How do you play in the heat/humidity?

DonDiego

DonDiego

Hall of Fame
More specifically, do you feel that the ball travels faster (i.e. you need more topspin to keep balls inside the lines) or the opposite (i.e. you have to work harder to get the same pace as usual)?

As a side topic: I played two matches today in the blistering heat and humidity (won both) and I felt like the Pro Penn Marathon balls (1st match) played great in the heat, but with the regular Penn balls (2nd match) I had real trouble keeping the ball in, I had to put way more spin to make it go down inside. Any of you experienced that?
 
The ball seem to travel faster. More TS is always a good idea,
New overgrips
Wilson pro grip max lotion or similar
Switched to RPM blast from full bed NG or multi, but I just got some shoulder pain.Will try to work out with elastic bands, we'll see...
Dunlop Fort Clay or Wilson Clay Roland Garros balls not the junk Penns
 
I like playing in the heat. The ball is lively and favors big hitting and big serving so that offensive players have an advantage. It is not a problem to generate topspin to keep the ball in the court either. Perfect conditions for me are when it is hot and dry with little wind.

High humidity is a different story and I don’t like it. I find it harder to generate topspin (Magnus effect reduced?) and therefore have to hit slower. Also, once you get tired and sweat more, I feel like racquet head speed (RHS) drops and it gets harder to outserve or outhit opponents off the court. I feel that it favors defensive players especially if the temperature is not hot as on humid evenings/early mornings when the marine layer comes in from the sea bringing a light mist near the coast.

If it is hot and humid, it is not as bad as the ball is still lively and all you have to do is ensure that you stay hydrated properly. It favors players who are fit which I also like.
 
socallefty said:
I like playing in the heat. The ball is lively and favors big hitting and big serving so that offensive players have an advantage. It is not a problem to generate topspin to keep the ball in the court either. Perfect conditions for me are when it is hot and dry with little wind.

High humidity is a different story and I don’t like it. I find it harder to generate topspin (Magnus effect reduced?) and therefore have to hit slower. Also, once you get tired and sweat more, I feel like racquet head speed (RHS) drops and it gets harder to outserve or outhit opponents off the court. I feel that it favors defensive players especially if the temperature is not hot as on humid evenings/early mornings when the marine layer comes in from the sea bringing a light mist near the coast.

If it is hot and humid, it is not as bad as the ball is still lively and all you have to do is ensure that you stay hydrated properly. It favors players who are fit which I also like.
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I completely agree with this. I always get tired playing long matches & my swings start to slow down & my head starts to get to me. I personally would like to add on to this, don't go for winners so much but keep the opponent moving which it therefore creates mistakes on their part more often & tires them out.
 
I hardly ever had any heat problems.

Then one time, the heat got me. Once I realized something new was going on, we all sought shade at change overs and drank water or sports drinks. It was no help. l lost energy and speed. Someone told me not to wear a darker shirt on a sunny day, I agree and that was probably a factor. Don't schedule a USTA mixed doubles match at 3 PM on a hot, sunny day.

I now wear long sleeve white shirts for sun protection and to reflect sunlight for less solar heating. I use cotton if I want a little more insulation for cooler days and one of the wicking fabrics for hotter days. The wicking fabrics tend to develop a smell but bleaching the cotton shirts prevents that.

I also developed solar purpura (in my 60s) from years of wearing short sleeve tennis shirts with no sun screen. A slight brush against things, for example, reaching in a cabinet, gives me a distinct reddish purple bruise. If I worked for some minutes pruning bushes, I might get 3-4 bruises on each arm, some large. My skin tears more easily. But my skin above the short sleeve position on my upper arm, looks much younger and no bruises. Use sunscreen. If you don't like sunscreen, try some long sleeve white shirts. Avoid solar purpura.
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Learning About Solar Purpura

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Years back, there was a temperature around 93 d. f. where my racket hand would suddenly start sweating a lot. No issues below that certain temperature. ?

I had never knowingly experienced dehydration until a couple of times in the last few years. Be aware of you water intake and don't become dehydrated. Dizziness was my symptom, very bad dizziness.

A sports nutrition book said that you sweat a lot of salt and recommended a sports drink. They contain some calories and salt (~6-8% salt), needed if your are going to sweat a lot.
 
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I love playing in the heat but hate playing in humidity.
This year has been weird in Dallas. Usually, I handle well 96-105F with humidity of 30% or less. 95F and low humidity is ideal for me.
However, we've had a lot of moisture this year and temperatures of 97 + 50-55% humidity are not fun....

I am like an iguana, everything freezes below 55F
 
I hate my overgrip in such conditions. It becomes soap in 10 minutes, and tennis is irritating with a slippery handle.
Other than that, it depends on the opposition. Attacking is a dream in the heat, defending is a nightmare.
 
DonDiego said:
More specifically, do you feel that the ball travels faster (i.e. you need more topspin to keep balls inside the lines) or the opposite (i.e. you have to work harder to get the same pace as usual)?

As a side topic: I played two matches today in the blistering heat and humidity (won both) and I felt like the Pro Penn Marathon balls (1st match) played great in the heat, but with the regular Penn balls (2nd match) I had real trouble keeping the ball in, I had to put way more spin to make it go down inside. Any of you experienced that?
Click to expand...

If you used same racquet could also be due to string tension loss if you feel the ball is flying on you.
 
I went from playing in Colorado where it's incredibly dry to Miami, literally the complete opposite in terms of weather and humidity. I used to never sweat... now I sweat profusely within 5 minutes of hitting. I hate it
 
DonDiego said:
More specifically, do you feel that the ball travels faster (i.e. you need more topspin to keep balls inside the lines) or the opposite (i.e. you have to work harder to get the same pace as usual)?

As a side topic: I played two matches today in the blistering heat and humidity (won both) and I felt like the Pro Penn Marathon balls (1st match) played great in the heat, but with the regular Penn balls (2nd match) I had real trouble keeping the ball in, I had to put way more spin to make it go down inside. Any of you experienced that?
Click to expand...

Play in Arizona so heat and humidity are always part of the equation. Definitely need to adjust when I play anything but those conditions.

We use Pro Penn Marathon exclusively for play since they do maintain bounce and keep a decent felt on them. Depending on the surface, if there is a lot of grit they do fluff up though, but nothing else I have tried can make a full two sets. Wilson die super quick for us - like half way through the first set they start losing a lot of bounce.
 
Heat will make the ball livelier. Particularly when it hits the ground or your strings. Hot air conditions makes the internal pressure of the ball greater which, in turn, increases the bounce.

Humidity can have the opposite effect in that it can result in greater air drag. And, if the ball picks up moisture on a humid day, it might be slightly heavier. This might be an even greater issues on clay -- where more clay might stick to the ball on a humid day.
 
DonDiego said:
More specifically, do you feel that the ball travels faster (i.e. you need more topspin to keep balls inside the lines) or the opposite (i.e. you have to work harder to get the same pace as usual)?

As a side topic: I played two matches today in the blistering heat and humidity (won both) and I felt like the Pro Penn Marathon balls (1st match) played great in the heat, but with the regular Penn balls (2nd match) I had real trouble keeping the ball in, I had to put way more spin to make it go down inside. Any of you experienced that?
Click to expand...
definitely humid conditions especially on clay really have an impact on the ball (need to work harder to get depth spin pace etc...)
never had issues keeping in during heat.. altitude is a different story

premium balls are a bit heavier than the "regular" brand (eg. pro penn vs. regular penn; dunlop atp vs. regular dunlop, etc...)... the "regular" tend to fly more in general. i typically always play with premium, but if i have to play with regular, i'll just focus on getting more spin on it, and conservative targets... fun when serving though

how to play with more spin is maybe the question you're really after? short answer: get under and brush up more, contact plane likely a bit deeper than you're used to atm...
 
ChaelAZ said:
Play in Arizona so heat and humidity are always part of the equation. Definitely need to adjust when I play anything but those conditions.

We use Pro Penn Marathon exclusively for play since they do maintain bounce and keep a decent felt on them. Depending on the surface, if there is a lot of grit they do fluff up though, but nothing else I have tried can make a full two sets. Wilson die super quick for us - like half way through the first set they start losing a lot of bounce.
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…isn’t Arizona known for its dry heat

I’ll take scorching hot with no humidity over 85 and swampy any day of the week
 
yossarian said:
…isn’t Arizona known for its dry heat

I’ll take scorching hot with no humidity over 85 and swampy any day of the week
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Kind of a misunderstanding. Yes or normal hot days are usually dryer, but we have what is called monsoon season usually late July through August and even September, with a lot of rain and a lot of humidity. Plenty of days are still in the 100's with 40% or there abouts humidity I always do an eyebrow raise when people say they will take scotching hot over 85 and humid. No offense, but if you come out in the summer I will take you on court when it is just 110 degrees at 9am and we can re-evaluate.

I have played in Hawaii and it was 85 degree with 60% humidity, and I didn't like that much either!
 
initialize said:
I went from playing in Colorado where it's incredibly dry to Miami, literally the complete opposite in terms of weather and humidity. I used to never sweat... now I sweat profusely within 5 minutes of hitting. I hate it
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Recall walking out of an airport in Miami to the highest humidity I ever experienced................................till a trip to San Juan.

Played in 106 degrees, low humidity. High winds. Balls flew
 
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I've only played in high humidity high temperature weather so I don't have anything to compare it to. You have to be very weary of dehydration in high humidity, the body tends to sweat more.
 
Just bring more water.

I've recently upped my water intake. Used to bring one 33oz bottle; now I bring two and it's helped a lot.

My buddy and I make it a point to play in the most challenging conditions possible. Searing heat, blazing sun, soggy humidity, light rain, frigid cold.
 
socallefty said:
I like playing in the heat. The ball is lively and favors big hitting and big serving so that offensive players have an advantage. It is not a problem to generate topspin to keep the ball in the court either. Perfect conditions for me are when it is hot and dry with little wind.

High humidity is a different story and I don’t like it. I find it harder to generate topspin (Magnus effect reduced?) and therefore have to hit slower. Also, once you get tired and sweat more, I feel like racquet head speed (RHS) drops and it gets harder to outserve or outhit opponents off the court. I feel that it favors defensive players especially if the temperature is not hot as on humid evenings/early mornings when the marine layer comes in from the sea bringing a light mist near the coast.

If it is hot and humid, it is not as bad as the ball is still lively and all you have to do is ensure that you stay hydrated properly. It favors players who are fit which I also like.
Click to expand...
I play in hot and humid weather, but at night. I'm used to it, but when the sun is involved, even if the actual temps are lower it kills me.

Every 10-15 mins I have to take off my shirt and literally squeeze what seems like more than a cup of sweat out of my shirt, and even then by the time I'm done I've got so much sweat in my socks that have run down my legs that my shoes squelch as I leave the courts.

I can maintain my RHS for a good two to three hours (ideally temps humidity would be just under 30C and 85-90% humidity) and those conditions are good enough to favour all styles of play.
 
Bender said:
I play in hot and humid weather, but at night. I'm used to it, but when the sun is involved, even if the actual temps are lower it kills me.

Every 10-15 mins I have to take off my shirt and literally squeeze what seems like more than a cup of sweat out of my shirt, and even then by the time I'm done I've got so much sweat in my socks that have run down my legs that my shoes squelch as I leave the courts.

I can maintain my RHS for a good two to three hours (ideally temps humidity would be just under 30C and 85-90% humidity) and those conditions are good enough to favour all styles of play.
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Do you wear cotton clothes, socks, underwear etc.? I’ve found that cotton retains sweat too much and in humid weather without the sun, it doesn’t dry out and gets sticky/heavy fast. I wear only athletic underwear, tennis clothes, tennis socks, wristbands etc. that are made from quick-drying polyester/drifit material and that helps. I still have to change my shirt after every set if it is a very humid evening.
 
cha cha said:
I hate my overgrip in such conditions. It becomes soap in 10 minutes, and tennis is irritating with a slippery handle.
Other than that, it depends on the opposition. Attacking is a dream in the heat, defending is a nightmare.
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3-4 racquets with good and new overgrips?
 
socallefty said:
Do you wear cotton clothes, socks, underwear etc.? I’ve found that cotton retains sweat too much and in humid weather without the sun, it doesn’t dry out and gets sticky/heavy fast. I wear only athletic underwear, tennis clothes, tennis socks, wristbands etc. that are made from quick-drying polyester/drifit material and that helps. I still have to change my shirt after every set if it is a very humid evening.
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Yeah, I wear dri-fit socks, clothes, and wristbands, and recently I bought three or four pairs of moisture wicking boxer briefs from CK, basically this pair.

I've had to switch to sleeveless shirts recently and towelling off whenever I can helps, but because my bag is on the smaller side I prefer just squeezing out the sweat and rewearing the same shirt rather than switching into a new one because within 15 mins a new shirt will be just as wet and heavy anyway. I just have a spare shirt for the journey home.
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
Humidity can have the opposite effect in that it can result in greater air drag. And, if the ball picks up moisture on a humid day, it might be slightly heavier. This might be an even greater issues on clay -- where more clay might stick to the ball on a humid day.
Click to expand...
How can humidity result in greater air drag? That goes against the laws of physics as water vapor is a lighter molecule than the nitrogen/oxygen molecules in air without water vapor. So, higher the humidity, the air is lighter, less dense and has less drag. People talk about heavy conditions when it is humid because we feel uncomfortable, but it is not because the air is heavier.

 
socallefty said:
How can humidity result in greater air drag? That goes against the laws of physics as water vapor is a lighter molecule than the nitrogen/oxygen molecules in air without water vapor. So, higher the humidity, the air is lighter, less dense and has less drag. People talk about heavy conditions when it is humid because we feel uncomfortable, but it is not because the air is heavier.

Click to expand...
You might very well be correct about that (I'll have to look at your link later, when I have more time). So, we might actually have competing effects.

A dry ball might move faster or further in humid conditions. But as the balls pick up moisture, during the course of a match, they may be moving somewhat slower for a given impact force.
 
40% humidity is nothing. That is luxury.

I played my entire life in humidity that was 60-90%. It sucks, first of all. I hated it. Now I play in 10-40% humidity and I love it so much. I can play much longer and my shoes aren't soaked or even wet after 3 hours of playing.

High humidity tips -You will lose energy a lot faster. You simply must be in shape to win matches. I did CrossFit and dominated my Flex league after about 4 months of hard training. Not saying you need to do CrossFit, but you will benefit from very hard exercise that gets you truly in shape. Maybe buy a peloton and do hard interval workouts on off days. Anything high tempo that really gets your fitness and stamina up.

Once you are truly in shape consider the gear - If you are a baseline grinder, consider 16 pattern mains so it's easier to lift the ball over the net. This will conserve energy. Flatter hitting is a benefit - less energy used and shorter points. But not everyone hits flat, so if you like to grind, free pop and trajectory can help.


Health - bring extra shirts, wristbands, hats and frames. You will soak your overgrips quickly and during the summer will almost have to use tournagrip. For this reason you need at least 2 frames, and ideally 3. You can rotate them every 30 mins or so. Buy salt tabs for electrolyte replenishment and buy a thermal water bottle so the water stays cold. Put electrolyte powder in that. You need at least 64 ounces of water per hour so get a large container and make sure you have water nearby to refill. Consider using calf sleeves if you cramp there. That was my issue and what solve it - strengthening my calves during workouts, applying magnesium gel before playing and wearing calf sleeves. If I felt a twinge after all that, I popped salt tablets.

Final thing is keep your body cool. Buy neck gaiters that you can wet down and snap. Those get real cold and will drop your temperature 10 degrees. Thats a massive help.
 
Got a headache today(even with a visor and shades) from facing the sun. It felt like 38C due to humidex, plus the fact that the coach was moving me more than I was allowed to move her. And she is much younger than me.

It will be cooler starting tomorrow.
 
Fintft said:
Got a headache today(even with a visor and shades) from facing the sun. It felt like 38C due to humidex, plus the fact that the coach was moving me more than I was allowed to move her. And she is much younger than me.

It will be cooler starting tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Thank goodness this is HS girls season, eh?
 
Playing today at 4pm.
Weather forecast is 84 F and 65% humidity. A typical day.

What I usually bring/wear:
  • Sunblock, hat, and sunglasses if I'm playing outdoors in the middle of the day.
  • I have found the combination of Uniqlo DRY-EX shorts and bamboo underwear to be excellent keeping me relatively dry.
  • Thin supima cotton t-shirt. A couple extra shirts.
  • Uniqlo sports socks. For me they are just the right thickness and do not have seems that cause blisters.
  • 2 wrist bands. (from tennis warehouse)
  • Old plastic tennis balls can. I wring out my wet t-shirts & wristbands, roll them up, and put them in the can to keep my wet clothes away from everything during the drive back home.
  • 1 large bath towel to wipe away sweat during changeovers.
  • 300 watt, portable stereo to blast "Fight the Power" during the warmup when I crush overheads and bounce them over the back fence on one bounce.
do-the-right-thing-radio-raheem-puerto-rican-music-duel1.jpg
 
onehandbh said:
Playing today at 4pm.
Weather forecast is 84 F and 65% humidity. A typical day.

What I usually bring/wear:
  • Sunblock, hat, and sunglasses if I'm playing outdoors in the middle of the day.
  • I have found the combination of Uniqlo DRY-EX shorts and bamboo underwear to be excellent keeping me relatively dry.
  • Thin supima cotton t-shirt. A couple extra shirts.
  • Uniqlo sports socks. For me they are just the right thickness and do not have seems that cause blisters.
  • 2 wrist bands. (from tennis warehouse)
  • Old plastic tennis balls can. I wring out my wet t-shirts & wristbands, roll them up, and put them in the can to keep my wet clothes away from everything during the drive back home.
  • 1 large bath towel to wipe away sweat during changeovers.
  • 300 watt, portable stereo to blast "Fight the Power" during the warmup when I crush overheads and bounce them over the back fence on one bounce.
do-the-right-thing-radio-raheem-puerto-rican-music-duel1.jpg
Click to expand...
More like 6 wrist bands
 
Hotter weather will make the balls bounce higher and faster.

Tennis balls are made from rubber so the hotter it is the more elastic it is.
 
Honestly, you just get used to it, some people never do though. I have played all my life in the heat and really besides the obvious bring towels, wristbands, overgrips, water, extra shirts, etc. it mostly comes down to are you a warm weather person or not? Some people just can't stand the heat and that's okay, I can't stand the cold lol! Part of it probably is the mindset too, I used to complain about the heat a lot but I found that if I complain and focus on it too much I just become miserable out there.
 
I play indoors some mornings and the club has poor climate control. It can be an absolute sauna at times.

It's true that humid air is thinner than dry air.

airplanes require more runway to take off in such conditions, for example.

But the balls do puff up when its high humidity. And when they do, I have noticed that has a massive effect on ball flight, it's like they have brakes. The drag is soo noticeable.

So, in my opinion, although humid air is thinner, the effect of said humidity on the ball itself tends to cause the play of the game to be much slower.
 
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