Help to find the sweet spot

[crystal_clear]

I switched from Wilson nCode N3 （Head Size:113 sq. in.; Length: 27.5 inches; Strung Weight: 9.7oz ） to Balolate Z lite (Head Size:100 sq. in.; Length: 27 inches; Strung Weight: 9.8oz ). I found Balolate Z lite good with serve and volley but I didn't feel I hit the sweet spot often with the ground strokes.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.

** Balolate Z lite
Midplus Specs
Head Size:
100 sq. in. / 645 sq. cm.
Length: 27 inches / 69 cm
Strung Weight: 9.8oz / 278g
Balance: 6 pts Head Heavy
Swingweight: 312
Stiffness: 67
Beam Width: 24 mm Head / 26 mm Hoop / 22 mm Shaft
Composition: Graphite / Zylon Matrix
Power Level: Low-Medium
Swing Speed: Fast
Grip Type: Woofer
String Pattern:
16 Mains / 19 Crosses
Mains skip: 8T,8H
Two Piece
No shared holes
String Tension: 50-66 pounds

** Wilson nCode N3
Oversize Specs
Head Size:
113 sq. in. / 729 sq. cm.
Length: 27.5 inches / 70 cm
Strung Weight: 9.7oz / 275g
Balance: 7 pts Head Heavy
Swingweight: 328
Stiffness: 47*
Beam Width: Dual Taper Beam 31 mm
Composition: 20% nCoded Hyper Carbon / 80% nCoded High Modulus Graphite
Power Level: High
Swing Speed: Slow-Moderate
Grip Type: Micro-Dry Comfort
String Pattern:
16 Mains / 19 Crosses
Mains skip: 7T,9T,7H,9H
One Piece
No shared holes
String Tension: 55-65 pounds

 

[SuperDuy]

I switched from Wilson nCode N3 to Balolate Z light. I found Balolate Z light good with serve and volley but I didn't feel I hit the sweet spot often with the ground strokes.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.

I sometimes have this problem too when I am warming up, but once warmed up its fine.

 

[user92626]

How many sweet spots are there for you to try?

Why don't you try a rally trying to hit..hmm the center of the racket? Then...another rally hitting more toward the tip (12 oclock spot)? See what is better.

(I can tell you in advance that both spots would hit fine for most players, however hitting toward the tip gives a bit more power and can be more challenging with timing, especially w/ IO or across the body shots.)

 

[KenC]

I remember someone else had this question and took a stencil marker and painted the whole racquet face to see where he was hitting.

I see you are using a very light racquet. You get the feel of the sweet spot more when using a heavier racquet.

If you really want to zone in on the sweet spot, get an old wooden racquet with a 70" face. I often advise people to use wooden racquets to resolve problems as they are not very forgiving of bad technique.

 

[TennisKid1]

bounce the ball on the strings and see where it is most comfortable and powerful. Thats what i do

 

[LeeD]

Light rackets have tiny sweetspots, even if they're 110's in size.
Serves don't matter, you toss. Volleys do matter, but just blocking them back is easy with light rackets.
The problem is groundstrokes. THEY are hitting to you, use varied spin and speeds. You have to swing out faster than heavier rackets, you have to take the spin and speed off their shots and ADD your own. That's why you're "misshitting". Actually, you might be getting overpowered by their ball.
In theory, the sweetspot is right below the center of the racketface.

 

[SuperDuy]

Light rackets have tiny sweetspots, even if they're 110's in size.
Serves don't matter, you toss. Volleys do matter, but just blocking them back is easy with light rackets.
The problem is groundstrokes. THEY are hitting to you, use varied spin and speeds. You have to swing out faster than heavier rackets, you have to take the spin and speed off their shots and ADD your own. That's why you're "misshitting". Actually, you might be getting overpowered by their ball.
In theory, the sweetspot is right below the center of the racketface.

This is right, I find when I use lighter racquet I have to swing faster to generate the spin to take pace off the ball.

 

[crystal_clear]

Light rackets have tiny sweetspots, even if they're 110's in size.
Serves don't matter, you toss. Volleys do matter, but just blocking them back is easy with light rackets.
The problem is groundstrokes. THEY are hitting to you, use varied spin and speeds. You have to swing out faster than heavier rackets, you have to take the spin and speed off their shots and ADD your own. That's why you're "misshitting". Actually, you might be getting overpowered by their ball.
In theory, the sweetspot is right below the center of the racketface.

They are both light rackets but Balolat is 100 sq.in. , Low -Medium Power Level, Fast Swing Speed VS N3 is 113 sq.in., High Power Level, Slow-Moderate Swing Speed.

I need to find the sweetspot of the tiny racket first then I can try to swing fast. I had hard time to swing fast with N3 and easier with Balolat.

 

[crystal_clear]

Do I need to change string tension with the smaller Balolat? I have the same tension 53lb as with N3.

 

[SuperDuy]

Z Lite I have tension at 58 pounds and it is pretty good. Find some off centre hits but not lots.

 

[charliefedererer]

Did you play test the Z-lite before buying, because I am puzzled why you would get a frame that doesn't give you the feel of hitting the sweet spot on ground strokes?

Have you tried a different string, like maybe a multifilament or natural gut to increase your "feel"? Or at least trying a hybrid?

 

[crystal_clear]

Did you play test the Z-lite before buying, because I am puzzled why you would get a frame that doesn't give you the feel of hitting the sweet spot on ground strokes?

Have you tried a different string, like maybe a multifilament or natural gut to increase your "feel"? Or at least trying a hybrid?

Yes, I tried my friend's Z-lite at 58lbs and I thought it would be better if it strung at 53lb. It is hard to find 0 grip racket and the demo rackets neither have the right grip size nor the right tension for me.

 

[WildVolley]

The sweet spot isn't necessarily stationary. How the racket moves through the swing will tend to move it either up or down. I'd start by using a camera to find where you are hitting the ball. If you're taking most of them out by the racket tip, that could explain the lack of feel.

 

[Xenakis]

The sweetspot is a myth.

Oh, hang on, wrong forum sorry.

 

[sir_shanks_alot]

crystal, string 3-5lbs lower. That will help. Reducing the headsize, stiffness, and swingweight is going to feel less "SOLID," if there is such a term for a racquet of this weight. You might also try a softer string.

Generally speaking, this is a very light frame to hit moderate paced shots with. If you are 4.0 or better frames at this weight aren't going to feel very stable.