From the news wires---

"A report received from the Tennis Industry Association this month announced that tennis participation in 2007 topped the 25 million mark for the first time since 1999. Research from the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), which tracks 114 sports, again puts tennis at the No. 1 spot when it comes to traditional sports that have gained in participation from 2000 to 2006. According to the SGMA, tennis participation has grown 12.2% in six years, 10% more than its nearest rival (golf) and well ahead of other participation sports such as baseball, basketball, swimming and soccer, all of which saw declining participation in the same six years."

Tennis equipment sales are apparently up, too. Since 2003, racquet shipments to retailers have increased by 42 percent and ball shipments are up by 15 percent. And, in a sign seen as very promising for the future of tennis, sales of youth racquets have shown the biggest gains, up 80 percent since 2003. These are all good indicators for future growth of our sport!"