News

Greenville, SC — For over a decade, some of Dunlop’s most popular frames have come from its 300 series. Designed for intermediate players, the 300s served up great control, Dunlop’s distinctive feel, and suitable power. And while the technologies in the 300s changed over the years, the mold for the frame did not; the head shape was slightly oblong with a beam width of 20mm or 21mm and a box-shaped frame geometry. In 2013, that all changes. Dunlop has made its most significant design and technology changes to this series of rackets in a decade, all in effort to significantly boost power and spin potential, without sacrificing the legendary Dunlop feel.

To signal the sea-change, the 300 name is dropped; the new rackets are called 3.0s (as part of Dunlop’s new racket naming convention — see below for further details). The readily apparent design changes begin with the head, which loses its oblong profile and is now more rounded. The new shape, named TruOval, adds 5% more stringbed, resulting in increased spin for players. The second most notable design change involves the frame’s geometry, specifically the beam and shaft, which are much more aerodynamic in shape. Termed ‘Hybrid Cross Section’, the new 22mm beam melds the power generated from aerodynamics with the stability and comfort of a box design. Overall, this ‘Aero’ package helps the racket cut through the air by reducing drag by 8%. Faster swing speeds equal more power on serves and groundstrokes.

NEW BIOMIMETIC TECHNOLOGIES

The racket design changes to the 3.0s are only the first part of the overall re-engineering. Dunlop’s R&D team has developed all new Biomimetic technologies to complement the design changes. AeroskinCX , represents an advancement over the original Aeroskin with its reconfigured surface texture that more closely resembles the skin of a shark and reduces drag by up to 36%. Similar to the ‘Aero’ package (mentioned above), the AeroskinCX enhances a player’s swing speed resulting in more power and greater access to spin.

While tennis has evolved to greater levels of power and spin over the past decade, comfort and feel is still as important as ever, so the Dunlop R&D team developed an entirely new dampening system comprised of natural fibers, named BioFibre, that are woven bi-directionally throughout the throat and handle to more widely distribute shock at impact. Stronger than steel and lighter than carbon, BioFibre dampens the shock by 18% and results in a more clean, solid feel at impact.

The third new Biomimetic technology used in the 3.0 rackets makes use of an element often found in aerospace and industrial lubricants: Molybdenite (MoS2). The MoS2 is present in an all-new grommet system. Similar to ball bearings, the MoS2 particles enable easier movement, in this case between the strings and the grommets, decreasing friction by 27%. Reduced string friction with the grommet means more string movement and added power to shots.

NEW NAMING SYSTEM MAKES RACKET SELECTION EASIER

For 2013, Dunlop has renamed all its new rackets to help make the selection process easier. The main change is the addition of a letter prior to the racket number. Each racket name starts with either a ‘F’, ‘M’ or ‘S’, signifying a player’s swing speed and style. ‘F’ stands for Fast/Full, ‘M’ stands for Medium/Moderate, and ‘S’ stands for Short/Slow. Finally, the numbers have been changed from hundreds to a decimal system to signify the new molds. The breakdown for the new 3.0 series is F3.0 Tour, M3.0 and S3.0 Lite. So a player who has a slower swing speed would select the S3.0 Lite.

“It’s imperative we get the message out among players and retailers that the 2013 line of Dunlop Biomimetic rackets have been completely re-engineered, so we’re supporting this launch with our largest marketing campaign in recent memory,” said Hunter Hines, Director of Marketing and Product for Dunlop Racket Sports. “Earlier this year we shot two commercials: one with Fernando Verdasco and Nicolas Almagro, and one with Dominika Cibulkova, supporting the new product. We will be airing those throughout the Fall and into the Spring. We also have print and digital campaigns starting during the US Open. And of course we’ll support our retailers with custom in-store POP and strong promotions.” “Our 2013 racket line signals a new, modern direction for Dunlop,” said Kai Nitsche, V.P. and General Manager of Dunlop Sports Group Americas. “We are breaking out of our traditional mold with new frame shapes, new technologies, and we’re heavily investing in marketing the line in a number of ways: TV advertising, product videos, and a creative social media campaign, in addition to print. The tennis industry landscape is changing rapidly, and we’re in a great position to take advantage.”