Daily Racquet

200 Gifts Under $200 At U.S. Open Shop

If you're looking for a tennis gift for the tennis aficionado on your Christmas list, you might want to check out the fantastic bargains at the US Open Shop.

From now through Christmas, they are offering up to 70% savings on all items including 2009 US Open apparel and gifts, Davis Cup warm-ups, books, videos and posters.

There's lots to choose from — some of our favorites included:  

The Official 2009 US Open Ty "Beanie Baby" Bear, exclusive to the US Open. This little bear will be enjoyed by all.

Tennis players will love the Court Blu premium "cashmere" silicone iPhone case. It is ultra slim and allows easy access to all of your phone's ports and controls. A microfiber cleaning cloth and durable screen protector are included.

Or, how about an official men's or women's player towel. These towels aren't dated and can be used for years to come.

For the the ladies of the court —there's a handy carry-all, made from recycled materials featuring a graphic of the opening night fireworks. This bag will let you help clean up the environment in style. To sweeten the pot even more, the USTA is offering free shipping on orders over $75 and an additional 10% off for USTA members.

Check out these deals and save!

                           Available online at US Open Shop.

Carry On

Sack the traditional tennis bag and carry your racquet plus extras in the new Prince Hibiscus Tote — a perfect blend of simple elegance with enough room to store everything you need.

The Hibiscus Tote features a large main compartment with zippered closure with a mesh pouch with an elasticized closure that is perfect for a bottle of water or can of balls.  There is both a large and small accessory pocket on the outside of bag with zippered closures. It has dual easy carry handles with tonal stripes for added style and the lightly padded bottom helps protect your stuff. The bags are available in olive and black with pink.
 
Some things in life are just made simple and perfect!

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Calling All Rafael Nadal Tennis Fans! Get Your New Nadal Bull Logo Hat

A hat is a hat, unless of course, it features the bull logo that represents Rafael Nadal, “The Matador of Spin." Then, it becomes a hat that we've all been waiting for, and once placed on your head, it adds a whole new dimension to your competitive zeal. The new hat features Rafael Nadal's signature bull logo embroidered at front, as well as Nike swoosh on bill — the Dri-Fit sweatband wicks away perspiration and the four black mesh vents add both a visual and functional flavor. The black underbill and binding minimizes the visual glare. A velcro strap makes this hat adjust to fit most people.

No bull — these hats are guaranteed to make you play your best. Vamos!

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

New Red, White and Blue Wilson Bags Capture Spirit of US Open

New for 2009, the Wilson US Open Premium Collection, exclusively licensed for the Open, definitely captures the spirit of the final Grand Slam tournament of the year — the US Open.

 The racquet bags featuring the US Open flaming ball logos on both sides, come in three variations — the 3-pack, the 6-pack or the new super 6-pack. The 3-pack is for those with simple needs. It features a large main compartment that holds up to three racquets without covers. Bag is functional yet compact and the two side accessory compartments provide ample room for any additional gear. For those who like to carry a little more, the 6-pack offers plenty of room, including storage for up to 6 racquets, clothing and accessories. The super 6-pack boasts two racquet compartments can hold up to 6 racquets. The center pocket can hold a couple more sticks as well as clothing and shoes. All the racquet bags come with padded and adjustable backpack straps for a plush carry.

The backpack provides another alternative to carrying your racquets or gear around — it features three accessory compartments, making organization a cinch and the large main compartment gives room for shoes, a change of clothes, or any other larger items. A separate racquet pocket can hold up to two racquets without covers. The padded backpack straps make any load easier.

 And the best news of all, not only will these bags make you stand out on the court but each one is made with high end materials and are PVC free for lower environmental impact.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Bryan Brothers Get Strung Up With Luxilon

The #1 doubles team in the world, Mike and Bob Bryan have signed an exclusive deal to use Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Rough 125 exclusively.

Luxilon's ALU-Power string combines great durability with impressive power and good control — a popular string on the ATP Tour. The co-polyester monofilament construction allows a player to take full cuts at the ball without any loss of control. Players with fast swing speeds also tend to find these strings very spin friendly.

Fans will see the Bryan brothers with their Luxilon string at this year’s US Open, as they go for their second Grand Slam title in 2009.

If you're looking for a string with an excellent response and good energy return, you might consider getting strung up with Big Banger yourself.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Go Green With Watergeeks Filtered Sport Bottle

With a Watergeeks Filtered Sport Bottle you can have fresh, filtered water wherever you play, not to mention making great strides in saving our planet from too many plastic water bottles! Made with food grade, BPA free plastic, this 16 oz. filtered water bottle will treat up to 80 gallons of water, approximately 3 months of use under normal conditions. The level 2 filter removes chlorine, bad taste and odor, as well as a significant proportions of heavy metals, including lead, mercury, and copper. Simply fill bottle with water and drink.

Available online at Watergeeks.

Tennis Head and Wrist Bands Make a Comeback!

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Tommy Haas and Mardy Fish are but a few of the players making their   presence known on the tennis court, not just for their games but for their trend-setting head and wristbands.

Forget the hats and visors. This spring it all about bands -  headbands and wristbands. They have become the fashion statement in their own right, coming in all sizes, shapes, colors and logos.

Remember the old Bjorn Borg days when wristbands were to actually wipe sweat.

Not necessarily so anymore. 

Look no further than Mardy Fish — If you're looking at his wrists you won't see any wristbands. Fish, like  a growing number of fashion-conscious NFL, NBA and college football players — and countless kids who emulate them — wears his wristbands well above his elbows.

For Federer and Nadal, color coordination is the key — their head and wristbands match their ensemble.

Next time you hit the courts, take a play from the top pros fashion playbook and get a band on your game!

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Maui Jim Kapalua Offers Up Ultra-Light Sport Shades

The Maui Jim Kapalua is the pinnacle of Maui Jim's ultra-light sport designs, these hingeless wrap-around sunglasses eliminate glare and keep the sun out with the Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2® technology. Fashioned from a strong, flexible beta-titanium alloy and combined with impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses, the Kapaluas weigh a mere eleven grams. These ultralight titanium alloy frames are engineered for comfort and durability with flexible temples to hug face for relaxed fit

Maui Jim's exclusive CLEARSHELL coating resists scratches and scuffs, and like all Jims, PolarizedPlus Technology eliminates glare and UV rays. A polarized lens' primary function is to reduce glare that is, light reflected from a flat surface which greatly diminishes color and contrast. Like body of water or a car windshield, tennis courts produce polarized light —polarized lenses are perfect for deflecting this light, giving you a cleaner and safer look at the ball with decreased eye-strain.

These ultralight titanium alloy frames are engineered for comfort and durability with flexible temples to hug face for relaxed fit. Perfect for the tennis courts — lightweight, tough, and very stylish!

For more information go to mauijim.com. Available online at Amazon.com.

Bryans Use Custom Inserts for Prince Frame

Top doubles players Bob and Mike Bryan are customizing their Prince O3 Speedport Black frames with colored inserts.

With the new colored Speedport inserts from Prince, you too, can customize your racquets.

In fact, according to Prince, players can customize their frames with more than 2,400 combinations. Imagine that — every day that you play, you can give your racquet a new customized look.

For more information, visit princetennis.com. Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Great Stocking Stuffers

The Xtensor is a glove-like device that uses elasticized bands for resistance as you open your palm and extend your fingers fully. The mini-workout can help rebalance your muscles, reduce pain from repetitive strain, and ward off join erosion. Use the Xtensor for two to three minutes a day. Work up to two sets of 15 repititions and while it may look a little strange, this little gadget works wonders to help build strength and relieve pain and tension. Available online at Amazon.com. 

The 2008 Wimbledon DVD — Federer vs. Nadal features arguably the greatest match ever played at The All England Club, pitting world #1 Roger Federer against #2 Rafael Nadal. Back and forth they went, trading unbelievable shot after unbelievable shot. After it was all said and done, as darkness approached, Rafael Nadal dethroned five-time champion Roger Federer by winning the longest-ever Wimbledon men's final. Another magnificent chapter to add to their storied rivalry. Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

With a Watergeeks Filtered Sport Bottle you can have fresh, filtered water wherever you play! Made with food grade, BPA free plastic, this 16 oz. filtered water bottle will treat up to 80 gallons of water, approximately 3 months of use under normal conditions. The level 2 filter removes chlorine, bad taste and odor, as well as a significant proportions of heavy metals, including lead, mercury, and copper. Simply fill bottle with water and drink. Available online at Watergeeks.  

TenniSpheres are an innovative product based on an ancient hand exercise technique. Two iron balls are manipulated in the hand(s) with various motions. The exercises are believed to have beneficial effects not only for the hand, wrist and arm, but for the whole body. Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

The 2009 Official Rafael Nadal Calendar — this 2009 calendar captures Rafa hitting his trademark shots as well as off court moments. Produced in a classic wall calendar format with large images of Rafa in action. Available online at Tennis Warehouse. 

The Original Blue Tourna Grip is still one of the most popular overgrips on the market. A dry and soft overgrip — it provide the ultimate grip in hot and humid conditions, Tournagrip absorbs like no other. Comes with three grips per pack. Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

The Draper Body Therapy neck blanket has been proven to increase levels of oxygen in the blood and improve circulation in the body — Draper Body Therapy is made with revolutionary smart fiber clinically proven to increase the circulation of oxygenated blood by up to 29%. Therapeutic benefits include increased energy, accelerated muscle recovery after stress or exertion, and relief from stiffness, soreness and swelling. Available online at Draper Body Therapy.