Tecnifibre and Donald Young having big weeks in Delray Beach
Both Donald Young and his racquet sponsor are having good weeks so far, in Delray Beach.
Young is the first player to reach the semifinals.
“I’m happy to be 27 and playing some good tennis and I still have time,’’ Young said. “I’m right in the mix of the age of the guys who are doing well, so I’m looking forward to it.’’ And his racquet sponsor, Tecnifibre, This week, is the Official Stringer at the Delray Beach Open.
"We are very excited about this partnership because Delray Beach is a great atmosphere with a strong draw, especially for a 250 tournament," said Tecnifibre in a tournament press release.
Tecnifibre, a French racquet sports brand is no stranger to stringing the racquets of professionals.
"We were the stringer at the U.S. Open back in the 80s," explained Alexandre Papineau, Promotion and Marketing Manager for Tecnifibre. "We are back in the U.S. now, not only with racquets and strings, but with (these) stringing machines."
Tucked back in the corner of the Player's Lounger at the Delray Beach Open was a small room equipped with three professional stringing machines, reels of string, bags and three stringers that were working days before the ATP World Tour 250 event and will be around though the finals on Sunday.
One of the stringing machines drew eyeballs and interest since it didn't look like others. With a smile Papineau explains it's new and features three detachable blocks that make it ideal for moving and transporting.
It's the The Ergo One, and Papineau says it's the perfect tournament stringing machine.
"It's very portable, but still a professional stringing machine. It also will string racketball and squash, it's really more efficiency for your everyday work.
Features of the Ergo One:
Simplified functions which make your work incredibly easy and efficient Graphic display Easy to use interface. Simplified access to all features : 18 buttons. Fits all frames Possibility to string all frames: Tennis, squash, badminton and racketball Detachable machine in 3 blocks Machine built in 3 detachable blocks (motor, turntable and girder) for a compact and easy transportation. Possibility to complete with a special designed bag for a safe and comfortable transportation. DLC Treatment (Diamond Like Carbon) Improves resistance and reduces friction. Treatment used on glide rails, clamps and pulling bit. Professional equipment Overtension system for stringing knots - Undertension system for the crosses - Pre-stretch system - 3 pulling speeds - Possibility to equip with hydraulic stand Perfect balance of precision and reliability Exclusive Flat Frame Setting Flat frame setting: “Reduces torsion during stringing” Positioning : 6 polyurethane fixing points. Optimum stability thanks to the two semi-frames under the racket. Double action clamps Separate blocking (and unblocking) of the clamps and the base (2 actions). Appreciated by well-experienced stringers who look for a progressive clamp system (for optimal string support). Specific mechanism of the pulling bit No need for re-calibration : extremely reliable sensor. Very reliable potentiometer tested upon 5 million pulls. All of Tecnifibre's stringing machines are put together with handmade parts in a small factory in France. Following its stint in Delray Beach, each machine will be sold and used by tennis retailers, clubs or private individual stringers for years to come.
In addition to just stringing the frames, the stringers keep track or each racquet strung, tension and conditions in a database that can be referenced at an event next week or maybe even next year, should a player want to see what tension was used during a certain week.
As with it's racquets and strings, Tecnifibre goes over and above what it really needs to do as a service to it's customers and players.
With pros like Young switching to Tecnifibre, the bar keeps getting raised, but Papineau says that's the plan.
"We've been around (for a while), but with the changes in technology, it's like it's all starting over."
Young concurs, and it all circles back to playing the best tennis possible.
"To get to this point you just played your game and do what you knew how to do and stay the course and really trust the people around you, especially in the early stages of development."
