Tip of the Week: Choosing A Racquet
vorites were the Dunlop Maxply Fort and the Wilson Jack Kramer Pro Staff. These racquets were only 60-68 square inches and weighed between 375 and 395 grams. I always like to challenge my students to hit some balls with this type of racquet so that they understand how fortunate we are to have the lighter and larger frames with much more forgiveness and a much greater response.
Choosing a racquet these days is really about personal preference. Every player is different and certain racquets can compliment your style of play. My advice is to try a few different racquets and give yourself some time to assess how they perform for you. Also, pay attention to the feel-is the hit solid-does the racquet have a lot of power-are you able to control the direction, depth and speed of the ball? Keep in mind that if you are struggling with your fundamentals, there will not be a lot of help provided by the racquet. The one biggest influence on how the racquet feels is going to be determined by your ability to hit the ball on or close to the center of the racquet. Because the racquets are larger (as well as the improvement of the string quality) there will be much more forgiveness if you slightly mishit the shot. However, watching the ball closely all the way through the point of contact, and focussing on that solid hit will help you determine if the racquet might be the right one for you.
Try not to keep searching for the perfect racquet. The more racquets you try, the more likely you will start to get confused. Each time you play tennis, things are different. The person that you are playing against or hitting with, can have a big influence on how the racquet feels. I would recommend testing a few racquets at a time and possibly using them during a lesson or when hitting against a ball machine. The consistency that you experience in these situations will help you figure out if you “like” the racquet or not.
Remember that the string and tension you use can also have a big effect on how the racquet feels. If you are used to using synthetic gut strung between 45 and 50 pounds, and the racquet you are using has polyester and is strung in the 50’s, this may not give you a good representation of how the racquet will play with your normal stringing specs. If at all possible, try to get the stringing close to what you are used to, so your decision is easier to make. I also recommend getting advice from your pro or coach if possible!
Steve Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the Director of Annacone Tennis, www.annaconetennis.com and MyHamptonsPro, www.myhamptonspro.com throughout the Hamptons, NY. He is also the Team Strategist for the University of Arizona Women’s Tennis Team. Please contact Steve at sannacone@aol.com or 865-300-7323.
