Help with solving this racquet problem...

[Tiaxx]

So i've been demoing some racquets for the past few weeks, and decided i will go with the Prince Textreme Tour 100p, unless the new Wilson Clash is something out of this world.
Now the issue i'm having with the prince is on serves. On groundstrokes,volleys,etc the racquet feels just right, but when i'm serving, particularly 1st serves, i'm struggling to keep the ball inside the service box.
My old racquet was a PT57A, which has a lot less power on serves, so now i'm really struggling with keeping the ball in play on 1st serves. If i do end up buying this racquet, i already decided that i'll have to up the tension 1 or 2Kg, but outside of that, is there anything i can do to try and reduce the power on serves? Any weight i can add, to try and remove some of the racquet's power? Anything like that?

Thank you very much in advance,

Tiaxx

 

[FRV]

If it's just the serve couldn't you just work on the technique? Like, for instance, you can hit up on the ball more while following through. Or maybe your toss is off (get it more out in front). I would think the more power the better for the serve. I'm not too good at tennis, so take my advice with a grain of salt. My serve is pretty good though.

Also, I'm pretty sure adding weight anywhere will only increase the power.

 

[Zoolander]

If your serving long all the time could be different balance..... try adding a little weight at 12 to bring the ball down.

At my chosen weight i find a little too HL balance and the ball goes long, a little too HH and it goes into the net, when its just right it goes in.....

I doubt its the power level with the 100p, but you can trim the bumper to reduce it if needed.

 

[Tiaxx]

If it's just the serve couldn't you just work on the technique? Like, for instance, you can hit up on the ball more while following through. Or maybe your toss is off (get it more out in front). I would think the more power the better for the serve. I'm not too good at tennis, so take my advice with a grain of salt. My serve is pretty good though.

Also, I'm pretty sure adding weight anywhere will only increase the power.

It's not a technique issue, since i didn't had this problem with my old racquet. The problem is switching from a very low powered 95sq to a 100sq racquet.
Obviously, there is an adjustment period to be had, but i was wondering if i could tweak the racquet a bit to try and help me keeping the ball in during this adjustment period...

If your serving long all the time could be different balance..... try adding a little weight at 12 to bring the ball down.

At my chosen weight i find a little too HL balance and the ball goes long, a little too HH and it goes into the net, when its just right it goes in.....

I doubt its the power level with the 100p, but you can trim the bumper to reduce it if needed.

You might be on to something. Maybe making it a bit more HH could help. Less RHS could help me keep the serves in. I'll try upping the tension a bit, and then i'll start playing around with some lead at 12 to see if it works.
Thx.

 

[fuzz nation]

It's not a technique issue, since i didn't had this problem with my old racquet. The problem is switching from a very low powered 95sq to a 100sq racquet.
Obviously, there is an adjustment period to be had, but i was wondering if i could tweak the racquet a bit to try and help me keeping the ball in during this adjustment period...



You might be on to something. Maybe making it a bit more HH could help. Less RHS could help me keep the serves in. I'll try upping the tension a bit, and then i'll start playing around with some lead at 12 to see if it works.
Thx.

I agree with the idea of trying a little lead on the hoop. Adding heft in general can make a racquet inherently more powerful for me, but that can also mean that I can swing that racquet a little less quickly to produce the same power. That can let me serve well with a moderate racquet speed instead of swinging out of my shoes to produce my more potent serves. My top-speed swings are tougher to control.

I'd expect a little bump in string tension might also help, but you'll only know how that goes for you once your try it. More than just a few grams total on the hoop can make the racquet noticeably less head-light in balance and it might feel a bit more sluggish overall. Not the end of the world though. If adding weight to the hoop is helpful with your serves, you can counterbalance - add a bit of weight to your handle - to get back to a comfortable balance. With a familiar balance, I'd bet that the racquet would behave the same for you with your other shots, too.

The good news with any of this tweaking is that if the alterations are done by applying something like lead tape, it's easy enough to remove it if the tuning doesn't help you out.

 

[one-hand]

My experience seems to be the opposite of what you're saying. Unless you're tall enough to serve flat and down, you will need spin to bring the ball down. High RHS from more HL racquets will help. More HH racquets would slow your RHS and decrease spin therefore send your serves longer.

 

[Tiaxx]

I agree with the idea of trying a little lead on the hoop. Adding heft in general can make a racquet inherently more powerful for me, but that can also mean that I can swing that racquet a little less quickly to produce the same power. That can let me serve well with a moderate racquet speed instead of swinging out of my shoes to produce my more potent serves. My top-speed swings are tougher to control.

I'd expect a little bump in string tension might also help, but you'll only know how that goes for you once your try it. More than just a few grams total on the hoop can make the racquet noticeably less head-light in balance and it might feel a bit more sluggish overall. Not the end of the world though. If adding weight to the hoop is helpful with your serves, you can counterbalance - add a bit of weight to your handle - to get back to a comfortable balance. With a familiar balance, I'd bet that the racquet would behave the same for you with your other shots, too.

The good news with any of this tweaking is that if the alterations are done by applying something like lead tape, it's easy enough to remove it if the tuning doesn't help you out.

Indeed. I can "play around" as i want, since all the changes are easily undone.

My experience seems to be the opposite of what you're saying. Unless you're tall enough to serve flat and down, you will need spin to bring the ball down. High RHS from more HL racquets will help. More HH racquets would slow your RHS and decrease spin therefore send your serves longer.

Since my main issue is on my 1st serve, which is flat, spin is not in the equation here. I do understand your pov and your reasoning, but sadly, for my existing problem your solution won't work for me.
I'm not tall, by any means, but my 1st serve is flat, no spin whatsoever.

 

[Jster]

"kick harder" actually. Haha. Roddick 2nd serve is faster than hewitt first serve any time.

 

[ONgame]

Change your technique.
There is no such thing as "too much power". Pros hit with much more power than we do and their shots land inside the court just fine.

 

[Tiaxx]

Change your technique.
There is no such thing as "too much power". Pros hit with much more power than we do and their shots land inside the court just fine.

Ok the next time, maybe you should read the OP more carefully before answering...
I explained that i was playing with a racquet that had much less power than the Textreme Tour. Which means that atm, i'm having problems controlling the added power from this new racquet.
If with my old racquet i had 0 problems controlling the serve,certainly, the technique isn't the issue here right? It's the added power from the new racquet that's causing the issues...
And like i said already on this new thread, i understand there's an adjustment period that i should take into consideration when changing racquet, all i'm asking is if there's anything i can do to the new racquet to help me adjust to it's "added" power...

 

[mhkeuns]

I also think it’s just the adjustment period you are going through, especially if you’ve been accustomed to the previous frame. There isn’t anything to worry about, I think. Perhaps you are just overthinking things, and on your next outing everything might just click. The 100P is a wonderful frame as is and didn’t feel that it needed any modification.

 

[Tiaxx]

I also think it’s just the adjustment period you are going through, especially if you’ve been accustomed to the previous frame. There isn’t anything to worry about, I think. Perhaps you are just overthinking things, and on your next outing everything might just click. The 100P is a wonderful frame as is and didn’t feel that it needed any modification.

Yeah, prolly i'm overthinking it and with time, i will adjust to it. Just wanted to see if i could do anything to speed up the process, or make me more confortable during this adjustment period.

 

[ONgame]

Ok the next time, maybe you should read the OP more carefully before answering...
I explained that i was playing with a racquet that had much less power than the Textreme Tour. Which means that atm, i'm having problems controlling the added power from this new racquet.
If with my old racquet i had 0 problems controlling the serve,certainly, the technique isn't the issue here right? It's the added power from the new racquet that's causing the issues...
And like i said already on this new thread, i understand there's an adjustment period that i should take into consideration when changing racquet, all i'm asking is if there's anything i can do to the new racquet to help me adjust to it's "added" power...

I did read every word of OP when I replied. Had you asked how you can adjust to the racquet instead of make the racquet adjust to you, it would have been different.

Anyway, serve is a timing thing. It isn't worth changing the tension which could affect your whole game, Especially when everything else is working. Just wait it out.

 

[Simplicius]

So i've been demoing some racquets for the past few weeks, and decided i will go with the Prince Textreme Tour 100p, unless the new Wilson Clash is something out of this world.
Now the issue i'm having with the prince is on serves. On groundstrokes,volleys,etc the racquet feels just right, but when i'm serving, particularly 1st serves, i'm struggling to keep the ball inside the service box.
My old racquet was a PT57A, which has a lot less power on serves, so now i'm really struggling with keeping the ball in play on 1st serves. If i do end up buying this racquet, i already decided that i'll have to up the tension 1 or 2Kg, but outside of that, is there anything i can do to try and reduce the power on serves? Any weight i can add, to try and remove some of the racquet's power? Anything like that?
Thank you very much in advance,
Tiaxx

From a personal experience with the same problem...
Usually 3g on 12 point solves that problem.
Imho, this problem is not a power problem, it's a spin one.
3g on 12 is going to help you to serve much spinnier, in the box.
In that case I suggest you to keep the tension low as it was.
Going up with the tension make you to loose spin on your serve..
You can test it easily with a small coin on 12.
Good luck!