Short-cut to Google tennis news feed

USRSA.com: We've created a short-cut link to Google's tennis news feature. Note that this is a completely different view of tennis news than you get with Bob Larson's professionally assembled Daily Tennis News.

Welcome Christina Kaus

Christina Kaus has been added to the USRSA team. As membership director, she will be working with Dianne Pray, and she will also be working with Barbara Smith on the certification program. You can read the press release here.

New search features

USRSA.com: We've added a search page for all the on-line text of Stringer's Assistant and Racquet Tech magazines. We've also added a special search page that covers just the "Ask the Experts" items (similar to the special search page that covers just the "Tips and Techniques" items).

New racquet information

USRSA.com: The Digest On-line, Morphinator, and the Racquet Selector now have stringing instructions and specs (respectively) for the following new racquets: Babolat Aero Blast (tennis), Babolat Drive Z OS (tennis), Babolat Pure Drive (with Cortex) (tennis), Babolat Pure Drive + (with Cortex) (tennis), Babolat Pure Drive 107 (with Cortex) (tennis), Babolat Pure Drive Roddick (tennis), Babolat Pure Drive Roddick + (tennis), Bancroft Omni (tennis), Bancroft Rocket (tennis), Feather Classic Pro 2000 (tennis), Feather Court Ti 2000 (tennis), Fischer Beat Ti. (tennis), Head Airflow 3 (tennis), Head Airflow 5 (tennis), Head Airflow 7 (tennis), Head Flexpoint 1 OS (tennis), Head FXP Prestige Team (tennis), Head Metallix 10 (tennis), Head Nano Agassi Ti. Inferno (tennis), Prince Graphite Extreme OS (tennis), Prince O3 Hybrid Tour (16x18) (tennis), Prince O3 Citron OS (tennis), Prince O3 Spectrum Hybrid Midplus (tennis), Prince O3 Spectrum Hybrid Oversize (tennis), Slazenger Type 2 NX2 (tennis), Slazenger Type 2 NX2 (tennis), Slazenger Type 2 NX3 (tennis), Volkl DNX 1 w/Power Arm (tennis), Volkl DNX 10 Mid (tennis), Volkl DNX 9 (tennis), Wilson n2 (tennis), Wilson nTour Two 105 (tennis), Wilson nTour Two 95 (tennis), Wilson W3 Gypsy Rose (tennis), Wilson W5 Divine Iris (tennis), Yonex RQS 11 (tennis), Yonex URQ Speed 8 (tennis), E-Force Bedlam Knife 150 (racquetball), E-Force Bedlam Knife 170 (racquetball), E-Force Bedlam Knife 175 (racquetball), E-Force Lethal 160 (racquetball), E-Force Lethal 175 (racquetball), E-Force Lethal 190 (racquetball), Ektelon O3 Black (racquetball), Ektelon O3 Hybrid Diablo (racquetball), Ektelon O3 Hybrid Shark (racquetball), Ektelon Power Fan Beast (racquetball), Ektelon Power Ring Freak (racquetball), Head MX 170 (racquetball), Head MX 180 (racquetball), Head MX 190 (racquetball), Pro Kennex HC2 165 (racquetball), Pro Kennex HC2 175 (racquetball), Pro Kennex Kinetic Ti. Diamond (racquetball), Pro Kennex Shadow 170 (racquetball), Pro Kennex Shadow 180 (racquetball), Wilson nBlade (racquetball), Wilson nPro Hope (racquetball), Wilson nRage (racquetball), Black Knight Magnum Pro nXS (squash), Dunlop Hot Melt Carbon (squash), Dunlop Hotmelt Graphite (squash), Dunlop Hotmelt Pro (squash), Dunlop Hotmelt Titanium (squash), Dunlop Ice Custom Elite (squash), Dunlop IceTour Lee Beechill (squash), Dunlop M-Fil Tour (squash), Dunlop M-Fil Ultra (squash), Feather Cyclone 2003 125 (squash), Feather Cyclone 2003 135 (squash), Feather Fan - 2 (squash), Feather Heavy Hitter (squash), Feather Super Hitter (squash), Feather Titanium Drop 110 (squash), Feather Titanium Drop 130 (squash), Head Flexpoint 130 (squash), Head Flexpoint 140 (squash), Head Flexpoint 150 (squash), Head Flexpoint 160 (squash), Prince Air Drive 140 (Air TT) (squash), Prince O3 Tour (squash), Pro Kennex HC2 140 (squash), Tecnifibre Dynergy 125 (squash), Tecnifibre Supreme 140 Carbiothane (squash), Tecnifibre Supreme Carbiothane 140 TF (squash), Wilson n135 (squash), Wilson nPro (squash), and the Wilson nRage (4 Holes in Throat) (squash).

RSI wins Apex award

RSI has done it again! For the third year in a row, we've won an Apex Award for Publication Excellence, in the category "Magazines & Journals -- Printed Four-Color."

Bob Larson's Daily Tennis News now free to USRSA members

Bob Larson's Daily Tennis News e-mail service is now one of the many benefits of USRSA membership. The e-mail newsletters, which cost $97 per year by themselves, are sent each weekday, covering the men's tour, the women's tour, college tennis, business, and classifieds. See the full information here.

New Biomechanics Book from Racquet Tech Publishing

A new book by Racquet Tech Publishing, Biomechanical Principles of Tennis Technique: Using Science to Improve Your Strokes, by Duane Knudson, Ph.D., explains the science of tennis technique. The book applies the lessons learned from studying the forces and motions of tennis strokes. Through the implementation of six basic biomechanical principles, players can make subtle adjustments to their strokes, creating stroke variations that not only improve their game but also reduce their risk of injury. Detailed line drawings, stroke analysis and sequence photos of top touring pros, action photographs and high-speed video images, and an exploration of the benefits of video replay provide players with a variety of useful techniques. The book is $14.95. To order, visit RacquetTECH.com or call 760-536-1177.

New racquet information

USRSA.com: The Digest On-line, Morphinator, and the Racquet Selector now have stringing instructions and specs (respectively) for the following new racquets: Avery M5 (tennis), Head Barbie 25 (tennis), Head Barbie 23 (tennis), Head Barbie 21 (tennis), Head Ti.Agassi 25 (tennis), Head Ti.Agassi 23 (tennis), Head Ti.Agassi 21 (tennis), Head Ti.Crush 25 (tennis), Head Ti.Crush 23 (tennis), Head Ti.Crush 21 (tennis), Head nano ti.Elite (tennis), Head nano Ti.Extreme (tennis), Head FXP Radical Junior (tennis), Head Liquidmetal Prestige Junior (tennis), Tecnifibre T Flash 290 (tennis), Weed EXT 135 Blue (tennis), Weed EXT 135 Green (tennis), Weed EXT 135 Pink (tennis), Weed EXT 135 Tour (tennis), PowerAngle Power 115 (Red) (tennis), PowerAngle Power 102 (Navy Blue) (tennis), Wilson US Open (tennis), Wilson Impact (tennis), Wilson H26 (tennis), Wilson nTour 26 (tennis), Wilson Sponge Bob 19 (tennis), Wilson Sponge Bob 21 (tennis), Wilson US Open 21 (tennis), Wilson Pro Surge 25 (tennis), Wilson Grand Slam (tennis), Wilson Federer (tennis), Wilson n26 (tennis), Wilson nSix One 26 (tennis), Wilson Federer 26 (tennis), Pro Kennex Ki 20 PSE (tennis), Pro Kennex Type C 93 Redondo Edition (tennis), Fischer M GDS Rally (tennis), Fischer M Twin Tec Motion (tennis), Dunlop M Fil Lady G (tennis), Dunlop M Fil 400 (tennis), Dunlop M Fil 600 (tennis), Head Flexpoint Prestige XL MP (tennis), Prince Air Freak Oversize (tennis), Prince Air Freak Midplus (tennis), Prince O3 Tour MS (tennis), Prince O3 Tour OS (tennis), Prince O3 Shark Hybrid Oversize (tennis), Prince O3 Shark Hybrid Midplus (tennis), Prince O3 Hornet Hybrid Midplus (tennis), Prince O3 Hornet Hybrid Oversize (tennis), Prince O3 White MP (tennis), Volkl DNX 10 (tennis), Volkl DNX 8 (tennis), Volkl DNX 3 (tennis), Prince Pro Ti (tennis), Prince Rebel Ti (tennis), Prince Lob Ti (tennis), Prince PL Synergy (tennis), Prince Ace Ti (tennis), Prince Air Tight (tennis), Prince Air Flash (tennis), Prince Air Light (tennis), Prince Wimbledon Tournament (tennis), Prince Arch Rival (tennis), Prince Arch Rebel (tennis), Prince Arch invader (tennis), Head Flexpoint Prestige MP (tennis), Head Flexpoint Prestige Mid (tennis), Gamma IPEX 7.0 MP (tennis), Gamma IPEX 2.0 SOS (tennis), Gamma IPEX 5.0 OS (tennis), Gamma IPEX 5.0 MP (tennis), Gamma IPEX 3.0 OS (tennis), Gamma IPEX 7.0 OS (tennis), Pro Kennex Type C 98 Redondo Edition (tennis), Wilson n5 Force 110 (tennis), Wilson n5 Force 98 (tennis), Wilson nBlade 106 (tennis), Wilson nBlade 98 (tennis), Wilson nFury 100 (tennis), Wilson nFury 110 (tennis), Wilson nPro Open (tennis), Wilson nPro Open X (tennis), Wilson nSix Two 100 (tennis), Wilson nSix Two 113 (tennis), Yonex RDS 001 98 (tennis), Yonex RDS 001 90 (tennis), Head Flexpoint Fire (tennis), Head Flexpoint Heat (tennis), Prince TT Air Rip (tennis), Prince Great White (tennis), Yonex RDS 003 100 (tennis), Fischer M GDS Vision FT (tennis), Fischer M Tour 100 (tennis), Babolat Pure Drive 110 (with Cortex) (tennis), Tecnifibre T Fight 335 (16x20) (tennis), Tecnifibre T Fight 335 (18x20) (tennis), Tecnifibre T Fight 320 (16x20) (tennis), and the Tecnifibre T Fight 320 (18x20) (tennis).

Goodbye, Nancy!

Long-time USRSA employee Nancy Crowley is retiring today. Goodbye, Nancy, we'll each miss you.

Announcing the new and improved Racquet Optimizer

USRSA.com: We've improved our Racquet Optimizer on-line racquet modeling tool to allow you to experiment with adding weight at two different locations on the frame. (USRSA membership required to use the on-line tools.)

Full-cover views

It always seemed a shame that after all the time and effort that goes into designing and executing our covers, each has been relegated to a couple of measly square inches on the website. No longer! Now, if you go to the table of contents page of any issue, and click on the small image of the cover, you'll be taken to a full-size image. Also, on the navigation page for the various issues, when you place your cursor over the month-name of the magazine, you'll see the corresponding cover for that issue next to the listing.

'Sitemap' and 'urllist' files added

We've added sitemap files (listings of all the URLs, in XML format) and urllist files to both USRSA.com and racquetsportsindustry.com. These files are recommend to help search engines -- primarily Google and Yahoo! -- better crawl the site, so that when you search for information that appears on either site, you will more easily find it. Ironically, MSN Search, which seems not to pay any attention to sitemap or urllist files, has by far the best index of our site.

Announcing the Babolat Star 5

Babolat has very kindly given us permission to make available the sales brochure for its upcoming Babolat Star 5 stringing machine. This brochure, which is available to USRSA members only, is a downloadable file in Microsoft PowerPoint format. The Star 5 is scheduled for release in early 2006, with a projected U.S. list price of $3,000. Also available at additional charge are badminton adaptors and the famous Babolat stringer tool kit, each of which is shown in this brochure. (Update: For those without PowerPoint, we have also created a somewhat clunky HTML version.)

RSI navigation fixed

RSI.com: In our haste to get racquetsportsindustry.com up and available, we forgot to check to see if our pages displayed properly in all the major browsers (AOL, Camino, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, and Safari). It looked fine in Safari (of course) and IE/Mac, and our HTML and CSS code all validated just fine, so we thought we were home free. For some reason, though, AOL, Camino, Firefox, and Netscape failed to render the top navigation menu properly. Regretfully, the fix meant replacing the pure CSS top banner with a table, but at least it works.

We're up and running!

RSI.com: Our brand-new site is visible to the world for the very first time today. There are bound to be a few rough edges as we settle in, but just about all the material from RSi magazine from its premiere issue in February 2004 through the latest issue of August 2005 is available now. Keep checking back, as every month we'll make available the latest issue.

New racquet information

USRSA.com: The Digest On-line, Morphinator, and the Racquet Selector now have stringing instructions and specs (respectively) for the following new racquets: Avery M3 (72 Holes) (tennis), Avery M3 Control (tennis), Avery M3 Power (tennis), Babolat Aeropro Control + (tennis), Babolat Aeropro Drive + (tennis), Bancroft ACE Advantage (tennis), Bancroft ACE Tour (tennis), Bancroft ACE Tour + (tennis), Fischer M Pro No. One 105 (tennis), Fischer M Pro No. One 98 (tennis), Fischer Pro No. One Impact FT (tennis), Fischer Pro Tour (tennis), Head Flexpoint 10 (tennis), Head Flexpoint 6 MP (tennis), Head Flexpoint 6 OS (tennis), Head Flexpoint Instinct (tennis), Head Flexpoint Radical MP (tennis), Head Flexpoint Radical OS (tennis), Head Flexpoint Radical Tour MP (tennis), Head FXP Radical Team (Flexpoint) (tennis), Head Liquidmetal Universe (tennis), Prince Air Vanquish Midplus (tennis), Prince Air Vanquish Oversize (tennis), Prince O3 Blue (tennis), Prince O3 Pink OS (tennis), Prince Shark DB Midplus (tennis), Prince Shark DB Oversize (tennis), Prince Shark MP LB (tennis), Prince Synergy Premier 110 (tennis), Prince Triple Threat Response MP 26" (tennis), Pro Kennex Ki 30 (Kinetic Ionic 30) (tennis), Pro Kennex Ki 5 (Kinetic Ionic 5) (tennis), Vantage Custom Built (68 Holes) (tennis), Vantage Custom Built (70 Holes) (tennis), Vantage Custom Built (76 Holes) (tennis), Vantage VT001 (tennis), Vantage VT002 (tennis), Vantage VT003 (tennis), Volkl DNX V1 MP (tennis), Volkl DNX V1 OS (tennis), Wilson n4 Midplus (101) (tennis), Wilson n4 Oversize (111) (tennis), Wilson n6 (110) (tennis), Wilson W2 Black Whisper (tennis), Wilson W2 Blue Shadow (tennis), Wilson W2 Spicy Ruby (tennis), Wilson W4 Cobalt Storm (tennis), Wilson W4 Red Fury (tennis), Wilson W4 Savage Lime (tennis), Wilson W4 Savage Sapphire (tennis), Wilson W6 Blue Steel (tennis), Wilson W6 Wild Crimson (tennis), Yonex NSRQ 5 (tennis), Yonex NSRQ 7 (100) (tennis), Yonex NSRQ 7 (110) (tennis), Yonex NSRQ 8 (tennis), E-Force Bedlam Super-Mains 150 (racquetball), E-Force Bedlam Super-Mains 170 (racquetball), E-Force Bedlam Super-Mains 175 (racquetball), E-Force Super 30 DC 160 (racquetball), E-Force Super 30 DC 170 (racquetball), E-Force Super 30 DC 175 (racquetball), E-Force Super 30 DC 190 (racquetball), Ektelon O3 Red (racquetball), Ektelon O3 Silver (racquetball), Ektelon Power Fan Outlaw (racquetball), Ektelon Power Ring Excel (racquetball), Ektelon Power Ring Tour Lite (racquetball), Head Liquidmetal IGS 165 (racquetball), Head Liquidmetal IGS 175 (racquetball), Head Liquidmetal IGS 185 (racquetball), Head Ti.Blast (racquetball), Head Ti.Defender (racquetball), Head Ti.Demon (racquetball), Head Ti.Laser (racquetball), Head Ti.Photon (racquetball), Head Ti.Sonic (racquetball), Pro Kennex Core 1 Platinum 165 (racquetball), Pro Kennex Core 1 Platinum 175 (racquetball), Wilson Fury (racquetball), Wilson n170 (racquetball), Wilson n180 (racquetball), Wilson n190 (racquetball), Wilson nPro (racquetball), Wilson nTour (racquetball), Wilson Ripper (racquetball), Wilson Rush (racquetball), Wilson Scorch (racquetball), Wilson Tazer (racquetball), Wilson Ti. Smash (racquetball), Wilson Xpress (racquetball), Ashaway Destiny 490 (squash), Ashaway Hornet 495 (squash), Ashaway Liberty 495 (squash), Ashaway Rad 475 (squash), Black Knight 4670 Storm (squash), Black Knight 6118 Graph-Force (squash), Black Knight C2C Heat (60 Holes) (squash), Harrow M-140 (squash), Harrow Stealth (squash), Harrow Stealth The Prep (squash), Harrow Super Winner R Squared (squash), Harrow Super Winner True Blue (squash), Harrow The Prep (squash), Harrow Vapor (squash), Head i.X140G Pro (squash), Head i.x160 (squash), Head Liquidmetal 150 (squash), Head Liquidmetal 160 (squash), Head Ti.140G (squash), Head Ti.160G (squash), Head Ti.Fire (squash), Head Ti.Heat (squash), Head Ti.Speed (squash), Prince M+ Pro (squash), Prince O3 All Court (squash), Prince O3 Silver (squash), Pro Kennex C 160 Tour (squash), Pro Kennex P 120 Ki Sling (squash), Pro Kennex P 140 Ki Sling (squash), Wilson H170 (squash), Wilson Hammer n120 (squash), Wilson Hammer n145 (squash), Wilson Jr. Boast (squash), Wilson n120 (squash), Wilson n130 (squash), Wilson n140 (squash), Wilson n145 (squash), Wilson nRage (6 Holes in Throat) (squash), Wilson nTour (squash), Wilson PS Fantom (squash), Wilson Ti. Power (squash), Wilson Triad n130 (squash), Wilson Triad n140 (squash), Prince M+ XL (badminton), Prince Spectrum (badminton), Prince Strike (badminton), Wilson Hope (badminton), Wilson Matchpoint (badminton), Wilson n1 (badminton), Wilson n1 (badminton), Wilson n3 (badminton), Wilson n5 (badminton), Wilson Ti. Comp (badminton), Wilson Ti. Power (badminton), Wilson Ti. Smash (badminton), Wilson V4 (badminton), Wilson V8 (badminton), Yonex Isometric 23 VF (badminton), Yonex Isometric 25 VF (badminton), Yonex Isometric 30 VF (badminton), Yonex Isometric 65 LT (badminton), Yonex Isometric 75 MF Light (badminton), Yonex Muscle Power 100 (badminton), Yonex Muscle Power 23 Power (badminton), Yonex Muscle Power 25 Power (badminton), Yonex Muscle Power 28 Control (badminton), Yonex Muscle Power 30 (badminton), Yonex Muscle Power 44 (badminton), Yonex Muscle Power 66 (badminton)

Technical Tennis Dispels Time-Honored Myths

Have you ever wondered how much difference your equipment makes to your tennis game? Tennis physicist Rod Cross and technology expert (and RSI publisher and editor-in-chief) Crawford Lindsey answer all your questions and explode time-honored "truisms" in their new book, Technical Tennis: Racquets, Strings, Balls, Courts, Spin, and Bounce. The 152-page paperback is a reader-friendly follow-up to their widely acclaimed The Physics and Technology of Tennis, which they co-authored with Dr. Howard Brody (who wrote the foreword to the new book). The four chapters cover Racquets, Strings, Balls and Bounce, and Spin and Trajectory, and answer equipment- and performance-related questions that have perennially plagued hackers and experts alike, allowing players to turn practice into a focused application of principles affecting the impact, bounce, and flight of the ball. Technical Tennis is available from Racquet Tech Publishing for $12.95. To order visit Technical Tennis on the web, or call 760-536-1177.

RSI wins Apex award

Racquet Sports Industry magazine has won a 2005 Apex Award for Publication Excellence for the second year in a row. See the full story here.

String gauges added to sortable Playtest Report Summary

USRSA.com: Because many of the strings we playtest come in different gauges, we've added a "Gauge" column to the sortable playtest summary, which should help reduce confusion.

New racquet information

USRSA.com: The Digest On-line, Morphinator, and the Racquet Selector now have stringing instructions and specs (respectively) for the following new racquets: Dunlop I-Zone 5 (tennis), Dunlop M Fil 200 (tennis), Dunlop M Fil 300 (tennis), Dunlop M Fil 300 Jr. (tennis), Dunlop M Fil 500 (tennis), Dunlop M Fil 700 (tennis), Dunlop Maxply McEnroe (70 Holes) (tennis), Dunlop Maxply McEnroe Jr. (70 Holes) (tennis), Fischer Pro Tour Extreme FT (tennis), Fischer Twin Tec 1250 FTi (tennis), Head Liquidmetal 1 110 (tennis), Head Liquidmetal 1 MP (tennis), Head Liquidmetal Heat (tennis), Head Radical 21 (tennis), Head Radical 23 (tennis), Head Radical 25 (tennis), Head Ti.Eclipse (tennis), Head Ti.Evolution (tennis), Head Ti.Flash (tennis), Head Ti.Smash (tennis), Head Ti.Tornado (tennis), Prince AirDB Midplus (tennis), Prince AirDB Oversize (tennis), Prince Diablo XP MP (tennis), Prince Diablo XP OS (tennis), Prince O3 Red MP (tennis), Prince O3 Silver OS (tennis), Prince O3 Tour 100 (tennis), Tecnifibre T Feel 275 XL (tennis), Tecnifibre T Feel 290 XL (tennis), Tecnifibre T Feel 305 (tennis), Tecnifibre T Feel 305 XL (tennis), Tecnifibre T Fight 315 (tennis), Tecnifibre T Fight 325 (tennis), Volkl Boris Becker 1 (tennis), Volkl Boris Becker 10 (tennis), Volkl Boris Becker 3 (tennis), Volkl Boris Becker 5 (tennis), Volkl Boris Becker 7 (tennis), Volkl Boris Becker Power (tennis), Volkl Catapult 4 Gen II (tennis), Volkl Catapult 8 V-Engine (tennis), Volkl Tour 10 MP Gen II (tennis), Volkl Tour 6 Gen II (tennis), Wilson H Cyclone (tennis), Wilson H Rival 112 (tennis), Wilson H Rival 96 (tennis), Wilson n1 Force (tennis), Wilson nPro 98 (tennis), Wilson nPro Surge (tennis), Wilson nPro Surge X (tennis), Wilson nPS 95 (tennis), Wilson nSix One Team 95 (68 holes) (tennis), Wilson nSix One Team 95 (76 holes) (tennis), Wilson nTour 105 (tennis), Wilson nTour 95 (tennis), Wilson nVision (tennis), and the Wilson Pro Staff Blitz (tennis).