www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com

SHUTTERSTOCK, TENNIS CHANNEL T immediate pandemicrelief,spurthein April 2020andwas designedtoprovide through November. new andreturning tennisplayers organizations thatattract andengage “Grow theGame”Grants, targetedfor identify andreward thosewhomeet the sections andTennis Industry Unitedto lion moreingrantsandwillwork withthe fused intothetenniseconomy. amounted toatotal of$50millionin of theUSTA andthe17USTA sections, coupled withthesupportandservices by theCovid-19 pandemic.Thatfunding, rebuild throughayearseverely impacted dustry’s recovery, andhelptheindustry in ‘GrowtheGame’Grants USTA Announces$3Million FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE The initial funding effort began in The initialfundingeffortbeganin In 2021,theUSTA willcommit$3mil Industry additional $3 million in additional $3millionin the sportoftennis:an to continuerebuilding next phaseofitsfunding he USTA announcedthe Information tohelpyou runyour business -

- - to develop entry-level programstoen Grants, organizationswillbeencouraged retain millionsofplayers.” level, wecancontinuetoattract and our momentum.By investing atthelocal and wearecommitted tomaintaining the sport,andworld,hasever faced, tennis throughoneoftheworst crises Mike Dowse. “Our effortsin2020guided local communities,” says USTA CEO therefore wemust invest fundsinto is funneledthroughthe17USTA sections. million in2021tograssroots tennis, which nounced acontinuedcommitmentof$45 TennisIndustryUnited.com. application deadlineisOct.1;visit supporting Parks &Rec programs. The Special emphasiswillbeplaced onthose coming tothegame,regardless ofage. andretaingage neworreturning players grant criteria.TheUSTA previouslyan To qualifyfortheGrow the Game “Tennis starts atthelocallevel, and News

- - Santorum. VisitPSRsports.org formore. for dedicatedcoaches,” saysPSR CEODan opportunities andcompensation structure proving thecareer pathway, employment ness, aquaticsandpossibly othersports. is lookingtoexpandintopadel,squash,fit- tennis (PPTR).From there, officials sayPSR either pickleball(PPR)and/or platform requires certificationintennis(PTR)and platform tennis.Initially, PSRmembership sionals/coaches intennis,pickleballand tion andcostsavingsforteachingprofes- or more sports,issettodebutthissummer. ter servingcoacheswhoare certifiedintwo newly formedorganization dedicated tobet- and inthenewviewer newsletter Topspin . website, Tennis.com; inTennis Magazine on Tennis Channelandon thenetwork’s and collegeplacementprograms. taged youth, SpecialOlympicsprograms including introducing tennistodisadvan- pro, works togrow thegameinallareas, University. Richards, aUSPTA certified sion forcoachingwhileattending Stetson and Tennis Canada,discovered herpas- America’s Top Coachcontest. and men’s winners inTennis Channel’s do, Fla.,have beennamedthewomen’s at theFort GatlinTennis CenterinOrlan- and John A.Richards III,director oftennis the Bird Key Yacht ClubinSarasota, Fla., America’s Top CoachContest Bohannon, Richards Win To DebutThisSummer Professional SportsRegistry

The Professional SportsRegistry(PSR),a Jackie Bohannon,director oftennisat “PSR isasignificantstepforward inim- PSR willprovide memberbenefits,educa- Bohannon andRichards willbesaluted Bohannon, certifiedbytheUSPTA, PTR

July 2021 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY SPORTS RACQUET IndustryNews

5

IndustryNews

PUBLISHER JEFF WILLIAMS

EDITOR PETER FRANCESCONI

MANAGING EDITOR SCOTT GRAMLING

CREATIVE DIRECTOR IAN KNOWLES

SENIOR EDITOR PICKLEBALL ED M GROGAN

ART DIRECTOR USAP, Munsingwear Sign CRHISTIAN RODRIGUEZ PRODUCTION EDITOR Multi-Year Apparel Deal ANDREA WOO SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR SA Pickleball has signed USA Pickleball will launch a new BOB PATTERSON a multi-year deal with store at shopusapickleball.com with CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Original Penguin by exclusive co-branded merchandise. CYNTHIA CANTRELL, PEG CONNOR, Munsingwear and Grand “The collection will offer func- DAVID LASOTA, JUDY LEAND, KENT OSWALD, CYNTHIA SHERMAN, MARY HELEN SPRECHER USlam brands (divisions of Perry Ellis tional style and iconic logoed ap- International) in which the brands will parel to pickleball players,” says Oscar CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS serve as the Official Apparel Partner Feldenkreis, Munsingwear CEO and BOB KENAS, DAVID KENAS and exclusive referee program sponsor. president. “Additionally, sponsorship ASSOCIATE EDITOR “To partner with a premier fashion of prominent USA Pickleball tourna- TIM M ARTHUR house such as Perry Ellis Interna- ments will generate additional brand EDITORIAL DIRECTION tional and the Original Penguin by awareness. We are ecstatic to be at the 10TEN MEDIA Munsingwear and Grand Slam brands forefront of one of the fastest growing for our pickleball community, staff sports, and see a tremendous oppor- RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY and referees is a great honor,” says Stu tunity to expand our footprint in a 250 Park Avenue, Ste 825, NY NY 10017 Upson, USA Pickleball CEO. growing paddle sport industry.” 646-381-8735 [email protected]

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR JOHN HANNA 770-650-1102, x125 Short Sets [email protected] The cities of Madrid, Spain; Innsbruck, becomes the Offi cial Racket Sports Prod- APPAREL ADVERTISING CYNTHIA SHERMAN Austria; and Turin, Italy will simultane- ucts Retailer of the ATP through 2024. 203-558-5911 ously host the fi rst ties of the 2021 Davis [email protected] Cup by Rakuten Finals on Nov. 25. They After cutting women’s tennis along will be played on identical hard courts. with seven other sports programs in July The Spanish capital will stage the two 2020, the University of Massachusetts– Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per year: monthly, January through August with combined semifi nals and the fi nal. Dartmouth has revisited its decision, issues in September/October and November/ December, by Tennis Channel, Inc., 250 Park Avenue, immediately reinstating women’s tennis Suite 825, New York NY 10017. Periodical postage paid The Dallas Open, an indoor ATP 250 and women’s swimming and diving as in Duluth, GA and at additional mailing offi ces (USPS #004-354). July 2021, Volume 49, Number 7 © 2021 men’s tennis tournament, will be held varsity intercollegiate programs. by Tennis Channel, Inc. All rights reserved. Racquet Feb. 6-13, 2022, at the Styslinger/Altec Sports Industry, RSI and logo are trademarks of Tennis Channel, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising: Tennis Complex at Southern Methodist The Southern Tennis Foundation, the 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation and editorial: University. It was previously held as the charitable arm of the USTA Southern 646-381-8735. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40+ elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes New York Open and will be one of only 10 Section, has established the David R. to Racquet Sports Industry, 250 Park Avenue, Suite ATP tour events in the U.S. Mauritson Memorial Scholarship. Mau- 825, New York NY 10017. Racquet Sports Industry is the offi cial magazine of the USRSA, TIA and ASBA. ritson's wife of nearly 43 years, Eleanora, Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/Racquet The ATP and online retailer Tennis-Point of Fairhope, Ala., donated $30,000 to the Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our website announced a multi-year partnership in foundation to support an annual $1,000 at TennisIndustryMag.com for free digital versions. which the global online retail platform scholarship beginning this year. COURTESY ORIGINAL PENGUIN BY MUNSINGWEAR/USAP ORIGINAL PENGUIN BY COURTESY

6 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2021 www.tennisindustrymag.com

8 IndustryNews L • Newport Beach,Calif. Newport BeachChampionship, • Stu Upson,USAPickleballCEO. National ChampionshipsSeries,” says players competeintheUSAPickleball forward toseeingseasonedand new deepening competitive fi eld, we look of pickleball’s majorindicators anda Indian Wells Tennis Garden thisfall. leball NationalChampionshipsatthe to the2021Margaritaville USAPick- teur NationalQualifi er events leading Series, withfourmajorpro andama- Pickleball NationalChampionships ner “achieves lightweight on-court ner “achieves lightweighton-court says ColeHaan,theZerograndWin- port system fromtheinsideout,” professionalsinmind. the-go with thebrand’s young,urban,on- company says theshoewas designed offeredby category thebrand.The as thethirdsportperformance golf ner shoe,whichjoinsrunningand National ChampionshipsSeries USA PickleballAnnounces Performance Tennis Shoe Cole HaanIntroduces FOOTWEAR Aug.16-22:Tournament of June28-July 3:USAPickleball USA Pickleball is launching the USA USA Pickleballislaunchingthe RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY SPORTS RACQUET “By engineeringtheshoe’s sup- The 2021Serieswillinclude: “With incredible growth across all the ZerograndWin- space withthelaunchof performance tennis Haan hasenteredthe ifestyle brandCole July 2021 versions retail for$130. Maddocks. Both men’s andwomen’s Cole HaanBrandPresidentDavid ish lines, fit andmaterials,” says and durabilityastheyarethestyl- as impressedwithitsperformance to cutandacceleratequickly. bone tractionpattern helpsathletes sole; anengineeredrubberherring- dual-density cushioninginthemid- nal bootie locksfeet over responsive also shinesoffthecourt.” performance inasleekformthat retaining newand returning players. is akey componentinengagingand mentation. TheUSTA saysCardio Tennis motion, education,training andimple- national Cardio Tennis strategy forpro- will leadefforts inthedevelopmentofa Cardio Tennis intheU.S. MLKConsulting ing, ledbyMicheleKrause, tohelpgrow 6-13 inIndianWells, Calif. National ChampionshipswillbeNov. Hilton HeadIsland,S.C. • Open, Atlanta, Ga. • Champions, BrighamCity, Utah To HelpGrow Cardio Tennis MLK Consulting,MicheleKrause Oct.13-17: APPHiltonHeadOpen, Sept.16-19:APPAtlanta Metro The USTA has retained MLKConsult- “We believe ourfanswillbejust Its breathable,supportive inter- Visit USAPickleball.org for more. The Margaritaville USAPickleball Lifetime Achievement Award. Billie Jean Kingreceived theLaureus the Sportswoman oftheYear Award. Year Award andNaomiOsakatook Laureus World Sportsman ofthe May inSpain.RafaelNadalwon the World SportsAwards, unveiled in individual prizesinthe2021Laureus player andfounderofCourtSense). don Uehling(formerATP Tour-ranked player andphilanthropist), andGor- Zimmerman Short(formerWTA Tour egy andInnovation atWalmart), Eve ranked player andDirector ofStrat- Kate Ruckert (formerWTA Tour- CEO), MichaelDowse (USTA CEO), (former WTA championandWin4Life ITA Board ofDirectors: Leslie Allen to serve atwo-year termonthe tion (ITA) electedfive newmembers nary teamtodesignacustombowl. who worked with Sweetgreen’s culi- the first foodcollaboration forOsaka, Osaka. Thepartnership alsomarks youngest investor todate,Naomi national athleteambassador and food atscale,announcesitsfirst-ever restaurant brand servinghealthy as apart-timeteachingpro. teaching pro, andKonrad Rybajoins coordinator, Eric Flemingisanew Emily Harrisonisthemediarelations munity engagementcoordinator, Ameina Moseleyisthenewcom- added fournewteammembers: Center inDorchester, Mass., has 20 after alongillness. Hewas 88. died athomeinMadison,Wis.,May sin Badgers men’s basketball team, the formerheadcoachofWiscon- top-ranked seniortennisplayers and Watch People Tennis championstookthe toptwo TheIntercollegiate Tennis Associa- Sweetgreen, themission-driven Sportsmen’s Tennis &Enrichment John Powless, oneoftheworld’s

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therabody.com | @therabody For more information, please contact us at [email protected] © 2021 Theragun, Inc. 10 IndustryNews single fundraising campaigninUSTA chapters across theU.S. National JuniorTennis &Learning (NJTL) three years tosupportmore than250 signed toraise $20millionover thenext “Rally fortheFuture” campaign, de- arm oftheUSTA, haslaunchedthe $20 Million‘RallyfortheFuture’ USTA Foundation Launches The USTA Foundation, thecharitable • • • • • Rally fortheFuture isthelargest RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY SPORTS RACQUET F Always lookingfor NEWcontractors! 24/7/365unlikePlay other systems. systemOnly that provides aTru-Bounce™ NO hollow sounds. NObubbles, NO deadspots, &quickestEasiest crackrepair or more infor mation, RITEWAYTENNIS.COM |[email protected] pleas L f Club July 2021 o CALL USTODAY: 1-877-5RITEWAY (748-3929) l cal l o w of OVE l 8. o mebrs b s aginst ofering t e r 380. s p o r t campaign, ledbyUSTA Foundation vided bytheUSTA Foundation. grants andtechnicalassistance pro- open in2020, withthehelpoffi nancial pandemic. AllNJTLchapters remained port NJTLchapters duringtheCovid-19 an emergency grant program tosup- raised more than$6.5millionin2020as success of“RallytoRebuild,” which Foundation historyandbuildsonthe s 9460 o The multi-year RallyfortheFuture n the and the to install onthemarket. install to or phenom. ade studen vist L w w advntge. w Y .l wil ou OVE o p l b a st wil y LOVE e m r o s r p LOVE e o . r w t facing s i n . c ® m o m o r e ® . more, visitsctennis.com/ptsc. held avirtualtennischallenge.To learn prizes andgiveawaysonsocialmedia USTA SCshared PlayTennis SouthCarolina National Tennis Monththroughout May. munity statewide. belong to,inturncreating astronger com- as asymbolforpeopletorally behindand all tennisthroughout thestateandserves Tennis SouthCarolina brand encompasses for tennisinthePalmetto State.ThePlay Tennis SouthCarolina,” alifestylebrand Blume andhispartner basedonashared broader U.S. tennisecosystem.” portunity tocreate value forSSUandthe accelerates ourU.S. expansionandop- ing strong players like Tennis Express says StephanZoll, CEOofSSU. “Add- community engagementperspective,” under-served from ane-commerce and ticipation yet remains fragmented and which isbenefitting from asurge inpar- nis platformstrategy intheU.S. market, replicate oursuccessful European ten- retail platformintheU.S. is expectedtobealeadingonlinetennis global tennisdestinationTennis-Point Midwest SportsinApril,SSUandits Together withSigna’s acquisitionof online tennisretailer Tennis Express. Signa SportsUnited(SSU)willacquire ‘Lifestyle Brand forTennis’ USTA SouthCarolina Launches Expands Presence inU.S. SSU Buys Tennis Express, across thecountry. than 160,000 under-resourced youth and educationprogramming formore which provide free orlow-cost tennis strength ofNJTLnetwork chapters, planning andbuildingthefuture Chair ChrisEvert, istargeted toward USTA SouthCarolina haslaunched“Play Sports e-commerce andtechplatform The brand launchwascelebrated during Tennis Express was foundedbyBrad “We seesignifi cant opportunityto # 1 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com

COURTESY USTA SOUTH CAROLINA THE OFFICIAL PLAYING SURFACE OF WORLD TEAMTENNIS

Photo: Ryan Loco Some of the greatest moments in tennis are played on a Har-Tru court.

When World TeamTennis held its 45th annual championship, players competed on a hard court surface made by Har-Tru. The acrylic coatings were made with 100% organic liquid pigments to ensure vibrant colors on the court. Engineered to be long lasting, with high yield and stability, the courts provided WTT a consistent, competitive, enjoyable surface.

Har-Tru Sports Coatings is the official playing surface of World TeamTennis. We congratulate the organization and players on an exceptional season.

hartru.com/coatings

877-4-HAR-TRU (877-442-7878) Charlottesville, Virginia IndustryNews

passion for tennis. It’s 15,000-square- • Youngjik Philip Lee, PH.D., Louisville, Ky. Tennis Racquet Performance foot store and warehouse in Houston • Eric Matthewson, Rockwall, Texas at Specialty Stores includes a full-size indoor tennis court. • Robert Ray, Woodbury, Conn. Jan.-March, 2021, vs. 2020 and 2019 The specialty retailer serves customers Certified Stringers Units 2021 118,431 nationwide, with 90 percent of its reve- • Brian Hernandez, Corpus Christi, Texas 2020 80,733 nue coming from digital channels. Blume • Steven Neuman, Green Bay, Wis. % change vs. ’20 47% will join the executive team of Tennis- • Zhen Yu, Flushing, N.Y. % change vs. ’19 19% Point as President–Tennis Express. Professional Racquet Advisers Dollars 2021 $20,105,000 • Jacob McGowan, Hillsdale, Mich. 2020 $13,366,000 USRSA Names MRTs, CSs, PRAs • Mario Mousoupetros, Big Rapids, Mich. % change vs. ’20 50% Master Racquet Technicians • Viraj Sheth, Skokie, Ill. % change vs. ’19 19% Price 2021 $169.76 2020 $165.55 % change vs. ’20 3% % change vs. ’19 0%

Top-Selling Racquets at Specialty Stores By year-to-date dollars, Jan.-March, 2021 Best Sellers 1. Babolat Pure Drive 2021 (MP) 2. Wilson Clash 100 2019 (MP) 3. Babolat Pure Aero 2019 (MP) 4. Wilson Pro Staff 97 V13 2021(MP) 5. Wilson Pro Staff 97 RF V13 (MP)

“Hot New Racquets” (introduced in the past 12 months) 1. Babolat Pure Drive 2021 (MP) 2. Wilson Pro Staff 97 V13 2021 (MP) 3. Wilson Pro Staff 97 RF V13 (MP) 4. Babolat Pure Drive Team 2021 (MP) 5. Head Radical MP 2021

Top-Selling Tennis Shoes at Specialty Stores By year-to-date dollars, Jan.-March 2021 1. K-Swiss Hypercourt Express 2 2. Nike Zoom Vapor X 2020 3. Nike Zoom Cage 4 2020 4. Asics Gel Resolution 8’20 5. K-Swiss Hypercourt Supreme

Top-Selling Strings at Specialty Stores By year-to-date units, Jan.-March 2021 1. Wilson NXT 2. Babolat RPM Blast 3. Wilson Sensation 4. Solinco Hyper G 5. Luxilon Alu Power (Source: Tennis Industry Association)

WTT Season Set for Indian Wells, Nov. 13-28 World TeamTennis will host its 2021 season at California’s Indian Wells Ten- nis Garden Nov. 13-28. Five teams will participate in WTT's 46th season.

12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2021 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com