Hot Sport: Making A Racket
Everything old is new again as tennis's fresh young faces deliver a whole new generation of fans.
Call it the Tiger Woods phenomenon: Young talent is doing for
the tennis industry what Tiger did for golf. Venus and Serena
Williams, Anna Kournikova, Martina Hingis and others are making it
cool to swing again. "The Williams sisters are just sparkling.
They're good personalities and good players," says Mike
May of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA).
They're good for tennis-related businesses as well. Sales of
tennis products have been increasing since 1997, with 2000 expected
to bring an increase of 3 to 4 percent over 1999 figures.
But May says it's not only the amazing talent that's
driving the trend. The Tennis Industry Association has also mounted
a campaign to grow interest in tennis at all levels. Attention,
tennis-related businesses: Get ready to serve.