November 19, 2006 - 10:17pm

Sponsors

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September 2, 2006 - 8:00am

Canon PowerShot SD630 Digital Camera

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Every time I took a picture at the US Open this year, I patted myself on the back for having purchased my PowerShot Camera. The Canon PowerShot SD630 Digital Camera is a 6 megapixel beast that's ridiculously small but packed with all kinds of great features like 3x optical zoom, a 3" LCD viewfinder and amazing stabilization. The important thing is you have to have something good enough to capture great experiences, but is small enough to slip right in your pocket. And the video capabilities on the PowerShot are great when you want to record Roddick's serve or Henin-Hardenne's backhand for later analysis. Of course, Maria will be happy if you snap her winning smile with the camera she endorses. But Ms. Sharapova is right, this is the camera to have.

August 13, 2006 - 8:00am

DecoTurf Tennis Court Surface

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Building your own backyard court? Lucky you. If you're going to that kind of trouble and expense, then you might as well go the distance and get the best court surface in the world. DecoSystems DecoTurf is the surface of all the US Open Series tournaments as well as the Big Daddy in New York. The basic installation is a layer of special, stable asphalt, then a few rubberized layers, then a layer of sand mixed with paint to provide texture. The whole thing is topped of with DecoColor MP Classic paints: US Open Blue(tm) for the court, Forest Green for outside the lines, and DecoColor White Striping Paint for the lines. This complex system provides the fairest, fastest surface in the world. Before you get started, check out the American Sports Builders Association website for tons of information.

Going green instead? The word is that the boys at Wimbledon now use 100% perennial ryegrass, a change from the traditional mixture of 70% rye and 30% creeping red fescue. Plus you have to mow. DecoTurf sounds like a bargain, doesn't it?

July 25, 2006 - 8:00am

Clif Shot Bloks Organic Electrolyte Chews

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Upabreak just played a USTA doubles tournament this past weekend. The final was played on one of those muggy summer days where you feel the energy pouring out of you. Tough opponents force deuce game after deuce game and rally after rally. You rush the net, you're lobbed. You recover the net. You're lobbed again. It's hot. Then...bonk.
Running out of gas in the middle of a match is one of the most frustrating things we hackers face. And as much as you'd like to refuel, the standard energy fare is just plain hard to swallow. And don't even get me started on bananas (see "Nadal, Rafael"). But fortunately, I had something stashed away in the ol' bag for just such an occasion. The Clif Shot Blok is kind of a cross between firm Jello and soft Gummy Bear that's easy to chew and swallow. It tastes really good (none of that cake icing sweetness), it's offered in 5 tasty flavors, and it's packed with carbs and electrolytes that are easy for the body to breakdwn into instant energy. Plus the size of the blok is easy to handle and portion, so you're getting exactly the energy you want. And in case you're wondering, my partner and I polished off the rest of the bag of Bloks as we humbly carried our trophies back to the car.

June 2, 2006 - 8:00am

Hawaiian Tropic Ozone Sport Sunblock Lip Balm

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If you were attending the French Open, you would have to greet your friends in the traditional French way: a kiss on both cheeks. But if you have sunburned, chapped lips, you'll be as welcome in France as an Air Force flyover. Hawaiian Tropic Ozone Sport Sunblock Lip Balm has SunSure technology that's photostable and provides a whopping 45+ SPF for UVB/UVA protection. This sports-specific formula is waterproof, PABA-free and contains Aloe Vera for treating already damaged lips. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends Ozone Sport as an effective UV sunscreen. You can even apply it to your nose and top of the ears, and it tastes really good. (Disclaimer: you will only be able to taste it if you apply it to your lips).

May 10, 2006 - 8:00am

Penguin Sport-Wash

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If you're like me, you've got a drawer-full of CoolMax, ClimaLite, Dr-Fit and Under Armour. And if these things are doing their job, they're moving a bunch of sweat and moisture away from your skin and through the fabric. And that means you better clean them well. However, traditional detergents don't rinse out that well, and sort of clog the fabric up so that it just doesn't wick any more. Penguin Sport-Wash rinses and cleans thoroughly, and restores the factory applied water-proofing.

April 10, 2006 - 2:39pm

Babolat Custom Hybrid Tennis Strings

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I haven’t spent as much time thinking about strings as I should. I think that’s because since I break strings a lot, I’ve been content with the “whatever is good and not too expensive” philosophy. For the past year, I’ve been playing with Babolat Ballistic because of the breakage, and it’s been fine. I had my Pure Drive Roddick strung with it, but broke it within 2 weeks. So they hooked me up with a Babolat Custom Hybrid set this time. There’s Hurricane on the mains, and Xcel on the crosses. I really like it. I feel like I can bite into the ball more, and I’m getting that wicked topspin more often. I’m going to explore more of the Custom Hybrids in the future.

April 7, 2006 - 9:34am

Tourna Grip Overgrip (10 Pack)

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In honor of the great Pete Sampras' return to the game tonight, I ask you: think new is better? Take a look at all those different racquets from different brands used by different players. Take a look at Pete's grip tonight on the webcast at USTA.com. Then consider that many of these same brands make a version of a grip or wrap. Yet 6 out of 10 times you'll see these racquets with the famed light blue of Tourna Grip Overgrip. Still going strong after 30 years, the Tourna Grip is soft and spongy, but still stays dry and doesn't interfere with your touch on the racquet. This is the single most reliable piece of equipment that I own. Buy a 10-pack and change it every 4 matches.