Chuck hails from the American south in Atlanta Georgia. He first got into stringing while he was teaching at a tennis club. With a constant habit of breaking strings, he decided to learn how to restring his racquet by himself.
He approached a stringer at the club with an offer: “I’ll buy you lunch, you teach me how to string.” From that time onward, he embarked upon the road of the stringer. Currently stringing with the YONEX Stringing Team, Chuck has been stringing since 1974.
This year is his first time stringing at the Australian Open, but he has experience stringing at six Grand Slams. While he says work as a stringer for a big tournament like the Australian Open is quite demanding, there is some down time. “When it’s raining it’s pretty quiet,” commented Chuck when we caught him during a moment of inclement weather at the tournament.
Since the tournament has started, Japanese stringers have left snacks from their native country in the break room for anyone to partake of. Chuck’s thoughts? “It’s something to get used to. It’s not bad, but as a southern boy I prefer some good steak and eggs.” Powerful food for powerful work. We’re counting on you, Chuck!
Find more informaton about the YONEX Stringing Team at its official website.