​Congratulations to Jim Stokes.  He was the first to answer the Our Tennis Life Trivia Question correctly and won a can of new tennis balls from the IHTC Pro Shop! Yes, the member with the green socks is Lou Troilo and his nickname is ‘Socks‘ for obvious reasons.

GEAR CHECK and MEMBER PROFILE - our new feature

Video 1.  Skip Millier - Gear Check 

Video 2.  Skip Millier - Member Profile

That's all from Our Tennis Life.  Would you like to share your story?

Bob
OurTennisLife@idlehourtennis.com

Moisture wicking fabrics have two functions: moving or wicking your sweat to the outer surface of your garment and then drying fast, reducing saturation.  Body temperature is reduced and the fabric is dry to the skin.
 
Capillary action is the technical term and each apparel brand has coined a buzz word referring to their technology, e.g., adidas brand ‘Climalite' and Nike brand ‘Dri-Fit’. Also, mesh is strategically placed to promote ventilation, increasing comfort. So look for moisture wicking fabrics when buying tennis apparel (polos, dresses, shorts, and hats) and get an edge on court.  You can try on clothing locally at the Tennis Junction in Bryn Mawr and Everyone’s Racquet in Center City, Philadelphia.
​

​Bob's Tip of the Day:

To extend the life of your moisture wicking tennis clothes,
​after the wash cycle, hang them to dry.

                 Image 2.  Rafa Nadal                                            Image 3.  Roger Federer

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​Samir Koukaz, Idle Hour member, certainly knows how to make a fashion statement on the court.

                                                              Image 4.  Samir Koukaz

​Got caught modeling at a long-ago ASICS sales meeting but ended up alongside the other dummies.

                                                                                     Image 5.  Bob Strimel

​TENNIS TRIVIA QUESTION

Can you identify the Idle Hour member in Image 7 and his nickname?

​Submit your guess to OurTennisLife@idlehourtennis.com.

​That's all from Our Tennis Life, more to come.  Would love to hear your comments and questions.

Bob
OurTennisLife@idlehourtennis.com

Skip Millier was the first to correctly answer the question.
​Rough or smooth was the feel of the strings when spinning for serve. The press was the quadrangle shaped wooden which kept your wooden racquet from warping when not in use. Each corner screwed down securely to keep even pressure on the racquet.

2. IHTC member Robbi Dimond's brother was ranked #1 in men's tennis in the USA.  Name him.

Elaine Boswell was the first to correctly answer the question. 
​Dennis Ralston is Robbi Dimond's brother, no wonder he won an NCAA doubles title at USC, reached a Wimbledon singles final losing to Manuel Santana, won 3 Grand Slam doubles titles, won 27 national doubles & singles titles, won 2  Davis Cup titles in 1963 and 1972, and is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Robbi taught him well!

Both Skip and Elaine won a new can of Wilson tennis balls which came from Idle Hour Tennis Club.
​

Time for some Equipment Tips:
 
Improving the fit of your tennis footwear can elevate your comfort while playing. The lace techniques pictured below (image 1) are easy to try.  See if these lacing options help your shoes fit better.

Remember, before buying a pair of new tennis shoes, to try them on! Tennis Junction in Bryn Mawr, PA and Everyone's Racquet in Center City, Philadelphia, have a variety of tennis shoe offerings. There are many great brands offering wear guarantees, lighter weights, and court surface-specific outsoles.

I suggest a full herringbone outsole (image 2) to give the most traction on our Har-Tru clay courts. It can make the difference in getting to that drop shot without slipping!

Your serve!
 
That’s all from Our Tennis Life, more to come. 
 
Bob
OurTennisLife@idlehourtennis.com