AG 601F Tabletop Racquet Stringing Machine

This is a minimalist stringer - if you want your own stringing machine but don't want to spend too much money or take up your whole garage, this is a good option.

It has a 2-point mounting system, universal v-shaped side supports which allow it to handle all racquet types and prevents frame damage, adjustable head and throat mounting posts (so you don't need any adaptors), 2 Le Clamps included, 360 degree roation, and a linear ball gripper.

Bonus: You get $50.00 in AG String and an awl automatically included if you get it through Amazon. Check out the AG 601F.

Vintage Tennis Friday, Part Deaux - Rene Lacoste 75th Anniversary Sneaker Pack

While we don't think the famed member of the Four Musketeers, Rene Lacoste, wore brightly colored sneakers, we appreciate the thought Lacoste has put into their Rene Lacoste sneaker pack to mark the company's 75th anniversary. The pack has six different single-colored sneakers named after the founder, Jean Rene Lacoste. According to SneakerFiles, each sneaker will retail around $75 - yikes, for canvas sneakers? The power of branding!

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Vintage Tennis Friday: Adidas Rod Laver Low Weave Black / White

Another new take on a classic, this pair of adidas Rod Laver's features a black and white color scheme. And like all Rod Laver's, they are mesh, so they breath. SneakerFiles.com tells us we should be able to get them at a local adidas retailer.

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Harrison Brothers Choose Babolat Racquets and Strings for Next Four Years

05/07/08 - Lyon, France - Babolat, one of the leading manufacturers of tennis products, today announces Ryan Harrison and Christian Harrison have chosen to use Babolat racquets and strings for the next four years. Babolat has had a relationship with the Harrison brothers since 2004, having provided racquets and strings to Ryan in 2005 and 2006, and to Christian from 2005 to present.

Ryan Harrison (age 15) and Christian Harrison (age 13) have signed an international agreement with Babolat that assures they will be equipped with innovative Babolat tennis products through 2012. Jean-Christophe Verborg, Babolat International Sports Marketing Manager commented, "The fact that they wanted a long-term agreement instead of the standard one-year contract shows the confidence they have in the Babolat brand. We're very happy to have them as a part of Team Babolat."

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Wilson Grows #1 Market Share in 2007

05/08/08 - Wilson Racquet Sports has continued to grow its market share in 2007 to continue its leadership as the clear #1 racket brand.

According to the latest year to date (SMS) survey, Wilson's market share has increased to over a 31% unit share of performance rackets in 2007 with 7 of the Top 12 selling rackets ytd 2007 in dollar sales as well. In addition, SMS shows that Wilson continues to lead in the following areas for 2007:

• #1 in Unit Sales
• #1 in Unit Share
• #1 in Dollar Sales
• #1 in Dollar Share

In addition, Wilson's [K]Six.One 95 is the #1 selling new racket for combined head sizes, that began shipping in 2007. Wilson also had 4 of the Top 7 "Hot New Rackets," a notable distinction, as this list measures the impact of new models that have only been shipping over the last 12 months. While these numbers are a testament to how [K]Factor has greatly impacted Wilson's strong growth, the numbers also speak to the ongoing strength of nCode, with Wilson now having a 36.9% unit market share in rackets selling between $100 - $149, where nCode is primarily positioned.

Wilson is also the #1 tennis brand globally in market share, with Europe and Asia also reflecting strong growth behind [K]Factor. In Japan, the second largest tennis market behind the USA, Wilson is also #1 in share in both units and dollars, and the
[K]Six.One 95 is the top selling racket to date for 2007. (Yano data, Jan/Feb. 2007).

Wilson Racquet Sports is a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, one of the world's leading manufacturers of sports equipment and owned by Amer Sports. Wilson designs, manufactures and distributes sporting goods throughout the world and focuses on making technologically advanced products which help players of all levels perform better. Wilson's core sport categories include: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Soccer, Youth Sports, Uniforms/Apparel, Golf, Footwear and Racquet Sports (Tennis, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton and Platform Tennis). For more information, visit www.wilson.com.

Tennis Equipment Q & A - What's the history of wooden tennis rackets?

Q. What is the history of wooden tennis rackets?

A: Early racquets date back to the 14th and 15th centuries and were used in games that resembled squash more than modern-day tennis. The heads of these racquets were more oval in shape and smaller than today's racquets, and the handles were very long. The game of tennis as we know it today and its equipment got started in the late 19th century in London, England. In 1874, Major Walter C. Wingfield patented the rules and equipment for a tennis game played outdoors on grass lawns. From 1874 to 1967, tennis rackets were made of wood and did not change very much in design, though their construction improved dramatically.

Rather than craft a tennis racket out of large pieces of wood, lamination allowed racket makers to glue layers of wood together. The wood tennis rackets of the period were heavy (many weighed in at an impressive 14 ounces), lacked maneuverability (thanks to their weight and balance) and were low in power (the head size was only 65 sq. inches).

Then came the T2000 from Wilson in 1967 and everything changed. Starting with aluminum and then switching over to today's composites of graphite, carbon fiber and titanium, rackets have never been the same. In 1976 Prince came out with the Prince Classic, distinguished for its light weight, oversized head, bigger sweet spot, higher power and general playability, especially for beginners and intermediates. This essentially marked the end of the age of wooden rackets, as aluminum and high-tech composites took over the industry as the materials of choice. But hold on to those old wooden tennis racquets you have lying around the attic, they may be worth some money as an antique.

Courtesy of Do It Tennis

Tennis is still the fastest growing traditional sport

According to the Tennis Industry Association:

Tennis participation has grown 12.2 percent from 2000 to 2006, according to the SGMA's Sports and Fitness Participation Report (2007). The only other sports to grow were golf (2.4 percent) and football (2.1 percent).

More than 25 million people played tennis in 2007, which is the first time that threshold has been broken since the 1990s, according to the TIA/USTA Participation Study. And, play instances are up among frequency of players.

Lobster Elite Grand Slam IV Ball Machine

The Elite Grand Slam IV is a really nice, advanced battery operated portable tennis ball machine.

Features include:

Fully Random Oscillation Revolutionary design allows the machine to throw balls throughout the entire spectrum of the court mixing up speed, spin, trajectory and oscillation.

2-Line Function Offers the most extensive 2-Line function found today with its three versatile positional settings; Narrow, Medium, and Wide.

Pre-Programmed Court Drills Equipped with three pre-programmed six shot drills that simulates the most popular styles of play - grinder, all courter, and power baseliner, these incredible drills mix up speed, trajectory, and spin.

Digital Control Panel & Wireless Remote Control Comes equipped with a digital control panel and optional 15-function wireless remote control. The control panel utilizes "touch-buttons" and has a digital LCD screen which allows you to view all menu selections and settings. The compact controller provides instantaneous changes in functionality like; play/pause, oscillation sweep, fully random, 2-line, speed, feed, spin, and much more.

Need More Product Specs?

Oscillation: random horizontal, random vertical, fully random horizontal & vertical

Two-line function: 3 settings: narrow • medium • wide

Programmed drills: 3 drills: grinder • power baseliner • all-courter

Ball speed: 30-80 mph

Ball capacity: 150

Feed rate: 2 to 12 seconds

Battery Life on Court: 4-8 hrs

Elevation: Electronic, 0-50 degrees

Weight: 44 lbs

Spin: topspin & backspin

Lobster Elite Grand Slam IV Ball Machine

Babolat Extends Aero Storm and Pure Storm Ranges

05/02/08 - Babolat, one of the leading manufacturers of tennis products, announces the launch of two new expert tennis racquets, Babolat Pure Storm Limited and Babolat Aero Storm 2008 as well as the relaunch of the Babolat Aero Storm Tour.

The new Babolat Pure Storm Limited is a mid-size racquet designed to meet the needs of experienced players with a wide, fast swing. Expert players will appreciate the accuracy and stability offering total control. Babolat has also extended the Aero Storm range to include the mid-plus Aero Storm 2008, a newer, lighter version of the Aero Storm 2007 model. In keeping with the Babolat naming convention, the Aero Storm 2007 model is being relaunched as the Aero Storm Tour indicating that it is the heavier version in this range. Both racquets are designed for well-rounded expert players with a full swing, who master a wide variety of tactics with technical expertise.

Olivier Bailliard, president and CEO of Babolat USA commented, "Babolat has been a leader in the expert tennis racquet segment providing innovative products for serious players. These new control racquets complete the Babolat offering for experts." The Babolat Pure Storm Limited, Babolat Aero Storm 2008 and Babolat Aero Storm Tour will be available in tennis specialty stories starting April 2008.

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Book Review: Jimmy Connors Saved My Life

There are books about tennis that teach you how to hit a forehand. There are books about tennis that teach you how enhance your mental toughness. There are books about tennis that report the inside scoop of the pro tour. And there are biographies about tennis players. Then there is "Jimmy Connors Saved My Life," which is part biography, part history book, part memoir and part self-help book, but ALL good.

Full disclosure, I grew up loving Jimmy Connors. He's still my all time favorite. But I can honestly say that the author, Joel Drucker, did not sugar-coat this most fascinating character in the American tennis tapestry. Connors is not a saint, in fact, Peter Bodo called him "that American barbarian" just recently. Barbarian is a little overstated, and shows the bitter disdain Bodo feels for Connors after all these years, but we understand his point.

For the first few chapters, I was a little iffy on the tome - it seemed a little too forced how Drucker was weaving his life into Jimbo's career. And I still think it may be a hair too much at times. However, as it went on it made more and more sense and I liked the intermingling more and more. There is a lot about Jimmy's odd relationship with his mother and grandmother. While the oedipal analysis is interesting, its not what I enjoyed about the book per se.

Here is what you can expect, and why I loved this book:

1) By the time I was watching tennis in a meaningful way, Connors was past his bad boy days and well into the days when he was the happy warrior and crowd favorite. You get plenty of this era in the book, but you get even more of the earlier days, which was a great history lesson. From the days playing doubles with Ilie Nastase to dating Chris Evert, to the Prince Valiant haircut. You'll get it all in amazing Technicolor.

2) Related to #1, you get to see in clearer focus where Connors stood amongst the generations of tennis - starting with Rosewall, Laver, Ashe and Newcombe, going through Borg and Vilas, then McEnroe and finally Lendl. You don't realize Connors' range, not to mention, you get to relive some of the great matches in tennis history, like the 1991 US Open.

3) This book is as much about Drucker as Connors, which is to say this is a personal journey for Drucker. And from that journey, and from the lessons Drucker pulls into his personal life from how Connors lived his, so to can you the reader. One of the main themes of the book is how life is meant to be attacked and maximized. "The lines are meant to be hit," says Connors. Never quitting and going for it, no matter what you do - wise words. "Don't count me out. I come from a small town in Illinois. You people have no idea where I'm from. Now let me show you," he says.

4) Related to #3, Connors tells Drucker "In your own way, in your own time," when discussing Drucker's career. Again, wise words from one of the original bad boys of tennis. I think when people like Bodo call him "barbaric," they are merely lashing out in envy of a man who has unapologetically taken control of his own life.

5) Some great match descriptions. Want to live (or relive) the great matches between Connors & Ashe? Connors & Borg? Connors & McEnroe? Connors & Lendl? Connors & Krikstein? This is the place. Tennis, in my view, is hard to convey in print. This book does it well.

If you believe that tennis is a bloodsport, if you believe its boxing without the gloves, and if you believe that the best players (pro or otherwise) leave it all out on the court when they play, and if you believe that tennis is a microcosm of life...then this book is for you.

Jimmy Connors Saved My Life: A Personal Biography

Prince Reports More Racquet & Footwear Models in Top 15 Than Any Other Brand & #1 Position in String

Bordentown, NJ - May 5, 2008 - The first quarter 2008 SMS/TIA industry survey's for racquets, string and footwear returned some positive news for Prince in all categories.

According to the report, and based on the continued demand for racquets with O3 technology, Prince saw a market share increase over the quarter and claimed seven of the top fifteen best-selling racquets in the industry - two more models than the next nearest brand. Those racquets are:

In addition, Prince has more than one-third of the top thirty best selling racquets in tennis and four of the top ten "Hot New Racquets"** - again, more than any other brand. Those "Hot New Racquets" are:

Prince o3 Speedport Black

Prince Ozone Seven

Prince O3 Speedport White

Prince Ozone Four

According to Prince Sports, Inc. Chairman and CEO George Napier, "We have good news to share this quarter according to SMS audit information and based on what we are seeing around the world. Globally, our revenue increased five percent year-to-date and April registered twenty-two percent growth, with all regions contributing equally. We are encouraged heading into the heart of the tennis season and look forward to introducing our new products in weeks to come. "

Other key findings from the Q1 survey showed:
·Prince is leading all racquet manufactures in three price points - less than $70 racquets, between $200-$249, and $250 and over.

"In addition to the growing popularity of Prince racquets in store, the presence of O3 continues to grow on both the ATP and WTA tours as well," said Linda Glassel, Vice President of Sports Marketing for Prince. "Earlier this year, Maria Sharapova won the Australian Open with her O3 White, followed by a remarkable title run from Nikolay Davydenko at the Sony Ericsson Open - often referred to as the 'Fifth Grand Slam' by players - with his Ozone Pro Tour. Heading into the French Open later this month, some of the games brightest up and comers, Jelena Jankovic, Sam Querrey, the #1 men's doubles team, Mike and Bob Bryan, and the #1, #3 and #4 ranked women's doubles players will all be taking to the court playing racquets with O3 technology."

String and Footwear:

Information from the SMS/TIA Audit showed that Prince is #1 in tennis string with the highest market share and also has #1 string in the sport, Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex.

In footwear, Prince currently has more models (five) in the top fifteen best sellers ranked by year-to-date dollar sales than any other brand. This includes two models in its T Series and two models in its M Series.

The five Prince models in the top 15 are:

Prince Men's MV4 Tennis shoes

Prince Men's T10

Prince Men's T20

Prince Women's QT Scream 2 (Wh/Gry)

Prince Women's MC4 Tennis Shoes

The company is looking to increase unit share moving forward with the introduction of its O Series (OV1 and OC1) line this year. Both the OV1 and OC1 are designed specifically to meet the needs of men, women and junior players. In fact, Nikolay Davydenko ushered in the O Series line by wearing the OV1's en route to his Sony Ericsson title.

Continue reading: "Prince Reports More Racquet & Footwear Models in Top 15 Than Any Other Brand & #1 Position in String"

Wilson Continues to Lead Industry as the #1 Racket Brand

05/02/08 - Chicago - Wilson increased their market share lead in First Quarter 2008 compared to year end as the #1 racquet brand according to the Sports Marketing Surveys first quarter 2008 results just released.

According to the first quarter sell-thru results, Wilson has 4 of the top 7 "Best Selling" rackets (in YTD dollars), including Wilson's new [K] Blade which is now one of the top ranked sellers of all rackets in the market. Beyond having 4 of top 7 sellers in the market, Wilson is once again the clear #1 selling brand in both units and dollars. The data above are based on the First Quarter 2008 Sports Marketing Surveys/TIA audit of retail sales at tennis specialty stores.

Continue reading: "Wilson Continues to Lead Industry as the #1 Racket Brand"

Using Tennis to Sell a Job Search Website

Nishikori Adds Sony to Endorsement Portfolio

18-year old Kei Nishikori (the youngest in the top 100) just signed a 3-year deal with Sony. A big, non-traditional tennis endorsement for sure. But Sonyis betting that this solid, young, photogenic player is good enough to be around for awhile, this is likely to be a good invesment.

From their press release:

IMG today announced that professional tennis player Kei Nishikori has signed a three-year global sponsorship agreement with Sony Corporation.
Nishikori, 18, will endorse a wide range of Sony electronics products. In addition, the Japanese-born tennis player will wear a Sony logo on his right sleeve during official competition. Nishikori currently has worldwide endorsement agreements with Adidasand Wilson.

Thanks DownTheLine!; Image via NicksTennisPicks.com