Vary Tension for different opponents?

[Rafaboy]

Do most of you play with the same racket/tension/weight when facing different opponents, or would it be necessary, to use a higher tension and more weight against opponents that hit harder?

I never could figure this out, if it was necessary to do so.

[dr325i]

Originally Posted by Rafaboy

Do most of you play with the same racket/tension/weight when facing different opponents, or would it be necessary, to use a higher tension and more weight against opponents that hit harder?

I never could figure this out, if it was necessary to do so.

I am sure some here BELIEVE it may benecessary.
However, at our level...highly unlikely...

[pingu]

Agree with dr325i, at our level, same racket and spec is good for any opponents.

[un6a]

higher tension and more weight against opponents that hit harder?

Imo for harder hitting opponents you would eventually need lower tension in order to better absorb/redirect their pace.

[matchmaker]

Originally Posted by un6a

Imo for harder hitting opponents you would eventually need lower tension in order to better absorb/redirect their pace.

This does not make sense to me. Generally high tensions are thought to have more control, so if your opponent hits hard, you want to use the power of their shots and control the ball.

In response to the thread topic: no, I always play with the same tension.

[bigmatt]

I vary tensions by surface (lower for clay), and if I know my opponent hits hard/soft, I'll vary for that, as well. It sure ups the old stringing bill, though.
An anecdote: I was at a seminar run by Warren Bosworth in the 80s, and he said that Lendl got very nervous playing Becker at that time, and would always have racquets strung tighter for the first couple of ball changes. His regular tension then was 72.5#, and his first frame would be 74.5#, then down to 73.5#, and by the third change (he anticipated) he would be calm , and the rest would be his normal tension.

[The Meat]

Originally Posted by matchmaker

This does not make sense to me. Generally high tensions are thought to have more control, so if your opponent hits hard, you want to use the power of their shots and control the ball.

In response to the thread topic: no, I always play with the same tension.

High tension helps to block back the ball into play, lower tensions might be more helpful as a trampoline to redirect it back into play.

[ollinger]

^^ Uhhhh, what?

[dman72]

If I'm playing a total junk baller, I play better with a racquet that hits good junk itself...thin beamed, lower swingweight, very headlight, in my case my NXG OS's.

If I'm playing somebody who hits with pace, I hit better with a tweener frame that is a little stiffer, and has more pop, ie my o3 Sharks.

It's a bad habit to switch racquets, so I try to stay with one frame regardless, but I can't deny that different tools definitely work better against different players, at least at the extremes of the scales.

I'd assume you can have similar issues with string tension.

[Fuji]

Nawh I use the same tension regardless. I hate thinking that "maybe I'll do better with a stick strung 2lbs less, or maybe 2lbs more..."

-Fuji

[Rafaboy]

Well, I notice that when i hit against a hard hitter with pace, and I use the same racket/tension as i do for everyone, I have to swing way harder and faster, using up a lot of energy and strength.

Is this supposed to happen, or is it just a matter of getting the right timing, to keep the same effort it takes as playing against a softer hitter?

Or, is it better to add a little weight/tension, to make it more effortless on returns against the hard hitter?