The sports of Football & Tennis came together yesterday in protest.
Seville fans took to throwing hundreds of tennis balls onto the pitch shortly after kick-off. They were upset about their match against Levantes being moved back to allow the El Clasico sole possession of the TV coverage.
A banner was also held up in sarcastic reference to Real’s Manager “Stop the match, Mourinho is talking”. Quite witty actually.
This is not the first time tennis balls have been used to cause chaos at a football match. FC Basel turned against their most famous supporter in Roger Federer a few years back when their watch was moved in order to give his match against Novak Djokovic top billing with the TV.
Compare the two matches. Which team has the best ball skills?
Although it happened about two weeks ago, I thought I’d show you guys a clip from the quarterfinal women’s match where Maria Kirilenko faced Maria Sharapova. Two point away from the end of the match, Kirilenko apparently tapped her racquet a few times against the court during the point and the point was subsequently stopped by the referee and called a hindrance. If you didn’t catch that while you were there or watching on TV, here’s your chance for a replay of the incident.
What an amazing week for Marinko Matosevic who made the final of the ATP Tour Delray Beach tournament. There were a lot of the worlds best players in the tournament, but Matosevic who was a qualifier made it all the way to the final. Matosevic lost the final to Kevin Anderson 6-4 7-6, but it was still the best week of tennis in his career.
Congrats Marinko! Looking forward to more great results in 2012 and seeing you in the top 40 in the world.
Recently we have been playing around with Live Streaming. There are several tennis tournaments that are being streamed online, so we thought we would just re-broadcast the best match we could find.
Check out our live streaming events here: http://justin.tv/thetennistimes – Make sure to signup and follow us, so when we go live you will be the first to know.
There are currently a lot of different places on the web to watch live tennis tournaments from the ATP and WTA Tour for free (I dont want to give examples because it could mean some of those sites are going to be removed). I know a lot of these live streams are being removed, but why arent the ATP, WTA, ITF and other organisation taking advantage of live streaming and actually trying to monetize this opportunity?
I know the revenue opportunities within live streaming on the net hasnt developed enough yet, but it really seems like this opportunity is being missed.
What do you think? Would you watch these events online if you could?
There are a vast number of tennis shoe manufacturers out there today. So many, in fact, that the term “tennis shoe” has become a generic description for just about any footwear with a cushioned sole and a fabric or leather “non-polishing” upper. K-SWISS Tennis shoes, however, are the real deal.
Art and Ernie Brunner, two brothers from Switzerland, formed K-SWISS in Los Angeles in 1966. They had immigrated to the United States and began playing tennis. Well—they must have loved tennis because they formed their company and introduced the world’s first leather tennis shoe that same year! They named their new shoe the “Classic”—a name and product that is still available almost 50 years later. K-Swiss Tennis shoes are very popular—and designed specifically for the sport of tennis. K-Swiss has also expanded their product line to include footwear for several other sports and lifestyle activities.
K-Swiss tennis shoes are available in several designs, for men, women, and children. Most of their shoes are easily recognized from afar because of the K-Swiss “style”—multiple (5) horizontal sewn-in stripes on the sides (K-Swiss used white stripes on white leather in its early products).
K-Swiss tennis shoes have some interesting names within the Men’s Women’s and Children’s lines such as Big Shot, Defier, Tubes, Stabilor, Ultrascendor, Glaciator, Optim, Uproar, and Arvee. (whew—talk about “spellchecker” going crazy!!) But once you get acquainted with the line you will quickly realize that K-Swiss puts a lot of thought and effort in their shoe designs.
The men’s Bigshot, for example, is marketed as the “fastest tennis shoe on the market” and was tested by the P3 Sports Science Institute. It weighs only 13.5 oz. and offers a cushioned ride with its “superfoam” footbed. It offers “Guideglide” stability midsole construction and has a ballistic propulsion plate that helps keep players on the balls of their feet during play. It sole is high-abrasion rubber and the Bigshot comes with a 6-month outsole wear warranty.
Some K-Swiss Tennis shoes are also offered in a “mid” size (increased height around ankles) for players who wish for a bit more support and stability. And what’s really nice is the fact that K-Swiss Tennis Shoes are even made for what they call “little kids” (sizes 10.5 to 3)—a good thing when trying to encourage our kids to play tennis (provide good support and they look “just like” Mommy or Daddy).
So the next time you are shopping for shoes you may wish to give K-Swiss tennis shoes a tryout. Their line is huge, quality exceptional, and they are dedicated to the sport of tennis. After all, they were the “original”!
Since tennis racquets are among the more expensive items one can buy, each tennis player in the market for a racquet should put some thought into their next purchase. Looking at the style of tennis player you are and what your mechanics are like are important steps in finding the racquet that best suits you. This process is especially critical for competitive tennis players who need a racquet that at the very least, won’t put them at a competitive disadvantage. With these factors in mind, we examine a few models of Wilson BLX racquets designed for those who play above beginner levels.
Before looking at specific models, it helps to know more about what’s behind Wilson BLX technology. In a nutshell, it is an improvement over Wilson [K]arophite technology, which combined carbon black and silicon dioxide (SiO2) with graphite fibers for improved strength while maintaining lightness. BLX uses basalt, a rock formed from the cooling of volcanic lava. Basalt fibers are added to [K]arophite fibers, resulting in a racquet that is even stronger but has a better feel because of reduced shock and vibration from striking the ball.
Intermediate Players The term, ‘intermediate’, can be vague, but for our purposes we will use it to describe players with NTRP ratings of 3.0-4.5. There are a few models of Wilson BLX racquets for players who fall in this range.
The Pro Open BLX racquet has a 100 square inch head with a 16 x 19 string pattern with a four point, head light design. It has a moderate power level and is meant for players with a moderate to full, medium or powerful swing.
The Blade 98 BLX racquet has a two point, head light balance with a 98 square inch head and 18 x 20 string pattern. Its characteristics more closely resemble those on racquets used by competitive players. The power level is low to moderate, and is meant for 4.5+ level players who have an aggressive, long stroke.
The Surge BLX has a two point, head light balance with a head size of 100 square inches and a 16 x 19 string pattern. It’s almost identical to the Pro Open BLX except it has a lighter feel with a two point, head light balance.
Competitive Players For the sake of discussion, we will use ‘competitive’ to describe players with NTRP ratings of 5.0-7.0. There are several more options of Wilson BLX racquets suited for this level of player to choose from with a few new models for 2012.
The Six.One Tour BLX racquet is designed for the more elite tennis players. If you have a long aggressive stroke and an NTRP rating between 5.0 and 7.0, this model may be right for you. It has a 90 square inch head size, 16 x 19 string pattern and a nine-point, head light balance. It comes as no surprise that one of the top players in the world, Roger Federer, used this racquet in competition.
The Six.One BLX comes in a couple of variations, each with 95 square inch heads and an an eight point, head light balance. The biggest difference is that one has a 16 x 18 string pattern, while the other has an 18 x 20 string pattern.
Juan Martin del Potro, winner of the 2009 US Open, uses the Wilson Pro Tour BLX racquet. It has an 18 x 20 string pattern and a seven point, head light design with a 96 square inch head.
The Blade Tour BLX has a smaller 93 square inch head size and designed for those who want more control and maneuverability in a racquet. The six point, head light model has an 18 x 20 string pattern.
New Models Several new models of Wilson BLX racquets are scheduled to ship on January 22 and can be pre-ordered now!
The Pro Staff Six.One comes in three different variations. The 90 square inch model uses a 16 x 19 string pattern and designed for players with NTRP ratings of 5.0-7.0. The other two variations are the 95 square inch model (16 x 19, 5.0+) and the 100 square inch model (16 x 18, 4.5+).
The Juice Pro BLX model is another racquet used by Juan Martin del Potro. It comes in a 96 square inch model (16 x 20, 4.5+), a 100 square inch model (16 x 18, 3.0+) and the large headed 108 square inch model (16 x 19, 3.0+)
The Steam BLX comes in a 100 square inch model, new for 2012. It has a 16 x 20 pattern with moderate power for 3.0+ players.
Conclusion If you are an intermediate to competitive player looking for a racquet with good feel and state of the art materials, look no further than the many fine Wilson BLX racquets. There are several models to choose from for any skill level and style of player. The new racquets for 2012 are coming out in just a few days and are also worthy of consideration. Regardless of what racquet you prefer, you can rest assure that if it comes from Wilson, it comes from one of the leaders in providing quality tennis equipment.
Tennis racquet frames have made an impression evolution over they years, from wood to aluminum to graphite. While simple graphite alone is a strong, light material ideal for the demands of tournament play, Wilson improved on simple graphite with nCode and [K]arophite Black technologies. These technologies are available in Wilson K Factor racquets to players of any level.
A Closer Look at [K]arophite Black To better understand the benefits of the advanced technology in the design of Wilson K Factor racquets, it’s helpful to look at how the material is produced. [K]arophite Black is a nanotechnology done at a microscopic level to improve racquet strength without sacrificing the lightness of graphite.
Take a look at a simple graphite racquet. It’s made up of a light, yet sturdy material, a great improvement over aluminum and wood racquets of previous generations. At a microscopic level you would see the graphite fibers with lots of open space between them.
Wilson improved on this by filling the spaces between the graphite fibers with silicon dioxide. If you’re wondering what silicon dioxide is, it’s one of the most plentiful substances on earth. You typically see it everyday in the form of sand, silica or glass. Wilson scientists found that adding this material to the spaces between graphite fibers on a microscopic level resulted in an even stronger racquet body. This become the nCode technology used in previous generations of Wilson racquets.
Not content to stop there, scientists found that they could take nCode technology a step further. Using carbon black fibers to connect the silicon dioxide particles to the graphite fibers added to the racquet strength even further. Thus, [K]arophite Black and the Wilson K Factor racquet was born.
Other Technologies Found In Wilson K Factor Racquets The [K]ontour Yoke is an improvement in frame technology, limiting the twisting movement that the racquet can make while striking the ball.
The [K]onnector is one of two wing shaped fittings molded to the hoop the racquet for an increased sweet spot and greater control.
The [K]ompact Center is a rounded triangular shaped design in the area between the hoop and handle. This innovation was inspired by Roger Federer and improves the handling characteristics of the racquet.
Specific Models If you are a beginner (NTRP 1.5+) then the K Factor Zero is ideal for you. Its 4 points, head heavy balance is best for players with a short stroke looking for power. The head is a large 118 square inches with a 16 x 19 string pattern.
The next step up is the K Factor Three, designed for a slightly better skill level (2.5+ NTRP) but an 8 points, head heavy balance for those who still have short strokes and need power from the racquet. Its 115 square inch head is slightly smaller than the K Factor Zero’s with a 16 x 19 string pattern.
Those with an NTRP skill level in the 3.5+ range should look at the K Factor Blade Team. Its 4.2 points, head light balance works well for those with a moderate swing. The head size is 104 square inches and has an 18 x 19 string pattern.
Another option for those with a moderate swing is the K Factor Four. The skill level for this racquet is in the 3.0-4.5 NTRP range, so it would likely be a good fit for those considering the Blade Team model. It has a 3 points, head heavy balance with a head size of 105 square inches and a 16 x 19 string pattern.
If your skill level has advanced to the 4.5+ range, the K Factor Blade 98 is worthy of consideration. Its 98 square inch head allows greater maneuverability and its 3 points, head light balance works well with aggressive swings and it has an 18 x 20 string pattern.
Conclusion The Wilson K Factor series represents a big step in racquet engineering and design. Players of all skill levels can take advantage of this technology that uses common, everyday materials.
Anyone who is the least bit interested in tennis will surely confirm that Babolat products have a huge presence on the courts. From recreational and/or occasional participants to Professional players, one does not need to look far or hard to see Babolat’s logo all over the place!
Babolat’s Pure Drive racquets have been a consistent leader in sales volume and are recognized as appropriate sticks for a wide variety of skill levels. There must be a reason…
Benefits of the Vibration Filter The Cortex Dampening System (CDS) is an active vibration filter that enhances feel. “Feel” is tough to describe and may mean different things to different people. Babolat Pure Drive racquets, however, have had great success with the Pure Drive Series and one of the most common remarks heard is “it just feels great”! The CDS is an interface between the upper half (racquet face/frame) and the lower half (racquet handle). It interrupts, or “filters” unwanted vibrations from reaching the player’s hand. This, in turn, improves the player’s sensation of ball impact, i.e., ball “feel”. Not all vibrations are removed (players need to know what’s going on). Generally speaking, high-frequency vibrations are removed while useful low-frequency vibrations are retained. Any regular tennis player seems to know the difference between “good sound” and “bad sound” upon ball impact (I was SURE that ball was going to be IN—it sounded so GOOD!). Babolat says that Expert Players will benefit from the CDS because of its enhanced feel and that intermediate players will benefit from the additional comfort it provides.
Lighter Weight through Scientific Advancements Babolat GT refers to the materials used to manufacture Pure Drive racquets: Graphite Tungsten. Used throughout the entire racquet, GT is a hybrid technology that combines braided carbon fibers with tungsten filaments added. Babolat states that GT technology improves racquet performance in the areas of “control” and “feel”. Babolat scientifically applies different concentrations of tungsten at strategic locations on each racquet to maximize its beneficial aspects. Babolat also states that GT technology results in a 10% increase in energy recovery which provides more power.
We’re Not Making Music Here Woofer is Babolat’s invention and is designed to increase the interaction between the frame and the strings. Part of thePure Driveracquet’s grommet system, it consists of raised areas between the grommet holes which act as cushions for the strings. When a ball hits the stringbed this allows 25% more contact time of the ball on the strings. The result is more control and a very comfortable feel.
As you can now tell, there is more to selecting a racquet than a pretty paint job. Tennis companies spend a great deal of money designing features that will give their products an edge over the competition. Babolat has been, and remains, a leader in the industry. Their racquet technology has surely been instrumental in their success—many racquets are purchased because they “feel good”. And why not?
Yet another organisation to stupidly support the SOPA act trying to be pushed through the US is the USTA. Obviously the USTA have a lot of copyright content, but anyone who supports SOPA is just old fashioned and really doesnt support technology or progress.
This is what Li Na is going to wear to the 2012 Australian Open. Well, this is actually just the top! I will keep you posted for the bottom of the outfit, though!
The Wilson Six One tennis racquet family is one of the most widely used on the professional tour. The Six.One’s have also been a long-time favorite of skilled amateur players around the world. Wilson Sporting Goods, for 2012, has categorized the Six.One 95 BLX as a member of their “Control & Spin” series of tennis racquets.
APPEARANCE / STYLE Anyone who has been involved in tennis for a while will immediately recognize the Wilson Six One 95 design. It has the tried and true flat-beam construction with added material on the ‘hoop’ at 3 & 9 o’clock. This 2012 model has an attractive Red/White/Black color theme with striped accents. I think it looks great—a classy design, not overdone—for a traditional player’s racquet.
TECHNOLOGY The Wilson Six One 95 BLX features 2 of Wilson’s newest tech features:
Basalt (BLX): Basalt fibers are woven into the frame to reduced unwanted frequencies (vibrations) and to provide better feedback and feel.
Amplifeel: A new handle technology that provides enhanced feel by using graphite & basalt planks, Foam, and a softer butt-cap.
SPECIFICATIONS The Wilson Six One 95 BLX has a 95” head and weighs 11.7 oz. unstrung. It has a choice of string patterns: a very open 16 x 18 pattern or a tight 18 x 20. The label on the racquet says it is 12 pts head-light and its flat-beam cross-section is a thin 21.6mm wide. It is rated by Wilson as appropriate for skilled players with a long stroke. It is the standard 27” length. This play-test utilized the 16 x 18 string pattern.
GROUNDSTROKES Experienced baseliners will greatly enjoy the performance the Wilson Six One 95 BLX delivers. Its weight (as one of the heavier racquets Wilson makes) really counteracts the force of the incoming ball. And the amount of power it delivers for a 95” racquet is fantastic! (but you must have a full and fast swing to gain maximum benefit). I was also pleased with its accuracy—as long as I hit in or near the “sweet-spot”. One note about the weight: even with its 12 point head-light design, the racquet is a bit slower coming around than a lighter racquet. And late-hits can cause all kinds of trouble, including injury. So be sure to demo this racquet and make certain its right for your game.
VOLLEYS The Wilson Six.One 95 BLX was very accurate at the net. It felt very stable and solid. It was a bit slower than a lighter racquet—but that was to be expected. It was not very forgiving, however, on “off-center” hits. Any hit near the hoop would really twist the racquet in your hand and the where the shot went was “anyone’s guess.” But again—this is a racquet designed for players who rarely miss the center of the strings!
OVERHEADS Overheads / smashes were outstanding with the Six One 95 BLX. It really propels the ball and is dead-on target. Anyone who plays with this racquet will really, really look forward to “sitters”.
SERVES Serves were also excellent with the Six.One 95 BLX. And for many of the same reasons overheads were great—good power, great accuracy, and wonderful “feel”. Its weight and balance allows fast racquet-head speed. It is a great weapon for the server.
SPIN POTENTIAL The Wilson Six One 95 BLX tennis racquet is available with two string patterns: 16 x 18 (more spin/power) and 18 x 20 (more control). I used the 16 x 18 and noted that it provided a predictable and adequate level of spin/slice etc. I was a bit surprised, however, with the great job it did with drop-shot performance (really cool!).
CONCLUSION The Wilson Six.One 95 BLX is a racquet best suited for players in the 4.5+ NTRP category. It is a time-tested design with the addition of new technology. Any player who has the ability and confidence to swing fully, attack the ball, and can provide sufficient power will absolutely love this racquet.
Written by Greg Christopherson, a long-time tennis player and a professional racquet stringer who lives in Oceanside, Calif.
Since tennis racquets are among the more expensive items one can buy, each tennis player in the market for a racquet should put some thought into their next purchase. Looking at the style of tennis player you are and what your mechanics are like are important steps in finding the racquet that best suits you. This process is especially critical for competitive tennis players who need a racquet that at the very least, won’t put them at a competitive disadvantage. With these factors in mind, we examine a few models of Wilson BLX racquets designed for those who play above beginner levels.
Tennis racquet frames have made an impression evolution over they years, from wood to aluminum to graphite. While simple graphite alone is a strong, light material ideal for the demands of tournament play, Wilson improved on simple graphite with nCode and [K]arophite Black technologies. These technologies are available in Wilson K Factor racquets to players of any level.
Anyone who is the least bit interested in tennis will surely confirm that Babolat products have a huge presence on the courts. From recreational and/or occasional participants to Professional players, one does not need to look far or hard to see Babolat’s logo all over the place!
The Wilson Six One tennis racquet family is one of the most widely used on the professional tour. The Six.One’s have also been a long-time favorite of skilled amateur players around the world. Wilson Sporting Goods, for 2012, has categorized the Six.One 95 BLX as a member of their “Control & Spin” series of tennis racquets.
