career in tennis. A string of world #1s, from Ivan Lendl and Steffi Graf to Roger Federer and Justine Henin chose this path, alongside non-Europeans such as Lindsay Davenport, Lleyton Hewitt, David Nalbandian and Andy Roddick, all of who had an early taste of success on the courts of Europe’s premier junior events. The increasingly professional organisation of the tournaments has meant that the Tennis Europe Junior Tour effectively serves as a dress rehearsal for life as a professional tennis player, with
a cumulative ranking system, a seasonending Masters tournament, Player of the Year awards, online ranking information, calendars and the playing records of potential opponents. The Tour has expanded from 43 tournaments in its first year to over 300 annual events for players of age categories 12, 14 and 16 & under. Care is taken that the focus is not solely on performance, with sightseeing tours, players parties and educational events held in tandem, ensuring a social and informative aspect to tournaments which allows players to focus on more than just their tennis and provides an excellent opportunity to learn about anti-doping, nutrition and training patterns, to name just a few topics. Team events are some of the highlights of the season, as top players earn an early chance to
The Tennis Europe Junior Tour has proven to be a fruitful training ground for world-class players such as Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic.
represent their country at prestigious championships such as the Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD, the European Summer Cups and the Tennis Europe Nations Challenge by HEAD. July’s European Junior Championships is without doubt the most sought-after prize for individual players, as past champions such as Novak Djokovic, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Martina Hingis and Boris Becker can attest. As the tour goes from strength to strength, so does its appeal. Some 350,000 spectators attend Tennis Europe Junior Tour events each year to see around 10,000 young talents from over 100 countries take their first steps on the international tennis stage. Aside from extensive coverage at TennisEurope.org, reports about the Tour in over 780 newspapers and magazines and over 12,000 minutes of annual radio and TV airtime ensure that every day, people are learning about the latest players to follow in the footsteps of stars like Rafael Nadal, Andrew Murray, Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova in celebrating some of their earliest successes on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour.
Tennis Europe Junior Tour 1 GAME 1 TOUR 1 CONTINENT 43 ORGANISING COUNTRIES 282 TOURNAMENTS 7320 VOLUNTEERS 10000 PLAYERS 25936 MATCHES 190000 TENNIS BALLS 354200 SPECTATORS
PARTNERS OF THE TENNIS EUROPE JUNIOR TOUR
RECOMMENDED BALL
tenniseurope.org
RECOMMENDED TRAINING COMPUTER
ADIDAS/PAUL ZIMMER
12 & UNDER l 14 & UNDER l 16 & UNDER
JIMMY ARIAS
JIMMY ARIAS‘ FAVOURITE DRILLS Jimmy Arias was 13 years old when I fi rst met
him, skinny and small but with a big hart, the year before he had been ranked number one in twelve and under in the USA. Jimmy had a one hand backhand that was not very strong, the serve he just placed it, but he had a world class forehand. His father was very involved in his tennis and was the person that taught him his forehand, Jimmy’s father was a professor of mathematics in a University in Buffalo, NY, he was obsessed with the advantages of a circular and continuous motion and making sure the follow-through went around the neck without stopping. At the time every coach in the world was still teaching the straight backswing and fi nishing pointing with the racket at the target, basically the block swing, Jimmy’s father was the fi rst person to teach the segmented swing, even do he did not play tennis himself his background in math gave us the advantage to understand the principles of the racket head speed. Jimmy’s game was based on his forehand, he ran around every ball to dictate with his weapon, his style of play was aggressive base liner, and the basic drills that he practice every day were with the goal to fi nish the point from inside the court with the forehand put away. He did not feel comfortable playing serve and volley players or chip and chargers, in the 80’s 18
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they were many players that used that style of play so Jimmy also had to practice his passing shots, getting out of his comfort zone. I always recalled an incident that taught me a lot when I was just starting my coaching profession; Jimmy and I were in Cincinnati at the nationals clay courts, a big ATP event where he was a top seat, while we were having breakfast at the hotel, Brad Gilbert who also was playing the tournament and had to encounter Jimmy in the second round, if they both won, sat with us and told Jimmy that he could not understand how he could be a top player in the ATP when his serve was very weak, he could only pass down the line with his backhand, Jimmy went into his fi rst round and lost, he tried to serve harder, also tried to hit more backhands, basically trying to show Brad that he was wrong and that he was a complete player. Brad beat Jimmy without hitting a ball and one round before he had to played him, he was a master in the mind games. After that I learned my lesson, we never stay at the same hotel as other players, we stay far away from all those distractions.
by Gabe Jaramillo Visit www.gabejaramillo.com
JIMMY ARIAS
by Gabe Jaramillo
Every ball a forehand. OBJECTIVES A) Control the center of the court with the forehand B) Be the first player to take control of the point C) Organize the points so the next shot could be a forehand D) Always be offensive
EXECUTION A) Life ball drill without the serve. B) The coach feeds the ball to the opponents forehand, the opponent has to hit his first shot cross court and then the player starts the point also hitting cross court, after that it was open play. C) When the player doing the exercise is not able to hit a forehand he loses the point. D) The opponent is allowed to hit forehands and backhands. E) Usually this game is play to 21 points
Passing shot drill. OBJECTIVES A) Hit the ball early to the open court. B) Practice hitting down the line and angle shots from the forehand and backhand sides. C) Stay close to the line while hitting the passing shot. D) Improving contra- attacking skills.
EXECUTION A) Coach feeding from the middle of the service line B) Coach feeds the ball side to side until the player at the base line passes the player at the net 20 times C) The player at the base line can hit the ball anywhere and only hits the ball fed by the coach, ignoring the ball hit by the net player D) The net player’s objective is not to get passed or at least to touch the ball, the net person can hit the ball anywhere RacquetTech II - 2012
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JIMMY ARIAS PUT AWAY FOREHANDS
OBJECTIVES A) To fi nish the points from inside the court with the forehand B) Hitting the ball with enough power and placement making sure that the opponent is not able to return it or if he gets the ball back it would be a very weak return C) Running around every short ball looking for the put away forehand D) Always anticipating the short ball to hurt the opponent and to fi nish the point E) The player needs to feel comfortable hitting this shot under pressure to any side, inside out, inside in and down the line. F) This is the key shot for a player with an aggressive base line style of play
EXECUTION A) This is a basket drill B) The coach places the basket in one side of the court and feeds the ball side to side, making sure that the student has to move fast to run around the ball getting his feet in position and executing the shot with good balance C) The student hits the ball to the open court, the coach feeds 20 balls leaving only the backhand side open as a target, after resting for two minutes the coach feeds another 20 balls leaving only the forehand side open, this is with the porpoise of having the player feeling comfortable hitting the put away shot to any side on the court. D) The depth and the high of the feed ball should change but it should be consistent trough the 20 balls exercise.
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OUTLOOK 2012: RACQUETS With racquet sales down the last year, we are still seeing an abundance of new racquets for 2012. The latest fi gures from the USTIA are that racket sales are down 6% in rackets sold and 7% in dollars. High priced rackets have been hit the hardest. Junior racket sales in both the USA and Europe are down much more than adult rackets, which is not a good indicator for the future. The European market, with over 34 million players has over 31% of the players in the world. In units sold the USA sells more rackets, but many more in the lower price categories. The Asian market is almost the size of the European market due to the growth in China, whose sales make up over 50% of the Asian market last year. We still have around 75% of the Top 20 ATP and WTA players coming out of Europe, with a large percent of total junior, senior, ITF and professional tournaments being held here. I think this is a strong indicator for future strength in the European market. We are introducing several new models of rackets this issue and will continue in the next issue with the rest.
Babolat has introduced the new Pure Drive line for 2012. Going back to more black like in the original Pure Drive but with black background with blue graphics, the rackets look better than ever. A new construction with the CDS (cortex dampening system) offers better feedback to your hand, along with GT and Woofer Technologies. The Pure Drive line offers the Pure Drive, Pure Drive Roddick, Pure Drive Lite and the Pure Drive 107. All the models have a 16 x 19 string pattern and a 100 in.² head except the 107 with a 107in.² head. The Pure Drive and Pure Drive Roddick are available in 27in./68.5cm or „+“ version (69cm) for more power. The Lite is 27in./68.5cm and the Pure Drive 107 is 69.0cm. The rackets weigh in at, Pure Drive Lite 275g., Pure Drive 107 280g., Pure Drive 300g. and the Pure Drive Roddick at 315g. Also available in Junior model. Visit: www.babolat.com
Pure Drive
Pure Drive Roddick Junior Pure Drive 107
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OUTLOOK 2012: RACQUETS HEAD
introduces new Prestige and Radical lines this winter. All of the new YouTek™ IG Prestige and Radical racquets are showcasing HEAD’s Innegra™ and D3O™ technologies. Innegra™ belongs to the lightest performance fi bres in the world today. In combination with carbon fi bre, Innegra™ forms an ultra-tough, hybrid-composite frame structure. The material, also used in Formula 1, results in a racquet frame offering improved stability and increased shock absorption. Tests show that vibration on ball impact is reduced by up to 17 %, resulting in unique control and precision. The IG Prestige line includes the Mid, MP and Pro models as well as the new Prestige S, a lighter weight model at 305 grams. The racquet features a new 16/19 double grommet string pattern for a more comfortable game and better sound, while a unique new shaft construction yields improved ergonomic and enhanced torsional stiffness. The IG Radical line includes the well established Pro, MP, OS and Lite racquets as well as the new S model. The special setup of the S-model featuring a IG PRESTIGE S bigger headsize and reduced weight makes it easier to play for a broader range of players. The IG Radical S weighs in at 280 grams with a 645 cm² headsize.
IG RADICAL S
GAMMA
RZR 98
RZR 100
has developed a new line of rackets along with getting some good interest in the black prototypes seen around the last year. The RZR line includes a RZR98 and RZR98T, with a 98 in.² headsize and weighing in at 300 and 325 grams respectively, 27 inches, 22mm beam and a stiffness of 65 and 68. The RZR100 weighs in at 285g and the RZR100T at 315g. These frames are a little stiffer at 75 and 78 respectively with a 24-2622mm beam. The RZR110 is the new oversize frame weighing in at 270g. and 27.25inches. Balance is 34.5cm, stiffness 72 and a 24-26-22mm beam. Cosmetics and design are very nice looking. The racquets will be available next month in Europe. Visit: www.gammasports.com RacquetTech II - 2012
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OUTLOOK 2012: RACQUETS Prince
introduces the new Warrior and Rebel line for 2012. At the center of the Warrior line is the EXO³ Warrior 100. This line is the successor to the Black and White lines. It includes the Warrior 100, Warrior 104, Warrior Team, Warrior DB Team and Warrior Lite. The EXO³ Warrior 100 weighs in at 300 grams with a 100 in.² head, 27 inch length, 16 x 19 string pattern, 290 swingweight, balance of 32 cm and a beam of 24-26-22 mm. The Team model is 20 grams lighter with the same swingweight and a 34cm balance. The new EXO³ Rebel 98 also comes in a Team and Lite version. The Rebel 98 weighs in at 300 grams with a 98 in.² head, 21mm beam, 16 x 20 string pattern, 32cm balance and a swingweight of 292. The Rebel line also includes the new Rebel 95 (325 grams), and the Rebel 105. Visit: www.princesports.com
EXO³ Warrior 100
EXO³ Rebel 98
Wilson
has come out with the new Juice and Steam line of racquets. They have been designed for increased power and spin. Both of these racquet lines have been produced for baseline and all court players but with a little different feel for each racket. The Juice has been designed for power and the Steam more maneuverability and spin through a different frame geometry. The Juice 100 BLX weighs in at 304 grams, with an very open 16 x 18 string pattern. 26.5mm beam, 27 inches and 4 points head light. The Juice line also contains a lighter, slightly larger frame, the Juice 108 BLX (279grams) and a heavier frame, the Juice Pro BLX at 324 grams, with a 96 in.² headsize. The Steam 100 BLX weighs in at 295 grams, 5 points head light, 16 x 20 string pattern, 100 in.² head, length27.25 in. and a 23mm fl at beam. Visit: www.wilson.com 24
RacquetTech II - 2012
JUICE 100 BLX
STEAM 100 BLX
STRING PLAYTEST
ZYEX MONOGUT STRINGTEST Ashaway is the only US manufacturer of racquet strings and have been innovaive over the years using new materials and different string constructions. They have now come up with a monofilament with no polyester in it. Ashaway has been using ZYEX filaments in combination with other filaments in squash, badminton and racquetball for a long time so they have a lot of experience with this material. The advantages of ZYEX MONOGUT according to Ashaway are: -- 100% Zyex monofilament string to provide exceptional dynamic stiffness and gut-like playability -- Zero polyester Zyex polymer increases elongation, decreases stiffness for comfortable soft power -- Surface design plus solid monofilament construction minimizes string movement, improves abrasion resistance and durability. The goal in designing this string was to use the ability of ZYEX to retain tension better than other synthetic materials, offer more power than polyester strings and to use the softer feel to increase comfort. According to Ashaway the string remains soft at higher tensions, which reduces shock on the arm. The smooth outer surface reduces abrasion and increases durability. The absence of polyester in Zyex MonoGut increases elongation and decreases stiffness, generating comfortable, soft power. Zyex MonoGut is designed for players seeking both gut-like playability and superior durability in a solid monofilament string, as well as players using monofilament strings in hybrid stringing patterns. A natural gut-like tan in appearance, Zyex MonoGut is available in 40-ft (12 m) sets and 360-ft (110 m) reels. Recommended stringing tension is up to 60 lbs. (27 kgs).
In the lab
We tested the 16-gauge (1.27 mm) Ashaway ZYEX MONOGUT. The coil measured 13.4 meters or 43.9 feet. The diameter measured 1.31-1.35 mm prior to stringing, and 1.23-1.27 mm after stringing. The reduction in diameter was due to the extreme elongation for a monofilament string. We recommended stringing at medium to slow speed and waiting for the string to stretch out before clamping. We found the elongation about three times more than with other monofilaments. With these instructions we found we could get the same DT every time. We recorded a stringbed stiffness of 35 Dynamic Tension on a Beers ERT 300 immediately after stringing at 25 kilos in a (16 Ă— 19 pattern) racquet on a Prince 6000 constant-pull machine. After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed stiffness measured 33 RDC units, representing a 5.7 percent tension loss. Our control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original Gold 16, using the same string as the USRSA, representing a 9 percent tension loss. We also tested the string 72 hours after stringing and still had a Dynamic Tension of 33. The ZYEX MONOGUT added 15.3 grams to the weight of our unstrung frame. The string has a smooth surface and was easy to work with for a monofilament. No weaving or friction problems were found. The ERT tests were in the well above average range for this type of string.
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STRING PLAYTEST The string was tested for five weeks by 30 ERSA playtesters, with playing levels of intermediate to nationally ranked. These are blind tests, with playtesters receiving unmarked strings in unmarked packages. Average number of hours playtested was 11.2.
Stringing
No playtester broke his sample during stringing, no stringers complained of problems with coil memory, not typical with single sets of monofilament string, and no one said they had a problem with stringing. No one had problems with friction burn, due to the smooth surface. Several stringers said they pulled the crosses slow as they noticed friction when pulling quickly with their 18 x 20 string pattern. No problems were reported tying knots. All rated it as a little easier to string than other strings in this category.
Playtest
Tension Loss was rated from the same to much better from everyone. This was the same as our lab tests. All of the testers found the string average to very good in Playability. Power was rated the same to much better than other strings in this category. String movement and control were rated from average to a much better. Comfort and feeling were rated average to much better. Durability was rated from a little worse to a little better than other strings in this category. Spin Potential was rated from the same to much better. Five testers broke their strings between 4 and 13 hours of play(three in the middle of the stringbed and 2 at the top of the frame) from 26 players who returned the tests to us. Many of the testers noted that the sound hitting the ball hard was totally different from polyester strings. All of them said they liked the sound. Several found the strings vibrated in the grommets which was eliminated with a vibration dampener.
Conclusion
Ashaway ZYEX MONOGUT is a great monofilament string for players looking for the control and spin of a thinner mono without the stiffness. The string has very good Spin Potential, good Power and very low Tension Loss. A few of the testers would have preferred a thicker version of the string with open string patterns and heavy topspin for a little more durability. This string can be recommended from club players to tournament level players looking for a great mix of power, low tension loss and spin with a crisp feel. Almost every one of the testers said they would consider adding the string to their sortiment, which is very unusal for a monofilament.
Comments
“Great sound when I hit the ball!“ Coach – Prince EXO3 Black “I liked the string a lot and am looking forward to hearing what it is.” Men’s Club Player with Head Extreme Pro “Durability was all right but played much better than other polys I have tested.” Men‘s 35 tournament player and coach – Head Speed Pro “I only tested the string playing for a few hours and mostly coaching with it, but it played the same over 4 weeks with no noticable tension loss.” Coach – Babolat Pure Drive “I guess the brown color is the natural material color which I did not like so much at first. After playing with the string the first time I loved it.“ Coach – Prince EXO3 Black with Kirschbaum Pro Line II “Played great and I was sorry it broke after 5 hours and I only had one set.“ Men’s Senior Tournament Player “Probably the best poly I have tested. No weak points to mention.” Intermediate Club Player – Head Radical MP using Tecnifibre Multifeel. “I would recommend this string to my students from intermediate to ranked players. Good spin and no string movement and easy on my arm.” Tournament player and coach – Head Speed with Poly.
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RacquetTech II - 2012
BUYER’S GROUP FOR
RACQUET SPECIALISTS
The Racquet Tech Sports Group
offers many advantages to independent retailers in the racket sports industry.
offers Group Product Ordering, Marketing Concepts, Marketing Services, Management Consulting, Technical Educational Programs through the European Racquet Stringers Association, and Membership in the ERSA, the leader in racketsports information technology.
Group Buying
Marketing Concepts
Management Consulting
offers the independent racketsports dealer the possibility to compete with the large chains, mail-order businesses and internetshops.
promoting group members as experts in the retail racket sports industry, and the advantages of professional advice to the end consumer.
to help set up and run your business professionally and PROFITABLY.
Advertising and Design services are available for the members at great savings.
Educational Programs including topics such as Marketing, Management, Technologies, Stringing; racket repair and tuning are offered to the members. Training Seminars set up and run by Master Racquet Technicians and ProTour Stringers throughout Europe.
Membership in the
European Racquet Stringers Association Yearly membership is included as part of your Racquet Tech Sports Group membership, giving you all the technical information and new product information to run your shop successfully.
The Racquet Tech Sports Group
Wax coating 4 Polyamide monofilaments 8 Multifilament fibers
PWR FUSION Often, great progress is achieved through small details. The perfect example: the new HEAD PWR Fusion Tennis String. Underneath its outer wax coating lies the innovative combination of four polyamide monofilament fibres at the core encased by eight multifilament layers. The result? Enhanced power paired with exceptional comfort.
WHAT’S YOUR GAME? FIND OUT AT HEAD.COM/TENNIS