2 US Open Ticket Tips: why it's better to buy tickets as a pair

Always consider buying Two tickets instead of just One.
Even if you don't need both, yet...Why?

Go watch the US Open with a Friend
One of the ball kid's proud mom got an extra ticket from Tennis-Bargains last year to watch her son!

Invite a tennis friend!
Tennis is always more fun when you bring your buddy :)
We are giving away US Open tickets in pairs. Enter for a chance to win.

One Pair is almost always better than 2 Single Tickets...

• It is much easier to resell when needed.
• For some reason, if you cannot attend and need to get rid of the tickets.
• In most cases, selling (or trading) a pair of tickets is MUCH easier than selling a single*

Greater Value when re-selling a pair of unused tickets

• The biggest marketplace for US Open tickets will get the quickest buyer and best price. Otherwise, you must hope you get lucky on Craigslist or eBay with legitimate tickets.
• Market research has shown that the sales price of 2 seats sold TOGETHER is usually higher than selling 2 single tickets apart, even in the same row.

US Open Tickets - Get Offer Codes & Buy One, Get One Deal

Problems with One Single Seat (Gap Seats or Splits)

• Think about going to a movie theater.  If you see a "one-seat gap" between two couples, it is a bit awkward and often that seat will stay empty.
• Also the US Open and the movie cinema both want to minimize "wasted" empty seats.
  
  Strategy for selling your Extra Seat if you end up with one extra single
• Sell it online at TicketExchange.
• This is a very easy and safe way to recoup your cost.
• There are other places you can post, but often the most hassle-free way is to just input your Ticketmaster barcode.

They guarantee the transaction and deposit your money straight to a bank account. Much easier than standing outside an hour before a game to try to unload a ticket!

Buyer's Tips with BOGO (Buy One, Get One Ticket Deals)

• When you purchase 2-for-1 tickets, you are already getting 50% off the box office price.
• For the same standard price, you get 2 tickets instead of 1. So think of it as a way to lower your final price of your own seat.
• When listing your discounted seat, you're essentially sharing the savings. It allows the next person to purchase the resold seat below retail price. Share the savings*

Tennis String Advice: tips for saving time and money

FACT: Eventually, all Racquet Strings Break or Lose Tension...
How do you keep your strings "fresh"? If you do not, then chances are you're changing your swing to compensate (aka poor technique).
Getting them sent to and from your normal tennis shop can be a hassle - gas, time and reminders.

Even if you buy your own stringing machine, you will most like spend a lot of time on stringing. One should be prepared to spend 1+ hr/racquet to learn to restring initially before one becomes better.

Yes, you can buy Tennis Strings on Amazon to put on yourself!

If you break often, consider buying a reel instead to save money.

The alternative (easy button) option was giving your string to a tennis shop. They will usually charge $10-$20 for the labor At the beginning of each new season, it is smart to get new strings with the proper tension.

If you don't restring, then tennis elbow from using dead poly strings, or simply poor performance from improper tension can be a result.

How often to restring?

The rule of thumb is to restring at least once per playing season.

If you play 4 times a week or more, then restring it at least that many times a year.

Drop-Ship Tennis Racquets - Freshly Strung with Free Delivery!

Update:
After moving to AZ, the company has announced it is closing as of Feb 2018. The concept and problems it solved for tennis players were sound, but I feel the financial model and margins of tennis stringing are still too low for mass scaling and shipping at this point in time. We wish Ryan nothing but the best for his future tennis career - an excellent USPTA coach if you ever need one in AZ.

Our Review of Rapid Racquet Repair

I was approached by the owner, Ryan. At first, I was skeptical and worried about the idea of putting my racquets in a box and mailing them. But with the Spring Season warming up, we decided to test out an interesting new tennis startup company. It offers door-to-door shipping service. Time to restring!

Free Box + Shipping for Stringing

What is Rapid Racquet Repair?
Tennis stringing in the USA with free door-to-door delivery. Watching his youtube videos, I can tell he is very dedicated to the art and growing business. Then I spoke to him in person, I knew Ryan was the real deal. He is USRSA Master Racquet Technician certified and a full-time tennis club pro.

Saving Time
If they are busy, you typically may wait up days or even up to a week for the stringer. Your tennis racquets will be absent from your bag until they are done. Also, you'll need to plan a trip out to pick them up during the shop's operating hours. With RRR, you get it delivered straight to your mailbox.

Quality
More important, is the quality of the stringing. Often at some pro shops, you may not even know if the stringer is a certified USRSA racket technician.

At most pro shops, you might get stuck with an inexperienced part-time college student that handles your racquet. Then you are at the mercy of whoever is available that day. With RRR, it's always a certified USRSA Stringing Pro.

Any regular USTA league player will tell you that before an important match, you want to *know* that your equipment won't fail you. Reliable strings for any avid tennis player are a must.

PROS:

• Expert USRSA Certified Stringers Only
• Avoids the Hassle of Drop-off and Pick-Ups Racquets
• Very fast (1-2 days) turnaround time - especially if you live in the Mid-Atlantic (DC/VA/MD area)
• Helpful "String Selector" menu option for choosing your string.

Find your USTA Rating - Estimated Dynamic NTRP Rating Report

For many USTA players, your rating (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, etc) makes a big difference as to which league you can join and whether you will move up or down at the end of the year. See this FAQ for more details.

Sample Rating Chart results for a 4.0 NTRP player.
After playing each match, your dynamic NTRP changes.

How to Level Up in USTA
In my case, I was "stuck" at the 4.0 level for nearly 4 years in a row, even though I had a high win-loss ratio.

It is important to note that depending on the "difficulty" of your opponent, your rating may go up or down more (or less).

Winning 6-0, 6-0 will boost your rating more than a 3rd set tie-breaker victory.

See this FAQ for more details.


Live Dynamic NTRP Rating
There is a special online service offered by Kevin that calculates this. http://computerratings.blogspot.com

He can provide you with a very accurate estimate of your current dynamic NTRP for approximately $20 (please refer to Tennis-Bargains when you contact him).

Alternatively, there is also a free site available at TennisRecord.com, which features a player search function based on USTA records. I found it is a bit less precise and definitely does not give you the most up to date ratings like the site above does. However, it is free and gives you a good ballpark for scouting your tennis opponents.

How to get Free USTA Gifts and the annual membership cost down to ~$36/year with our promo codes

Rating Status report card
In the provided charts and report he provides (example below), he explains how close you are to reaching that next level (or falling to the level below).

Bump Up or Bump Down
If you reach those thresholds, you may get your rating adjusted by the computer. Also, if you get close enough to the threshold (like in my case), you will be able to appeal to go up to the next level.

USTA Nationals - Team Assessment Tool
This service will be most valuable to teams, captains and players who are seeking to advance to USTA Nationals, or at least Sections / District Championships. To have a good chance, it is better to have a team with players who are on the upper end of the rating cut-off. For teams, Kevin also has a Flight Preview Estimate report that helps gauge a team's average rating from the previous year.

Pickleball Ratings = DUPR

NTRP ranges from 1.5 to 7.0; DUPR in pickleball ranges from 2.00 to 8.00;

It acts more like a chess rating (ELO); since most matches are doubles, it is a bit more complicated but it depends on whom you play and how much you win/lose by.

In 2025, if you'd like to know more about how it works and how much it changes from winning/losing:  DUPR Forecast

BNP Showdown 2017 Discount and Promo Price Tickets - March 6

Madison Square Garden
March 6th, 2017 - 50% OFF Tennis Tickets

Tennis returns to Madison Square Garden on March 6th!

Venus Williams, Juan Martin Del Potro, Kei Nishikori and Jack Sock are back for tennis in NYC!

We found some Half-Priced Tickets starting around ~$30-$40.
Limited seats remaining...

Tennis-Bargains Tip:
On the Stadium Map, be sure to look for the 100s Lower Level seats for an even better view.

Perfect Valentines' Day Gift - and you will get rewarded TWICE!
One ticket for him/her, and one ticket for you.
Both to enjoy at Madison Square Garden!

Tickets at MSG tend to sell out quick.
Be sure to reserve your seats ASAP.

Buy Tickets Here

Babolat Pure Strike vs Babolat Pure Aero: First Impressions

How do you decide between the new Pure Aero and Pure Strike?

Our Babolat Aero and Pure Strike demos just arrived from TennisPoint. We also tested the 16x19 Pure Strike - the other online companies still needed to get them in stock.

We took them out each out for a few hours and then played a practice set or two to compare.

Brief History
Note there is a 2019 model with a deeper red/black paint job for the Pure Strike, but readers will find most of the same similarities to the 2017 version reviewed below. Read the "Saving Money, Losing the Paintjob" section below*.

Even with the latest 2023+ models, you will see a heavy discount on the Pure Strike (gen 3) models in the Fall. After years of injuries with the top model Dominic Thiem, it has been hard for Babolat to find a new player to headline it.

With the Pure Aero, it seems that Carlos Alcaraz may take over the mantle even if Nadal gives it up. As a fan of all 3 players, it is hard to go wrong.

Video Review:
2016-2017 Babolat Aero vs Pure Strike: Summary of Playtest and Review
WTA Pro Bethan Mattek-Sands using Pure Drive 100 (Compared to her Pure Drive)

Note: in 2023, she explains why she switched to the Head Gravity model for more weight on her shot 

Read our full review and comparison (Head vs Wilson vs Babolat).

Testing Setup:

• We received these with polyester strings and white Wilson Pro grips.
• Dampeners used were the Pete Sampras "O" (to maintain minimal weight to the frames).
• Strung at mid-tension @ ~55lbs with Babolat RPM Blast 16 gauge on both the mains and crosses.

Babolat Pure Aero vs Babolat Pure Strike Specs

Aero vs Strike Models
Both racquets are Mid-Plus in size (100 square inches with 4 points Head Light balance). Weights are 11.1 oz for the Pure Strike and 11.3 oz for the Pure Aero.

These Babolat Racquets are currently being endorsed by Rafael Nadal (green Pure Aero) and Dominic Thiem (white Pure Strike).

Babolat's Best Seller vs New Kid on the Block

The Pure Aero has been the #1 best seller for a long time. But what if you need a tad more control and slightly more maneuverable? Welcome to the new 2017-2018 Pure Strike.

Also known as Project One 7 - at the Rome Masters in 2017 it started being used by World's Top 10 Dominic Thiem.

• Tennis Express Video Review (High Marks!)
• Talk Tennis Forum - Pure Strike 17 Early Testers

Babolat Pure Strike

Dominic Thiem's very aggressive and hyper-extended swing was designed for this racquet!

Really liked the spin/control and offers a decent defense when on the run. Shots such as the slice and squash forehand are easily accessible in dire moments. The low swing-weight really helps get the racquet around on wide shots.

Serve felt a tad underpowered; Returned heavy serves with ease. It contains and reflects power very well.

Transition mid-court Volleys were very silky smooth (felt the Babolat Woofer grommet system cupping the ball for great placement).

There is added power that comes along with the new FSI system that made the gaps between the strings near the corners a bit wider.


Its main weakness is when you are late on the swing or jammed without enough room to follow through, this racquet will tend to spray the ball out.

Tennis Magazine Review: 

"Babolat is positioning the Pure Strike as a compromise between the Pure Drive and Pure Aero"

Tennis Magazine 2017 - Best All-Around Racquet

The "Goldie Locks" Stick
Even hitting against hard, flat incoming shots - it can still return lots of arch/spin;

It definitely rewards Boldness and Aggressive racquet acceleration. Won a few practice sets easily 6-2 against 4.0-4.5 players using overwhelming shot "weight" - combo of spin and depth plus angles.

The main tactic was spreading the court with deep, heavy groundstrokes and coming in with angled approach shots, volleys, and put-away overheads.

Tennis Warehouse gave it very high marks for groundstrokes. Tennis Magazine gave the Pure Strike (98) the Best All-Around Racquet Award of Spring-Summer 2017.

Best Price on the Babolat Pure Strike 100 (on Amazon)

Babolat Pure Aero

Rafael Nadal has switched to this model starting in 2016.

Seriously, what's with coloring all tennis products optic green?
Do we need to have tennis shirts, shorts, and now tennis racquets have to offer a color option in Tennis Ball GREEN for everything?! 

Babolat's Aero Heritage
This is true to traditional Aero design like previous models. It is a very easy-to-swing racket. Aeros tend to be forgiving on many off-center shots with a large sweet spot.

It also provides much more spin potential and power, but slightly less control than the Pure Strike.

Your ball trajectory will be much loopier and more arch-shaped with the Aero, whereas the Strike, it tends to be slightly flatter using the same swing.

Lives up to its tweener reputation: the racket for the masses!
Good choice for a wide skill range of 3.0-4.5's. It can let you stay on the baseline all day long. This is the best selling tennis racquet line for good reason.

Just like the Babolat Pure Drive, the Pure Aero also needs a long, fast swing to do it justice. Simply pushing or blocking the ball will not deliver its full potential and will often land balls high but short in the court.

I enjoyed whipping it around to create all sorts of angles and dips. Gets pushed around a bit against a hard and flat ball, though.

If you wish to get one with a bit more weight, try the Pure Aero "Tour" version.

Best Price on the Babolat Pure Aero (on Amazon)

Best Tennis Shoe of 2016 - My Vote: Nike Vapor 9.5

Best Tennis Shoe of 2016

Nike Vapor 9.5 Tour

For those who value lightweight shoes (under 14 ounces) and rely on quick foot speed/mobility in your tennis game! I can recommend this shoe without hesitation. Put them on and give it about 1 week to wear them in.

They come in many different great colors, including the Federer's Gold / White edition pictured.

Nike Vapor 9.5 Tour

You will notice that they feel low to the ground, provide good lateral support with a very nimble push-off response.

Receiving a 4.7 out of 5.0 stars; review on Amazon; #1 tennis shoe for men.

Nike Vapors

The Nike Vapor shoes are generally designed for those light on their feet and not designed for heavy serve-and-volley style players who stop and start, forward and back often.

Battle-tested "Performance" Shoes

I have won championship titles with these shoes in the past with good results. My game depends on great footwork and I NEED my shoes to perform when it counts.

Although the Nike Vapors are not cheap, I tend to be able to find them on sale for around $85-$100. They will last generally 5-7 months from regular usage and still stay very comfortable.

Beware the "Team" and "Advantage Ace" - discount versions of Vapor. These are priced lower than the "Tour" editions but tend to wear out much sooner and have lower-quality materials.

Many pros, coaches and players on tour wear the Nike Vapor 9.5 today.