I just wanted to see what highschool players are using and what their playing style and level is. After watching many of my highschool players, I noticed that many of the higher ranked players still use high powered OS racquets. I'm looking to get a players stick for next season that I can grow into. but if everyone is using OS frames, I'm not sure if its the best option. Should I get a more demanding racquet and hope I get placed in a decent spot, or go with something easier so I will be guaranteed a good spot, But have to buy a new racquet sooner? I wanted to know if other schools are similar to mine.
Calling all Highschool players!
- Thread starter headfan91
- Start date
If you're playing high school team tennis, you have a duty to choose the racquet that lets you win the most matches. If that means using a granny stick, use the darn granny stick.
It's no fun losing a dual match just because the guy on the team playing the deciding match loses because he just switched to a sexier frame. Believe me, I know this from personal experience 16 years ago. My doubles partner decided changed to a midsize racquet right before our match. We lost, mainly on his double faults and errors. Grrrr!
It's no fun losing a dual match just because the guy on the team playing the deciding match loses because he just switched to a sexier frame. Believe me, I know this from personal experience 16 years ago. My doubles partner decided changed to a midsize racquet right before our match. We lost, mainly on his double faults and errors. Grrrr!
caesar66
Professional
what are you using now? When I played highschool tennis the higher ranked guys used the more "players oriented" hammers and head radicals. I'd recommend the radical, pretty much any version, to a good high school player that is wanting to get into more of a player's stick. its still lighter than most players racquets, but control oriented as well. But tell us what you're using now so we have an idea of your playing style.
p.s., changing your racquet now might not be that smart. If you play well w/ the one you have, don't change at all. especially if you are looking to be ranked highly and start looking good for college recruiters, who dont care what you play with, just if you win matches, then do what will allow you to win matches.
p.s., changing your racquet now might not be that smart. If you play well w/ the one you have, don't change at all. especially if you are looking to be ranked highly and start looking good for college recruiters, who dont care what you play with, just if you win matches, then do what will allow you to win matches.
right now I'm using a prince force 3 lumina which was like 30 bucks, I really need a new racquet. I have been using my dads racquet which is a 85in2 spalding, but thats way to demandng for school purposes. When you say radical do you mean OS or MP? I have a really hard time keeping the ball in with my racquet, so I have to swing easier, Buy I like to take full cuts, so I used my dads for awhile. But I hit off center too often.
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nViATi
Hall of Fame
I am using a vantage stick but if I wasn't I'd probably lean towards a PD or APD.
You're right, most of the good guys I see don't use 500oz 50 sq inch "player" sticks. Our best doubles guys use a Head LM 5 and a Prince O3 Blue. The guy with the LM 5 is the most fit and strong on the entire team! Find the stick that has enough power for you and your game. Buying a stick is too demanding is pointless!
You're right, most of the good guys I see don't use 500oz 50 sq inch "player" sticks. Our best doubles guys use a Head LM 5 and a Prince O3 Blue. The guy with the LM 5 is the most fit and strong on the entire team! Find the stick that has enough power for you and your game. Buying a stick is too demanding is pointless!
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Dunlopkid
Guest
Demo the m-fil 300 or the radical. The 300 is really cheap right now, and it is a good racket to grow into.
Nextman916
Professional
My number one and number two at my school both use pure drives. As the majority of every high school.
federermcenroeagassi
Rookie
thats a myth. it will make you screw up your technique even more by using a frame that is too heavy and underpowered for you.
our high school season is over where i live, and during it, i was using my rds OO1 mp. now im using a redondo mp. but i still say to you to get the rds OO1 mp. its powerful enough, but has good control.
i dont think you're listening, but once again, i say GET THE RDS OO1 MP!!
caesar66
Professional
iradical oversize if you can find it, lm radical if you cant find the iradical. Lighter players racquets, good for baseline bashing and for net play in my opinion. Good spin potential for a dense string pattern too, and not underpowered. Neither is a bad doubles stick if you have to play doubles, and both play well stock but are easy to mod. w/ lead. I say iradical if you can find it just b/c I used to use it extensively, and didnt use the lm as long, but both are really good.
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federermcenroeagassi
Rookie
one other thing, just because everyone else uses a baseline game, does that mean you have to? definitely not
infact, you'd probably be better than them if you have an all court game or throw in a s&v once in a while. definitely get a good racket for doubles, but that doesnt mean you should try and force yourself to use a certain style of play in singles just because most other people do it.play your own style, and win with it
I was seriously considering it,but I don't know If I can handle it. what level were you when you used it?thats a myth. it will make you screw up your technique even more by using a frame that is too heavy and underpowered for you.
our high school season is over where i live, and during it, i was using my rds OO1 mp. now im using a redondo mp. but i still say to you to get the rds OO1 mp. its powerful enough, but has good control.
i dont think you're listening, but once again, i say GET THE RDS OO1 MP!!
federermcenroeagassi
Rookie
3.5-4 i think, but it was only my second racket after using an OS frame (head fxp 4). i think it would be a good beginning player's racket. the stiffness is there, yes, but by no means does it cause arm problems like say a PD. i remember when it came out, there were lots of people with arm problems who actually switched to it.
read the review and see what you think
:http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/RDS001/RDS001Review.html
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Dunlopkid
Guest
You're "tennisnerd" under a different name aren't you, FedMacAgassi?
West Coast Ace
G.O.A.T.
If you didn't hit him in the back with a serve near the end you're a better man than me. What a stupid move!
federermcenroeagassi
Rookie
ok ill come clean, yes i am
i wonder how many other people figured that out. but i'll bet you didnt until i mentioned a head fxp 4 and yonex rds 001 mp, in succession, right?
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Deleted member 6835
Guest
there, im out of the closet haha jk
haha jkHow does it compare to the m-fil 300 and the lm radical mp? I want similar power to these racquets, so what would be a good string tension?there, im out of the closet
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Deleted member 6835
Guest
sorry man i cant help you there, i havent used either of those rackets. but if you are going for the rds OO1 mp, well actualyl regardless of whatever frame you try, always string in the middle of the recommended tension, and go from there. that will help you have a better comparison of how a racket plays based on how the manufacturer wants it to play, and, if you need more control or power, you can string higher/lower.
Fedace
Banned
This isn't so much related to what HS players are using but why does so many HS tennis team players Cheat ? I was at the local HS tennis meet and the cheating on line calls i saw was just amazing. 50-70% of the balls that hit the line was being called out, especially on important points. I don't know how they can get away with this, this is really bad cause if one side start cheating, then it just gets worse and worse.
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Deleted member 6835
Guest
well it say for 4.0+, but you can get power by stringing it lower. if you string it lower when you originally get it, then by the time you learn how to use your mechanices to gain power, you can string it higher and you should be fine.
it will make a good frame while you're figuring out how to develop a full swing, and it will save you money afterwards because you wont need to buy a new frame.
it will make a good frame while you're figuring out how to develop a full swing, and it will save you money afterwards because you wont need to buy a new frame.
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Deleted member 6835
Guest
dont they all get umpires or something? lol at least we dont have that problem in canada... im kidding, we do, its everywhere in tennis. but i just get a ref when i need to, or if the guy is really cheating and wont stop, ill just quit the match. i'd rather take that time and go practice with my coach or dad or hit with a friend or any other form of practice that is worth my time
xtremerunnerars
Hall of Fame
3.5//soon to be 4.0 and i use an m-fil 300.
might switch (back) to APC if i get good enough to handle it.
might switch (back) to APC if i get good enough to handle it.
bluescreen
Hall of Fame
wow, my team's choice of racquets is a lot different than your guys' schools. im not even 120 lbs. and i played w/ an n6.1 95 16x18 at 3rd singles last year and lost 3 matches all season. our 1st singles, who had the same record, went w/ an estusa power beam, but switched to a diablo mid near the end of the season. our 2nd singles used an o3 white. no one on our team used babolat, although a lot of players from other teams did. some of our doubles guys and our jv kids used mostly tweener racquets from head or wilson though.
Kaptain Karl
Hall Of Fame
I'm a HS Coach. You are not giving enough info for anyone to make good recommendations.
Describe your preferred style of play. (Here's a thread with some descriptions to help.)
Are you getting better? Or are you happy at the level you are, now?
What (strokes, tactics, techniques) do you hope to gain...?
Your comment that you tend to hit long (out) with one stick goes against most of the recommedations you've received here, so far....
- KK
Fedace
Banned
dont they all get umpires or something? lol at least we dont have that problem in canada... im kidding, we do, its everywhere in tennis. but i just get a ref when i need to, or if the guy is really cheating and wont stop, ill just quit the match. i'd rather take that time and go practice with my coach or dad or hit with a friend or any other form of practice that is worth my time
You seem like a smart and mateur fellow player, the World would be a better place with people like you. I agree that best thing to do is get a ref but you really cannot just quit in middle of HS tennis team meet. :grin:
Well I'm 15, 115lbs. and 5'5''. I guess I'm a baseliner but I do come to net every once and a while, when my opponent is off balance. I have a sw forehand and a 2hbh. I don't provide a tons of power so I need a racquet that can give me some. I need the most work on my serve and volley. I would like to become a solid 3.5 or 4.0 in the next year and I want to work on becoming an all court player. In school, since so many kids are on the team, the JV plays doubles and varsity plays singles. I hope to become one of the top jv players. my current racquet is a prince force 3 lumina OS. I don't want an OS racquet, and not as much power. I hope this helps.
rayallen333
Rookie
I'm 16 and i play for JV. I used to use a prince thunderbolt but i switched to a O3 tour MP. Don't listen to others about how racquets may be "low-powered". Unless your getting a prostaff 6.0, the power is certainly there. It'll take a few weeks to get used to it though. The head size is much more important for me as even 5 in make a difference in how often you miss the sweet spot. The o3 tour is an amazing racquet, very soft, friendly sweet spot, and great stability. I highly recommend it.
im 15, played for jv last year with a pd+, but im switching to an mspeed 98 for this year (probably going to play JV again) and im about a 4.0. the varsity in my school has players well above the 5.0 level, many of them play national tournaments and i ususally see a lot of them practicing with college players.
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Deleted member 6835
Guest
thanks. im the best player at my school, and i am respected (there arent as many competetive tennis players at my school), so usually i can do as i please
and yes, i try NOT to abuse my power lolbtw i live in Canada, so in my city/province, we have a different (and much worse) structure. All we care about here is hockey
lolwhatever you feel best
just demo if it feels good in your hands, and you like it and it plays good thats good right? if someone tells u to get it and u dont like it alot u wont get a little confidence boost from having a racket u like and treasure its like how you play with more confidence with a fresh shirt on sometimes then a smelly sweaty shirt.
i dont know my ntrp rating but im a sophmore about to enter season that started last year. im very likely to go to varsity as the only sophmore to and i use a PS85.
yea line calls are horrible thats y we have line judges =) just dont get mad if they keep calling them out cus then ull probably start really hitting out
just demo if it feels good in your hands, and you like it and it plays good thats good right? if someone tells u to get it and u dont like it alot u wont get a little confidence boost from having a racket u like and treasure its like how you play with more confidence with a fresh shirt on sometimes then a smelly sweaty shirt.
i dont know my ntrp rating but im a sophmore about to enter season that started last year. im very likely to go to varsity as the only sophmore to and i use a PS85.
yea line calls are horrible thats y we have line judges =) just dont get mad if they keep calling them out cus then ull probably start really hitting out
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D Wilson
Guest
I use Wilson NPS 95 and are high school is the second best in the state. I'm on varsity as a freshman and I'am a 4.0 NTRP Rating. We have the best guys in the state.
TheTennisKid
Banned
Buy whatever racquet that suits your game. Don't worry what people think. You can win with a crappy walmart racquet! lol.
yea
alot of people cant really afford an expensive racket and alot of practice will do alot more then alot of money for a racket. and most people baseline but does that mean you have to? sometimes u have people who arent used to S&V just the image of someone at net will make them mess up sometimes
alot of people cant really afford an expensive racket and alot of practice will do alot more then alot of money for a racket. and most people baseline but does that mean you have to? sometimes u have people who arent used to S&V just the image of someone at net will make them mess up sometimes
tonysk83
Semi-Pro
My school is pretty solid at tennis. We have won our conference 18 times in the last 20 years. Everyone on our team uses MP frames with 1 or two using midsize. One kid uses an OS, but it is a FP Radical OS leaded up. Most players on our team range from 3.5 to 4.5. Our one singles player though is amazing, going to U of Illinois on a scholarship next season. No one on our team really cares a lot about their frames or anything, our one singles player last season used a mediocre prince racquet without a matching backup.
prostaff18
Semi-Pro
I'm now in college but last year in hs a lot of the good players used the npro, and the PD, but really don’t use a racquet that everyone else uses. Try out some different frames and see what works for you. If you want to blindly buy a racquet then I would try the Pure Drive because it fits a broad range of players. But really I used a nSix-One 95 during high school and I beat a lot of people that used OS frames and a lot that used mids. Just don’t get caught up in all of the hype about a frame, just buy what works and stick with it. I now use a Fischer mspeed 105 because I felt like I needed a more forgiving racquet.
Here I will help you out: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/demoprogram.html
Here I will help you out: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/demoprogram.html
I'm a sophmore. will probably play the #2 position on our team this year. It doesn't sound like my school is quite as demanding as some of yours, our top player is probably a 4.5. He didn't quite make it into nationals last year. I own a Babolat PD, and FXP Heat, but I use an RDS 001 Mp.
Last year i played with a bad Head racket. My matches went down the drain. And I was still #1 for JV some how. Now theirs a half year left of my senior year. My plan is to make atleast #2 varsity singles. I bought a new racket, the pure storm to help my game. I'm a baseliner with powered strokes and serves.
You just have to go with what you know in yourself.
Oh ya and my school isnt very demanding when it comes to how good you play, as long as you can beat the person in front of you. And have the cheapest stick there is.
You just have to go with what you know in yourself.
Oh ya and my school isnt very demanding when it comes to how good you play, as long as you can beat the person in front of you. And have the cheapest stick there is.
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