Patent ID: 7396303

Claim:
In a sports racquet comprising: a tubular frame including a head portion defining a stringing area and a handle portion coupled to said head portion; a first set of string segments extending at least generally parallel to one another in a first direction; and a second set of string segments extending at least generally parallel to one another in a second direction which is at least generally perpendicular to said first direction, said first and second set of string segments being interwoven to form a string bed lying generally in a string bed plane; the improvement wherein said head portion includes a cutout portion that includes a seat surface, and wherein said racquet further comprises an insert member having at least one string port formed therein, having an axis at least generally parallel to said string bed plane, with opposed first and second bearing surfaces for receiving a pair of string ends of said first set of string segments, respectively, to provide a predetermined spacing between said string segments, and a third bearing surface to engage said seat surface to counter the pulling force of the strings when tensioned.