Beginner racket for petite 5'1 female?

[firstblud]

She's using a $15 target racket and i think she realy needs a better racket to speed up her progress...

do you guys have any suggestions on good cheap beginner rackets? preferably under $80?

some i'm observing are...

Head Titanium Ti.S6
hybrid shark os
tt bandit
prince thundercloud

THanks.

 

[VikingSamurai]

Dunlop AG500

 

[firstblud]

do u mean mfil 500?

 

[Bud]

Wilson K90

 

[s_andrean]

The Ti.S6 is a pretty safe bet, when I worked as the racquet expert in a tennis shop here in the UK we sold loads of them, easy on the arm, loads of pop, and very easy to use.

 

[meowmix]

Wilson K90

Yeah, NO WAY! Not a good choice. However, if you really want to prank your gf, get a demo and give it to her

 

[Banks]

or get the k90 and when she decides she hates tennis..... BAM you have a barely used k90 for you to use.

 

[Bud]

Yeah, NO WAY! Not a good choice. However, if you really want to prank your gf, get a demo and give it to her

What would be really funny is if she ended up loving it and you were on the hook for a $200.00 frame

 

[firstblud]

hehe i'm also debating if the o3 white would be a good idea. i can get it for $139 unstrung.

 

[s_andrean]

hehe i'm also debating if the o3 white would be a good idea. i can get it for $139 unstrung.

Stick to the Ti.S6, its cheaper, and it will be better for her, trust me on this. The o3 white would most probably be a little hefty for her, maybe after a year or more consider it.

 

[quest01]

Wilson K90

Maybe when she becomes a 5.0 player then she could consider the K90.

 

[AceofBase]

The Prince Shark should be a good idea to use!

 

[alcap26]

Find a Prince Shark DB for her. Fairly light but has some pop.

 

[chinkypinky]

yeah the shark would be a great idea

 

[jck01]

Stick to the Ti.S6, its cheaper, and it will be better for her, trust me on this. The o3 white would most probably be a little hefty for her, maybe after a year or more consider it.

I think you should try Head Ti.S6. My girlfriend started using it last year and she's progressed a lot since then. She took up tennis only about 3 years ago.

 

[frankyue50]

O3 red. Light and powerfult!

 

[texastornado]

lm radical os?

 

[AznHylite]

Wilson K90

LMFAO you're insane. That's just a mean joke.

 

[RLFore]

I think the Prince Shark OS (non hybrid) would be good for her. My niece plays with one.

 

[Knight Terrence Kuo III]

i like petite girls by the way... =) anyway, give the Pure Drive by babolat a try. I think it's a great racket for power and spin. If you want control string the racket higher. I recommend 58 tension for you.

 

[VikingSamurai]

do u mean mfil 500?

Umm no.. I mean AG500

 

[ironicqueery]

I think the Prince O3 racquets are great. A beginner should probably start out using the Blue verison, which has a 110 sq" headsize. Huge sweet spot that will help the player gain confidence. As they player gets better, just move to the Red (105 sq" head size), which will give added control and less power as strokes improve. Once you get even better, then move to the Black or White (100 sq" head size).

 

[martin8768]

I think the Prince O3 racquets are great. A beginner should probably start out using the Blue verison, which has a 110 sq" headsize. Huge sweet spot that will help the player gain confidence. As they player gets better, just move to the Red (105 sq" head size), which will give added control and less power as strokes improve. Once you get even better, then move to the Black or White (100 sq" head size).

totally agree here thats a great plan.

 

[Redflea]

Keep your sights on something in the $70 range...popping for an $179 racquet for her at this point doesn't make sense to me, unless you have money to burn.

 

[firstblud]

o3 blue is a lil out of my range... the only o3 in my range is probably the hybrid shark.

 

[DustinW]

Check out the Prince TT Warrior OS. I bought one for my wife and she loves it. She demoed a few different racquets, including the hybrid shark, and the warrior was her favorite.

 

[jaykay]

Keep your sights on something in the $70 range...popping for an $179 racquet for her at this point doesn't make sense to me, unless you have money to burn.

RF: I bought a cheapo Head LM 2 Tour frame in 4-1/4 gripsize from the "Golf_Store_run_by_Smith" (I had some coupons and got this frame very cheap) for my wife, who is a beginner with a surprisingly solid FH. She has gotten TE in 2 hitting sessions with this frame. She was earlier wielding some of my older frames in 4-1/2 gripsize (Wilson HH, Prince TT Bandit OS, FXP Instinct), which were all over the spectrum in terms of static wt, balance, SW etc and moreover, were of the wrong gripsize. She never had TE probs with my older frames. She is back to the FXP Instinct in 4-1/2 gripsize (2 sizes too big for her) now.

What are the frames in the <$100 range that you'd recommend? Let me know what you think. I'd value your opinion in this matter...

 

[Trainer]

She's using a $15 target racket and i think she realy needs a better racket to speed up her progress...

do you guys have any suggestions on good cheap beginner rackets? preferably under $80?

some i'm observing are...

Head Titanium Ti.S6
hybrid shark os
tt bandit
prince thundercloud

THanks.

FISCHER TWIN TEC SPEED FTI

Going new on E_B@y for about 80 bucks

# Headsize: 107 sq. in / 690 cm2
# Grip size: 4 1/2
# Grip type: Gamma Pro Rx Grip
# Weight: 9.5 oz.
# Balance: 13.6 in. unstrung
# Length: 27.4 inches
# Cross section: 25 mm
# Condition: Brand New (plastic on the handle)
# Cover included: Yes
# Stringing: unstrung
# String Pattern: 16 * 20
# Recommended String Tension: 45-65 lbs.
# Warranty: na
# Regular Retail: 210.00

 

[davey]

Is this a growing teenager or mature adult? If she is still growing and her game is improving, then look more for a tweener or player's racket. If she is an adult, then a tweener should be good. Either way, get her something that is smaller than what she is playing with and maybe a little heavier. The $15 target racket is probably quite large and light so it shouldn't be hard to find something for her improving game. The tt bandit mid can be found for $50-$60 and should be arm-friendly for her. I don't know anything about the other rackets you are considering.

 

[firstblud]

davey,

yeah i'm going to get her to demo the bandit as it seems to be a real popular beginner's racket.

she's a mature adult, 25 years old. she's having a hard time growing a consistent stroke on both bh and fh and my friend and i are thinking that the racket is hindering her progress... it is a terrible racket that thuds when you hit the sweetspot.

 

[Redflea]

Bandit is pretty head-heavy, with SW in the mid- to high-330s...my wife (5'1" also) did not like racquets up in that range.

 

[xottam]

Check out the Prince TT Warrior OS. I bought one for my wife and she loves it. She demoed a few different racquets, including the hybrid shark, and the warrior was her favorite.

I vote for the TT Warrior OS also. I bought my girlfriend (5'1" also) the Dunlop M-Fil 800 since she is a beginner, but she found my TT W OS in my bag and fell in love with it instead. Note, I got my TT W OS leaded up with 12 grams, so it probably weighs around 11.7 oz or so now, and she still loves it. Plus, unlike a lot of beginner racquets, she'll be able to grow with the TT W OS in my opinion.

 

[Redflea]

RF: I bought a cheapo Head LM 2 Tour frame in 4-1/4 gripsize from the "Golf_Store_run_by_Smith" (I had some coupons and got this frame very cheap) for my wife, who is a beginner with a surprisingly solid FH. She has gotten TE in 2 hitting sessions with this frame. She was earlier wielding some of my older frames in 4-1/2 gripsize (Wilson HH, Prince TT Bandit OS, FXP Instinct), which were all over the spectrum in terms of static wt, balance, SW etc and moreover, were of the wrong gripsize. She never had TE probs with my older frames. She is back to the FXP Instinct in 4-1/2 gripsize (2 sizes too big for her) now.

What are the frames in the <$100 range that you'd recommend? Let me know what you think. I'd value your opinion in this matter...

You know, if she likes one of the racquets you have, and the grip is the only issue, you could talk to your local shop to see if they can change the pallet to a smaller one that fits here hand...would be relatively cheap, and would allow her to keep using a racquet she's used to and likes, and (hopefully) does well with.

As for buying another racquet...when my wife was shopping I let her try a wide range of racquets (forced her, actually ) and hit with her to see what I thought worked for her game, and what she liked in terms overall feel.

If she's anything like my wife (in terms of size/strength ratio), you're going to want something in the upper 200's to lower 300s' SW, about 10 oz (+/- .5 oz), a bit head light to neutral, and head size 100 or greater.

From TW's current list of liquidation (e.g., <$100) racquets, some options that might be worth demoing:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCVOLKL-CAT8V.html

My wife liked this one when she hit w/it:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCPRINCE-TCT.html

Others currently on sale...

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCPRINCE-OSCRM.html

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCPRINCE-TTSCRM.html

Good luck...