August 2019 – Page 2

Keds Tennis Shoes Are What The Pros Wear

Posted on August 16, 2019 by blogger

I have been playing tennis since I was a young boy in New York. I grew up near Flushing which is where the U.S. Open is played every summer. I went to the 1998 U.S. Open and was watched the players and noticed how well they got around the court. Naturally, I looked at what they were wearing on their feet! To my surprise, most of them were wearing Keds.

I knew that Keds were around for what it seems to be forever, but I had no idea that they made tennis shoes. I actually ran into a tennis pro at the U.S. Open and asked him about his shoes. He said that all of his players wear Keds for many reasons. He said that they are the lightest tennis shoe out there. Realize, when you are on the court, every inch matters, so if you can get to the ball just a split second quicker, it could be the difference between hitting a winner down the line, or barely missing. He also told me that they are the best for sole support.

The feet are the second most important body part when you are playing tennis, because if you can’t move around well, you won’t get to any ball. Lastly, he said that they are one of the most comfortable shoes out there, which is good since you normally play for hours and hours. I then went to the store and picked out a pair of Keds tennis shoes. I was totally in love with them. I never played with such ease until I got them. My feet didn’t even hurt after a long three set match.

My favorite Keds shoe, which I have used for now for the past five years, is the Keds Tennis LTT. It is a great shoe for tennis, but I can also where it in my normal wardrobe. It is made out of leather, but surprisingly, your feet can breathe very well in them. It has a special cotton layer on the sole which provides extra comfort. There is extra support in the heel due to a specially designed heel cup. Lastly, the outer sole is one hundred percent rubber gives excellent traction. I play on hard courts primarily and these are great for stopping on a dime and able to get back to the center of the court.

I stand by my assertion that Keds are the best tennis shoe out there, and they are very affordable at fewer than forty dollars a pair.

How To Get A Tennis Ticket For Wimbledon

Posted on August 13, 2019 by blogger

Wimbledon has to be the top tennis tournament in the world, and every day they sell out, so wouldnt you like to know how the people who get in manage to get Wimbledon Tickets?

There are a number of ways that it is possible to get a Wimbledon ticket and hopefully this article will help you.

The first thing to do is to join a Tennis Club, and make sure it is LTA Affiliated, because Tennis Clubs that are LTA affiliated have an annual allocation of Wimbledon tickets for Club members.

Dont just join and pay the subscription, instead get yourself known at the Club, especially the Hon Secretary and that will dramatically improve your chances of getting a ticket!

Another way is to become a member of the Lawn Tennis Association Advantage Club [LTA], before the middle of February. As an Adult member your chances of coming up with tickets for either Centre Court, Court 1, or Court 2, are about one in five. The family leader in a Family membership has two chances in five of coming up in the ballot, and you are entered automatically.

The Ballot is held at the beginning of March and you need to be a member of the LTA Advantage Club before the middle of February, and there are literally thousands of show court tickets available if you get lucky. There are other benefits at Wimbledon including a Dining Room for Advantage Members only, that can be pre-booked. Check out the LTA website.

YOU NEED TO BE AWARE THAT TICKETS ARE STRICTLY NON-TRANSFERRABLE AND MUST NOT BE SOLD OR ADVERTISED FOR SALE ANYWHERE, UNLESS THE TICKETS ARE MARKED DEBENTURE.

Tickets are also allocated to the members of the British Schools Tennis Association (BSTA).

The All England Lawn Tennis Club itself has a ballot system, which has been running for over 80 years, and this is another way for the public to apply for tickets.

You need however to realize that demand always exceeds supply, and there is a strict deadline. Go to the Wimbledon website for details.

Next way is that you could queue outside the All England Club, and this is what thousands of people do every day during Wimbledon. There are about 500 tickets for Centre Court and Court One, and 500 for Court Two available to the public on a first come first serve basis, except the last four days on Centre Court and Court One.

This could mean queueing from as early as six oclock in the evening, and it is possible to see a queue of people with tents and sleeping bags from late in the afternoon. The earlier you are prepared to queue the better your chances are.

Finally, there is ebay, the National Newspapers Classified Ads, and even the chance to have lunch with John McEnroe or Boris Becker at a hefty premium. Just ensure the tickets you are buying, which will be extremely expensive, are Debenture tickets otherwise you may not get in.

Wimbledon of all the Grand Slam tournaments is really the Ultimate for Tennis fans and players, so go get a ticket for next year.

If you want to check out a new game with is exciting, has all the shots that make a great tennis match then go to http://www.travel-tennis.com

Artificial Grass For Tennis

Posted on August 11, 2019 by blogger

Tennis is recognized as a popular international sport, with players from different parts of the world. It is widely known to be amongst the plethora of major league sports such as baseball and football. The one thing that these distinguished sports have in common, are the different types of playing fields the athletes play on. Artificial grass or synthetic grass is just one of the few types of playing fields. Tennis courts can range from clay, hard, carpet, or grass. Back in the day, professional athletes played on grass courts, which were first introduced. These grass courts need consistent mowing and watering, which consequently, are more expensive to maintain. The most ideal solution to its expensive maintenance is to go with artificial turf.

In addition to the inexpensiveness of artificial turf, it can withstand a long period of use. Unlike natural grass, artificial grass can last for a lifetime, and requires a lot less maintenance than natural grass. No need for watering or mowing consistently, which results in paying less for water usage. Another advantage of artificial turf is that it is exceptionally accessible for anyone to use, not just for professional athletes. The wear and tear of synthetic grass would not be as significantly worn out as it would be on natural grass. In that case, even the most novices of players can practice, without having to worry about ruining the surface.

An additional benefit to synthetic turf is the upkeep of your own tennis shoes, especially if you play regularly. With synthetic grass, your tennis shoes would not get dirty from the soil, or retain any grass stains. This means longer lasting tennis shoes that can accumulate more “miles” of playing time. Furthermore, synthetic turf has the ability to drastically dry faster than that of natural grass. Artificial grass does not absorb the water after it has rained and has a good drainage system. Even after morning dew, or after long periods of rain, you will be able to play almost instantly. That also means you will be able to play all year long without having to be concerned about the after effects of poor weather conditions.

The most common tennis courts to be played on are hard courts because of their hard surface and the feel of the court compared to that of the other surfaces. Many tennis players prefer hard courts because of the characteristics of how the ball reacts to the floor. When the ball hits the surface to the player of the opposing side, they can accurately estimate the time and speed it gets to them. The other types of surfaces are harder to estimate, and the ball gets to the other player slower, resulting in slower reaction time. A huge plus with synthetic grass is that it can mimic the characteristics of hard courts. Those characteristics are the grip of the surface, the natural feel underneath your foot, and the reaction time. There are many types of synthetic turf that can accommodate to your own specific needs on the tennis court, which is why artificial grass is the perfect substitute.

Tennis Racquets

Posted on August 9, 2019 by blogger

The parts of a tennis racquet are the head, rim, face, neck,butt/butt cap, handle, and strings.

Modern tennis racquets vary in length, weight, and head size. 21″ to 26″ is normally a junior’s length, while 27″ or 27.5″ are for stronger and taller adult players. Weights of a racquet also vary between 8 ounces (230 g) unstrung and 12.5 ounces (350 g) strung. Racquets originally flared outward at the bottom of the handle to prevent slipping. The rounded bottom was called a bark bottom after its inventor Matthew Barker. But by 1947 this style became superfluous. Head size also plays a role in a racquet’s qualities. A larger head size generally means more power, and a larger “sweet spot” that is more forgiving on off-center hits. A smaller head size offers more precise control. Current racquet head sizes vary between 88 sq. inches and 137 sq. inches, with most players adopting one from 95-105 sq. inches.

Throughout most of tennis’ history, racquets were made of laminated wood, with heads of around 65 square inches. In the late 1960s, Wilson produced the T2000 steel racquet with wire wound around the frame to make string loops. It was popularized by the top American player Jimmy Connors. In 1975, aluminum construction allowed for the introduction of the first “oversized” racquet, which was manufactured by Weed. Prince popularized the oversize racquet, which had a head size of approximately 110 square-inches and opened the door for the introduction of racquets having other non-standard head sizes such as midsize (90 square inches) and mid-plus size (95 square inches). In the early 1980s, “graphite” (carbon fibre) composites were introduced, and other materials were added to the composite, including ceramics, glassfibre, boron, and titanium. The Dunlop Max200G used by John McEnroe from 1983 was an early graphite racquet, along with the very popular Prince “Original” Graphite. Composite racquets are the contemporary standard.

Longer racquets were introduced by Dunlop in order to give additional reach for shots such as the serve and volley where shorter players may be at a disadvantage. Midsize or mid-plus racquets are the general standard for professional players.

Stringing (material, pattern, tension) is an important factor in the performance of a tennis racquet. A few elite players use natural gut, but the vast majority of strings are a nylon or polyester synthetic. Some (American champion Pete Sampras is a prominent example) consider the natural string to be more responsive, providing a better “feel”, but synthetic is favored for its much superior durability, consistency, as well as much lower cost. String pattern (the vertical/horizontal grid) is a function of the racquet head size and design. A tighter pattern is considered to deliver more precise control; a more “open” pattern to offer greater potential for power and spin. Modern racquets are marked with a recommended string tension range. The basic rule is that a lower tension creates more power (from a “trampoline” effect) and a higher string tension creates more control (the less ‘trampoline effect’ the more predictable the power and angle of the departure from the string bed.)

Double strung tennis racquets were introduced in 1977 and then banned because they permitted excessive spin. A modern version of a legal double strung racquet has been introduced.

Collecting Tennis Autographs By Mail

Posted on August 6, 2019 by blogger

Whether you are a fan of tennis or you simply enjoy collecting sports autographs, sending your requests through the mail will save you both time and money. Because the majority of sports also have a Hall of Fame that recognizes its most outstanding players, many fans have found great success in requesting autographs in their care. Tennis, like most other popular sports, has a Hall of Fame that features inductees from past to present.

If you would like to send an autograph request, be sure to include your return address in the upper left hand corner of the envelope and also include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) with enough postage for your signed item to be returned. Below is a list of all living inductees of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, along with the mailing address in which to send your requests.

Mailing Address:
International Tennis Hall of Fame
194 Bellevue Ave.
Newport, RI 02840

Inductees:
Anderson, Malcolm
Austin, Tracy
Becker, Boris
Behr, Karl
Betz (Addie), Pauline
Borg, Bjorn
Brough (Clapp), Louise
Buchholz, Earl
Bueno, Maria
Cahil, Mabel
Casals, Rosie (Rosemary)
Chatrier, Philippe
Cheney, Dorothy
Clerici, Gianni
Collins, Arthur
Connors, James
Cooper, Ashley
Courier, Jim
Court Smith, Margaret
Cullman, Joseph
Douglass Lambert Chambers, Dorothea
duPont, Margaret
Durr, Francoise
Edberg, Stefan
Emerson, Roy
Evert, Christine
Falkenburg, Robert
Fraser, Neale
Fry-Irvin, Shirley
Goolagong Cawley, Evonne
Graf, Steffi
Hard, Darlene
Hart, Doris
Haydon Jones, Adrianne
Hewitt, Robert
Hunt, Lamar
Jacobs, Helen
Kelleher, Robert
King, Billie Jean
Kodes, Jan
Kramer, Jack
Larsen, Arthur
Laver, Rod
Lendl, Ivan
Mako, Constantine
Mandlikova, Hana
Martin, Alastair
McEnroe, John
McGregor, Ken
McMillian, Frew
McNeill, William
Mortimer Barett, Florence
Mulloy, Gardnar
Nastase, Ilie
Navratilova, Martina
Newcombe, John
Noah, Yannick
Novotna, Jana
Olmedo, Alejandro
Patty, John
Pietrangeli, Nicola
Rafter, Patrick
Ralston, Richard
Richards, Vincent
Richey, Nancy
Riggs, Robert
Roche, Anthony
Rose, Mervyn
Rosewall, Kenneth
Sabatini, Gabriela
Santana, Manuel
Savitt, Richard
Sedgnam, Frank
Segura Caano, Francisco
Seixas, Elias
Shriver, Pam
Smith, Stanley
Stolle, Fredrick
Tingay, Lance
Tinling, Cuthbert
Tobin, Brian
Trabert, Tony
Turner Bowrey, Lesley
Van Ryn, John
Vilas, Guillermo
Von Cramm, Gottfried
Wade, Sarah
Wilander, Mats
Wood, Sidney
Wrenn, Robert

Now that you know who to write to and where to send the letter, its time to consider what type of autograph you want to request. Many fans simply ask their favorite tennis player to send a signed photo, but others get more creative with sending their own tennis memorabilia to be signed. One popular example is a tennis ball, which can be shipped inexpensively and will make for a terrific addition to any autograph collection. Some fans also prefer to send blank index cards, t-shirts, trading cards, amateur photos that they have taken of their favorite tennis star or other sports-related memorabilia.

Its important to note that many tennis players are more than willing to accommodate their fans with autograph requests. It is equally important that, due to time and scheduling, tennis fans be patient with their favorite athlete(s) who are always on the go and receive a lot of fan mail. There is no way to guarantee who will or will not sign autographs, but a kindly worded letter, a SASE and sending one or two items to be signed will greatly increase the chances of success. Its a good idea to never send more than two items to be autographed and always be polite in your request. Happy collecting!