european racquet stringers association

AUSTRALIAN OPEN STRINGING

HEAD RED COLLECTION
TECNIFIBRE T-Flash
BABOLAT PURE AERO
INDUSTRY NEWS
Head Radical XT
TIPS
Yonex
New Ezone DR
Products
- Babolat
Angell SportPOP
- Babolat Jet Ltd. Edition
- New Strings
K-Swiss X-Lite Men
Industry
Ashaway News
ZyMax 69 Test
Prince Tour XR Test
Industry News

ISSUE 5 1- -2015
ISSUE 2014
issue 9 - 2015

RACQUETTECH
Introducing the new
TeXtreme® Tour 100P

The TeXtreme Tour 100P delivers increased

control and feel through its 100 square inch
headsize without compromising any of its
racquet “pop” or power.

Play the TeXtreme Tour 100P today.

THE TECHNOLOGY IS REAL.

THE CONTROL AND FEEL IS UNREAL.

princetennis.com
Contents
04 My Serve
06 New Products
10 Multi String Review
12 Industry News
21 What is Zyex
23 Prince Tour XR Test
25 ZyMax 69 Fire Test
28 ERSA ATW

Industry News
- Head Radical Launch
- Prince Textreme 2016
- Ashaway Crossfire
- Tecnifibre ATP Finals
4

My Serve
RACQUETTECH EUROPE
European Racquet Stringers Association

ERSA Australia
Anthony Aley
My Serve
ERSA Benelux
Timo van Driel, Rob Maessen Welcome to Issue 9 - 2015 of
ERSA Czech Republic & Slovakia RacquetTech Magazine.
Vaclav Smat
ERSA International is offering many workshops in Fall and
ERSA Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Mike Emenako, Mark Maslowski Winter 2015-2016. Contact your local manager / tester to sign
up or contact the ERSA at mmaslo3330@aol.com.
ERSA Greece Manager
George Pahiakos
As we use the same test as the USRSA for Certified Stringer
ERSA Italy Manager and Master Racquet Technician, a few questions are almost
Marco Rossani always missed here in Europe. Two concern Ashaway materi-
ERSA Korea als, Zyex and Kevlar. We have an article from Ashaway on
Taikki Lee their new Crossfire Hybrids and an interview with the person
who invented Zyex. Please keep the articles for future refer-
ERSA Latin America
Andrea Amaral, Ricardo Dipold ence before you take your next test.

ERSA Spain Timo van Driel, our Benelux Manager, has written a review on
Richard Parnell
4 multifilaments he tested against each other over the last 4
ERSA Taiwan weeks. Two Babolat and two Tecnifibre strings. Thanks for the
Bernie Chen effort as we like to test strings different ways and get feed-
ERSA UK back for the members.
Paul Skipp, Huw Phillips, Jamie Pethick
We also have two string tests in this issue. Prince Tour XR
ERSA UKAINE
Sergey Konovolenko (xtra Response) and a badminton string, Ashaway Zymax69
Fire. We tested two thinner versions of the ZyMax Fire and
FOUNDING MEMBERS everyone liked the string but a few wanted more durability.
Ashaway Babolat
Head Isospeed This is the answer without loosing too much in power and
Kirschbaum Luxilon playability.
Pacific Wilson

CORPORATE MEMBERS We are getting sign-ups for the 2016 Symposium from North
Ashaway Head Babolat and South America, Asia,
Prince Isospeed Yonex Australia and Europe.
GOSEN Tecnifibre
Remember to sign up early
STRING SUPPLIER MEMBERS and book flights early. It is
Apollo Leisure Bow Brand recommended to book flights
Kirschbaum Signum Pro
3 months in advance to get
ASSOCIATION MEMBERS the best prices.
PTR Europe TIA UK
TENNIS EUROPE
In the next issue we will be
TECHNICAL CONSULTANT offering a lot of new Tips and
Rod Cross more information on the up-
European Racquet Stringers Association coming Symposium.
Lenaustr. 38 40470 Düsseldorf
DE Germany Mark Maslowski
Phone / Fax +49(0)211-68814151
www.ersa-stringers.com
New Certified Stringers, MRT, PTS.
ERSA now offers certification for different levels of stringers, from beginners to
the top professional stringers in the world. The first level is ERSA Stringer is for
new stringers to show they have completed a stringing course and learned to
string correctly. Certified Stringer is for stringing services, such as coaches,
club stringers, shop stringers, after passing a day of practical and written tests.
Master Racquet Technician is for shop stringers and owners who can tune rac-
quets, string at a high level and have a broad knowledge of products for their
customers. Pro Tour Stringer certification is for MRTs who are stringing at ATP
and WTA tournaments. There are 3 levels for this certification, Level 1, Level 2
and Master Pro Tour Stringer.

Certified Stringer -
Certified Stringer Badminton -
Master Racquet Technician -
Pro Tour Stringer Level 1 -

STRINGS
MADE IN GERMANY
SINCE 1985
6

New Products
CUSTOM TC97 and CUSTOM TC105
ANGELL SPORT, the custom racket specialists are thrilled to announce the launch of 2
new models to their already extensive custom racket range.
The CUSTOM TC97 features a unique box beam construction through the lower half of the frame
combined with a slim, more flexible hoop cross section to increase racket head manoeuvrability.
“We started with a clean sheet of paper when we designed the TC97” says Paul Angell, founder
and managing director of Angell Sport. “Whilst we already offer a 95” and 100” frame in our se-
ries, the TC97 was developed to specifically address the modern players demand for power and
increased weight on every shot without compromising on controllability” “From serves to slice
volleys, the new model offers unparalleled feel and solidity, whichever custom specifications are
chosen”
The new 97” model is also joined in the line up by a revamped TC105” frame that now includes the
signature “Foam core” found within all the other TC models. Built from high modulus carbon and
foam filled construction, the TC105 is a unique proposition for players that value a pro stock feel in
an oversize frame.
The TC97 and the TC105 frames are both available in a full range of Custom options such as vari-
ous weights, lengths and handle shapes. See the full range of options on
www.angelltennis.com.

CUSTOM TC97

CUSTOM TC105
8

New Products
Babolat Debuts “Jet Limited Edition”
The Lightest Performance Tennis Shoe Ever Made, to date

Babolat has introduced a new High Performance Tennis Shoe using new technologies to make it
the lighest shoe on the market weighing in at 295 grams.

To celebrate this new developement in tennis shoes and to celebrate Babolat’s 140th anniversary,
Babolat has produced 140 pairs of this in a numbered Limited Edition model. The shoes are avail-
able in only a few cities around the world: New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris and Melbourne. For
example, only 10 pairs will be available in London.
The shoes are available after November 15.

New Technologies:
Matryx - A patented woven textile upper consisting of Kevlar and durable Polyamid zoned fibers.
Active Flexion - a new sole construction using 9 key pressure points for maximum agility, precision
and speed.
S- Patern Outer Sole - developed together with Michelin to allow quicker direction changes and
better traction and durability.
www.babolat.com
 9

New Products
K-SWISS
X LITE MEN
Der multifunktionale Alleskönner – begleitet dich beim FITNESS, eignet sich für ein 30 Min. LAUF
oder einfach zum Relaxen. Leicht, weich und komfortabel schreitet der X Lite wie auf Wolken.
Das Dämpfungssystem erstreckt sich von der Ferse bis zur Fußspitze, dämpft spürbar bei jedem
Schritt und sorgt durch die anatomische Anordnung der Tubes für ein natürliches Abrollverhalten.
GuideGlide – Mittelsohlenkonstruktion als zusätzliches Dämpfungselement. Komfort pur beim X
LITE.

A running trainer
er aimed at the athlete who wants a never-felt-before cushioning experience
expe in a
modern trainer.. K-Swiss time-tested Tubes cushioning throughout.

ENTDECKE Die Int. Plattform für alle

DIE WELT
DER
Trainer und Coaches
die professionell
unterrichten

WE MAKE
A WORLD OF INFO: PTR European Headquarters

DIFFERENCE Leichtergasse 28 - 39012 MERAN

Fon: +39 0473 230097 - www.ptrtennis.de - info@ptrtennis.de
10

S g Review
String Rv w
String Review
The soft strings that actually last longer...!
Timo van Driel, manager for ERSA in the Benelux, has been testing four different softer
strings. All four of them have been tested indoors on hard courts, strung at a Dynamic
Tension of 36 in a Babolat Pure Aero.
-----
Last month I tested four new co-poly’s. This time the softer strings take their turn. And
nowadays there is a special category: soft and nice strings that actually last long(er)...! A time
to look at the following strings.

Babolat M7
Babolats newest addition to their softer string range. Compared to other
multi’s, this string has 7 polyamide strands, which makes it more difficult
to break.
Compared to other multifilament strings, it doesn’t wear out that fast. It
took me 4 hours to break the string (1.30) which is a big deal for a soft
string. I would say that the power level was medium
and control very good.
The M7 comes in a lot of guages. Starting at 1.25 and going up to 1.40
the M7 could be the multi string that could serve a lot of players in all
kinds of racquets. To get more access to spin, you should definitely try
out the thinner gauges. 1.35 and up will be more suited for
the string breakers who already yield the frame with heavy spin.
As and end verdict: a complete multi!

Tecnifibre Duramix
One of the more special strings on the market. The Duramix looks like a
blend of strings:
multifilament inside and a poly-jacket on the outside. Which is a good
thing if your a string breaker and need more durability, but not the stiff-
ness of (co-)polyester!
In terms of durability, it wears out in a different way. People who take very
heavy cuts at the ball, could break the string in a couple of hours. But
that’s tough luck when it happens.
I tried the string twice therefore: the first broke after 5 hours and it was a
clean break. The second time, it wore out differently. Breaking the
polyester layer bit by bit and afterwards
 11

S g Review
String Rv w
the polyamide. At one point the string became “fluffy” which made clear it started te wear
out. After 8 hours it broke.
The durability can also be influenced by getting a thicker guage. The Duramix goes up to
1.35 which is a good guage for the bigger hitters
.
Tecnifibre HDX Tour
And then there was the HDX tour. Coming in three guages, this one also
serves the a wide range of players. Different then the Duramix it has three
components: Elastyl fibers, polyester fibers and thermostabyl fibers, which
gives in the same accordance: power, control and tension maintenance.
Putting it to the test made clear that the HDX Tour holds tension very well.
The blend of different materials plays firm, with good power and control.
Different then any other multi, the strings don’t move all over the place,
which is a very good bonus. It wears out the same as the Duramix. Al-
though the HDX tour takes much more time to wear out. The
breaking point was reached after 10,5 hours.
Out of the two TF strings, this one has the most advantages for better
players. It’s a little less comfortable, but it makes up with amazing durabil-
ity and good access to power and control.
And the heavy spinners will love this non-moving string!

Babolat Origin
A little different then the other strings tested is Babolats Origin. This one
is actually a
monofilament, but it’s not a polyester string. And even though it’s not a
poly, the control is fantastic. The polyamide makes the string last long
and hold tension very well.
The power level of the string is fairly low, but gives more opportunity in
spin and precision.
Players who play faster will be happy to see that the control is perfect
when hitting big shots. And then there is the durability of the Origin:
it took 12 hours of playtime on the indoor courts to get this string to
break.
The DT after 10+ hours was 31, which means it
holds the tension perfectly in accordance to the time played.
If players are looking for a hybrid with poly in the mains, the Origin would be the string to pick out
of these four. Amd if you do, you don’t have to go high on the tension. The Origin finds it’s way in
lower tensions too.
12

Industry News
Prince TeXtreme Promises A Racquet for Every Player

USPTA official racquet partner, Prince® Global

Sports, literally set the tennis world on fire when it
unveiled the world’s first oversize racquet, the Prince
Classic, 40-years ago. Ever since then, the company
has continued to revolutionize the game of tennis
through a relentless pursuit to innovate and develop
racquets with game-changing technologies that set
the standard. Now they’re raising the bar once again as they round out their TeXtreme® line in
2016.
As more and more competitors’ racquets are modernized with stiffer frames and more open string
patterns, Prince’s TeXtreme collection marks another game changing move by Prince. TeXtreme®,
a light and ultra-strong material that increases racquet stability by up to 25%, provides tennis
players for the first time ever BOTH enhanced power and improved control, all with an incredible
soft hitting feel. Prince will trim its performance racquet collection down to 12 TeXtreme racquets,
delivering a game changing racquet for every type of player.
“Prince is excited with the development of our TeXtreme collection. We’re confident this collection
of racquets will help us to continue to not only meet the needs of every player at every level, but
more importantly, help every one of those players play better tennis,” said Tyler Herring, VP Prod-
uct Design and Development of Prince Global Sports. “Prince is a company built on pushing the
boundaries of innovation over 40 years and with each technical advancement to enhancing the
performance of players of all ages and abilities. Our TeXtreme collection is the best evidence of
that continued commitment to innovate.”
Prince unveils three new racquets in January 2016: the TeXtreme Warrior 100, TeXtreme War-
rior 100L and the TeXtreme Warrior 100T. The new TeXtreme Warrior 100 Series is perfect for
all court players who want a maneuverable racquet that gives them an unmatched combination of
power, control and feel from both the baseline and net.
In the spring, Prince’s Premier family will get a new look with the introduction of the TeXtreme
Premier 105 and TeXtreme Premier 120. These frames offer a unique combination of both O3 port
technology and TeXtreme, delivering the largest sweetspot in tennis - up to 77% larger than stan-
dard frames of the same headsize.
“By streamlining the performance racquet offering to 12 TeXtreme models we are focusing our
marketing efforts behind one common technology story – TeXtreme. In doing so, we are simplify-
ing the racquet selection process for all consumers. At Prince, we innovate technology that is real
and that delivers the benefits tennis consumers need to play better tennis,” said Mike Ballardie,
Prince Global Sports CEO.
Used in other categories like golf and NASCAR, TeXtreme is undoubt-
edly a game changer for tennis and for Prince. With these newest addi-
tions to the TeXtreme collection, Prince is challenging players to experi-
ence the fun and power of a TeXtreme racquet and play better tennis!
Contact your local Prince Brand Manager or visit teamprince.com
Industry News
The Untold Story of Ashaway's "Cult Favorite" Crossfire® Hybrid Tennis Strings

For over twenty-five years now, Ashaway's Crossfire®

hybrid tennis strings have been used by many of the
world's top competitive players. Ashaway's signature
aramid main string, in combination with natural gut,
was the first hybrid ever used on the pro tour and even
helped win a number of Grand Slams. But because
Ashaway is a small company, their strings have not
garnered widespread brand recognition. Nevertheless,
word of mouth has made them "cult favorites" among
the hybrid cognoscenti who continue to insist on having
Ashaway Crossfire strings in their racquets.

The reason is two-fold. First, hybrid stringing allows

players to fine-tune their racquets to their particular
style of play, much as legendary baseball players have
designed signature bats. They want more spin, more
power, better drops, or simply some relief from the arm
jarring impact of today's ultra stiff polyester strings. Second, Ashaway Crossfire strings offer more combina-
tions of main and cross strings -- and hence, more ability to fine tune the playing characteristics of a string
bed -- than any other brand.

Ashaway's Crossfire family includes six different material and string gauge combinations to suit even the
most discerning player's taste. The earlier models -- Crossfire II, 17, and 18 -- utilize aramid (Kevlar®)
mains and synthetic gut crosses to provide varying degrees of toughness and durability while enhancing
playability.

Crossfire Plus combines a 1.25 mm (17 gauge) blend of braided aramid and PTFE fibers for the mains and
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. Crossfire 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.

The most recent additions to the Crossfire hybrid line incorporate Ashaway's increasingly popular 100%
Zyex® monofilament strings. Included are Crossfire ZX, which combines Ashaway's 17 gauge braided
Aramid/PTFE Kevlar® +Plus mains with MonoGut® ZX Pro cross strings; and Crossfire ZX Tour, which
includes Ashaway's co-polymer string, MonoGut Original, mains with MonoGut ZX for the crosses.

Crossfire ZX is the lighter of the two hybrids, combining 1.25 mm Kevlar +Plus mains for superior durabil-
ity and control with MonoGut ZX Pro crosses. The 17 gauge Kevlar +Plus is a blend of braided Aramid
and silky soft PTFE fibers that softens the string's feel, while the 1.22 mm MonoGut ZX Pro is a 100%
Zyex monofilament that has the closest dynamic stiffness to natural gut of any synthetic string and sets the
benchmark for soft power and spin.
For heavier hitters there is Crossfire ZX Tour. This hybrid utilizes 1.27 mm
MonoGut Original co-polymer monofilament strings in the mains for excellent
durability and enhanced spin with 1.27 mm MonoGut ZX for the cross strings.
This 100% Zyex monofilament maximizes power and improves the feel of the
ball. The Crossfire ZX Tour hybrid allows players to experience playability and
performance similar to the co-polymer/natural gut hybrid that is so popular on
the tour, but with the extra advantage of optimum durability.
14

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15

Designed for Pro‘s. This monofile polyester string offers ultimate control
combined with high ball speed. Now released!

Diese Monofile Polyestersaite wurde speziell für die Anforderungen auf der Profitour entwickelt. Volle Kontrolle bei
hoher Beschleunigung. Jetzt released nach erfolgreichem Einsatz auf der Tour!

www.isospeed.com
16

Industry News
ANDY MURRAY OBE LAUNCHES THE NEW HEAD GRAPHENE XT
RADICAL COLLECTION
Andy Murray OBE served up another ace last night at the launch of the HEAD Graphene XT Radi-
cal Series at the iconic Pro:Direct LDN19 store in London.

Freshly suited and booted and greeted by crowds of fans,

Andy delighted admirers as he activated the LDN19 store
transformation for the launch of the HEAD Radical collec-
tion.

The first of its kind digital retail sports store was trans-
formed by Andy Murray through a bespoke audio visual
display, radicalising the store inside and out and illustrating
the extreme power and creativity behind the new HEAD
Radical collection. Right after the initiation of the radical
power the store was open to public to become the first loca-
tion worldwide for tennis enthusiasts to get their hands on
and buy the brand new Radical racquets and bags.

The event is accompanied by an exclusive YouTube video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWhyQumlbrM featur-
ing Andy Murray demonstrating the true power of Radical
style and effect!

Johan Eliasch, CEO at HEAD said: “For the launch of the

HEAD Radical collection we needed to create a moment in time which was truly radical. Andy
Murray’s star power helped us achieve this and the launch was a great success. Pro:Direct LDN19‘s
digital store is a perfect location to launch the new HEAD Radical collection. We hope the event
will inspire young players to become the next generation of future tennis stars.”

Ned Ozkasim, Event Manager at Pro:Direct says: ‘We are delighted HEAD chose Pro:Direct to host such
an iconic launch, and it was a great honour to have Andy Murray with us at our store for our first ever tennis
event. The HEAD Radical has such heritage and the launch of the latest Radical technology tonight created
a genuine buzz. Our digital store was conceived and created to be a home for events such as this and as the
professionals‘ choice online, we are looking forward to doing more of the same. It was a fantastic night.‘

Endorsed by Andy Murray, the new HEAD Graphene XT Radical racquet se-
ries, launching together with a stunning collection of accessories, commands
attention through its youthful and dynamic design. Consumers will enjoy more
power and maneuverability than ever before thanks to the revolutionary Gra-
phene XT Technology, making the Radical series the perfect choice for cre-
 17

Industry News
ative, versatile players.

The Graphene XT Radical racquet series will come in six models (PRO, MP, MPA, REV PRO, S and LITE) to
match the different playing levels of versatile players everywhere. The new racquet and matching collection
of accessories will be available at selected retailers November 13, 2015. Tennis fans and players alike can
continue to turn heads both on and off the court with the new range of

Radical apparel featuring the same Radical look, available January 2016.

The future is coming, and it will be Radical.

For further information or to view the Radical film launch on 13th November, visit https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=RWhyQumlbrM; Facebook.com/headtennis, @head_tennis on Twitter, or headtennis_official on In-
stagram.
18

Industry News

Tecnifibre, the ATP Official Partner of the ATP and Official Stringing Service at the ATP World
Tour Finals.
Tecnifibre is the Official Stringing Service for the third time and it is the sixth time for the
tournament at the O2 Arena in London. It had 262,000 spectators this year was broadcast in 198
countries.
Three Tecnifibre stringers strung 285 rackets this year on Tecnifibre ATP machines. The biggest
customer in singles was Rafael Nadal with 25 rackets. The Bryan brothers strung a total of 55
rackets during the week.
The stringing service was again located in the fan area in the Tecnifibre sales booth.
Tecnifibre’s On the Road Program provided 2 of their young players to be sparring partners for the
top 8 singles players in the world.
www.tecnifibre.com
19
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association of the sport’s governing body, the International Tennis Federation. Based SLOVAKIA
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 2016 ERSA
Symposium and Annual General Meeting
Sign-up Sheet www.ersa-symposium.eu
Friday, March 11, 2016
20:00 – Welcome Cocktail – Atalaya Park Hotel
Samstag, March 12, 2016
9:00 – 15:00 Presentations
15:00 - 17:00 String and Racquet Testing - Private Lessons
Sunday, March 13, 2016
9:00 – 15:00 Presentations
15:00 - 17:00 String and Racquet Testing - Private Lessons
Monday, March 14, 2016
9:00 – 15:00 Presentations
15:00 - 17:00 String and Racquet Testing - Private Lessons
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
9:00 - 14:00 Certificaton Testing & Private Lessons - Racquet & String Testing

ERSA Member 99€_________

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Non-Member 250€________

CS, MRT, PTS, Badminton, MRS ______119€ Members______200€ Non-Members

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 21

What is Zyex?
y
A Quick Look at the History of Zyex® with Inventor, Bruce McIntosh
By Steve Crandall
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Ashaway Racket Strings

Credited as the inventor of ZYEX®, Bruce McIntosh is a

polymer scientist and textile technologist who originally
took his degree in Physics from Edinburgh University.
If you look around the room you're in right now, chances are at least half a dozen different kinds of plastic
are within easy reach. The fact is, we live our lives surrounded by plastics; polymers to be precise. Yet few
of us really know anything about them. Of course, most of our eyes would quickly glaze over if someone re-
ally tried to describe the technology, but with ZYEX-based racquet strings showing such great potential, we
thought it might be interesting to take a closer look at how this material was developed and who thought to
make it into a tennis string in the first place.

There's no one better able to provide information on this history of ZYEX®than its inventor, Bruce McIntosh.
Currently a New Developments Consultant to ZYEX Ltd., Bruce is a polymer scientist and textile technolo-
gist who originally took his degree in Physics from Edinburgh University. In the 1980s it was Bruce who
initiated the ideas that led to the first fiber products being made from a newly invented class of polymers,
polyketones (better known as PEEK polymers). He served for many years as Project Leader for ZYEX
fibers, and authored patents for industrial, music string and sports string products, which have been pro-
duced from special ZYEX fibers. He is also credited with the invention of Tactel® from Invista, a breathable
synthetic fiber much used as a tracksuit material and in other sports garments. He and his wife Sheila have
three sons, and currently six great little grandchildren.

Here's the gist of our conversation:

SC: Most people harbor a rather cartoonish image of scientists in their labs, madly mixing chemicals until
they explode, then emerging from the smoke all blackened and disheveled. But how does one really go
about developing a new polymer material like ZYEX? Can you explain the process in layman's terms?

Bruce: Well, there were test tubes involved, but fortunately in this case, no explosions. ZYEX grew directly
out of an understanding in the early 1980s that a new category of polymers - polyketones - was becoming
available.

That it should be possible to make synthetic fibers from these new polymers seemed likely from basic chem-
ical stability and melt flow data. That the fiber properties achievable would be unique, was also proved to
be true. By 1985 enough potential from samples made on a small lab scale extrusion rig had been seen to
justify the launching of a trademark, ZYEX. As just about the last word in any directory of trademarks, it also
might also be 'the last word' in fibers too!

SC: Once a new material exists, how are its properties determined? And how are applications developed?

Bruce: ZYEX was at first only able to be extruded as fairly coarse diameter, tough monofilaments, clearly
a good possible replacement for polyester monofilaments in woven fabric for industrial uses, especially in
those applications where tension, heat, and abrasive forces were all present. Conveyor belt fabrics used
during the manufacture of paper and for drying pasta were some of the first
successful uses.

SC: ZYEX is said to be a Polyketone. Are there other, perhaps more com-
monly known materials, in this category?

Bruce: Polyketones are a family of polymers able to be manufactured in

small quantities. However once PEEK (polyetheretherketone) stood out as
22

Whh iss ZZyex?

What y ?
being more readily purified and scaled up for manufacture, it has dominated the market. To date, well over
90% of all polyketones sold have been from PEEK, and in fiber form this is predominately our ZYEX. About
50% is currently available as injection moldings; with powder impregnation of carbon fiber composites, film
and fiber manufacture making up most of the remainder.

SC: In the case of ZYEX, what types of applications did you initially pursue?

Bruce: The main markets are in the aerospace, automotive, medical device and specialized industrials
areas - very little that the average consumer would be aware of, with the possible exception of guitar and
violin strings.(which are ZYEX patented products.)

SC: Would you say the material has gained wide acceptance in the marketplace, or are there still many ap-
plication areas to be developed?

Bruce: Polyketones are still basically very young materials, and many other application areas are likely to
be opened up, especially if a way can be found to reduce fundamental polymer cost. In many applications
PEEK may already be technically the 'best solution,' but its high price will often hold back its implementa-
tion.

SC: What led you to think of racquet string (and particularly tennis) as a possible application for ZYEX, and
what specific properties led you to think so?

Bruce: The background to the involvement of ZYEX in the tennis string business is somewhat surprising.
A comment was made to the I.C.I. Chairman (The ZYEX Group was then part of I.C.I. Fibres) following
Wimbledon one year that, "surely, somewhere in his vast materials based organization there must be a
good synthetic substitute for natural gut?" This casual comment passed down the organizational chain to
me as a firm instruction: "Evaluate a tennis string made with ZYEX." It had always been on the list of poten-
tial developments to follow, but now it was promoted at a stroke from about 20th to 1st priority!

Being a keen racquet sports player and having already had some local contact with the technical team at
Dunlop Sports, I was more than interested to take up the challenge.

The key identifying property was quickly discovered to be low dynamic stiffness, which is the ability of a ma-
terial to resist stiffening up as it is rapidly stretched and released - become "boardy," as it were. This prop-
erty was low for natural gut and stayed low at a wide range of operating tensions. All other synthetic fibers
used in the construction of sports strings at that time - especially nylons and polyesters - might or might not
start low, but all registered a rapid increase in stiffness as the string tension was increased.

The very first testing of a rudimentary ZYEX string showed very little increase in stiffness, so it clearly had
real potential to emulate the response of natural gut.

SC: In terms of physical properties, how are ZYEX filaments comparable to ribbons of beef serosa used in
natural gut strings?

Bruce: Not only does ZYEX have by far the most similar playing characteristic to natural gut of any synthet-
ic, it also has the great advantage of being highly stable to environmental factors - moisture, heat, abrasion,
etc. - so it plays the same for much longer. In this respect it is vastly superior to the natural product.

SC: ZYEX has been used in string applications for a number of years now, and seems to keep getting bet-
ter. Do you see the possibility of further improvements down the road, and if so, what can we expect?

Bruce: ZYEX is still a relatively young product (who is seriously old at 27 anyway!) We have seen improve-
ments in polymer quality, and processing technique over the years, and expect more. These improvements
will normally convert to more consistent and higher physical properties in the
final products, allowing wider ranges to be developed. Ultimately the ZYEX
product range may routinely encompass other polyketones, which will certainly
lead to potentially more stable products for many applications.

SC: Translation, 'better and better racquet strings?'

Bruce: Most assuredly.

 23

Tennis String Test

String Playtest - Tennis

Prince Tour XR 17 - 1.25mm

Prince introduces their latest string in the new Poly Line.

The latest string to come out from Prince is the Tour XR polyester. XR stands for xtra
Response. Tour XR is a co-polyester string with xtra Response giving great touch and power
without sacrificing the control and durability needed for hard hitters. This new string is to
complete the Poly Line up with a very good performing entry level CoPoly string. It is the
lowest price co-polyester in the line and designed for good juniors , college players and young
tournament players looking for control and durability along with enough power and touch at
an affordable price.

The string is silver in color and available in 3 gauges:

17 - 1.25mm, 16 - 1.30mm, 15L - 1.38mm (ESP and open spin rackets)
It is also available as single sets and reels: 12.2m / 40ft or 200m / 660ft.

In the lab
We tested the 17-gauge (1.25 mm) Prince Tour XR . The coil measured 12.5 meters. The diameter measured 1.25-
1.29 mm prior to stringing, and 1.24-1.26 mm a er stringing. We recorded a stringbed s ffness of 39 Dynamic
Tension on a Beers ERT 300 immediately a er stringing at 25 kilos in a (16 × 19 pa ern)racquet on a Prince 6000
constant-pull machine.
A er 24 hours (no playing), stringbed s ffness measured 36 RDC units, represen ng a 7.5 percent tension loss. Our
control string, Prince Synthe c Gut Original Gold 16, using the same string as the USRSA, represen ng a 9 percent
tension loss. The Prince Tour XR added 17.3 grams to the weight of
our unstrung frame. The string has a smooth surface. The ERT tests
were in the average range for this type of string.
The string was tested for five weeks by 22 ERSA playtesters, with
playing levels of intermediate to na onally 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, several reported
minor problems with coil memory,
typical with single sets of polyester
string, although most said it was
li le problem with coil memory.
No one had problems with fric on
burn, although some said it was a
li le s ffer string and a li le harder
24

Tennis String Test

to weave. No Problems were reported tying knots. All rated it as a
li le more difficult to a li le easier to string than other strings in
this category. No one broke the string while stringing

Playtest
All of the testers found the string best in control, durability and
string movement. Comfort, feeling and power were rated average
for a co-polyester. Tension loss was tested in the lab as average for
a co-polymer which most of the testers agreed upon.

Conclusion
Prince’s Tour XR 17 has met the goals of Prince, to complete their poly range with a good entry level string at an
affordable price.
The string is good in all areas with no big weaknesses. The big selling points are durability, control, string movement
and cost.
This string should be recommended to top juniors, good club players to tournament players and string breakers
looking for a good quality co-polymer polyester at an affordable price. As it comes in 1.25mm, 1.30mm and 1.38mm,
it can be recommended as a performance string, durabiity string and for the new ESP and open string pa ern spin
rackets.
Most of the testers said they would consider adding the string to their sor ment, if the price is not too high. They
stated it would be difficult to compete with Alu Power and RPM Blast.

RATING AVERAGES
From 1 to 6 (1 being the best) Playability 3.6
Durability 2.0 Power 3.8
Control 2.4 Comfort 3.6
Feel 3.4 Spin Poten al 3.0
Holding Tension 3.8 Resistance to Movement 2.1
For more informa on visit:
www.princetennis.com
 25

Badminton String Test

ZyMax® 69 Fire
Badminton String Test
This is the third ZyMax® Fire badminton string we have tested. One year ago we sent the test
string out for two of the thinner versions.

Ashaway Racket Strings ZyMax® 69 Fire is the heavyweight in its new line of ZyMax badminton
strings. The line incorporates Ashaway’s proprietary BETA polymer fibers, and is constructed us-
ing the company’s special ZyWeaVe™ string core technology. At 0.69 mm ZyMax® 69 Fire is the
heaviest string in the line, and is designed to provide great duability to chronic string breakers.

ZyMax® 69 Fire strings are designed for high performance players and feature a BETA polymer
ZyWeaVe core encapsulated with a high tenacity BETA polymer microfilament wear surface. As
part of the ZyMax Fire line, they are one of the first to offer the benefits of this new BETA polymer,
including a 25% improvement in elasticity and dynamic stiffness over most popular badminton
strings. ZyMax strings generate excellent feel and repulsion, as well as optimum power and dura-
bility, and incredible knot and loop strength.

Ashaway’s trademarked ZyWeaVe technology generates a string core that is stronger and holds
tension better than traditional badminton strings. This allows for thinner, more playable strings that
perform consistently at higher tensions throughout the life of the string.

ZyMax® 69 Fire strings are available in traditional Ivory White and in a distinctive “Fire” Orange
color, and in either 10-meter sets or 200-meter reels. Recommended stringing tension is up to 40
lbs., depending on player preference and racquet frame manufacturer’s recommendations.

TEST- We sent out 40 sets of string to

40 testers. They received 1 set of orange
strings in unmarked packages. We request-
ed a maximum tension of 40 pounds to be
strung and to fill out our stringing and play
test form.

IN THE LAB - We tested the string and it

weighed 4.3 grams before stringing.
measured 9.8 meters or 32.15 feet. The
string was measured between 0.71mm and
0.74 mm beforestringing. After stringing the
26

Badminton String Test

strings at 25 pounds, they were measured be-
tween 0.67mm and 0.70mm. The
strings had a DT of 48 directly after stringing. After
24 hours, without playing, the string had Dynamic
Tensions of 45. This is a tension loss of just over 6
percent, which is very good. After stringing, the string added 3.9 grams of weight to the racket.

STRINGING - The testers found the string very easy to string, the same as we found stringing
in the lab test. No one had any problems stringing and everyone rated the string as the same or
easier to string than their current string. Weaving was very easy and everyone rated it the same
or easier than their string. The string was easy to tie off knots and no one had any other problems
with stringing. No one broke the strings shile stringing.

PLAYTEST - Playability was rated from a little worse to very good by all the testers, with most rat-
ing at the same as their current string to a little better. Power was rated average to good. Durabil-
ity was rated a little less to much better by all the testers. Tension loss was rated average to very
good. String movement was rated average to very good.

OVERVIEW - Most testers rated the playability and power as average to average plus and du-
rability as average to very good. The ZyMax® 69 Fire offered the testers from the first ZyMax®
Fire tests from last year more durability with only a small decrease in power and playability. Some
of our testers said ZyMax®69 is the best string in the world for that gauge with it’s combination
of playability and durability . If you are more interested in power and playability and do not break
many strings, try the ZyMax® 66 Fire, ZyMax® 66 Fire Power or Zymax® 62.

COMMENTS -

“Very good string. Did not break and playability was better than average.”

“Great playability for a thicker string.”

“I switched to this string already. Great control and playability.”

“It broke after 8 hours of play. A little less than my current Yonex string.”

“Not the best playability or durability, but good in both. I break a lot of strings so I am looking for
very high duability.”

“Plays about the same as my Yonex string. I would not change to it but enjoyed testing it.”
 Is String
your
Business?

We are there for you, driving tennis business in

support of growing the game throughout the
Benefits
country. * Your business profile online
in the searchable TRS
The TIA UK is the trade body for all tennis
directory on www.tiauk.org
businesses, including yours - independent
stringers and coaches dependent on the well- * Access to workshops,
credits and certification
being of our sport - and, collectively, we are the courses at preferential
authorative voice of tennis commerce. rates
* Networking opportunities
via Member Forums and
The Tennis Summit
* Industry contacts and news
* Access to TIA UK Preferred
Suppliers, including
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mentoring), BLM (legal
services), Conference
Co-Ordination (meeting
professionals), Newby
Crouch (Chartered
Accountants), Perkins
Slade (Insurance) and
Traveleads (business travel
experts)

Tennis Industry Association UK Ltd * Playing your part in the

business of tennis
c/o Sport Wins * And more to come... so
PO Box 238
Tadworth Join the TIA UK now!
Surrey KT20 5WT

Gilly English Phil Sandilands

Membership & Events Manager Business Development Manager
Phone 01737 831 707 Phone 020 8398 3232
Mobile 07904 526 779 Mobile 07786 390 855
Email gilly@tiauk.org Email phil@tiauk.org
Registered Office Company Registered in England No 5345983
Tennis Industry Association UK Ltd
c/o Newby Crouch, Ember House, 35 - 37 Creek Road, East Molesley, Surrey KT8 9BE VAT No 989 4586 33
Phone 020 8979 4666 / Fax 020 8979 5934 / Email office@newbycrouch.co.uk
28

ERSA ATW
Marco Rossani and Michelle Fabretti have a full schedule of
Workshops and Testing this winter!
ERSA Italy Workshop Schedule January - February 2016
Workshop BASIC La Bottega del Tennis 17-Jan-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop ADVANCED La Bottega del Tennis 18-Jan-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop BASIC L’Albero dello Sport 24-Jan-16 Michele Fabbretti
Via Umberto Giordano, 60 - Senigallia 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop ADVANCED L’Albero dello Sport 31-Jan-16 Michele Fabbretti
Via Umberto Giordano, 60 - Senigallia 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop ADVANCED La Bottega del Tennis 31-Jan-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop BASIC La Bottega del Tennis 1-Feb-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop BASIC La Bottega del Tennis 14-Feb-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop ADVANCED La Bottega del Tennis 15-Feb-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop BASIC L’Albero dello Sport 21-Feb-16 Michele Fabbretti
Via Umberto Giordano, 60 - Senigallia 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop ADVANCED L’Albero dello Sport 28-Feb-16 Michele Fabbretti
Via Umberto Giordano, 60 - Senigallia 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop ADVANCED La Bottega del Tennis 28-Feb-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
Workshop BASIC La Bottega del Tennis 29-Feb-16 Marco Rossani
via Bernardo Quaranta, 3 - Milano 09:30 - 18:30
 29

Symposium Schedule
The 2016 ERSA Symposium Schedule will be updated as we get more presentations con-
firmed. As of now the schedule includes:

Hands-On - Beginner/Intermediate Stringing Course

Hands-On – How to become a Master Pro Tour Stringer. Master Pro Tour Stringers will work with
you on your weaknesses to become a great stringer.

Hands-On – Racket Grip Moulding

Hands-On – Racquet Tuning

Social Media – How to use it to build up your shop and / or stringing business

Managing Your Shop Presentation

Free Private Lessons with the Top Stringers in the World

CS, MRT and PTS Tennis, Badminton and Squash Certification Testing

On Court Racket Testing – Prince, Head, Babolat Yonex, etc.

On Court Smart Tennis Devices Testing

ERSA ATW
Marco Rossani and Michele Fabretti, ERSA Italy Workshops, Fall 2015. ERSA in Italy organizes
more workshops than any other country. They limit the number to a small group and strive on
quality.
30

ERSA ATW
After our Asia Tour with ERSA stringers, we
had a great deal of publicity, getting articles
published about the stringing services in Tokyo.
Five Japanese tennis and sport magazines
published articles about the stringing services,
along with a great deal of publicity on the Yonex
Stringing Service at the Australian Open starting
in 2016.

Stringing in Japan were Mark Maslowski, Timo

van Driehl and Richard Parnell. In China, Mark
Goodman was stringing and Bernie Chen in
Hong Kong.

ERSA also got a lot of Press Releases and

coverage at the workshops in Busan, Korea and
Taichung City, Taiwan.

Tennis and Badminton workshops are already

planned for September and October in 2016 in
Asia.

Mike Emenako and Mark Maslowski finished the first of two ERSA Germany
Worskshops last week in Düsseldorf. Nine stringers attended the Advanced Workshop, with more
planned for 2016.
For more information on the next series of work-
shops contact:
Mike Emenako www.ersa-germany.com
 BUYER’S GROUP FOR
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The Racquet Tech Sports Group

offers many advantages to
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 HEAD PRO PLAYERS MAY PLAY WITH DIFFERENT RACQUETS FROM THE MODEL SHOWN.
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