Wilson? Head? Babolat? Volkl? Pffffft.
None of those big-money racket manufacturers won last week’s Legg-Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C.
The racket in Radek Stepanek’s right fist — the won with the “B” stenciled on the strings — was made by Jay Bosworth of Bosworth Tennis in Boca Raton, Fla., a virtually unknown company to fans that doesn’t do endorsements, doesn’t pay players to use its equipment, but a firm which is well known to a lot of pros.
Jay wasn’t in the stands on that sweltering day to watch his 32-year-old client overcome a rain delay and win his first ATP 500 event, the fifth title of his career and his first since 2009. But he was all over his TV set as Radek used his 10-sided Bosworth frame to whip world No. 7 Gael Monfils by 6-4, 6-4.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was really cool. I was so proud of the way Radek played,” said Bosworth, who ascended to presidency of the company after his father, Warren Bosworth, died a year ago.
What’s different about a Bosworth racket? For starters, the 10-sided head, which creator Warren Bosworth created to widen the sweet spot on the strings. Next, the racket is custom fitted to the player’s style, down to the curve of the grip.
But doesn’t Babolat do that for Rafael Nadal and Wilson for Roger Federer? I asked Jay.
“Yes, but we’re more proactive about it. I give the players my thoughts about how I think they should play.”
Tennis insiders know all about Bosworth rackets, but the company was probably a complete mystery to most fans. Ivan Lendl used a Bosworth. Martina Navratilova used a Bosworth. Players under contract for big money with major manufacturers might not use a Bosworth racket, but they would have their rackets customized by Bosworth.
Stepanek formed an alliance with Bosworth after a long talk with Lendl, who, like Radek, was born in the Czech Republic.
“Everyone at first was laughing at me,” Stepanek recalled the initial reaction to the 10-sided frame. “Everyone was trying to get inside my bag, to see the racket.”
Stepanek says his Bosworth has “double the sweet spot. “Even when I was with Volkl, they customized my rackets,” he explained. “It’s made for me, for what I need. I need a bigger hand and it’s a great help to have someone who understands rackets that well.”
Warren Bosworth founded his first tennis business in 1972, marketing his early rackets under the Fox brand. Bosworth Tennis was born in 1982, the year son went to work for father.
The company employs just five people and now makes rackets for amateurs as well as professionals, though Stepanek is, apparently, the only to pro using a Bosworth.