Does the racket matter?

[J-lob]

Who here thinks the equipments is the problem?

You always blame it on your racket not yourself.

You can never play your best without your favorite racket.

And most of all-you start thinking of getting a new racket when you start going downhill

PS, the post above was not of personal opinion..... I will post my own opinion in another post

 

[spaceman_spiff]

I play best without any racket at all.

No racket, no strings, no problems. Just use your mind.

 

[tennis_guy]

100% the person and not the racket. Always. If thats not the case then why can one person play 3.0 a particular racket but another person can play 5.0 with the same racket.

 

[PROTENNIS63]

I think it depends so answer is yes and no.

 

[PimpMyGame]

Yes and no. Most people choose a racket which suits their game, so it's logical that using another racket will probably end up in tears.

After all, if I use my wife's car it won't go as fast or handle as well as mine, although it's easier to drive. Both cars get you to A and B but one is better suited to me. Same with rackets I think.

 

[onkystomper]

If you play someone better than you they will generally beat you as long as they are using a half decent racket (no walmart specials)

If you were to play someone of the same level the racket can make a small difference to your game. That might be all it needs!

 

[ps60]

many times when my string broke or my racket strung incorrectly, i borrow someone's spare one.
And i found their rackets so much easier to play than mine. :twisted::twisted:

That included an An90, a Volkl Quantum V1, a DNX V1, a Bancroft Scorpion (tiny head size) and even a Head Ti-S6 can do a much better job.

i think YES, the racket matters !!! But there are lot of them that can do the work, if only i have any one of those

 

[TenniseaWilliams]

Your racquet can't elevate your game, but it can certainly hurt it.

 

[baek57]

Your racquet can't elevate your game, but it can certainly hurt it.

so does switching racquets from one that hurts your game to one that does not thereby elevate it?

 

[gshaffer23]

Racquet does matter, but you have to have ability to use it. I certainly would play worse if I picked up my friends Babolat or any frame I am not used to using...

 

[rocket]

I play best without any racket at all.

No racket, no strings, no problems. Just use your mind.

You watch the movie "Ghost" one too many times!

 

[rocket]

You can never play your best without your favorite racket.

Kinda true! "Never" is far-fetched, but I don't like to have to guess how a racquet plays.

 

[Stan]

I'm in the camp of those thinking the racquet can make a slight difference, but how you play is more directly related to your overall skill level. From the equipment side, the strings make a greater difference than the frame. Afterall, the frame simply serves as a mechanism to hold the strings. The strings do the majority of the work.

 

[master_stringer_mitchy]

i have tried so many rackets now, i can pretty much play with anything to a a degree. as long as its quite weighty im fine. if your playing well or a natural player, you can pla with anything. i think most of us in here are guilty of blaming rackets, strings, grips etc on are performance. maybe if we all went a hit more balls and tried harder we would be in a better place! but, we are all into are gear and like it so its all good. would like to see some one get rafa and roger on a court with some head radicals or something and let them play, would be interesting.

 

[Klatu Verata Necktie]

I would say that it is less the racquet than it is the string. Sometimes I will switch frames if I'm not playing up to my standard in hopes to find a frame with fresher, more effective strings.

My frames are all the same model, so switching frames for the sake of finding a different flavor of "graphite" wouldn't make much sense to me.

 

[Babb]

It matters a lot to me, but the most important aspect is that you use the same racquet every time. It's really killing me to use a different racquet every now and then because it takes about a week to readjust...

 

[BlUe 182 BanAna]

I'm in the camp of those thinking the racquet can make a slight difference, but how you play is more directly related to your overall skill level. From the equipment side, the strings make a greater difference than the frame. Afterall, the frame simply serves as a mechanism to hold the strings. The strings do the majority of the work.

yes, but an amazing racquet can make the different, what if you was in a match and your racquet was an apple... does it all come down to your personal skills???

 

[vwfye]

i say yes and no... only in that if you aren't comfortable with a stick, you aren't 100% focused on the point being played. other than that, it's you baby!

 

[CAM178]

Yes, it absolutely matters.

 

[ledor]

yes it matters...as you look good when you lose.

 

[Ultra2HolyGrail]

It matters a lot to me, but the most important aspect is that you use the same racquet every time. It's really killing me to use a different racquet every now and then because it takes about a week to readjust...

And then some will never fully adjust to a frame and give it up after extensive use.

 

[rosenstar]

all that really matters in a racquet is that you are comfortable using it. Thats it. If there's any doubt or lack of confidence in the racquet you use, than it's crap. doesn't matter what pro uses it, how much it costs or what other people think about it. all that matters is that you can play and not think about your racquet at all.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Until players get to the 4.5's or so neither racquet choice nor string choice really matter much provided the player has chosen a reasonable racquet with a reasonable string at a reasonable tension (many do not)....they've got more pressing matters...stuff like leraning how to properly hit the ball, constructing points, etc...you know..insignificant stuff like that. l)
The better they get the more important the gear becomes, as small changes can make big differences.

 

[CyberInferno]

Your racquet can't elevate your game, but it can certainly hurt it.

That doesn't make sense though. If I switch from racket A to racket B, and that switch hurts my game, then couldn't you say that if I had started with racket B, a switch to A would improve my game? Or are you saying that you should always play with the first stick you pick up else your game is destined to stay the same or decrease?

 

[lethalfang]

Of course it matters. Otherwise, why don't you just use the cheapest one you can find in a garage sale?

 

[drakulie]

Yes and no.

 

[Zhou]

This is very subjective because it varies player to player.
Yes because different rackets can alter a players game a lot because of different swing weight and balance and all that.
No because if you are using your favorite racket, it is your technique that is failing you not the racket.

 

[TenniseaWilliams]

That doesn't make sense though. If I switch from racket A to racket B, and that switch hurts my game, then couldn't you say that if I had started with racket B, a switch to A would improve my game? Or are you saying that you should always play with the first stick you pick up else your game is destined to stay the same or decrease?

Absence of pain is not pleasure. A switch to racquet "A" would hurt your game less. To reach your full potential, you would have to have your perfect racquet, grasshopper.

 

[symon_say]

The raquet matter on your game you can play better or worst if you have or not the right raquet.

It wont make federer but certanly you can get the best of your game with the adecuate raquet.

My experience:

I'm a noob, i palyed with wilson H2 OS, it was a nive raquet but i had some troubles with my backhand, recently i get a Ncode 6.2, and my game change a lot, the first day i get it my coach told me that i was hitting better and with more topspin.

He dindt know that i was playing with a new raquet and i feel a lot more confortable with this raquet, now about 2 week later i'm hitting nice backhand and my game is alot more better than with the H2.

So raquet can make you play your best if you the right one for you.

 

[kfactor/all/the/WAY!]

go try and play with a dora or spongebob racquet and then play with any top of the line racquet and u will find a difference

 

[montx]

First, you couldn't play tennis on a rainy day unless God provided you with an indoor court.

2nd, if He gives you a weapon and it works for you, its like picking up excalibur.
Sometimes few weapons work for you.

Bottom line is if God gives you something and your working well with it, that is key.

Have you ever bought a racquet you don't work well with? I have!

It does happen when things are not right for you and choices out there are better alternatives.

But finally, it depends on God.

 

[Mick]

it depends on the quality of your opponent, but there's no doubt that some people would play better with certain frames.

 

[Muse]

Yes and no. Given ample time to warm up and get used to it, I could probably use any players racquet and play pretty well. Given an oversized racquet though, I'm sure my game would suffer.

 

[CyberInferno]

First, you couldn't play tennis on a rainy day unless God provided you with an indoor court.

2nd, if He gives you a weapon and it works for you, its like picking up excalibur.
Sometimes few weapons work for you.

Bottom line is if God gives you something and your working well with it, that is key.

Have you ever bought a racquet you don't work well with? I have!

It does happen when things are not right for you and choices out there are better alternatives.

But finally, it depends on God.

I wish God would buy me rackets. They're getting quite expensive.

 

[10isFool]

I think there's a distinction we need to make here:
-Pros and others who are of a high skill could play with any racquet because they know what they're doing and can adapt.
-For someone who's starting out or not all that experienced, it's probably more difficult to play well unless that person has a racquet that suits them.

Also keep in mind things like weight and power for weaker players. The question is "DOES THE RACQUET MATTER?" The answer, quite simply, is yes. How important a racquet is to a player will vary from person to person on both a physical and mental level.

 

[Litmstr10]

Yes and no. I cannot play with some racquets because using them would most likely lead to injury (to stiff, too light, etc.). I don't want my arm to come off and bleed out on the court. That being said, there are many arm friendly racquets out there, and poor technique probably leads to most arm injuries.

 

[Gantz]

racket? i use a baseball bat to play tennis.

 

[zebano]

A little. Going from a wal-mart special to a players racket when you've got game will make a large difference but switching from one racket to another just to go from -8 to -10 points headlight is negligible. Strings make a much larger difference mainly because something like Bigbanger ALU rough or a synthetic gut will play completely differently both at the baseline and when volleying.

 

[Tennisman912]

I believe it is yes and no. I agree with NoBadMojo in that the better the player, the less the racquet matters. Once your strokes are grooved, a good player will adjust. Let me give you an example. I am an ex college player and experiment with racquets a fair amount and try different ones all the time. I estimate within a few minutes I can play to 80-85% of my potential with almost any racquet I pickup. I am sure most advanced players can do the same. Will we play to our potential that fast? Not unless the racquet is close to what we use normally. So the real question is who are we playing with and the situation? If I am playing social tennis or casual tennis, it doesn't make much difference. But you start playing the best players you know or a serious tourney and then a switch will make a difference. Because the the last 10-15% (usually less than that) can make the difference between winning and losing. You might not pull off that specialty shot or running up the line passing shot you like so much because whatever you are playing with probably doesn't feel the same as your usual stick. You probably won't play your best until you adjust. Which may never happen depending on the racquet and your preferences. Who knows.

If you are learning the game or are say a 3.0, I think the racquet makes more difference. No offense intended for anyone as we have all been there. If your strokes are not as grooved or you are out of position when you hit a shot, the racquet will make a big difference in the outcome. When we are learning we just can't adjust to things that fast. We are too busy just trying to hit the ball in the court let alone have time to think about our racquet. So if you give that player who wants to try his buddie's k90 tour, he/she will probably not like it. Give him something his retired father uses that is super light and super stiff and he will probably not like that either. Sure he can play with either but it will take quite a bit of adjustment and it will take him/her longer to play to their potential when they switch.

So the bottom line I guess is yes and no. We all play to our potential with certain racquets or types of racquets, whatever type of player we are.

Good tennis to all.

TM

 

[In)SpiRe]

To me it was both it does matter and yes and no.

For the reason, I have to use my racquet or I have the dislike this racquet mindset already made up b/c I don't like to use anybody elses racquet except my own, especially during matches.

But it does matter to a point where if YOUR playing bad with YOUR racquet, then it's your fault, not the racquet. It means YOUR doing bad that day and the racquet didn't cause any of it. So don't blame the racquet for YOUR mistakes. I wish people will relize this sooner though :/.

 

[meowmix]

Yes and no. I'll go to the extremes. If you normally play with a 12+ ounce mid strung w/ full poly at 70lbs (there's an arm killer ) and you decide to play with a Gamma Big Bubba during the tiebreaker of your tournament finals match, I almost GARAUNTEE that you'll lose.

But that's an extreme. You should be able to hit just as well with one reasonably close frame as with another. Sure you'll have to adjust and the adjustment period might take you a few days. But after those few days are up, you should be hitting like you were.

 

[THSBOI]

Yes and no because some people are to weak to handle heavy rackets

 

[don_nguyen11490]

I firmly believe my PS85 and Nike Air Oscillates helped me hit those 6 sky slams the other day.

 

[Djokovicfan4life]

Yes and no.

Players may feel more comfortable with their racquet of choice, but blaming losses on a racquet is just childish.

 

[BlUe 182 BanAna]

Yes and no.

Players may feel more comfortable with their racquet of choice, but blaming losses on a racquet is just childish.

well not really, as soon as i got my babolat aero blast racquet, i've been hitting nothing my real fast shots. saying that it's mostly isn't racquet. example, you playing with a potato and meeee playing with my babolat, who will win?

 

[YonexFanatic21]

It kinda does and kinda doesn't because if the person use a light racket then switch to a heavy racket or a oversize to a midsize they won't do that well at all its like saying if you gave pete sampras agassi's oversize racket and give aggasi pete sampras's racket then they will do bad

 

[Micky]

100% the person and not the racket. Always. If thats not the case then why can one person play 3.0 a particular racket but another person can play 5.0 with the same racket.

Hola tennis,

You are asking the wrong question. Do you think a 5.0 guy that "competes" will take my APDC and beat another 5.0? No way. He will compete with his racquet not mine. Get it?

By the way, did you read about Davydenko and his 18 mains and his ex 16 mains racquets? Was it all in his head?

As another poster said, the strings play a big role. Since strings are part of the racquet I say it is the racquet 100% at whatever level you are competing.

 

[Djokovicfan4life]

well not really, as soon as i got my babolat aero blast racquet, i've been hitting nothing my real fast shots. saying that it's mostly isn't racquet. example, you playing with a potato and meeee playing with my babolat, who will win?

Not the most reasonable example there, I'm just saying that I can play reasonably well with many racquets. Yonex RDS 003, NBlade OS, Prince Diablo midplus, even the K90 at times. Not saying I'm good, just saying that the racquet does not determine the outcome of a match. That having been said, I make sure to always use my Fischer if I can help it. Just feels better to me, like I get a little more racquet speed.

P.S. The Babolat PD OS may be an exception here, at least for me, that poor fence!

 

[Go Tennis]

If you trust 110% in your stick, like you trust (?) (!) in your girlfriend, your racquet acelleration will rich the heaven with the perfect control.

 

[notujoo]

play with dora raket and then try using the 100's range and 200 you'll feel the quality diffrence