Choose a Racquet for 13 years old boy

[NetRusher]

My son has been playing tennis for about three years. He started with Babolat junior racquek and then switched to Wilson KBlade 98 recommended by his group lesson instructor. He is tall and slim, 5'9 for 13 years old. He hits very hard from both wings. Sometime it is too hard without enough top sin, it goes long. He is working on generating more top spin on his ground strokes. He has one hand back hand. Most of time he hits top spin back hand. His biggest problem is his consistency. I know it is most club level players' problem. He works very hard at it now, and getting better.

Last night he had his hitting lesson (one on one) with his hitting coach. He just happened to break strings with his both racquets. So he used his friend's Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT Plus. It seemed that his consistency improved dramatically. He rallied with his coach 40 times twice without miss any of them. Both of them hit as hard as they normally hit. I am just wondering that a racquet can make that much difference?!

I hope experts on this board can shred some light on this - is it the racquet or he just had a good day? Racquet recommendation for him is also welcome. Thank you.

 

[JoshDragon]

My son has been playing tennis for about three years. He started with Babolat junior racquek and then switched to Wilson KBlade 98 recommended by his group lesson instructor. He is tall and slim, 5'9 for 13 years old. He hits very hard from both wings. Sometime it is too hard without enough top sin, it goes long. He is working on generating more top spin on his ground strokes. He has one hand back hand. Most of time he hits top spin back hand. His biggest problem is his consistency. I know it is most club level players' problem. He works very hard at it now, and getting better.

Last night he had his hitting lesson (one on one) with his hitting coach. He just happened to break strings with his both racquets. So he used his friend's Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT Plus. It seemed that his consistency improved dramatically. He rallied with his coach 40 times twice without miss any of them. Both of them hit as hard as they normally hit. I am just wondering that a racquet can make that much difference?!

I hope experts on this board can shred some light on this - is it the racquet or he just had a good day? Racquet recommendation for him is also welcome. Thank you.

It's hard to say. I don't know how good of a player he is. What's his NTRP?

 

[rovex]

My son has been playing tennis for about three years. He started with Babolat junior racquek and then switched to Wilson KBlade 98 recommended by his group lesson instructor. He is tall and slim, 5'9 for 13 years old. He hits very hard from both wings. Sometime it is too hard without enough top sin, it goes long. He is working on generating more top spin on his ground strokes. He has one hand back hand. Most of time he hits top spin back hand. His biggest problem is his consistency. I know it is most club level players' problem. He works very hard at it now, and getting better.

Last night he had his hitting lesson (one on one) with his hitting coach. He just happened to break strings with his both racquets. So he used his friend's Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT Plus. It seemed that his consistency improved dramatically. He rallied with his coach 40 times twice without miss any of them. Both of them hit as hard as they normally hit. I am just wondering that a racquet can make that much difference?!

I hope experts on this board can shred some light on this - is it the racquet or he just had a good day? Racquet recommendation for him is also welcome. Thank you.

Your son sounds pretty good. Handling a PDR at that age is impressive.

 

[TennisBeginner]

Welcome to Talk Tennis NetRusher! Your son sounds very good hopefully with a future playing tennis ahead of him If he improved that much using a PDR you should pick one up for him, see if the improvement stays. I wish your son good luck

 

[nCode747]

I would also demo an Aero Pro Drive GT, your son should find hitting with spin easier with this stick and it is not quite as heavy as a PDR to avoid any possible elbow or shoulder problems.

 

[jrod]

....Last night he had his hitting lesson (one on one) with his hitting coach. He just happened to break strings with his both racquets. So he used his friend's Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT Plus. It seemed that his consistency improved dramatically. He rallied with his coach 40 times twice without miss any of them. Both of them hit as hard as they normally hit. I am just wondering that a racquet can make that much difference?!

I hope experts on this board can shred some light on this - is it the racquet or he just had a good day? Racquet recommendation for him is also welcome. Thank you.

When my son was 13, he also used the Roddick Pure Drive Plus (GT was not available back then). I noticed a big improvement in his game when he moved to this frame with power, spin and better control. In fact, when we went to Newks Academy in TX this was the single most popular frame there among the resident junior players.

He has since moved on to a more control oriented frame (PST) now that he is bigger and stronger, but the PDR really helped him make the transition.

 

[bhathiya9999]

There are some babolat junior rackets are available check for it..

 

[Dave M]

Demo the babolat and let him hit with it for a week or two and play some matches.don't put too much emphisis on one hitting session.

 

[Standupnfall]

If he is such a big hitter and playing often at that age keep him in something somewhat arm friendly or at least keep him away from Poly strings and keep the tension reasonable if you want him to play for a long time.
I think his current racquet with the right synthetic gut strings should be fine for a 13 year old.

The Kblade98 has control type string pattern (18x20), medium weight (11.1oz.) and a reasonable balance and flex (67 flex and 3 pts head light). It is a little stiff for my liking but much better than the Babolats mentioned.

 

[Ptrac]

I do not recommend him moving away from the kblade range of rackets. Moving to a tweener can alter your sons stroke form, especially on the forehand side to compensate for the added power. Tweeners are an easy way to generate spin, power and some control, but creates bad habbits at the same time. He should continue to develop long fluid strokes, instead of loopy windsheild wiper forehands which he may develop.

 

[Deodorant]

5'9 for a 13 year old, freakin pro! but if he hits better with a pdr, then by all means let him play with it.

 

[pyrokid]

5'9 for a 13 year old, freakin pro! but if he hits better with a pdr, then by all means let him play with it.

It'll make his strokes worse...
Let him try some other player's frames, too. Make sure to demo more than one racket.

 

[tennis005]

^^^ I agree. Demo more frames before making a final descision.