News

Greenville, SC — From the Max200G of the early 80s through the 2011 version of the 200 Tour, Dunlop’s Tour Team members have carried model after model of the legendary 200 series of racquets into battle. For 2013, Dunlop has made its most significant changes to the racquets in over a decade. The new 2.0 series is not just a new name; it features significant frame changes such as a rounder head shape, more advanced construction materials and more powerful technologies, delivering a brand new experience to advanced players.

“At the Tour Level, the game has changed significantly just over the past five years,” said Hunter Hines, Director of Marketing and Product for Dunlop Racquet Sports. “The men and women can’t get by with just control or brute power anymore. They need a mix of both those attributes, plus a huge dose of spin. Over the past few years, I’ve personally worked with the players to tweak their racquets to deliver those playing characteristics, but those changes haven’t made it to the consumer, until now.”

The new mold is most evident in the beam, which is slightly thicker and more aerodynamically contoured, and in the head, which is rounder. Both the F2.0 Tour and M2.0 are more maneuverable than the old 200s, and the M2.0 has a 16×19 string pattern.

On top of the new mold, Dunlop has improved upon the old 200s by adding its latest Biomimetic technologies: AeroskinCX, BioFibres and MoS2 grommets.

NEW BIOMIMETIC TECHNOLOGIES

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%. 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 BioFibres, that are woven bi-directionally throughout the throat and handle to more widely distribute shock at impact. Stronger than steel and lighter than carbon, BioFibres dampen the shock by 18% and results in a more clean, solid feel at impact.

The third new Biomimetic technology used in the 2.0 racquets 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 RACQUET SELECTION EASIER

For 2013, Dunlop has renamed all its new racquets to help make the selection process easier. The main change is the addition of a letter prior to the racquet number. Each racquet 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 models. So a player who has a faster swing speed would select the F2.0 Tour, while a player with a medium or moderate length swing style, would start with the M2.0.

“It’s imperative we get the message out among players and retailers that the 2013 line of Dunlop Biomimetic racquets have been completely re-engineered, so we’re supporting this launch with our largest marketing campaign in recent memory,” said Hines. “We’re airing a commercial featuring Fernando Verdasco and Nicolas Almagro from now through the Spring. We also have print and digital campaigns coinciding with the Australian Open. And of course we’ll support our retailers with custom in-store POP and strong promotions.”

“Our 2013 racquet 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.”