TennisIDENTITY

3 new products for your tennis or gym bag.

Need a lift? Oxygen+ offers quick hits of portable O which can increase alertness and energy by boosting the oxygen level in your bloodstream.

These lightweight (and recyclable) aluminum cans come in two sizes: the 4" tall O+ mini holds 24 breathes per can (use 3-5 breaths per time), $8 USD per can; and the 8" tall O+ skinni with 40+ breaths per can (so 8-12 occasions per can), $12 per can. 

You can buy O+ in 3 packs or get the Elevate pack which is a refillable delivery system. Easy to use and in three barely there "flavors," peppermint, grapefruit and natural. Learn more, find a retailer or order at OxygenPlus. Vic Braden is an ambassador for the company which says good things about the product. Please see the precautions on the O+ site if you have impaired heart or lung function or any other medical condition.

Nuun offers an easy way to carry your sports drink (or make more quickly between sets). Your essential electrolytes beverage is created by dropping one nuun tablet into 16 oz. of water. Nuun contains no sugars (sorbitol is used), is under 6 calories and delivers 360 mg. sodium, 100 mg. potassium, 25 mg. magnesium, 13 mg. calcium and more including vitamins.

The tablets (12 tablets per tube) come in 11 flavors. My favorites are the lemon or lime based. I like my drinks light tasting so I use 1/2 tablet per bottle. The tubes are $6.50 USD each (app .50 per serving if you use a whole tablet). Sport drinks are a must and I often forget to bring one along to the court. Keeping a tube of nuun in my bag makes it easy to make a drink in seconds since water fountains easily supply the base. Learn more or find a retailer at Nuun.

Deodorize that stinky bag of yours with this bamboo charcoal filled bag from Moso Natural. Simply toss the 6 x 7" linen covered sachet in your gym or tennis bag and smell the difference. The charcoal absorbs moisture and odor. Reactivate the bag's powers monthly by setting out in the sun. Each bag lasts two years and can be cut open and safely spread in the garden when done. Go green! The 7 oz. size will do you fine: $6.99 each USD. Find a retailer at Moso Natural.

 

Tough eco-friendly love for your tennis apparel.

The laundry detergent you use matters. If you read the care labels on your tennis apparel you've likely seen an increase in instructions designed to keep specially treated fabrics working the way they should. What you are using could be washing out a lot of what you've paid for.

An option to consider: Roux Maison makes a new eco-friendly Sport Detergent that eliminates dirt, odor and bacteria that can thrive and hang in technical workout wear. The synthetic-free biodegradable formula is gentle on performance fabrics, maintaining elasticity, breathing and wicking qualities. And yes, it truly does get that stink out.

The formula is available in Ambrosia and Sweet Tea scents as well as Fragrance Free; $16.99 USD for a 16 oz bottle that will do 40 loads of wash (.42 cents a load). Just two tiny capfuls per load? Believe me it's all you need. Don't add more.

Buy online at Roux Maison.

John McEnroe and a smiling Serena dedicate refurbished tennis court in NY

Serena Williams joined John McEnroe yesterday to dedicate a refurbished-by-Nike tennis court* at Brooklyn New York's Decatur Playground.

The event images appear a tad surreal given Ms. Williams' unforgettable rage on court at the USO finals. Publicity stunt? Maybe (if not, really really good timing) but I do think Serena's heart is in this cause. Really cute pic below. 

Anger management issues aside, for now some deserving kids and adults get a chance to play our game close to home and that's a good thing. 

*The new court surface is made out of ground-up Nike shoes.

 

Drinkin' green on court. Hydration via Vapur.

Vapur, the good-for-the-earth "anti-bottle," is designed to let you tap water or whatever you drink on court anywhere. Tennis players, these space savers stand tall when filled and fold flat to a fraction when empty; no more empty water bottles rolling around your bag or at home on the counter. 

FDA approved and BPA free they are $10 USD for the .5L with a carabiner to attach to your bag. Wash in the dishwasher upside down. Freezable too. If you drink a lot while you play, bring two or more. I go through one pretty quickly.

According to Vapur only 23% of the 50 billion water bottles sold annually worldwide are recycled. 38 billion are dumped in landfills. Do your part, use a recyclable bottle and refill with tap water; 89% in the US meets or exceeds regulations. 

Find the bottles at Vapur or use the Find Store button on the site.

Green Tennis: ORIGINE A Court Savvy Tennis Racquet that's Eco-Friendly.

Origine is a new-to-market Canadian brand. Their first tennis product is a racquet that combines performance and comfort in a stick that utilizes flax fiber in its structure. The company plans to roll out additional models in late 2011.

The Origine racquet has a long reach (27.25 in.) for higher power. Flax fibers are blended with carbon fibers for enhanced frame flexibility and vibration absorption. Unstrung the racquet weighs 10.2 oz. Head size is 100. 

Although flax represents only 15% of the frame fibers, use of the renewable material represents a positive step in a "green" direction. The company points out that a fully flax composed frame would be far too brittle for play. The current ratio insures performance and comfort. 

The Origine is currently being used by a number of pros around the US. Bill Patton, USPTA/PTR Tennis Pro with Chabot Swim and Tennis Club in Castro Valley California is one convert. "[It's an] arm friendly flexible racket, " said Patton.  It offers some 'pop' on the ball, with a nice even balance... It is also great to know that an effort is being made to reduce the carbon footprint of making tennis rackets."  

Designed with the intermediate to advanced player's needs in mind, this is not a racquet for beginners.

The Origine retails for $134.99 USD plus tax. Buy at Origine. 

iPlay hence iLove this iPhone case.

Since I'm sure I'm not getting the Wilson tennis ball couch anytime ever (unless someone has good news for me), I've started to look for other ways to bring tennis into my daily off-court life. Cool ways, not cutsey napkins and such.

I recently spotted this handmade iPhone case ($20) made from recycled tennis balls. Bingo. It's a start. 

Mani Kordestani, avid player since a kid, makes these and a variety of other accessories using retired tennis balls that he washes and reconfigures into eye catching and useful little items. 

Check out Kordestani's shop on Etsy/MANIkordstudio.

Caroline Wozniacki Australian Open 2011 Tennis Fashion

adidas by Stella McCartney is outfitting Caroline Wozniacki once again and good news (a couple of quick vuvuzela blasts) our Dane will have something different to wear for every major tournament in 2011. No more same-old same-old for Miss #1.

First look we will see is the sporty Ballerina Dress, pictured left, worn over a set of designed-to-be-seen, seamless underwear (see inset pic ). The dress looks to the traditional ballet costume for inspiration. No tutu thankfully, just a layered pleated skirt in white. The infrared underwear peeking through thoroughly modernizes the look.

This dress, much to my chagrin, will not be available in the US. It is destined for the European market only. The undies are included in that news.

What the US market will see are the other pieces in Stella's Spring/Summer 2011 collection for tennis: a  ruffle tennis tank in blueprint (inset left), $115; a pleated skirt in white or blueprint, $85; tank in infrared or white, $75; and big grey tennis tennis bag, $225 (below pic).

 Wozniacki's footwear with dash of infrared on white, will also be available internationally. Called the eileithyia tennis sneaker, a pair will run you $130.

Green kudos: The adidas by Stella McCartney collection is part of the adidas Better Place Program. The materials used in this Sport Performance collection come from sustainable sources, are produced without dangerous chemicals and are manufactured under high workplace standards (including waste and energy management).

Available in January 2011 at Shop adidas, Tennis-Warehouse and select tennis retailers worldwide.

Bid Yourself a Pricey Private with John McEnroe. Do it for the Mother.

How much would you pay for a one-hour private tennis lesson? Rates run $30 to $120 around the country depending on pro ability, rep and region. How about if your pro was John McEnroe?

McEnroe has donated an hour-long private lesson to raise funds for Christie’s Green Auction: A Bid to Save the Earth, an auction for the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.  The highest bidder will have the opportunity to learn straight from the master, in NYC. Cool ehh?! The hour is valued at $20,000! Man that's a pricey private; but it's for the mother, mother earth and it's almost mother's day so do it if you've got the cash.

Bidding is open until May 6th 1:20 PM EDT on charitybuzz.

The auction item is part of "Christie's Green Auction: A Bid to Save the Earth,"a collaboration of leaders from the worlds of art, business, politics, media, fashion and celebrity for the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.   Proceeds benefit 4 NGOs: Central Park Conservancy, Conservation International, NRDC and Oceana. 

adidas Tennis Reveals Ana Ivanovic's "Green" 2010 adilibria Dress for the Australian and French Opens.

adidas has revealed  Ana Ivanovic's first looks for 2010. The 22 year old Serbian will step onto the Southern Hemisphere courts wearing a good-for-the-earth core yellow, dropped waist dress with black trim. This will be her outfit for the Australian Open. Watch her chat about the style above.

The dress is made of 100% recycled PES polyester and is part of adidas' sustainable Better Place range. ClimaCool moisture management is built into the back and neck area. The fabric is familiar, soft and luxurious adidas as we like. This particular dress is fitted at the waist, a lengthening cut with no fussy frills. The striking pinking shear edged accents add the only whimsy. The dress does not offer a built in bra. A separate bra top and boy short are available and complement the black accents in the dress.

Her shoes? Ana will wear the Barricade V shoe in phantom black and core yellow.

Ivanovic plans to wear the same dress in red with orange accents in Paris at the French Open. You will see it in the video.

In store soon, dress $75 USD, shoes $120. Shop adidas or Tennis-Warehouse.

Wilson Tennis Overhauls Men's and Women's Apparel Line for 2010.

Wilson tennis has a new designer and apparel line. Claire Ortiz, Global Apparel Director, comes from Nike having formerly worked in tennis apparel and on the Air Jordan Line. The new collection represents the collaboration of Ortiz with Wilson designers who also bring years of experience with their past employers Nike and adidas. 

 

Providing new sourcing knowledge to the group is Andrew Vetterlein, another Nike vet, now Global Director of Sourcing for all of AmerSports (Wilson, Atomic, Salomon).

What has resulted is compelling, comfortable tennis apparel with built in top-of-the-line technology. Nano Tech wicks moisture and dries quickly. SMART design ensures comfortable performance with light fabrics and mostly seamless construction. Some of the line is made with bamboo or recycled polys and wovens. Good for the earth. 

I really liked the look of just about all of it and am eager to court test. The apparel has a cool factor it hasn't in the past.  All in all this is a big step forward for a company that has a huge presence in racquets and wants the same in apparel. I smell competition.

Pictured above is the new men's Federation Square polo in Champions Gold  with Black, $48 USD. High breathability mesh is woven right in for chafe free performance. It is paired with the Woven Federation Square Short, 9" inseam,  in black with accents of white and champions gold, $45. Both wick moisture and have anti microbial properties.

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Above bottom is some of the upcoming women's line, left, the Spring Yarra dress, $65 in oceania and tasman teal and, right, the Tea Lawn Dress, $65 in white with union gold. The Tea Lawn will be out for summer 2010. Yarra will be out in February 2010.The dresses have great bras built in. Really. High performance with power mesh at the t-zone.

Each men's and women's collection has a core group of basics and a more seasonal fashion collection. I'll showcase more as they roll out.

Spring 2010 debuts in stores February.

Find a retailer at Wilson or buy at Tennis-Warehouse.

Keep those pricey tennis duds smiling with WIN Green. Mother Earth too.

With all of the tennis gear running through wash after wash in this house I am thankful for WIN. Given the amount of money I spend on sports apparel it's nice to have things last more than one season and even through multiple kids. The problem is not so much getting things clean but getting them "unstinky" -- sports fabric is notorious for holding onto odor. A few manufacturers are currently combating this with antibacterial fabrics, but not all.

I reviewed the original formula last year but the company now offers WIN Green a new concoction that maintains the same level of efficacy as the original while being completely biodegradable, hypo-allergenic, dye and fragrance-free. I like all that. $6.99 for 21 oz that does 14 loads. My only gripe is that you can't find WIN in the grocery store AND that it comes in such a small bottle. I need one of those jugs with a spigot.

 You can order WIN Green online at Sweatlifter.com. Tennis-Warehouse sells the original formula.

Venus Williams Designs Limited Edition U.S. Open "Green" Tee Shirt

Ladies, two-time US Open Champion Venus Williams has designed an official 2009 US Open t-shirt.  The limited edition tee is part of the USTA’s wide-ranging green initiatives at the Open and will be sold at the Octagon, the US Open Collection stores located in Louis Armstrong Stadium and the South Plaza and on US Open.org; retail price $36.

The teal blue, yellow (tennis balls) and purple design is printed on comfy 100% organic cotton. Williams designed the shirt as part of her EleVen clothing line, which was launched in 2007 and at present doesn't have an official retail outlet. 

“I am really excited about this project because it combines three of my interests – tennis, fashion and the environment,” said Williams, who enters this year’s US Open seeded No. 3.  "I hope that my passion will be conveyed through this design and will inspire others to do their part to help preserve the environment.”

 A portion of the profits from the Venus Williams tee will benefit Unisphere, Inc., the non-profit organization that maintains and preserves Flushing Meadows Corona Park, home of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Not performance but a good feel practice tee. Like the shirt says, "Green Your Game."

 

Racquet specials round-up, spring 2009.

There are some great new tennis racquets on the market. Check out these money-off specials on Babolat, Prince and Wilson sticks -- a little encouragement towards the upgrade you're hankering for:

Advantage Babolat-Advantage You. Get a $50 rebate with the purchase of any pair premium Babolat shoes plus a new racquet. Shoes included: 2009 Team range models (All Court 4, All Court 4 White, Clay 4, Lady 3) Propulse 2 and Lady 2. Racquets included: All Pure Drive, Aero, Pure Storm, Drive Z and Y line. Fill out the online form at www.babolat.com/advantage and bring to a participating dealer. For dealers call: 877-316-9435. Now through June 30, 2009.

Instant $20 off. Feel the love, from Prince. Instant $20 rebate off the purchase of any EXO³ racquet, now through June 15, 2009. Does not include junior and reduced length racquets. For dealer locations click here. Demo the popular EXO³ Red or Silver and get a $10 shipping rebate.

Trade Up to Wilson [K] Factor. Recycle, Reuse. Receive $30 off your purchase of a new model Wilson[K] Factor racquet when you bring in or send in your old racquet (strung and in playable condition, not more than 10 years old). Racquets will be donated to organizations in need of tennis equipment. Now through June 30, 2009. Visit wilson.com/tradeup for more info.

Tennis-Warehouse is offering all three promotions. Direct link to their Wilson trade up. Please visit the links above for other participating retailers.

Tennis Nets and Windscreen Reincarnated as Earth Friendly Tennis Bags.

Old windscreens and nets have taken on a new and useful life reincarnated as roomy tennis totes. In Atlanta Georgia one court maintenance company alone takes 50,000 linear feet of windscreen to landfill every year. Enter iflydesigns.

Their Matchpoint bag pictured left is fully lined with tennis windscreen underneath the colorful exterior. The Tiebreaker (not pictured) is almost 100% recycled, just windscreen and netting, kind of cool for the hard core recycling enthusiast.  A flat bottom helps the bag keep its shape. These are lightweight, well constructed bags for carrying your gear or shopping with your passion at your side.

The bags retail for $75 USD. Visit iflydesigns to learn more, find a retailer or buy. P.S. the blue/green stripe is gorgeous.

Recycle Those Tennis Balls, Racquets and Shoes. Be Good to Mama Earth.

We've all been party to recycling efforts at tournaments (bottles and cans) but there are organizations working hard to get the game to recycle gear. Here's where and how you and your club can get involved:  

Rebounces (logo left) makes the game's biggest throw-away item, the tennis ball, a recyclable and money saving commodity. The company has mastered repressurizing tennis balls to their original bounce -- we're not talking tournament balls here, but practice balls or hopper balls; clubs go through hundreds changing over entire baskets every two to three months. Rebounces will accept balls in good condition (batches of 250)  and will even pay for shipping. They supply clubs who use their ball rotation system giving used balls a second or often third chance on life (depending on felt quality) at a very nice price.

Got a few old but still ok racquets in your garage?  Tennis Racquets for Kids is an organization that accepts racquets in good condition and distributes them to financially challenged kids and teens. 

Holy footwear? Nike Reuse-A-Shoe provides players with an option for their worn ragged sneakers. Recycle your tennis shoes through the program and turn them into Nike Grind, a material used in sport surfaces.

Alternatively there is, of course, Goodwill or Salvation Army that will put your gently worn tennis items in front of someone who will really use them. Tennis gear is expensive but public courts are free so help someone less fortunate to enjoy our great game and be kind to mama earth to boot.

Fila Goes Green With New Fabrication in Personal Performance Collection.

In honor of Earth Day week here in the U.S. Fila has released the new "green" pieces in its Women’s Personal Performance Collection. The group is designed to cross-over between sports including our personal fav, tennis. Good for the wallet (multi-use) and good for the earth.

The new collection encourages sustainable agriculture and recycling by blending bamboo and soy based materials with recycled Poly Spandex and organic cotton in four of the performance pieces.  

The very cute Flower Sleeveless Muscle Tank (pictured left, $50 USD) is cut from screened soft recycled Poly Spandex. Pair it with a black skirt (who doesn't have one of those) and you've got a great tennis outfit that's good to mother earth.

Buy online only at Dick's Sporting Goods in the U.S. beginning in May.

A special Earth Day shout-out to Fila for partnering with American Forests an organization dedicated to tree planting programming globally.

Andy Murray Wears Scottish Blue at Indian Wells.

Looking for Andy Murray's shirt at Indian Wells? It's the Fred Perry US Open T-shirt in Scottish/Blue, $52 USD. Not new but nice looking for sure and still available. It's made of Activair fabric designed to keep you cool and dry and contains 38% recycled polyester (file that under green effort).

Find a retailer at Fred Perry. You won't find the shirt on their site OR a mention of their winning ambassador. Strange. Tennis Express carries the shirt in the U.S.

Save the Logo. Lacoste Gives Back to the Creature That Has Served for 75 Years.

 

Lacoste has joined the "Save the Logo" campaign, which encourages private companies or institutions to contribute in the preservation of biodiversity on the planet by committing to the protection of the animal that is part of their logo. Lacoste, the first international brand to support the campaign will, of course, support Crocodile family conservation efforts.

In tennis, that could also include Puma and Airness. Any others? Sounds like a great way for companies to give back to the species that so effectively feeds their bottom line.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF), World Bank and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are behind this initiative. Learn more at Save Your Logo.

Cole Haan's New Racquet Bag. Exquisite Style With a Touch of Green.

Maria Sharapova is the face of Cole Haan's new ad campaign and one of their new bags this season is this swish little retro styled tennis bag. The Cole Haan Dylan racquet bag is made of canvas trimmed in chrome-free vegetable leather and is comprised of Bionic yarn containing fibers made from recycled plastic bottles. Each bag incorporates eleven recycled plastic bottles. Nice effort.

The bag hosts 6" and 12" shoulder straps (the 12" is detachable), zip closure tennis racquet holder, cell phone and PDA pockets and lots of monied class. Check/measure your racquet head before you buy. Oversized heads will not fit as the opening is 11" wide and 14" long.

Learn more or find a store at Cole Haan. Retail only for this baby. For the tennista who simply must tote designer, $550 USD.