Low, low tensions. 30lbs feels great. 20lbs pretty good, too

Sander001 · Jun 7, 2016

gvsbdisco said:
Hi Everyone.
Advice sought.

I am using a Prince Textreme 100T (16x18) with some lead at 3&9 and weighting in the handle. I also have a sensitive wrist (ulnar side). I wanted to try some polys at lower tension. I started with Proline II 18 at 44 lbs and it was comfortable but underpowered and I thought the stringbed got a little erratic after 3-4 hours. Next I tried Tour Bite at 34 lbs (drop weight stringer). I thought this played fantastic. Explosive power, and rewarded a nice smooth swing. I liked it alot. However, after playing I felt some discomfort in my wrist so it has to get cut out. On hand I have the following strings:

- cyclone 16 (firm)
- spiky black shark 16 (firm)
- golden power cord 16 (soft and lively co-poly)
- Pro Line II 18 (soft and low powered)

I have played cyclone and spiky black shark comfortably at 55 lbs but in a 16x16 ported Prince Tour 100T ESP. However, that frame seems absorb every possible shock and is ridiculously comfortable.

Looking for tension recommendations for the above strings based on the information above. Also curious about comfort comparisons between the stiffer strings at low tensions (TB, Cyclone, Spiky BS) and whether people have had luck going low tension with the soft co-polys (power cord, pro line II)

thanks for any information you can provide.

I've been trying very low tensions for the last few seasons and find that multifilaments for example, are still more comfortable in the long term, even when strung much tighter.
Poly Tour Pro and Hawk Touch, possibly the most comfortable polyester strings around, are not as comfortable even when strung in the 20lbs. Even when compared to a syngut or multifilaments polyester hybrid.

I'm using monogut zyex with a polyester cross right now and it's also much more comfortable and has very decent spin too. 42/27lbs.

tegg96 · Jun 11, 2016

Sander001 said:
I've been trying very low tensions for the last few seasons and find that multifilaments for example, are still more comfortable in the long term, even when strung much tighter.
Poly Tour Pro and Hawk Touch, possibly the most comfortable polyester strings around, are not as comfortable even when strung in the 20lbs. Even when compared to a syngut or multifilaments polyester hybrid.

I'm using monogut zyex with a polyester cross right now and it's also much more comfortable and has very decent spin too. 42/27lbs.

Agree with the Zyex, but what is a Wilson GD97 in your sig?

Karma Tennis · Jun 12, 2016

tegg96 said:
what is a Wilson GD97?

Presumably it's the Wilson prototype spin effect racquet that is used by Grigor Dimitrov, hence the "GD"

BuildStrikeCosmos · Jun 26, 2016

Hey guys, I remember reading a summary here sometime ago but now can't find it. Someone did a summary listing the tension and their traits which others have agreed with.

e.g something like 'between 38-42lb you get the most power of ELT'
and they listed from upper 20s to high 40s.

I'm asking because I'm considering which tension to string for my next stringing.

I tried 30lb and it had a very high launch angle and still felt very controllable. I also tried 40lb but strung it in a very dead racquet with bad vibrations so can't comment on it.

Shroud · Jun 26, 2016

BuildStrikeCosmos said:
Hey guys, I remember reading a summary here sometime ago but now can't find it. Someone did a summary listing the tension and their traits which others have agreed with.

e.g something like 'between 38-42lb you get the most power of ELT'
and they listed from upper 20s to high 40s.

I'm asking because I'm considering which tension to string for my next stringing.

I tried 30lb and it had a very high launch angle and still felt very controllable. I also tried 40lb but strung it in a very dead racquet with bad vibrations so can't comment on it.

for the vibes, go up or down a few lbs in tension.

M Pillai · Sep 28, 2016

By the way, I feel like my string breaking interval increased during the period I was playing with lower tensions. Isn't that contradictory? Since lower tensions allow much more string movement, it should break sooner, correct? What was other folks experience?

Povl Carstensen · Sep 28, 2016

I would not find it surprising that a string under higher tension would break earlier.

Karma Tennis · Sep 28, 2016

M Pillai said:
By the way, I feel like my string breaking interval increased during the period I was playing with lower tensions. Isn't that contradictory? Since lower tensions allow much more string movement, it should break sooner, correct? What was other folks experience?

Probably depends on the string type and actual tension differences between the mains and the crosses.

I would expect the lower tension bed to be more "elastic" so the whole bed would deform more easily on ball contact. So the whole bed would move rather than mostly the mains.

At higher tensions, the mains may move across the stiffer crosses with greater friction increasing the likelihood of a main string notching and breaking more quickly.

Of course, this all presumes that the racquet has been strung properly. When stringing racquets at higher tensions it is easier to damage the string during the stringing process. That damage can lead to premature breakage. Under those circumstances, even a slight kink, or friction burn during stringing can lead to the string breaking a lot more quickly under higher tension.

LeeD · Sep 28, 2016

If you can hit with low tensions, it will not break for a long long time. If you swing too fast and brush the ball constantly, you will break low tensions, but you also can't play with low tensions.

shamaho · Oct 7, 2016

LeeD said:
If you can hit with low tensions, it will not break for a long long time. If you swing too fast and brush the ball constantly, you will break low tensions, but you also can't play with low tensions.

LeeD, can you elaborate bit more on your last sentence? Didn't quite get it.

I don't see the conflict of fast swings brushing the ball the playing ability.

Yes one will break the string but still will take quite some doing if playing with poly, not so much if playing with multi, they will go pretty fast.

Excuse my brevity, sent from mobile on puny keyboard and rocking public transport

LeeD · Oct 7, 2016

Fast brushing swings don't need low tension, as there is power from the fast swing.
Brushing means many more mishits with low tension due to longer dwell time. Mishits don't go well with tennis in general, and can be cured with HIGHER tensions....which needs fast swings at the ball.
McEnroe's string job doesn't work with Roddick's game at all, and vice versa.

WYK · Oct 7, 2016

Stringing from 20-44#, I haven't noticed anything like what LeeD is referring to. I use a lot of topspin from both sides, and am one of the hardest hitters in our club. Looser strings seem playable for longer, if only by virtue of them delivering spin for longer. I break them both at about the same time. However, I prefer the feel of strings in the 52-54# range with crosses at 45-48#. I string my own rackets, and have tried a LOT of different combos and tensions. I string for the season, temperatures, and depending on how damp it is being in Ireland and all.

LeeD · Oct 7, 2016

If they hit the same spin, with close to the same power, but low tensions last longer and give softer impact, why would you "prefer" higher tensions?
Seems you didn't give a complete answer.
I prefer low tensions not for spin, not for durability, but for soft impact, especially on mishits.

shamaho · Oct 8, 2016

LeeD said:
Fast brushing swings don't need low tension, as there is power from the fast swing.
Brushing means many more mishits with low tension due to longer dwell time. Mishits don't go well with tennis in general, and can be cured with HIGHER tensions....which needs fast swings at the ball.
McEnroe's string job doesn't work with Roddick's game at all, and vice versa.

I see what you meant now.

But I think that it's not an either or proposition or in other words, don't think that can be generalised liked you propose.

I mean that one can use fast swings and brushing the ball with low tensions without increasing mishits.

My take on miss hits is that they are due to fine timing failures given the fast swing and not due to dwell time.

Dwell time is most felt if one swings slower.

Stating this based on my limited experience of course.

Excuse my brevity, sent from mobile on puny keyboard and rocking public transport

WYK · Oct 8, 2016

LeeD said:
If they hit the same spin, with close to the same power, but low tensions last longer and give softer impact, why would you "prefer" higher tensions?
Seems you didn't give a complete answer.
I prefer low tensions not for spin, not for durability, but for soft impact, especially on mishits.

I said that I preferred the feel. I make plenty of spin on my own. What I liked most about low tensions is the lack of power. It enables me to play on damp fast courts where the balls stay low. I still use a racket with an ELT on these courts in winter. Still, I prefer the feel of higher tensions.

LeeD · Oct 8, 2016

shamaho said:
I see what you meant now.

But I think that it's not an either or proposition or in other words, don't think that can be generalised liked you propose.

I mean that one can use fast swings and brushing the ball with low tensions without increasing mishits.

My take on miss hits is that they are due to fine timing failures given the fast swing and not due to dwell time.

Dwell time is most felt if one swings slower.

Stating this based on my limited experience of course.

Excuse my brevity, sent from mobile on puny keyboard and rocking public transport

I think dwell time is mostly increased when a player swings fast, so not only does he deform the strings, but the BALL goes flatttened half way, further increasing dwell time, a reason big hitter's don't like ELT.

Karma Tennis · Oct 9, 2016

shamaho said:
But I think that it's not an either or proposition or in other words, don't think that can be generalised liked you propose.

I mean that one can use fast swings and brushing the ball with low tensions without increasing mishits.

My take on miss hits is that they are due to fine timing failures given the fast swing and not due to dwell time.

Like a trampoline, lower tensions fundamentally increase “dwell time”—i.e., the length of time the ball stays on the strings upon impact. And added dwell time, in addition to increasing rebound velocity, decreases margin for error when timing the ball.

(Why? Because with longer dwell times, as Technical Tennis authors Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey explain, “the ball will stay on the strings through a longer part of the arc of your swing both vertically and horizontally,” accentuating “the consequences of errors in the timing of your swing.”)

Starred · Oct 10, 2016

What is Chris doing lately, still on 30lbs or back to 52lbs?

Sander001 · Oct 10, 2016

Karma Tennis said:
Like a trampoline, lower tensions fundamentally increase “dwell time”—i.e., the length of time the ball stays on the strings upon impact. And added dwell time, in addition to increasing rebound velocity, decreases margin for error when timing the ball.

(Why? Because with longer dwell times, as Technical Tennis authors Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey explain, “the ball will stay on the strings through a longer part of the arc of your swing both vertically and horizontally,” accentuating “the consequences of errors in the timing of your swing.”)

So it will also accentuate the benefits of correct timing of your swing.

zalive · Oct 10, 2016

Then, question for experienced: aside of soft impact, is there any other advantage of using ELT?

M Pillai · Oct 10, 2016

A lot easier to feel it than explain it. ELT is obviously not for everybody, and not for every strings. But one thing for sure, you will either love it or hate it, there is no in-between. It is all about the feel.
Please do remember one thing though, the string you use for ELT matters a lot. For example I think most folks may hate ELT on a full bed of synthetic gut.

zalive said:
Then, question for experienced: aside of soft impact, is there any other advantage of using ELT?

shamaho · Oct 10, 2016

Karma Tennis said:
Like a trampoline, lower tensions fundamentally increase “dwell time”—i.e., the length of time the ball stays on the strings upon impact. And added dwell time, in addition to increasing rebound velocity, decreases margin for error when timing the ball.

(Why? Because with longer dwell times, as Technical Tennis authors Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey explain, “the ball will stay on the strings through a longer part of the arc of your swing both vertically and horizontally,” accentuating “the consequences of errors in the timing of your swing.”)

Thanks for your reference and for adding precision to the thing, I gather if I make a small adjustment to my last sentence, I'll be in line with what you referred to.

ie. either one of :

"My take on miss hits is that they are MOSTLY due to fine timing failures given the fast swing"
or
"My take on miss hits is that they are due to fine timing failures given the fast swing and dwell time"

WYK · Oct 12, 2016

zalive said:
Then, question for experienced: aside of soft impact, is there any other advantage of using ELT?

The advantages are(assuming somewhere in the 30# range using poly):

Less Power(easier to swing out on service returns and keep the ball in, etc).
More Spin for all swing types, silly spin with hard swinging.
More forgiving string bed. Less shock on off center hits. And with less power, this makes the sweet spot feel larger.
You can put more spin on the ball with an abbreviated swing, like with a service return motion, or swiping at a passing shot
You can absorb power more easily, as with drop shots at net
Enhanced accuracy, but I suspect more due to the lack of power and increased dwell

The drawbacks are less power, spaghetti feel, and I found drop shots harder to execute.

I have two sets of ELT, one is a true 30# on a Dunlop 300 I use for mixed doubles. The other is a PCT at 40# with 36# crosses I use when the courts are damp and the balls don't bounce(not really an ELT, tho). It allows me to scrape them off the deck and still use some power. I play on grass and carpet. So YMMV on hard courts or clay. I never hard to worry about low bounces on HC back in the day.

My standard stick(99% of the time) is usually a Storm(Aero or otherwise) strung at 52#X48#. I am currently using poly plasma.
I string my own rackets.

tlm · Oct 12, 2016

LeeD said:
Fast brushing swings don't need low tension, as there is power from the fast swing.
Brushing means many more mishits with low tension due to longer dwell time. Mishits don't go well with tennis in general, and can be cured with HIGHER tensions....which needs fast swings at the ball.
McEnroe's string job doesn't work with Roddick's game at all, and vice versa.

This is accurate and what I have found to be true in my experimenting with different tensions.

WYK · Oct 13, 2016

Karma Tennis said:
Like a trampoline, lower tensions fundamentally increase “dwell time”—i.e., the length of time the ball stays on the strings upon impact. And added dwell time, in addition to increasing rebound velocity, decreases margin for error when timing the ball.

(Why? Because with longer dwell times, as Technical Tennis authors Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey explain, “the ball will stay on the strings through a longer part of the arc of your swing both vertically and horizontally,” accentuating “the consequences of errors in the timing of your swing.”)

Have any of you guys used an ELT with poly? Dwell time isn't so hugely increased that it turns a good hit in to a bad hit. I mean, I dunno about you guys, but my racket has 95 sq inches of surface area. No 30# string job is gonna make it crawl off of that before the ball leaves my strings unless I am trying to make the ball stand still in mid air. In other words, I do not see any of these so-called timing errors simply due to the tensions.

WYK · Oct 13, 2016

tlm said:
This is accurate and what I have found to be true in my experimenting with different tensions.

McEnroe only strung low whilst using a maxply 200g, which is a hugely tight pattern compared to Roddicks Babolat. And, even then, it was at least 40#. He is at low 50's with his current sticks. Roddick, btw, has strung his rackets anywhere from 52-65#, and can obviously use any tension McEnrore is currently using. Both have used hybrid string jobs as well.

I really suggest trying a stiff poly at 30# to see what the talk is all about. Maybe it works for you, maybe not. It's just an interesting and counter intuitive thing to try. That was the idea. I see a lot of talk here coming from speculation. It really has to be tried to appreciate.

tlm · Oct 13, 2016

WYK said:
McEnroe only strung low whilst using a maxply 200g, which is a hugely tight pattern compared to Roddicks Babolat. And, even then, it was at least 40#. He is at low 50's with his current sticks. Roddick, btw, has strung his rackets anywhere from 52-65#, and can obviously use any tension McEnrore is currently using. Both have used hybrid string jobs as well.

I really suggest trying a stiff poly at 30# to see what the talk is all about. Maybe it works for you, maybe not. It's just an interesting and counter intuitive thing to try. That was the idea. I see a lot of talk here coming from speculation. It really has to be tried to appreciate.

I agree a player needs to try the different tensions with different strings. I have tried many different strings at about every tension. From 30-74 lbs with a wide variety of poly strings. For me a kevlar main with a poly x's is hard to beat, I use 18 gauge ashaway at 61lbs as the main with head gravity x's at 67 lbs and it's hard to beat for super spin and unmatched control. I have tried low tension polys and never cared for them not enough bite and control for me.

LeeD · Oct 13, 2016

WYK said:
McEnroe only strung low whilst using a maxply 200g, which is a hugely tight pattern compared to Roddicks Babolat. And, even then, it was at least 40#. He is at low 50's with his current sticks. Roddick, btw, has strung his rackets anywhere from 52-65#, and can obviously use any tension McEnrore is currently using. Both have used hybrid string jobs as well.

I really suggest trying a stiff poly at 30# to see what the talk is all about. Maybe it works for you, maybe not. It's just an interesting and counter intuitive thing to try. That was the idea. I see a lot of talk here coming from speculation. It really has to be tried to appreciate.

Solinco Tour Bite 16 at 35 lbs., on 97, 100, and 105 rackets. Stiff poly, thick gauge.
Roddick can use as high as McEnroe, but not nearly as LOW a tension.

Ignatz Tushwop · Oct 14, 2016

How can u have consistency with low tension poly? Have to swing like Jack Sock I guess

I went to synthetic gut and string 58lbs better idea

LeeD · Oct 15, 2016

Ignatz Tushwop said:
How can u have consistency with low tension poly? Have to swing like Jack Sock I guess

I went to synthetic gut and string 58lbs better idea

Consistency is not only the gear, but it's also the player.
Leyton Hewitt was known to string in the high 30's the last 3 year's of his ATP career, and he lacked power, but had plenty of consistency.
Consistency is just doing the same thing over and over, and not varying what you do.

Deleted member 743561 · Oct 16, 2016

Anyone have any idea how low the tension might typically drop on a racquet unused for 7-8 years? This one would have been strung back in around 2004, and has been used sporadically, with that one long period of disuse.

Alberges · Dec 22, 2016

yourmailman said:
Totally agree with the analogy about the 40's being no-man's land.

Talking with a friend and he put it very succinctly ... Don't try to sneak up on ELT.

Everyone I know that has worked their way down had issues in the 40's, but when you get down to real ELT (30#) a lot of things will change. I didn't really like the 40's and even the high 30's. When I got down to 32 and 30, it was a world of difference, and I not only liked it ... I loved it.

I strung my racquet at 40 but with the racquettune app it keeps indicating 30 lbs. When you say 30 lbs, is it the tension set in the machine or the tension after the inital stretching of the string?

morten · Dec 22, 2016

Osmar Berges said:
I strung my racquet at 40 but with the racquettune app it keeps indicating 30 lbs. When you say 30 lbs, is it the tension set in the machine or the tension after the inital stretching of the string?

Normal

ccapp · Dec 26, 2016

Hi Osmar - Whatever the machine is set at, assuming it is calibrated, it will pull to the tension at which it is set. Right off the machine it should be fairly close to the set tension. Then depending on the string, tension will drop.

Dso · Dec 26, 2016

Upon recommendation and desire to go lighter on my strings I went to 44 lbs with Technifibre Xone Biphase 17ga on my Head Graphene XT Prestige Pro. Absolutely love it on my first outing. Previously I was at 50 lbs. It's got a few grams at the top of the hoop, a dampener and an overgrip. Comes in at 11.95 Oz. Not sure how to explain it but I like the feel more. I'm not losing any control either.

I just strung up my new for Christmas Yonex Vcore VS95 to 42 lbs with the same string. We'll see how this one goes. Hehehe. I figured the slightly smaller head size would do better with a couple lbs less….

Alberges · Dec 26, 2016

FedFosterWallace said:
Anyone have any idea how low the tension might typically drop on a racquet unused for 7-8 years? This one would have been strung back in around 2004, and has been used sporadically, with that one long period of disuse.

I once strung a 95 head racquet at 60 lbs with syn gut. After 7 or 8 years without use, I was still feeling it very tight. Id say above 55.

Gesendet von iPhone mit Tapatalk

TW Staff · Dec 28, 2016

Starred said:
What is Chris doing lately, still on 30lbs or back to 52lbs?

I'm in the low to mid 40s in a Pure Drive Plus with whatever poly we are testing. I'll also usually have one strung in the low 50s for comparison and to get an idea of how the string plays at a higher tension. If I still used a low powered mid I'd be down in the 30s, but I've found low 40s to feel pretty dialed in in the PDP.

Noticed some talk of feeling vibes of buzziness at ELT. Usually the racquet frequency and string frequency cancel each other out somewhat but at certain low tensions they start to amplify each other. I found adjusting tension up 5lbs from that point solved the issue. Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Chris, TW

Shroud · Dec 29, 2016

TW Staff said:
I'm in the low to mid 40s in a Pure Drive Plus with whatever poly we are testing. I'll also usually have one strung in the low 50s for comparison and to get an idea of how the string plays at a higher tension. If I still used a low powered mid I'd be down in the 30s, but I've found low 40s to feel pretty dialed in in the PDP.

Noticed some talk of feeling vibes of buzziness at ELT. Usually the racquet frequency and string frequency cancel each other out somewhat but at certain low tensions they start to amplify each other. I found adjusting tension up 5lbs from that point solved the issue. Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Chris, TW

Hey Chris!

Yeah i solved the vibe issues sometimes with just 2 lbs of tension in either direction..

Contrapuntal · Jan 4, 2017

I was reading this thread with interest over the last week, and was just reminded of it now while watching the Hopman Cup (in Australia). There was a little segment with the stringer there, who mentioned that Jack Sock is having his racquets strung at 32lbs. Is this becoming more mainstream, or has it always been around as a bit of a fringe thing for some of the pros?

But I actually signed up here the other day to ask a question of the people who've been trying this. Earlier in the thread there was a lot more talk about ELT being as or more effective with synthetic and natural gut. More recently in the thread though, everyone's talking about polys again. Is that because you guys have tried both and found polys still work better, or just a different crowd posting now? Or was the preference for syth/gut mostly about the tension maintenance?

I don't do my own stringing and haven't really experimented much before, so just trying to figure out what might give me the best experience over a number of months when I do give this a go.

Dso · Jan 4, 2017

Contrapuntal said:
I was reading this thread with interest over the last week, and was just reminded of it now while watching the Hopman Cup (in Australia). There was a little segment with the stringer there, who mentioned that Jack Sock is having his racquets strung at 32lbs. Is this becoming more mainstream, or has it always been around as a bit of a fringe thing for some of the pros?

But I actually signed up here the other day to ask a question of the people who've been trying this. Earlier in the thread there was a lot more talk about ELT being as or more effective with synthetic and natural gut. More recently in the thread though, everyone's talking about polys again. Is that because you guys have tried both and found polys still work better, or just a different crowd posting now? Or was the preference for syth/gut mostly about the tension maintenance?

I don't do my own stringing and haven't really experimented much before, so just trying to figure out what might give me the best experience over a number of months when I do give this a go.

I think there are many variables. Racquet, pattern, swing speed, etc. I'm guessing most of us don't play like Jack Sock. For me it comes down to experimentation and what works for ME. I was dying to try lower tensions but all my peers were in the mid 50s in various configurations. I went for it and found something I love now. My partner never tried a racquet strung below 50 and was shocked at how it felt. Sometimes you gotta just give things a try. Some of this is so individual.

Aretium · Jan 4, 2017

Dso said:
I think there are many variables. Racquet, pattern, swing speed, etc. I'm guessing most of us don't play like Jack Sock. For me it comes down to experimentation and what works for ME. I was dying to try lower tensions but all my peers were in the mid 50s in various configurations. I went for it and found something I love now. My partner never tried a racquet strung below 50 and was shocked at how it felt. Sometimes you gotta just give things a try. Some of this is so individual.

The problem I had was the handsy shots and the shots where you didn't have time to prepare. So if I had time, no problem. BUT, every now and then a shot would sail no matter what I tried. No way could I have that play on my mind when playing a big point.

Dso · Jan 4, 2017

Aretium said:
The problem I had was the handsy shots and the shots where you didn't have time to prepare. So if I had time, no problem. BUT, every now and then a shot would sail no matter what I tried. No way could I have that play on my mind when playing a big point.

I haven't had a control issue. At least not one that I could attribute to the strings.

Bender · Jan 4, 2017

Dso said:
I think there are many variables. Racquet, pattern, swing speed, etc. I'm guessing most of us don't play like Jack Sock. For me it comes down to experimentation and what works for ME. I was dying to try lower tensions but all my peers were in the mid 50s in various configurations. I went for it and found something I love now. My partner never tried a racquet strung below 50 and was shocked at how it felt. Sometimes you gotta just give things a try. Some of this is so individual.

I play better than Jack Sock.

In my dreams, but that's just a minor detail, no?

Anyway, back OT, low tensions are mandatory for smaller frames. I know people who string in their 50s even on 90 sq in racquets but I find those racquets perform best when strung in the low to mid 40s when going full poly. It helps preserve the feel of the box beam whilst retaining the benefits of having full poly.

The only downside I can think of is that it trampolines a bit so touch shots can be a bit tougher, but I can't imagine that the trampolining is higher than natural gut, and people recommend that those should be strung in the mid to high 40s!

I have yet to try stringing in the 30s, partly because strings are costly and dropping 10 lbs seems like a bit of a risk. I did try Pro Line II at 42 lbs once though, and that played beautifully for about ten hours before I stopped being able to control the ball with it. But I'm not sure if the awesome performance was because PL2 is just a fantastic string (which it is), or because of the tension (it might), or because I was playing well (which I had been for a few weeks straight, regardless of tension).

mikeler · Jan 22, 2017

I decided to join the club. I'm recovering from tennis elbow. In my downtime, I decided to string at 30# with Cyclone to mimic Chris from TW.

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...lbs-feels-great-20lbs-pretty-good-too.319527/

MarTennis · Jan 24, 2017

Aretium said:
The problem I had was the handsy shots and the shots where you didn't have time to prepare. So if I had time, no problem. BUT, every now and then a shot would sail no matter what I tried. No way could I have that play on my mind when playing a big point.

I think the under discussed topic is that a fresh string job at elt for competition is probably a good thing, but you would have to restring for the next match. Assuming you like to compete at ELT.

Sent from my Z955A using Tapatalk

LeeD · Jan 24, 2017

Just gotta get used to the longer contact point/dwell time, and it's all fine on every shot.
Learning to hit every shot with SPIN helps a lot, no flat blocking shots.
And of course, aim somewhere below 3' above the net for your hard shots.

mikeler · Jan 24, 2017

My initial impressions are that I liked it and adjusted right away to it. My slice serve was more wicked with ELT but the kicker was about the same. I was getting more spin on groundies. I didn't get to hit too many volleys tonight, more on that later. Drop shots were not quite as good. Where I really llked it was on my forehand. I just felt like I wasn't going to miss many off that side although I made a few more backhand unforced errors than normal. Getting pulled out wide to the forehand, I felt like the strings had enough pop that I could still do some damage even in a bad situation. The comfort was not as good as I expected but maybe that has to do some with my frame. Even with a worm style dampener it seemed to have more vibration.

grip · Jan 25, 2017

mikeler said:
My initial impressions are that I liked it and adjusted right away to it. My slice serve was more wicked with ELT but the kicker was about the same. I was getting more spin on groundies. I didn't get to hit too many volleys tonight, more on that later. Drop shots were not quite as good. Where I really llked it was on my forehand. I just felt like I wasn't going to miss many off that side although I made a few more backhand unforced errors than normal. Getting pulled out wide to the forehand, I felt like the strings had enough pop that I could still do some damage even in a bad situation. The comfort was not as good as I expected but maybe that has to do some with my frame. Even with a worm style dampener it seemed to have more vibration.

And you're using a very open string pattern so it's interesting that you're still able to control your shots at such low tension.

Shroud · Jan 25, 2017

mikeler said:
My initial impressions are that I liked it and adjusted right away to it. My slice serve was more wicked with ELT but the kicker was about the same. I was getting more spin on groundies. I didn't get to hit too many volleys tonight, more on that later. Drop shots were not quite as good. Where I really llked it was on my forehand. I just felt like I wasn't going to miss many off that side although I made a few more backhand unforced errors than normal. Getting pulled out wide to the forehand, I felt like the strings had enough pop that I could still do some damage even in a bad situation. The comfort was not as good as I expected but maybe that has to do some with my frame. Even with a worm style dampener it seemed to have more vibration.

Try going up a coupke of lbs. that can help the vibration. Or even going down can help. Each racquet has a tension where the vibes are near the resonance frequency of the frame

shamaho · Jan 25, 2017

Has anyone come up with the limitation on some drop weight stringing machines where cannot really go below 38lbs sure to the ratchet mechanism?

If so has anyone come up with creative solution for those machines?

Excuse my brevity, sent from mobile on puny keyboard and rocking public transport

Low, low tensions. 30lbs feels great. 20lbs pretty good, too

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