Daily Racquet

The Wilson K-Blade Slam

The Wilson K Blade Team is the weapon of choice for both Serena and Venus Williams as they face off  today in the 2009 Women's Singles Final.

The K Blade Team creates exceptional feel with the 104 square inch head-size which provides a large sweetspot while the sub 11 ounce weight offers tremendous maneuverability. From the baseline, the 27.3 inches frame length offers more leverage when looking for some extra pop on deep shots or pass shots yet at the same time, the racquet is very maneuverable when hitting short, angled shots with plenty of spin. The string-bed provides a generous sweetspot, which combines with the light weight mobility for a forgiving response at net. There is plenty of punch offered making it easy to put away volleys. This racquet lets you serve 'em up almost effortlessly, with a combination of power and placement.

Overall, a good racquet choice for the player looking for some added power, feel and maneuverability or perhaps, a Grand Slam trophy.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Andy vs. Andy: Lacoste vs. Perry

When Andy Roddick and Andy Murray take the court in their semi-final Wimbledon matchup —  both will be wearing throw backs to the old-school glamour of tennis style and sporting labels of former Wimbledon champions as they try to create a little history of their own.

Andy Roddick  will sport the famous Crocodile logo in honor of Jean René Lacoste.

Lacoste, known as the Crocodile, won Wimbledon and the U.S. twice, the French three times and became a member of the Four Musketeers, the scourges of the tennis world in the 1920s. He was in the World Top Ten six straight years from 1324, No. 1 in 1926-27.

Lacoste was a self-made champion, a player who won world renown through sheer hard work and devoted application rather than through the benefit of natural talent. It's seems only fitting that Roddick, another hard-working and devoted player, is wearing this label today.

Across the net, Andy Murray will sport the equally famous Fred Perry laurel wreath logo.

Perry, Britain's greatest tennis player was born in May 1909. In celebration of the centenary year of Perry's birth, Murray's Wimbledon outfits have combined elements of the classic Fred Perry look from the 1950s and 1960s — white shorts, a bit shorter than shorts we've seen the past few years, collared shirt and a cable knit sweater, all bearing the Fred Perry laurel wreath that has been the company’s logo since 1952, and Murray’s initials.

Murray, who won his first grass tournament at Queen's Cup, is the world No 3 and goes into the Wimbledon Championships as the highest ranked British tennis player since Perry, who won three Wimbledon singles titles from 1934-36.

Andy and Andy, trying to rewrite tennis history in a class all their own.

For more information go to lacoste.com or fredperry.com.

Roger Federer Sets Gold Standard At Wimbledon

Roger Federer is setting the gold standard at Wimbledon as he reached a record-setting seventh straight Wimbledon final and is on the cusp of breaking Pete Sampras’ all-time Grand Slam record of 15.

Roger has taken control of the courts wearing the Nike Men's Fall Athlete Woven Shorts — the gold accent stripe combined with the classic style, give Roger a clean, understated look as he walks on court. These flat front shorts feature an elasticized back with terry lining, snap and hook closures in front, and a zipper fly. The short has mesh-lined side pockets with mesh insets on the inner legs for ventilation, and of course, the Nike Swoosh and tennis court logos.

For a perfect match on top, Roger has gone with the classy white and gold Nike Men's Fall Court Polo — the polo shirt features Dri-FIT fabrics with a subtle herringbone-embossed texture and gold ‘RF’ monogram logo. Additional features include a two-tone self-fabric collar, three-button placket, tonal embossed stripe on front, and body-mapped venting along spine. The traditional Nike tonal tennis court label is on front left hem and with an embroidered Swoosh on left chest.

Roger Federer's shoe of choice, the Vapor VI Tour are greatly improved with increased upper durability and support in this newest version. Most impressively, Nike has incorporated improvements into the Air Zoom Vapor VI upper without sacrificing the speed like feel and comfortable ride. Built on a contour, speed fit last, the Air Zoom Vapor VI wraps the foot for glove-like support. All in all an impressive shoe, not just for Roger but for anyone who's serious his footwork.

When great style meets versatility and makes for a unique look that's sure to make you a legend on the courts.

Available at Tennis Warehouse.

Serena Williams Stylish Nike Women's Athlete Court Dress Takes Her To The Finals

Serena Williams has always had an on-court style and presence all her own — her unmatched strength and athleticism on the court is balanced with a striking fashion design in everything she wears.

Her choice of fashion at the during her run to the finals of the 2009 Wimbledon Championships has been no different — the Nike Women's Fall Athlete Court  Dress Serena has been wearing boasts classic tennis elegance mixed soft tailoring. The beauty of this dress is in the simplicity, but viewed up close it has extreme attention to detail. The flattering V-neck and the curved hemline add sophistication, while the built-in support bra and mesh racer back provide the performance modern players need. A drop waist elongates the torso, and the bottom hem features a small bustle with mesh box pleats at the back of the dress. There are saddle stitched seams strategically placed throughout to ensure a great fit. The dress also features a tonal tennis court label on front left hem and an embroidered Swoosh on left chest.

This classic tennis dress is will add some elegance to your game without compromising performance.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Calling All Roger Federer Tennis Fans: Get The New Wimbledon RF Gold Monogram Hat and T-Shirt

Calling all Roger Federer fans and tennis collectors alike — support Roger's historical run at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships — with a Gold RF monogram hat or t-shirt.

The Roger Federer monogram hats have been one of the most sought after tennis items on the market. As soon as a new color —  hits the market, fans worldwide grab them up. Each hat features the monogram of Roger Federer embroidered on the face of the hat. Dri-Fit fabrication and the mesh insert around the head helps to control moisture and wick away perspiration. A velcro strap makes this hat adjust to fit most people.

The RF monogram cotton tee features a ribbed V-neck, screened RF  logo, and a screened Swoosh on  the left sleeve. The shirt is available in black and white, white and black and white and blue.

Add a touch of history to your game when you sport one of these  classy hats or tees.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Roger Federer and Andy Murray Kick Off 2009 Wimbledon In Retro Style

Wimbledon and fashion have always been closely linked. In 1949 at the Championships, it was 'Gorgeous’ Gussie Morgan who caused a bit of a stir with her lace-trimmed panties. At the 2009 Championships, Roger Federer and Andy Murray both looked stunning as they modeled their specially made Wimbledon outfits — throw backs to the old-school glamour of tennis style.

Federer, who loves the traditions of the game, has always worn something different at Wimbledon courtesy of his official outfitter, Nike. Today, his eye-catching outfit included long trousers, a stylish jacket with the collar turned up and a gold "RF" logo on the left chest and, underneath that, a fitted waistcoat, all in white.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray made a fashion statement of his own with his retro Fred Perry sportswear. In celebration of the centenary year of Fred Perry's birth, Murray's outfit combines elements of the classic Fred Perry look from the 1950s and 1960s — white shorts, a bit shorter than shorts we've seen the past few years, collared shirt and a cable knit sweater, all bearing the Fred Perry laurel wreath that has been the company’s logo since 1952, and Murray’s initials.

Murray, who won his first grass tournament at Queen's Cup last week, is the world No 3 and goes into the Wimbledon Championships as the highest ranked British tennis player since Perry, who won three Wimbledon singles titles from 1934-36.

These two top players have created a great way to embrace tradition with their style, let's see which one can do it with their game.

For more information go to Nike.com and FredPerry.com.

Support Roger Federer and Unicef With "Federer-Bear" Beanie Baby

Show your support for Roger Federer, and help support UNICEF at the same time through the purchase of the "Federer-Bear" Beanie Baby. The "Federer-Bear," a take-home version of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and 2009 French Open Champion Roger Federer, is an official Ty Beanie Baby produced exclusively for the ATP by Ty.

Proceeds from the sale of each bear will benefit the "ACE" program (Assisting Children Everywhere), a global partnership between the ATP and UNICEF to help ensure health, education and protection of children around the world.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Wilson K Factor Kobra Tour Racquet Gives You A Lethal Advantage

Don't let the sleek design of the Wilson Kobra Team FX fool you. Just like its namesake, the King Cobra, the largest and most venomous snake in the world — put in the right hands, the new Wilson Kobra can be equally as quick and lethal.

The racquet was created with the new generation of aggressive tournament players in mind and offers plenty of power, spin, and control — a deadly weapon that can strike an opponent from anywhere on the court.

In addition to the cool blue color, one of the first things you'll notice first about this racquet is the new Quad Shaft—large cutouts in the racquet’s throat. Quad Shaft means the throat of the racket has four shafts instead of the conventional two, which ultimately means more stability. This technology provides the racket with 23% more torsional stability and more evenly distributed mass resulting in more control.

The racquet comes at a moderately high strung weight of 11.5 ounces, allowing for momentum behind every shot with a solid feel and a generous sweetspot. The 16x19 open string pattern makes the Kobra Tour spin friendly.  From the baseline the Kobra Tour offers plenty of stability, even on off-center hits. The swingweight makes it easy to generate racquet head speed to get some oomph into the serves and volleys seemed a snap.

Overall, this racquet offers a good combination of power and control and is a solid choice for those looking to add a lethal advantage to their game.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played

Next week tennis superstars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as they continue their quests for Grand Slam glory, but even their epic battles can't compare to the one between America's Don Budge and Germany's Gottfried von Cramm in their 1937 Davis Cup match, the subject of Marshall Jon Fisher's captivating new book, A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played.

This deciding Davis Cup match, played on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon, was a battle of titans: the world's number one tennis player against the number two; America against Germany; democracy against fascism. For five superhuman sets, the duo’s brilliant shotmaking kept the Centre Court crowd–and the world–spellbound. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the brink of World War II, one man played for the pride of his country while the other played for his life. Budge, the humble hard-working American who would soon become the first man to win all four Grand Slam titles in the same year, vied to keep the Davis Cup out of the hands of the Nazi regime. On the other side of the net, the immensely popular and elegant von Cramm fought Budge point for point knowing that a loss might precipitate his descent into the living hell being constructed behind barbed wire back home.

Born into an aristocratic family, von Cramm was admired for his devastating good looks as well as his unparalleled sportsmanship. But he harbored a dark secret, one that put him under increasing Gestapo surveillance. And his situation was made even more perilous by his refusal to join the Nazi Party or defend Hitler. Desperately relying on his athletic achievements and the global spotlight to keep him out of the Gestapo’s clutches, his strategy was to keep traveling and keep winning. A Davis Cup victory would make him the toast of Germany. A loss might be catastrophic.

Set at a time when sports and politics were inextricably linked, A Terrible Splendor gives readers a courtside seat on that fateful day, moving gracefully between the tennis match for the ages and the dramatic events leading Germany, Britain, and America into global war. A book like no other in its weaving of social significance and athletic spectacle, this soul-stirring account is ultimately a tribute to the strength of the human spirit.

Available online at Amazon.com.

Roger Federer Tennis Fans: Get Your RF Monogram Hat and T-Shirt

Calling all Roger Federer fans and tennis collectors alike — celebrate Roger's historical win at the 2009 French Open — with a RF monogram hat or t-shirt.

For the past year, the Roger Federer monogram hats have been one of the most sought after tennis items on the market. As soon as a new color — white and blue — hits the market, fans worldwide grab them up. Each hat features the monogram of Roger Federer embroidered on the face of the hat. Dri-Fit fabrication and the mesh insert around the head helps to control moisture and wick away perspiration. A velcro strap makes this hat adjust to fit most people.

And now, for the first time ever, you can get a RF monogram T-shirt. This comfortable cotton tee features a ribbed V-neck, screened RF  logo, and a screened Swoosh on the left sleeve. The shirt is available in black and white, white and black and white and blue.

Add a touch of history to your game when you sport one of these  classy hats or tees.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.