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View Full Version : Do you check out your opponents racket/gear?


goober
07-30-2005, 12:42 PM
lately I have been checking out my opponents racquet, clothing and shoes especially when they are a new opponent and trying to see if their is any correlation with what type of player they are just for fun.

Racquet- if they are using a 90-95 inch player's racquet they are generally very good players 4.5+ or wannabes that are using a racquet that way too demanding for them. If they come playing with an old school racquet they generally have an old school game with eastern forehand, chip and charge and good volleys. So many people play with tweeners that it is hard to make any prediction on their game till we play. If I see them with a granny stick, I am usually in for a slice and dice or pusher, but I am not worried. If I see leaded up racquet I start getting a little concerned.

Clothes- if they match head to toe with the latest Nike/fila ect, they obviously got the $$$ and usually have good strokes from lessons although occasionally I run into people who spent a lot on their clothes but should have spent more on their game :). But generally there is no correlation although most of the better players do wear dry fit type shirts.

Shoes- almost all the really good players I have played have high end shoes. If I see BIIs or IIIs I am usually in for a battle. But usually there is a wide spectrum of shoes among good and bad players, but if I see Walmart specials, then I know I will have a casual player that is most of the time not going to be mentally tough.

Of course there are exceptions to everything but it is funny how often my predictions are on the mark. :)

uxnaitoahz
07-30-2005, 12:58 PM
I agree, racquets can tell you alot about their game. I don't know about clothing though...

mendia
07-30-2005, 01:07 PM
You cant judge a player by it's racquet. I played a guy with a really bad US open racquet, and he was really good.

donnyz89
07-30-2005, 01:29 PM
racquets... well, how do I put it. good players generately have a real racquet not just a Target recreational racquet. People with 2-3 of the same racquet are usually good enough to beat me any day. but some players would have a pure drive and plays like crap and some others with puredrive could be god. so it really depends.

TEAMRAFA
07-30-2005, 01:30 PM
no i think this is all true. also if they have multiple racquets with the same specs and or they just have a 12 pack back loaded up with racquets they are probably decent.

Capt. Willie
07-30-2005, 02:09 PM
The thing I have often noticed is that if they have beat-up looking players racquets and/or discontinued players racquets they are generally very good. Clothing, from my view, is all over the board...I think it has more to do with the player's economics or how much emphases they place on style. As for shoes, good players tend to wear high end tennis shoes. So, if they have on a cotton t-shirt, gym shorts, basketball shoes and carry one light weight oversize racquet, I'm not worried.

Capt. Willie
07-30-2005, 02:17 PM
Oh, this reminds me...a few months back I'm sitting waiting for a court and this guy who was also waiting for a court with his wife and kids says to me "I've never seen that brand of racquet." I tell him it (Volkl) is a German company. He than proceeds to show me the great Wilson racquet he got at Sports Authority. "Look at the big head size and it is so light weight." Right than I knew he would suck...and I was right. :)

fishuuuuu
07-30-2005, 03:15 PM
Usually this isn't goin to do you very much good because there can be so many different situations or conditions for your opponents.

Although a trend I notice for the very well trained and well prepared (junior) player is one that (1) Owns a Supercombi racquet bag from company X and (2) has anywhere from three to six of the same racquet inside that bag. (3) Their parents watch silently from afar and also sport atheletic apparel. (4) Their behavior prior, during, and after a match. Most serious players will be gracious in victory and have pretty good court-side manner although have outbursts from time to time.