Dunlop Signs American Michael Russell
June 15, 2011
GREENVILLE, SC — Dunlop today announced the signing of American ATP World Tour player Michael Russell. On Tour for over 14 years, the Michigan native still competes at the highest level, as evidenced by wins at the Australian Open and a quarterfinal appearance in Memphis this year. His results in 2011 have come about with a new racket- one he worked closely with Dunlop to select.
“Mike came to us looking for more power than he was getting with his old rackets, but he certainly wasn’t willing to sacrifice control,” said Hunter Hines, Dunlop’s Tour Level Racket Specialist. “We tested several different options, and ultimately that led us to the Biomimetic 500 which fit his game perfectly.”
“I tested quite a few frames from all the manufacturers, and these are the best rackets I’ve ever used,” said Russell of the Biomimetic 500s. “They allow me to do many more things with the ball that I could before.”
‘Iron Mike’ is known for his fighting spirit and incredible speed (‘Wheels’ is another nickname of his). Perhaps the most incredible match of his career came at the French Open in 2001 when, as an unheralded player, he battled top ranked Guga Kuerten to a 5 set thriller at Roland Garros.
“We’re glad Mike chose the Biomimetic 500 and is now a part of our Tour Team,” said Kai Nitsche, Vice President and General Manager of Dunlop Racket Sports. “He’s an incredible athlete, but he also plays every point like it’s his last, which is why he’s still competing at the top level after all these years. We look forward to seeing him hit the hard courts here in the States this summer.”
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