I only played tennis with my father once. At that time, he wore a white T-shirt, white shorts that came to well above his mid-thighs, white shoes and white knee socks. In his defense, he was (and still is) in very good shape, and he pulled off the look much better than most of his contemporaries could have. Of course, the crowing glory to his ensemble was his wooden, circa 1975 tennis racquet. Its wooden frame and small, ovular head were in marked contrast to my racquet's metal frame and neon-colored polyester strings. However, that contrast now serves as an excellent example of the changes tennis racquets have undergone over the past few decades.

Tennis racquets have, in one form or another, been around for hundreds of years. Up until the late 1960s, most tennis racquets were made of laminated wood. At that time, the first steel racquets were introduced and popularized by Jimmy Connors, a top American tennis player of the era. A few years later, aluminum construction came on the market, which allowed for racquets of much lighter weight. As a result, "oversized" racquet heads were popular for the first time. Previously, racquet heads had been about 65 square inches in area. After the inception of the aluminum frame, heads jumped in size to approximately 110 square inches. Aluminum frames were followed by carbon fiber, ceramics, glass fiber, boron and titanium composites in the early 1980s. Since then, composite frames have become the industry standard.

While modern tennis racquets vary in length, weight and head size. Those for adults are usually about 27 inches in length, and they can weigh between eight and twelve ounces (without strings). The size of the head is a major determining factor in a racquet's capabilities. While a larger head allows for more power, a smaller one gives the player more precise control. Today, heads can vary from 90 to 137 square inches in area.

The strings are is another major area of racquet variability. On traditional tennis racquets, natural gut was the material of choice, and some modern racquets still use cow intestine. This material is actually considered by many to be the best for tennis racquet strings in terms of overall playability. However, natural gut strings break easily and are very expensive, which means that only professional tennis players tend to use them.

Synthetic gut, on the other hand, is widely used by amateurs and pros alike. It can be made from a variety of artificial materials, making it cheaper and easier to manufacture than the natural version. Strings made from synthetic gut are also more durable. The most popular synthetic strings are nylon. These strings have a tendency toward breakage and often come with wear-resistant coatings. Polyester is also common; these strings are fairly stiff and do not create as much power, which allows a player to better control the ball with a full swing. Kevlar is the stiffest and most durable of the synthetic materials. It is often used in conjunction with another material, as Kevlar by itself is too stiff for many players. All of these materials come in both "monofilament" and "multifilament" variations: the former means a string composed of a single, thick strand, the latter being a string made up of multiple, smaller strands.

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The popularity of the game of tennis is undisputed, and pretty much everyone with a faint idea of any kind of sports will be aware of this. However, while knowing about the game is a good thing, you might not have adequate knowledge to be able to buy the right kind of equipment in order to be ready to play the game effectively. Here a couple of places and tips related to the same so that you buy appropriate equipment and not simply invest in something that might not be useful for the kind of game that you are interested to play.

Buying it from a store

The traditional option that many people go in for is to buy it from a store. While this option holds good to get tennis racquets and other equipment needed for tennis, it is not particularly the most effective way of obtaining all the necessary tennis gear. You might be restricted only to the options that are in the store. Hence, if you want to get something different, you might have to go to another store and look for it. On the other hand, if you are looking only for particular gear, then you can go to a specific store to find it.

Buying it online

The other option that is quickly gaining prominence is to buy tennis equipment online. This option is being used by a lot of people today because it is the most convenient way to obtain pretty much anything that you want to buy. However, when it comes to buying online, there are a number of different parameters that you would have to look out for. It is a risky option, but not if you don't know the right website to look into. People that are often complaining about the online option are the ones that ended up in the wrong website.

Benefits of going to a reputed online store

When you do go into an online store, you have the advantage of only buying the right kind of gear. You will not have to restrict yourself to only certain manufacturers and you can take your pick from quite a lot of them. Additionally, there is no fear that you are buying something fake and the money you pay for will be for the real thing. Hence, the tennis racquets that bear the name of a certain brand are actually manufactured by that brand and not simply labels of that manufacturer.

It is quite clear that if you want to get a good deal, you would have to go online and look for it. After all, the benefits of doing so are quite a lot and you stand to gain a lot more from going in for this option. The other advantage is that you can also customize what you are buying and pretty much pick everything, right from tennis raquets to other kinds of tennis equipments at just one place. As long as you get a good website, you shouldn't have any issues trying to take your pick and obtain the kind of gear that you require.

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2009 would be the 1st Edition of this happening event as it emerged as a result of the merging of Next Generation Adelaide International and the Mondial Australia Women's Hardcourts. Like all other Open tennis championships, Brisbane International 2009 Championship will contains matches for Men's Singles, Women's Singles as well as Men's Doubles and Women's Doubles.

The full line-up for this event has already been announced which guarantees loads of excitement and thrill in the tournament. Millions of tennis fans are already enthusiastic to see former world No. 1, new rising stars as well as Grand Slam winners who will be competing for the prize money of 0,000 for women's line-up and 3,000 for men's line-up.

The Brisbane International is an elimination tennis tournament where the contestants will compete against each other to decide those who make it to the final. Some of the prominent names in the men's line-up include the following:

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Petsonga from France has a world's no. 6 ranking and earned a win in the Australian Open 2008 Championship by defeating some of the most top ranked tennis players.

Marcos Baghdatis – Marcos Baghdatis from Cyprus, Greece is currently ranked No. 98 on the ATP rankings and is a professional tennis player. He was the runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open championship and was also the semifinalist at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships.

Mardy Fish – Mardy Fish from Minnesota is an American tennis player, and is one of the youngest tennis players. He has shown his talents in different tennis tournaments such as the 2006 Wimbledon Championship, 2007 Australian Open and US Open 2008.

Novak Djokovic – Novak Djokovic from Serbia will be defending his trophy which he won at the Australian Open in January 2008. He is considered to be one of the most dangerous tennis players and this is what makes this championship more thrilling. He will have tough games with Nadal and Federer, making tennis exciting this summers for Australians as well as millions of tennis fans worldwide.

The important names worth mentioning in the women's line up include the following:

Ana Ivanovic – One of the most fierce female tennis players, Ana Ivanovic from Serbia is a former World No. 1 and also the runner up in tennis singles at the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open. Her participation in Australian Open 2009 is something which all tennis fans are looking forward to.

Daniela Hantuchova – Daniela Hantuchova from Czechoslovakia is another professional tennis player who is currently ranked as World No. 19 in singles.

Na Li – Na Li is a professional Chinese tennis player and has been a source of pride to her country's history. She has won several singles titles and achieved a highest ranking of No. 16 to date.

Samantha Stosur – Samantha Stosur from Australia is a former top 30 player who recently came back in the world of tennis after her illness. Brisbane International will be her first scheduled tournament, making it even more exciting for her and all her fans.

With its start studded line-up, this years Brisbane International Championship is sure to enthral the hearts of millions of tennis fan worldwide.

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I can still remember being a young boy hanging around in the warehouse of my fathers sporting goods business one afternoon and testing out a new tennis ball machine sample he was evaluating.  It was a simple twist style machine that looked like a mini spiral staircase.  As a little kid I was fascinated with the spiral loading action and the small "pop" lever at the end that would pop the tennis balls into the air.  I never used it on the court but it sure kept me entertained that afternoon.  Well tennis ball machines have come a long way since then.  The basic idea still remains strong but new technology allows them to offer a much more challenging practice and while nothing can replace a human opponent to test your skills in a real game, ball machines are by far the best choice for honing your skills on the court.

From 0 to 00 and more tennis ball machines come in a range of styles.  Some machines are designed for personal use while others are true work horses designed for commercial use.  What it really comes down to is their capabilities and quite frankly you get what you pay for.  Lets take a look at a few popular styles and compare their capabilities.  We will start at the bottom of the list and work our way up to the top of the line.

The Lobster Economy Ball Bucket is a well equipped ball machine capable of performance found in machines costing hundreds of dollars more.  It features all of the quality design features of the ball bucket above except it only fires the ball at one location repeatedly.  Weighs only 28 lbs, holds 50 balls and offers ball speed from 15 to 60 mph with shot intervals of 3, 6 or 12 seconds.  You can add an optional spin adapter to this model for a little more moola that will make it more realistic but for a price tag under 0 you can't go wrong with this durable little machine.

The Lobster Tournament Model Ball Machine with its random dual oscillation strikes eight spots on the court without the need for stopping to make adjustments.  This machine can give you short and deep shots to keep the practice lively and by moving you both horizontally and vertically this machine not only simulates real match play, but also provides you with a serious aerobic and/or anaerobic workout.  Weighs only 32 lbs, holds 150 balls and offers ball speeds of 15-70 mph with shot intervals of 3, 6, 12 seconds.  You can also buy a spin adapter for this model and you can buy a wireless remote option that is installed at the factory.  This model comes with a price tag that is affordable but notably higher than the economy model above at around 0 retail.

The baseline machine with a ton of features rolled into it would be the Tennis Tutor Tennis Tower.  The manufacturer claims this model was designed for the home court owner but I have to tell you these features would give a tennis pro a great workout.  Here's the basic feature list…

Speed ranges from 10 MPH to 85 MPH. Spin is adjustable from heavy under spin, to flat, to heavy topspin (except Competitor Classic). Ball Feed (interval) control adjusts the time between shots from 1-1/2 to 8 seconds. Trajectory is adjustable between groundstroke and lob. Random oscillator. All-in-one control panel. 225 ball capacity.

This model machine comes in a couple of flavors the Professional Player model features what Sports Tutor calls the Player mode.  Player mode is worth every penny as it actually simulates the shot patterns of real players.  You can read more about this at morleyathletic.com just check out the tennis ball machine section of their comprehensive online catalog.  You get all of these features for under 00 which if you consider the longevity and capabilities of this machine is a bargain.

For the aspiring tennis pro or the tennis team that wants to stay at the top of their game the Tennis Tutor Shotmaker® is the ball machine you have been dreaming about.  This is the same machine used at the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Training Center in Florida.

The Tennis Tutor Shotmaker® gives you tons of features, here is the short list.

Spin is adjustable from heavy under spin, to flat, to heavy topspin. Interval control adjusts the time between shots from one second to six seconds. Trajectory is adjustable between groundstroke and lob Random and programmable oscillator functions. 300 ball capacity. A single electronic panel controls all functions of the Shotmaker. It is conveniently located at the back of the machine about waist level to allow operation in a natural standing position. You can easily dial-in the tennis shots you want while observing the entire court in front of you. Four oversized caster wheels for easy rolling on and off the court. A protective all-weather cover is included with each machine to protect your investment. A see-through, high-impact plastic cover provides extra protection for the control panel. The Shotmaker's case is made of high-impact injection-molded plastic and powder-coated aluminum for strength and rust resistance. The electric motors are all commercial grade and maintenance free.

If you want all of these features be prepared to hand over some serious clams.  The Tennis Tutor Shotmaker® comes in at just under 50.

As you can see your options are many but in this writers lowly opinion if you want to be the next big name in tennis, ball machines are not optional.  A human counterpart simply can't offer the kind of practice that a ball machine can.  Tennis ball machines are at your beckoning call 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  That's dedication.

To find a complete selection of tennis ball machines and all of your other athletic needs go to www.morleyathletic.com.

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A Review of theO3 speedport White Midplus Tennis Racquet. Purchase this racquet at www.tennisexpress.com

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With Wimbledon still a few months away you may be starting to miss your annual tennis fix but fear not, this sport can still be found in many tournaments and training camps throughout the world. If you really want to experience tennis at its best a visit to Dubai this year is a must. Dubai hosts some of the best facilities for tennis in the world and the city offers a multitude of places where you can learn, watch and play this fun sport in the company of other passionate tennis fans.

If Andy Murray’s dazzling displays have given you the tennis bug you can learn your own moves at the Dubai tennis academy which regularly offers training programs for every level of play. If you’re a keen player you could opt to join one of the summer camps or simply take a week long course to help you improve your game. World class coaches are on hand to help perfect your backhand and polish your serve and, with a small coach to player ratio, you will never be far from your experienced trainer. If you do get into the competitive spirit the academy offers beginner’s tournaments where you can test your new found skills against others with the glorious Dubai weather promising to quash any threat of the Wimbledon rain.

If all that exercise is wearing you a little thin then you can easily put your feet up and turn spectator at the Dubai Tennis Championship. At this time of year some of the world’s best tennis will be on display during the championship as the line up promises some of the biggest and best tennis talent around, with all the major players set to make an appearance. The tournament takes place at the impressive Dubai Tennis Stadium and, in its 18th year, promises to be a nail biting experience for fans. After his unlucky defeat to Rodger Federer at the Australian open, Scots favourite Andy Murray is bound to be primed and ready to take the top spot during the Dubai championship, after withdrawing for last year’s tournament the young star’s matches will certainly be a must have ticket for any fan.

If you need a break from the tennis and you’re on the hunt for some relaxation and luxury during your holiday Dubai has a multitude of spas, beaches and hotels where you can rest your weary muscles and recuperate in time for your next match. The famousHotel Burj al Arab Dubai is the hotel of choice for the tennis stars but there are plenty of impressive hotels and guesthouses that will cater for any budget. No matter where and when you visit Dubai offers tennis fans some of the best coaching and tournaments throughout this year.

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Top 10 of the worst clothes weared by tennis players

www.myspace.com So I got this box from Tenniswarehouse, but the thing is I don't remember ordering anything off their site! To my surprise I got free clothes because they saw the video of me on Youtube opening one of their boxes containing my purchased Reebok Pumps. (youtube.com They loved it so I guess I got free clothes. This is what the letter said: Iran, After watching your video log on Youtube, all of us here at Tennis warehouse would like to thank you for your enthusiasm about us, and your passion for the sport of tennis. We are delighted to see that our products brightened your day as your video did just that for what would have been another ordinary Tuesday here at the office. So, thank you again, keep ballin; and here are some gifts for you. I am going to go download that Elliot Yamin song now. Take Care! Sincerely, Your friends at TW

Are you a Rafael Nadal or Andy Roddick fan? If you are, it is quite probable you know that both these players use Babolat racquets. And if you are into the game yourself and have always dreamed of slinging the ball over the net with a powerful shot like your favorite star you might consider buying a Babolat racquet. However, the range of racquets brought into the market by the French sports' goods manufacturer can bewilder even a pro. So what do you do if you are stumped by the variety offered on the shelf? The best would be to consult a player but that's not within the reach of most of us. Thus, the easiest and best way to select your bat would be to read Babolat tennis racquet reviews, which are easily available over the Internet.

Babolat offers a range of racquets for players of all skill levels. The company has a junior range for beginners, a recreational range, an intermediate line followed by racquets for advanced and professional players. However, Babolat tennis racquet reviews are generally available for the advanced and expert segments as these racquets are more expensive and people buying them would like to get the maximum value for money, which in this case means an improved game.

In this review we will take a look at three racquets. Let's take a sneak peak at Babolat AeroPro Drive first. This racquet made famous by its user Rafael, can help add the X factor to your game if you've been playing for quite sometime and hope to turn pro. Weighing nearly 11 ounce, this lightweight racquet will give you all the control and manoeuvrability that you've always desired. The unmatched head velocity and spin that this bat will add to your game will certainly make heads turn to your side as your opponent fails to equal your powerful forehand and backhand strokes.

Next is the 27in Babolat Pure Drive. A must have for any real performer, at 11 ounce this racquet generates good speed and gives great stability and control. A 100 sq. in head makes sure that you collect the ball and send it spinning across to your opponent. Effective for slice shots, the racquet has been strung at 50-57 pounds and the tension can be increased to 65 pounds for better control. Great manoeuvrability and great performance.

And finally the Babolat Pure Drive Plus, the model used by Andy Roddick. This piece gives you more power, making your game easier. The 1/2 inch extra length added to Pure Drive forces players using Pure Drive Plus to adjust to swinging the bat earlier. However, the control, the spin and extra power on serves gives Pure Drive Plus at least four stars on five.

Thus, I would advice all tennis aficionados to go through some Babolat tennis racquet reviews before you hit the sports' goods store near you to pick the right tennis racquet for yourself.

The Babolat Pure Drive Cortex 107 Tennis Racquet has finally received the GT upgrade. The Babolat Pure Drive GT 107 Tennis Racquet has a large sweet spot and greater maneuverability, staying true to the Pure Drive line. The racquet has a slightly bigger pop than the older version and features the new GT material, which will help with the stability of the frame. Within the throat, the Cortex system is back to dampen the vibrations to enhance the feel. The Woofer technology on the side of the racquet frame acts as suspension to absorb unwanted vibrations and shock that could hurt the hand of the player. You can purchase this racquet at: www.tennisexpress.com

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