Day 15 – Friday 21st January
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Steady day today. Juniors all checking in with rkts. Some of them are giving us 5 and 6 rkts at a time. This is more than most of the senior players will give in at a time. So we are getting busy again. Had one on court rkt today. I was halfway through another rkt when it came in. No phone call. Just a ball kid turning up at the counter with it. I left the rkt I was doing and did it on a free machine. The clamps on the machine I used were much better than the clamps on the machine I have been using since the start. I just figured the clamp design was bad. Turns out the machine I had been on was one of the originals and the clamps have changed since then. The new clamps are fantastic. Our machines at work still have the original clamps so that is the feel I was used to. I have swapped the newer clamps onto my machine. They make a massive difference.
I made my first and only mistake today. Although it wasn’t my fault (I always need a scapegoat).
A rkts came in during the morning and it was needed in 20 minutes. I was still on another rkt. I was given the rkt with no print out listing string or tension. The counter told me Alu Power at 25kg and handed me an alu power spool. I was given the print out after I had measured the rkt and started stringing but didn’y look at it because it was needed in a hurry. As I was bagging the rkt I looked at the print ou on the bag and it said Alu power mains and Sensation crosses!!!!!!!! The rkt was being picked up in about 5 minutes. Quickest string job I have ever done. Mains and half the crosses done in around 7 minutes. The player was late so the rkt was done stencilled straightened and bagged as they walked in the door. Close call. There were a few mistakes today. Misweaving, forgotten power pads, incorrect stencilling, gut breaking at the tie off. Most of the guys have been here since early January and are getting tired. Limited sleep and long hours over a period of time take a toll. Fortunately no rkts have gone out to players with mistakes in them. They all get caught ahead of time.
I was asked to close. It means that I was the on-duty stringer for the last match of the night. Everyone was done around 10pm. Fortunately matches were quick so I got out of there around midnight. Tomorrow is my last day. Raonic is playing first up. I am expecting a few on court rkts from him. I have 3 to string in the morning immediately before his match.
Shane Mikic is the proshop manager for the Tennis Gear stores and their online store www.tennisgear.com.au in Brisbane. He has over 16 years racquet stringing experience and is currently part of the Wilson Global Stringing Team at the 2011 Australian Open. The following blog shares his experiences during his time in the Wilson Stringing room.
