Which string is better?

[anubis]

If all the rest of the children in his competitive region are using poly, then he'll be at a distinct disadvantage if he doesn't use poly. I can at least appreciate his desire to be able to "run with the pack" and not get left behind.

Be that as it may, at 12 years of age, differences in shot placement is probably not due to two different brands of poly string. I'm sure it has more to do with technique. I'm sure he's being coached, correct? You should be speaking to his coach about why he's getting such different results with different strings.

Have two racquets strung with these two types of strings. have the coach observe his footwork, timing and hand eye coordination. If they are precisely the same, then ask the coach for his professional opinion as to why he's getting such different results.

[Lambsscroll]

Originally Posted by anubis

Have two racquets strung with these two types of strings. have the coach observe his footwork, timing and hand eye coordination. If they are precisely the same, then ask the coach for his professional opinion as to why he's getting such different results.

What if the coach says its because of the strings?

[TennezSport]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

I guess that in the world of highly competitive junior sports things may seem wrong by people who do not have children immersed in the sport. Poly strings are a no brainer in the competitive junior tennis world. I'm not talking about kids who aspire to play on the high school team. I'm talking about kids who want to play Div 1 tennis or possibly become tennis professionals. These kids push themselves to their limits and want to play at the highest levels. That involves using the best equipment, having the best training you can get and most importantly sacrificing some of your childhood so you can train at these high levels. You are not the only one who has written criticism about the use of poly strings by a young child but unfortunately that is the way it is.

You seem to have a good grasp of what is going on with your son and his abilities. The key thing with poly string string at any age is to keep the string tension as low as he can control and track the number of hours played. Most players make the msitake of leaving poly string in the racquet too long. The higher your level of ability the shorter the life span of poly string.

I recently was asked to help a 16 yr old girl from the McEnroe academy with her racquets. She had been using poly string since she was 12 and recently had to have a nerve removed/cut in her elbow. She is still in recovery 4 mo later and working on PT. She is now cleared to start hitting again, but I had no choice but to put NG string in her racquet; no more 100% poly for her. Her best bet will be NG/poly hybrid if she gets to that point.

Her mistake was leaving the poly in too long, but how long is too long? She used 6 racquets and rotated them but she didnt track her hours with the string she was using. She was playing 4hrs per day 6 days a week and at her level that meant she should have strung all six racquets every 2 weeks. Some say that is a bit excessive, but dead poly is dangerous. Much cheaper to change your string frequently, than to go through an 11K operation and risk the arm for the rest of your life. Careful string planning is a must. Good luck in your string search.

Cheers. TennezSport

[anubis]

Originally Posted by Lambsscroll

What if the coach says its because of the strings?

Well, hard to argue with that, if that's true. If that's the case, then no more needs to be said on the matter of technique.

If the coach has judged the technique to be sound, and the performance between two distinctly different strings provides such clearly different results, then we should definitely look at the strings with increased scrutiny.

All things being equal, if it is the strings, then I would say the following:

Head Sonic Pro is a considerably softer poly than Genesis Black magic. Not only is it softer, it doesn't hold tension as well as the Genesis does. This means that a few hours after stringing, plus hitting a couple hundred balls, a 40lb string job will degrade into a 17 lb string job. What kind of control does one expect with strings @ 17 lbs?


Genesis black magic is much stiffer than Sonic, so its got a lower deflection off the racquet face. This means better accuracy, but less spin. It holds tension better, so a 35lb string job will degrade into a 16 lb string job.

TL/DR: The problem is not with the string, but with the ELT method of stringing (extra low tension). Personally, I don't see the point. I recommend jumping up to around 54 lbs. Once they are strung at "proper" tensions, then you can really begin to analyze the performance of each.

But honestly, you can't really play competitive tennis when your strings are @ 16 lbs of tension. That's just way to low.

[pvw_tf]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

I guess that in the world of highly competitive junior sports.

Kids of 12 years, training 2 to 3 hours a day, 5 days a week and in the weekend a tournament. It is a lot on the body of a kid, still growing and not yet in fast lane of the growing.

On the other hand some numbers:
- most current top 100 players needed 5 to 6 years to reach the top 100
- I think at the moment there are 3 players in top 100 21 years of younger. Well maybe only 2 because Roanic is 22.
- Average age of top 10 is 27

Is it needed to "stress out" the kids, bring possible damage to joints, and other parts of a not fully grown body?

It is for them of involved to answer it to them self. I see kids of 9, 10 years playing with a full size racket, which is on the stiff to very stiff side. Just to have more power to win matches in their age group and possible loose on learning the technique.

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

Poly strings are a no brainer in the competitive junior tennis world.

They are used. Yes, but spoke with a lot of coaches, many do not care, sorry to state but to be honest to many just do not know enough about rackets and strings or stringing in general.

They often have a deal with a brand, which provide them some or more rackets and strings. That is where they play with and by that they are promoting it. When they get a different deal they switch. When they have to pay it their self you get sometimes nice changes in attitude.

For the few who do care, they go with the softer strings, softer rackets to learn the basic as well as possible. But they do know it is hard to talk the kids out of the big players equipments.

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

That involves using the best equipment, having the best training you can get and most importantly sacrificing some of your childhood so you can train at these high levels.

There is short term and long term. I have been around for a long time. Advised many pro players. They had offers to play for money with certain brands, but most were wise enough to go for the their style of tennis matching rackets and take best strings. Not the money.

Technique and control is important at younger and development age. What you learn at this time will stay there. Once a wrong serve you will stuck with it.
Once arm problems it will be hard to get rid of it.

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

You are not the only one who has written criticism about the use of poly strings by a young child but unfortunately that is the way it is.

I do not think you are right in this statement. It is not needed to do something just because all others are doing it.

I have 2 kids (10.5 and 12). Both played with Tecnifibre NRG2 1.18 at 19 to 20 kg until breakage got to quick. Now they play with NRg2 1.24.
But that is my choice, but based on being long in the business for as much at that has value.

Peter

[Lambsscroll]

Can we just assume he is a responsible father and his kids health is fine and dandy?

Lets also assume cost isn't an issue among the strings.

So that leaves us with his question of which poly is more likely to help his kid win matches?