Industry News

USTA Study Shows Positive Influences of Tennis

USTA Serves, the national charitable foundation of the USTA, recently released the results of the USTA Serves Special Report, “More Than a Sport: Tennis, Education and Health.” The study, conducted among high school students, is the first nationwide study to analyze the educational, behavioral and health benefits to adolescents who participate in tennis.

Results from the study show that, when compared to non-athletes and participants in many other sports, young people who participate in tennis get better grades, devote more hours to studying, think more about their future, aspire to attend and graduate from college, and have lower suspension and expulsion rates.

Key findings from the report include:

Tennis is a unique catalyst for educational advantage. Tennis players spent more time doing homework, and were more likely to report receiving “A” grades. A full 48% of students in the report have an “A” average and 81% say they will attend college.
Tennis players had significantly lower rates of suspension from school and other disciplinary measures than participants in other sports and non-athletes.
Educational advantages among tennis players occurred across all socioeconomic levels.
Adolescent tennis players are well rounded. Participation rates within extracurricular activities and community involvement were higher among adolescent tennis players. In fact, 82% volunteer in their communities.
Tennis contributes to adolescent health. Tennis players reported lower rates of unhealthy behavior such as drinking and smoking, and are less likely to be overweight or become obese.
Adolescent participation in tennis varies by race/ethnicity and gender, as well as across geographic regions. Among all adolescent tennis players in the U.S., whites constituted 77%, Hispanics 14%, and African-Americans 9%.

“While most people may not be surprised to learn that the majority of adolescent tennis players score better than most other athletes (and all non-athletes) on education and social behavior, what is less known is that those benefits also cross all socioeconomics levels in varying degrees,” said Deborah Slaner Larkin, executive director of USTA Serves. “Hopefully, this evidence-based research will encourage more educators, health policy makers and parents to promote tennis in physical education classes as well as in school and community-based sports programs.”

For the full executive summary and report, visit ustaserves.com.

IART Schedules 2013 Stringers Symposium in Florida

The International Alliance of Racquet Technicians (formerly GSS) will hold its 2013 training symposium Sept. 21-25, again at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Fla. The event will offer a variety of seminars covering all aspects of racquet service, including a four-hour specialty course on customization. Other seminars include beginning, intermediate, and advanced stringing plus the Wilson speed-stringing contest. Supplemental courses on business planning, marketing strategies through social media, USRSA and ERSA certification testing, and 10 & Under Tennis are also planned.

For information, contact IART founder Tim Strawn at tim@gssalliance.com or 540-632-1148.

PTR Symposium Set for May

The 2013 PTR International Tennis Symposium & Championships will be April 30 to May 6 at the newly renovated Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

The Symposium attracts tennis teachers and coaches from more than 50 countries. Many of the industry’s notable speakers, including Dr. Jim Loehr, Pat Etcheberry, Butch Staples, Leo Alonso, Lorenzo Beltrame, Doug Cash, Mike Barrell, Anne Davis, Michele Krause, Jorge Capestany and Dr. Mark Kovacs, will be among the more than 50 presenters who will conduct classroom and on-court presentations. Subjects range from 10 and Under Tennis to tennis business to teaching tactics and techniques. There is also a special high school coaches’ track sponsored by the USTA that will be held over the weekend to accommodate scholastic schedules.

The PTR International Championships, held in conjunction with the Symposium, will start on April 30. The Symposium also offers a Tennis Trade Show. Professional Development Courses will be held May 1, 6 and 7.

Visit ptrtennis.org for information or to register.

RSI’s ‘30 Under 30’ Presented by CareersInTennis.com

Nominate now for Racquet Sports Industry’s “30 Under 30” honors, recognizing some of the young movers and shakers in the tennis industry. The 30 individuals we pick will be featured in an upcoming special section in the magazine.

RSI’s “30 Under 30” section is presented by CareersInTennis.com, the industry’s largest database for connecting job seekers with tennis employers. The TIA’s free Careers in Tennis initiative had over 40,000 website views in 2012 and has more than 1,000 tennis-specific job postings. Nearly 2,000 job seekers are registered on the site, which also has 200 registered employers posting jobs — all for free.

Anyone can nominate potential “30 Under 30” honorees (you can even nominate yourself), and nominees can come from any segment of this industry. Nominees can even be volunteers in tennis; they don’t have to be employed in this industry. The only restriction is that the nominee cannot have turned age 30 before June 1, 2013.

To nominate, send us a brief email by April 1 describing your choice for “30 Under 30” honors. Also include the nominee’s birthday (month and year is fine) if you know it, and contact information for both you and the nominee. Put “30 Under 30” in the subject line and email info@tennisindustrymag.com.

Five Programs Named as USTA Certified Regional Centers

USTA Player Development announced that five junior development programs have started new, three-year agreements to serve as USTA Certified Regional Training Centers (RTCs). The programs will train junior players in four USTA sections.

Eagle Fustar Tennis Academy in Santa Clara, Calif. (USTA Northern California), Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, Nev. (USTA Intermountain), and T Bar M Racquet Club in Dallas (USTA Texas) each are renewing their partnerships as USTA Certified Regional Training Centers,

Five Seasons Sports Club in Northbrook, Ill. (USTA Midwest) and The Smiths, LLC., in Indianapolis, Ind. (USTA Midwest), are joining the USTA Certified Regional Training Center network, setting the total number of USTA Certified Regional Training Centers across America to 17.

As USTA Certified RTCs, the programs will enhance the training and development of junior players in their respective areas of the country. USTA Player Development will use these partnerships as vehicles to educate and collaborate with junior tennis coaches in these four USTA sections to work toward developing the next generation of world-class Americans.

NY Knicks’ Chandler Praises Allen Fox’s ‘The Winner’s Mind’

New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler, in an article in the New York Times in February, said that Dr. Allen Fox’s book, “The Winner’s Mind: A Competitor’s Guide to Sports and Business Success,” helps him collect his thoughts and perform at his best.

“I recently read ‘The Winner’s Mind,’ by Allen Fox,” Chandler was quoted as saying. “It calmed me because it put me in a place where I had the satisfaction that I’m working towards my goal. And then I could go on to the next day.”

“The Winner’s Mind” is published by Racquet Tech Publishing and available in the online store at racquettech.com.

By the numbers

Tennis Racquet Performance

Specialty Stores, January – December, 2012 vs. 2011

UNITS	2012	731,346
	2011	719,490
	% change vs. ‘11	2%
DOLLARS	2012	102,432,000
	2011	101,748,000
	% change vs. ’11	1%
PRICE	2012	$140.06
	2011	$141.42
	% change vs. ’11	-1%

Top-Selling Racquets at Specialty Stores

By year-to-date dollars, January – December 2012

Best Sellers

Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT (MP)
Babolat Pure Drive GT 2012 (MP)
Wilson BLX Juice (MP)
Babolat Pure Drive Lite 2012 (MP)
Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP)

“Hot New Racquets”

(introduced in the past 12 months)

Babolat Pure Drive GT 2012 (MP)
Wilson BLX Juice (MP)
Babolat Pure Drive Lite 2012 (MP)
Babolat Pure Drive 107 2012 (OS)
Wilson BLX Juice (OS)

Top-Selling Tennis Shoes at Specialty Stores

By year-to-date dollars, January – December 2012

Prince T22
Adidas Adipower Barricade 7
Asics Gel Resolution 4
Babolat Propulse 3
Nike Zoom Breathe 2K11

Top-Selling Tennis Strings at Specialty Stores

By year-to-date units, January – December 2012

Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex
Babolat RPM Blast
Wilson NXT
Wilson Sensation
Luxilon Alu Power

USTA President Dave Haggerty Sends ‘Chairman’s Update’

In late February, new USTA Chairman of the Board and President Dave Haggerty sent out his first “Chairman’s Update” to USTA volunteers and staff. Here is part of what he had to say:

“Since I assumed my new role in January, you know that one of the top priorities of my administration will be communication. It is vitally important to me that all of us within the USTA commit ourselves to keeping all lines of communication open among ourselves and among our constituents and partners in the sport. It is only through open dialogue that we can learn from each other and improve as an association, as a sport, and individually. To that end, I will be sending out these “Chairman’s Updates” on a regular basis, so that all of you will be aware of our activities, priorities, and the various important developments in the sport that impact us as an association.

“In terms of priorities, I want to stress that we have one set of five priorities that are uniform and consistent across all areas of the USTA. This is the best and only way to maximize our efforts and ensure that all staff and volunteers are aligned with our mission. These five priorities will be structured upon the foundation of Leadership, Management and Partnership, and include:

Listening and communicating effectively.
Embracing and leading change.
Growing tennis participation.
Improving our financial performance.
Focusing on fewer things and doing them better.

“These are the things that matter, because these are the things that will make our sport and the USTA stronger, more robust and more vital. You’ll be hearing more from me on each of these areas, but this is an outline by which we must shape all that we do going forward. If we do, then we will have a bright future.”

Keith Evans Named Aer-Flo Sales Manager

Aer-Flo Inc., manufacturer of the Tuffy windscreen, has named Keith Evans as its national sales manager of its Tennis Division. A former NCAA All American at the University of Mississippi, Evans played on the ATP Tour for six years and won 17 pro satellite events. A USPTA-certified pro, Evans has served as tennis director at five private clubs over the last 14 years, most recently at the University Club of Memphis.

“Keith understands the many demands on club professionals and college coaches, which will be helpful as he manages Aer-Flo’s nationwide network of tennis equipment dealers,” says Aer-Flo President Bill Henning. Aer-Flo is headquartered in Bradenton, Fla., with a second production plant in Anniston, Ala.

People Watch

Dutch wheelchair tennis phenom Esther Vergeer, 31, has retired from the game. She leaves pro tennis with an active win streak in singles of 470 matches, her last loss coming in January 2003. She lost only 18 sets during that streak and won more than a third of her sets by a 6-0 score.
After reaching a career-high ranking of No. 6 on the International Racquetball Tour in early February, Head Penn’s Tony Carson of Denver, along with his partner, won the 2013 Men’s Doubles National Championship and captured his first USA Racquetball National Adult title. With the win, Carson earned a one-year appointment to the USA Racquetball National Team Pool.
Frenchman Brice Leverdez, playing his first tournament with the new Wilson Recon badminton racquet in February, won his sixth men’s singles title in a row at the French National Badminton Championships.
Head Penn racquetballer Paola Longoria of Mexico extended her match winning streak to 665 straight days with a win at the 2013 Winter Classic in Kansas in late February. She now has a record 17 straight titles on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour.
Head Penn junior racquetball sensation Jordan Cooperrider of Florida won the Women’s State Open title at the Florida State Racquetball Championships recently. She plays with the Head Scorpion 170 frame.
After their contracts with IMG expired at the end of last year, Rafael Nadal and his longtime manager, Carlos Costa, started a new company that will manage athletes, including tennis players, soccer players and golfers.
Ashaway Racket Strings has announced the addition of New Zealand’s rising squash star, Joelle King, to its roster of sponsored players. King currently is ranked No. 7 on the Women’s Squash Association World Tour.

Stringlet Expands to Canada

Stringlet Brand magnetic tennis string bracelets has expanded to Canada via its work with the Ontario Tennis Association and retail launch at Ontario’s The Merchant of Tennis shops. The Stringlet (stringlet.net) is a durable and feather light magnetic tennis string bracelet constructed of colorful synthetic gut string and a powerful magnetic clasp and made for tennis players and fans.

Stringlet comes in 27 varieties to represent team colors, player favorites, country colors or tournament colors. Custom options are also available for qualified partners. Contact info@stringlet.net.

Indian Wells OKs Tennis Garden Expansion

The Indian Wells City Council has OK’d a $70 million expansion of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, home of the BNP Paribas Open. The expansion is part of a five-year plan aimed at boosting attendance to 500,000 people. The 2012 event drew about 370,000 fans.

The proposal includes an 8,000-seat stadium built 27 feet sunken into the ground; an additional 2,000 parking spaces; three restaurants; and more than 700 palm trees to keep the garden feel.

BNP Paribas Open CEO Ray Moore said the project should be completed in about 10 months, in time for the 2014 tournament.

Correction

The phone number to order “Tennis Courts: A Construction and Maintenance Manual” listed on page 28 of the March issue should be 866-501-2722. The manual also can be downloaded as a PDF at sportsbuilders.org.

Wilson Partners With TGA Premier Youth Tennis

Wilson Tennis has formed an exclusive partnership with TGA Premier Youth Tennis (TGA) in a deal that includes Wilson becoming the official equipment and apparel provider for TGA programs and providing funding to TGA’s 501c3 Foundation. The deal includes Wilson providing 10 and Under Tennis equipment and apparel for TGA’s programming.

“The partnership is a great fit for Wilson Racquet Sports and our shared vision to attract more youth participation,” said Jon Muir, general manager of Wilson Racquet Sports. “TGA’s pathway programs have proven to be successful in providing youth an entry into sports and the tennis industry.”

The partnership will include Wilson contributing funds over the next three years to the 501c3 TGA Sports Foundation in an ongoing effort provide all youngsters access to the sport of tennis through school-based programs and beyond. The goals of the TGA Foundation are to develop under-resourced and special needs youth by making tennis accessible in all communities while transitioning students and families to local tennis facilities and USTA programming.

“This is a partnership that will impact the long-term growth of the tennis industry,” said Joshua Jacobs, co-founder and CEO of TGA Premier Youth Tennis. “We are already working with Wilson to develop opportunities for our franchises to grow tennis in the communities we serve.” For more information on TGA, visit playtga.com.

Roddick, Stephens Top WTT Player Draft

Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick was the top pick recently in the Mylan World TeamTennis Marquee Draft. Roddick will play for the Springfield Lasers. Sloane Stephens, a young American who is currently ranked No. 17 on the WTA Tour, was selected by the Philadelphia Freedoms with its first-round pick.

The newest Mylan WTT franchise, Texas Wild, will bring the world’s best doubles team to their new home court in Irving, Texas. The Wild, who relocated to Texas this year after 20 seasons in Kansas City, protected the rights to Bob and Mike Bryan who are back for their 11th season.

Venus Williams, who led the Washington Kastles to its second straight undefeated season and championship title in 2012, returns to the nation’s capital for her 10th Mylan WTT season. The three-time champion Kastles will be taking a 32-match win streak into its 2013 season opener.

Two of the top Americans on the ATP Tour will once again play for the Sacramento Capitals. The Caps protected their rights to Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish.

The eight WTT teams will compete in two conferences during the regular season, which concludes on Wednesday, July 24. The 2013 Mylan WTT Finals will be contested on the home court of the Eastern Conference Champions. For more information, visit WTT.com.

Congratulations To the Following For Achieving Certification

New MRTs

Matthew Bolin, Concord, NC

New CSs

Cameron Davitt, San Diego, CA

Cole O’Neill, Argyle, TX

Michael Vernon, Sunnyvale, CA

Short Sets

Unique Sports has announced multi-year Tourna Grip agreement with top-ranked ITF junior Taylor Townsend of Georgia. Townsend, who recently turned pro, joins fellow WTA Tour Tourna Grip endorsees Christina McHale, Yaroslava Shevedova, Genie Bouchard and Alexa Glatch, among others.
The U.S. Fed Cup team will host Sweden in the 2013 Fed Cup World Group Playoff April 20-21 in Delray Beach, Fla. Winning nations in the World Group Playoff qualify for the 2014 World Group to compete for a Fed Cup title. The U.S. fell to Italy, 3-2, in the 2013 World Group first round in Rimini Feb. 9-10.
The Sarasota Open, a USTA Pro Circuit event, will now be called The Nick Bollettieri Sarasota Women’s Open. It will be April 13-21 at the Longboat Key Club.
For the second consecutive year, the Family Circle Cup has named Antigua Apparel as its official apparel sponsor for the tournament. As part of the agreement, Antigua will outfit the officials, staff, volunteers and ball kids in addition to having a retail presence on site.
The Middlebury (Conn.) Racquet Club hosted a fund-raising event, Serving Up for Sandy Hook, in late January, after the elementary school tragedy. "As a club that serves a number of surrounding communities, we have many members and several staff from Newtown," said Patricia Decker, owner of the Middlebury Racquet Club. "We are grateful that we have the opportunity to support the healing process in these communities by coming together through the sport of tennis." More than 450 people attended the event that raised more than $6,500.
Reports say that the sports management company IMG is up for sale, possibly worth more than $2 billion. Among its tennis clients are Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova; the company recently lost management of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. IMG also runs tournament sand other events.
Rich Johns of Saratoga Springs, NY, RSI’s 2009 High School Coach of the Year, has launched a new website, actwithrespectalways.com. The Act With Respect Always campaign he created has picked up the endorsement of Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Volkl has launched its new website at volkltennis.com.
Emirates Airlines is extending its sponsorship of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA, until 2015. Emirates has been the Official Airline of the tournament since 2010.
Second-seeded Kenyon upset top-seed Emory on Feb. 24 to win the ITA Division III National Men’s Team Indoor Championship, held at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota.

Infographic Shows Increases in 10U Statistics

In the most recent USTA/TIA tennis participation study, the age demographic that saw the greatest percentage increase in 2012 was young players 6 to 11, which increased 13% from 2011. Clearly, messages about 10 and Under Tennis are reaching kids, their parents, and tennis providers — and all of that is having a positive influence in other industry segments, too.

For instance, there are now more than 10,000 courts in the U.S. lined for youth tennis, including standalone 36- and 60-foot courts and blended lines on 78-foot courts. Sales of red, orange and green balls and graduated racquets continue to increase, as does the number of facilities offering 10 and Under Tennis programs and the number of kids in youth tennis competition.

The USTA recently produced an infographic to showcase some of the latest stats to tennis providers.

US Open Series Events Coordinate Ticket Sales

Tickets for all nine of the 2013 Emirates Airline US Open Series events went on sale in March at emiratesusopenseries.com — the first time that US Open Series events are coordinating their ticket sales. The USTA is running a national marketing campaign to push the Series, as well as a satellite media tour with American teenager Sloane Stephens, who is currently ranked No. 17 on the WTA Tour.

Now in its 10th season, the Series consists of:

July 22-28: Bank of the West Classic, Stanford, CA
July 22-28: BB&T Atlanta Open, Atlanta, GA
July 29-Aug. 4: Mercury Insurance Open, Carlsbad, CA
July 29-Aug. 4: Citi Open, Washington, DC
Aug. 5-11: Rogers Cup, Toronto, CAN
Aug. 5-11: Rogers Cup, Montreal, CAN
Aug. 11-18: Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati, OH
Aug. 18-24: New Haven Open at Yale, New Haven, CT
Aug. 18-24: Winston-Salem Open, Winston-Salem, NC