The good news from the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) is that, while total play may slide, the amount of frequent play is clearly on the rise, and more kids are getting involved. In 2000, the number of individuals who played more than 10 times a year jumped 28% (from 7.7 million to 9.9 million); while, at the same time, the number of children 6-11 playing tennis peaked at 2.5 million. The bad news from the TIA is that declining tennis ball and racquet sales for the last quarter of 2000 and first two quarters of 2001 suggest there may be a 5%-6% drop in participation this year. If so, the fall-off would follow four years of solid growth; between 1995 and 1999, the number of players age 12 and over in the U.S. increased by 17%, to more than 20.8 million people. The TIA released the figures at its annual meeting, held during the U.S. Open.