PARIS, May 26 /PRNewswire/ — Dunlop Sports Group Americas announced today that James Blake has rejoined the Dunlop Tour Team, the most accomplished in tennis. Presently ranked # 8 in the world, Blake is the highest ranked American player to sign with Dunlop since John McEnroe in 1981. Adding to the excitement, Blake will be playing with a Dunlop frame at the French Open, his first tournament since re-signing and where Dunlop is the official ball supplier. Dunlop plans to unveil which one of its cutting-edge Aerogel racquets James Blake will play at the Wimbledon championships.

"I began my professional career at Dunlop, have played the best tennis of my career with a Dunlop frame and I am looking forward to calling Dunlop home again," said Blake. "The new Aerogel racquet technology provides several frame specifications that will suit my game well and give me the confidence to know that I can take my career to new heights."

Known for his speed and powerful forehand, Blake was first signed by Dunlop when he turned pro in 1999. He has won a total of 9 professional singles titles and finished 2006 at a career-high World #4. His unwillingness to accept defeat in the face of adversity and his charisma both on and off the court have made him a fan favorite.

"James has enormous talent, presence and respect on tour," said Neil Morton, CEO of Dunlop Sports Group Americas. "He epitomizes what Dunlop tennis is all about. We’re excited to have him back, and we know he’ll have continued success playing with Aerogel."

With Blake, Dunlop continues the strong momentum built behind its line of Aerogel racquets which has received a number of ‘best in class’ awards around the world. Aerogel is being played by an increasing number of top tour professionals and top junior players – its success made clear through record sales.

Dunlop Sports now boasts 4 players in the ATP top 12 — James Blake (8th), Tommy Robredo (9th), Tommy Haas (10th), and Tomas Berdych (12th) — all of them playing with the extraordinary technology of the new Dunlop Aerogel racquet.

About Dunlop Sports Group Americas

Dunlop Sports Group Americas, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dunlop Slazenger International, Ltd. is known worldwide by sports enthusiasts who value quality and performance in their sporting goods equipment. Headquartered in Greenville, SC, the company’s product line spans tennis racquets and tennis balls; squash racquets and balls; Carlton badminton racquets and shuttles; golf balls, golf accessories and golf clubs. International endorsers include tennis legend John McEnroe, world squash champion Jonathon Power and three- time world long-drive golf champion Sean Fister.

You are in love with the game of tennis and can not get enough of it. Starting off in school learning to play on basic gym equipment was the beginning-then in college you made sure that you took tennis as your required physical education classes.

The time has now come for you to get your own personal equipment and you want to get a tennis racket of your very own. To make a personal statement to everyone that you have come of age, are serious about this sport, and want to compete with your friends evenings and weekends.

What type of tennis racket are you going to purchase? They vary in length, weight, and head size, and you will need to figure out which one is the best for you. Think back to your beginnings playing this sport-what did you like or dislike about the different tennis rackets you used. This can be a starting point to begin narrowing down your choices.

A very important component for the tennis racket is the head size as the power behind your swings is directly affected. A larger head will give you with more power than a small head and also provides you with a larger hitting area making it a little easier to hit the ball. Generally speaking, a smaller racket head appeals to more accomplished players seeking more control, while larger rackets appeal to beginning and intermediate players seeking more power and a larger head.

They range in length from 27-29 inches with most people selecting the 27 inch ones. However, a longer handle provides more reach on ground strokes, adds leverage on serves, and slightly more power, than one with a standard length.

The weight has also been reduced making them lighter and easier to hold.
If you have friends or co-workers that also play, ask them about the type they use and why. They will enjoy talking to you about the sport and in providing you with information and advise. And, there is nothing more flattering than to ask someone for their opinion on a topic that they really enjoy and believe that they are an expert in.

Some of these people might even loan you some of their equipment so that you can try it out and find out whether or not you like it. No matter what your preference for a tennis racket is, you have to find the best one that meets your needs. This may even mean renting them and testing them out for a few games. This is probably the best way to have an opportunity to use many different types, styles, models and different manufacturers without spending a lot of money on ones that will just end up collecting dust in the closet.

Get out and play every weekend. The exercise is good, you will meet new people, and be out in the fresh air. This is much better than spending your weekend sitting in front of the television or going to the office to catch up on work.

Enjoy yourself, life is too short.

BERLIN: Former world number one Ivan Lendl revealed on Wednesday he does not have a single racket left from his playing career.   

The American of Czech origin told German magazine Stern that he has given away all of the rackets from a glittering career which saw him win 21 million dollars and 94 ATP tour titles.   

"I do not have any tennis racket left," said the 47-year-old, who retired in 1994.   

"I gave them all away. When I want to play, I have to borrow one."   

A lot of tennis fans now have 8-foot-tall souvenirs to remind them of the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Winston-Salem last weekend.

Because of that, Associated Artists of Winston-Salem and The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County will be sharing more than $10,000.

As part of the Davis Cup festivities, Associated Artists invited local artists and school children to turn 150 over-size tennis rackets made out of plywood into works of art to be displayed around Winston-Salem in the days leading up to the quarterfinals.

When it came time for the matches to begin, 88 rackets were taken to Joel Coliseum, where the Spanish and American teams competed, to be sold by silent auction.

People bought all 88. The highest price paid was $600 for Louise Pollard’s All the Dogs We’ve Loved Before. Around the head and handle, Pollard placed photographs that she took of 104 dogs. Some are dogs that she and her husband, Harold Pollard – who is a member of the Winston-Salem Organizing Committee – have owned over the years. Some belong to friends. Others are dogs she saw at the dog park at Washington Park or on the street and stopped to take a picture of.

"It was so much fun," Pollard said.

Thinking about how much dogs love to chase tennis balls gave her the idea, she said. She added a dog collar and custom-made giant dog tag to the racket’s handle.

Two rackets sold for $550 each – Tennis Star by Dennis Milsaps and Martha Harrington’s USA & Spain. A number of rackets, including ones by Gail Roberts and Sarah Simon, sold for $300 to $400.

Although many of the rackets are sticking around town, some are heading as far as California. Other new homes for the rackets include New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, Kansas and Iowa.

"A lot of people said they were going to give them heavy coats of polyurethane and put them outside," said Sharon Nelson, Associated Artists’ executive director. So racket yard art will be springing up across the country.

Nelson asked Judi Russell, Milton Rhodes and Ramelle Pulitzer to pick out some of the rackets for special recognition in such categories as "Top Serve" and "Good Volley." Among the people given awards were Karen Niemczyk, Sarah Simon, Kathryn Hensley, Spencer Newberry, Jessica Spear, Charli Tedder, Hayden Tedder, Callan Ramirez, Phoebe Lewis, the art students at Glenn High School, students from Forsyth Country Day School, the Top Cats and Miss Bristow’s class at Forest Park Elementary School, students from Union Cross Elementary School, students from Wiley Middle School, members of the Pottery Shed Craft Club and the class at Donna Caulder’s Art Studio.

Twenty-five percent – about $2,500 – of the money raised will go to the Arts Council. Associated Artists will receive about $7,500.

reported by SI.com

Everyone contemplates how another Pete Sampras vs. Roger Federer match would run (including Sampras) except Federer! Everyone’s intrigued, Sampras thinks he would hold his own. But when we talk about it, we discuss it as if Sampras were dead and the match is beyond the realm of possibility! He’s only 35! Theoretically, this hypothetical can be made a reality very easily, no? Why hasn’t anyone suggested they play an exhibition?
– Brad Uy, Honolulu, Hawaii

Good question and I think this match will, in fact, happen quite soon. The problem, if that’s the right word, is that neither Fed nor Sampras are money-hogs, and if you start to look at this from their perspective, it becomes less appealing. If Federer wins, so what? He’s beaten a man a decade his senior, who’s been in repose since 2002, whose feet were recently impaled when he stepped on his son’s train.

If Federer loses, it’s worse. The WTA is getting hammered regarding Serena Williams’ current success, indicting the quality of the rest of the field. Imagine: "Geez, this Federer cat is supposed to the best of all-time, and he can’t even beat a guy who hasn’t played an ATP match since ’02?"

Meanwhile, if Sampras loses and looks silly doing so, it’s still more dirt on the grave of his claims to being the G.O.A.T. If he wins, he’s thrilled but he might face questions about surface, a premature retirement, etc.

The way I see this working: Pick a fast surface, maybe even grass. Announce the proceeds will go to charity. Make transparently clear in the build-up and in the match itself that it’s an exhibition, more a duet than a duel. Maybe as a fun twist, Pete gets to play with Federer’s new racket and Federer has to play with Pete’s old-school Wilson. Federer wins but there are enough good points that the G.O.A.T. debate intensifies. Good for both guys. Good for tennis. Good for UNICEF.