OnTheLine
Hall of Fame
Your tennis cave is impressive ... my question is how you keep your white hats so darn white?
How Many Racquets Do You Bring To A Match And Are They Identical?
- Thread starter Cawlin
- Start date
Your tennis cave is impressive ... my question is how you keep your white hats so darn white?
Saul Goode
Semi-Pro
Nobody borrows racquets, noob
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Saul Goode
Semi-Pro
Go ‘head be gone with it
OnTheLine
Hall of Fame
Was looking for more magic .... stuff doesn't work on the dri-fit type materials .... nothing works on them as far as I can tell .... embrace the dinginess!
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Put a cup of distilled white vinegar in the wash instead of soap, then wash them again with detergent, and put them out in the sun to dry.
J
A former Challenger player from Argentina showed up at my club one day some years ago. He was invited by the head coach who wanted him to hit with his top junior at that time (coach had met him in Argentina). The guy had quit tennis out of disgust (no money) and was working as a motorcycle dealer and visiting the US for business. He had not touched a racket for 10 years. The coach persuaded him to come. He borrowed some used rackets from the club office (which the pros keep for beginning students) and then went through an elaborate process of choosing between them, and changing overgrips. In the first game, he lost all the points by hitting long, and then defeated the junior 6-1 and walked away.
That is a real player, not someone with 12 to 32 rackets.
Real pro:
Adrian Mannarino brings two racquets to court in his small Nike bag
Adrian Mannarino brings two racquets to court in his small Nike bag
Saul Goode
Semi-Pro
This undercuts your argument. The guy hasn’t played in 10 years and had no racquets at that point. I am sure his playing days told a different story.
Saul Goode
Semi-Pro
This is an outlier and does not in any way represent the norm. It would be like taking 2good4u as proof that all 50+ players have lost most of their brain cells.
I also bring only 2 rackets, but to be honest, I am not a pro.
I have read that Federer travels with 32 rackets, and brings 9 rackets to every match. He changes rackets every 7 games, the game AFTER the new balls.
Does @J011yroger do the same?
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
We had a guy emergency sub for our mens doubles one afternoon. He was a 4.5 player that was lounging around. Didn't have a racquet but had his tennis whites in his locker. So we gave him a granny stick (115 sq in Babolat) that one of our guys had as a spare. He warmed up a little bit then promptly destroyed everyone with touch and topspin. Like he'd used the racquet his whole life.
It was enlightening to see how much just having good form is so much more important than gear.
I like racquets so that's why I try a lot and keep a number of them around. But I know for a fact that none of them affect my tennis results. If you are looking for help in your game, quit looking at the racquet frame and look at the turkey at the other end of the handle.
Exception is when a racket is not comfortable. Sometimes it is a genuine problem (each person has a slightly different bone structure which can pass shock waves to different degrees) and sometimes it is bad technique, but after some years, either the technique has improved or never will, so it is back to choosing a comfortable frame in either case.
kylebarendrick
Professional
I have 4 rackets, all the same model, all strung the same. I string and use them 2 at a time, leaving the other 2 as emergency backups. Of the two rackets I'm using, I alternate which one I use each time I play so they should wear about the same. When I decide it is time for new strings, I get the backups restrung and relegate the ones I'm using to being the backups. I have a different color piece of tape on the grip for each one so I can tell them apart.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Definitely agree. My goal is to have a collection of arm friendly frames I like and can swap between when the mood arises.
That is a great point. How do you tell them apart and how do you rotate them?
Since I carry only one pair, I use the pockets on either side. I have a standard way of keeping the bag in front of me, so I know which side is which. The far side is the racket to use this time. After it is over, I swap the positions when I put it back. That way the frames get about even usage. I don't mark them in any way because that is not telling me what to use the next time.
Which brings me to a fantastic idea I just had. Frames already have sensors and such. A small LCD display showing the last time the frame was used and the total time it was used would be fantastic for racket and restringing management.
That is what I call innovation. I think I will create a thread in the Rackets section on this.
OnTheLine
Hall of Fame
Will do so tonight ... perhaps even before and after pictures if it works .... thanks.
i have 3 racquets, 2 PS97s and 1 PS97 countervail. they are all balanced the same.
doesnt matter if its a fun match or usta. a while back i use to carry only two, but i remember during
a usta warmup, i broke the strings on both racquets and had to borrow one from a team member.
i didnt play too well, and felt uncomfortable
so after that i always carry 3.
on hot and humid days, its nice to switch to a dry grip, as i perspire a lot.
z
doesnt matter if its a fun match or usta. a while back i use to carry only two, but i remember during
a usta warmup, i broke the strings on both racquets and had to borrow one from a team member.
i didnt play too well, and felt uncomfortable
so after that i always carry 3.
on hot and humid days, its nice to switch to a dry grip, as i perspire a lot.
z
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Imagine? You show up to the match and your opponent is like "who is that guy?" And you are just like "Oh, he is my stringer, I only had three racquets available today."
J
TagUrIt
Hall of Fame
Michael Erdely
New User
I used to carry 3 and broke 2 during warm up and the 3rd on the first return of the match. I had borrowed another racket during warm up just in case. Lost the MTB 10-8. Too many errant balls at the wrong times.
I now carry 4 RF97 (all black) strung the same (T1 FireWire @ 38 lbs).
It wasn't so much the racket as it was the strings. My friend has round strings and mine are triangle-shaped. Additionally he strings his 15 lbs tighter.
I also try to offset stringing two of the rackets by a week so they don't break at the same time. And I don't let them go more than 4 weeks if I can help it.
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TimeToPlaySets
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2 rackets.
Not matched.
Not matched.
TTMR
Hall of Fame
I can discern that you are a high level player based on frequency of string breakage. I'd highly recommend investing in your own personal stringer. As a bonus, your stringer can double as a ball boy and bagman.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Saul Goode
Semi-Pro
On the Sureshian scale, you are the world’s greatest.
C
Chadalina
Guest
7 of the same racket, (5) 3/8 and 2 (1/2)
I only keep 3 strung at a time, 3 have plastic on the handle still, glad i got they dont make them anymore
I only keep 3 strung at a time, 3 have plastic on the handle still, glad i got they dont make them anymore
Holdfast44ID
Semi-Pro
I think having racquets with identical specs is important. Same weight and balance. Depending on various factors, having a racquet with different string tension (and/or different string) might be good if a changeup is needed later in a match. However, I like the concept of keeping the number of variables low in general.
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OnTheLine
Hall of Fame
Okay, I can no longer say that I have never broken a string. (doesn't make me a string breaker)
Played a mixed practice match (7.5) this morning .... afterwards the 4.0 guy and I hadn't had enough ... so kept the court to play singles. He wanted to play points (against me, why? okay ...) ... my handicap was that he only got 1 serve.
Using frame where the strings had fewer than 10 hours on them ..... lots of decently long rallies (10+ shots) which I invariably lost in the end ..... I noticed that the fraying had greatly increased from when I began in the morning but didn't think anything of it. Also didn't want to go to my frame with only 5 hours on it as I have a league match tomorrow.
After another long rally, finally got a perfect short ball, approached in on a FH slice to his BH .... got my pop up for a mid-court OH.... was able to crater the overhead .... snap. At least I won the point. (and really pleased with myself .... have strained my shoulder patting myself on the back)
Played a mixed practice match (7.5) this morning .... afterwards the 4.0 guy and I hadn't had enough ... so kept the court to play singles. He wanted to play points (against me, why? okay ...) ... my handicap was that he only got 1 serve.
Using frame where the strings had fewer than 10 hours on them ..... lots of decently long rallies (10+ shots) which I invariably lost in the end ..... I noticed that the fraying had greatly increased from when I began in the morning but didn't think anything of it. Also didn't want to go to my frame with only 5 hours on it as I have a league match tomorrow.
After another long rally, finally got a perfect short ball, approached in on a FH slice to his BH .... got my pop up for a mid-court OH.... was able to crater the overhead .... snap. At least I won the point. (and really pleased with myself .... have strained my shoulder patting myself on the back)
megamind
Legend
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
I think it’s probably far less important than gear heads like to believe.
I’ve played against guys that switch rackets all the time and those that haven’t switched in a decade. No difference in how they play from what I can tell.
It’s placebo for the most part. If having an identical Racquet gives you confidence then it’ll help. But if you free yourself from that mindset you’ll realize it doesn’t mean much.
Holdfast44ID
Semi-Pro
I am taking from the perspective of tournament play and higher-level play. There needs to be consistency with everything as one becomes more fine tuned with everything they use as one moves up in levels. I was playing against Stanford's #2 in a tournament many years ago and had been contemplating switching racquets at the time. In fact, I had both with me and switched racquets during the match. First and last time I would ever do that again as it threw me off, more than anything. College kids...
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Tyler-James
Rookie
I'll bring 1 or 2. I play all poly and never break strings because I restring at home usually. Anyone with more than two racquets at a match is either fooling themselves or playing with strings that are too brittle.
AtTheNet
New User
Having multiple racquets is fun for me, but gear alone does not make the player.
I carry a total of 6 racquets in the bag, all strung with natural gut.
3 Wilson Blade 98 16 x 19s, 2013 version. I keep track of them with a number sticker on each frame. The #3 frame is the oldest frame of the group, and used for drills.
1 Wilson Pro Staff Lite, weighted with 8g of lead at 10 and 2. This is a LOT of fun to hit with.
1 Wilson Blade 98S 18 x 16, 2013 version.
1 Wilson Pro Staff 85, the current version of the Sampras racquet. This is an awesome racquet if you have the game for it. Only gets pulled out of the bag when I am having a good day.
Boys and their toys...
I carry a total of 6 racquets in the bag, all strung with natural gut.
3 Wilson Blade 98 16 x 19s, 2013 version. I keep track of them with a number sticker on each frame. The #3 frame is the oldest frame of the group, and used for drills.
1 Wilson Pro Staff Lite, weighted with 8g of lead at 10 and 2. This is a LOT of fun to hit with.
1 Wilson Blade 98S 18 x 16, 2013 version.
1 Wilson Pro Staff 85, the current version of the Sampras racquet. This is an awesome racquet if you have the game for it. Only gets pulled out of the bag when I am having a good day.
Boys and their toys...
but its also a 115.... which i think should be banned at 3.0 actaully anything over 104 should be banned from 3.0+
Totally agree, decent amount of experience in the ice hockey world, at least know a couple equipment managers and there are some guys that get 100 new sticks and throw 50 to the pro shop to resell, and then the guy that uses one for 2-3 games. The last guy is an all star and one of best back checking players in the game, the other if falling down the depth chart. But if you go to the pro shop wait ten min and one of the equipment guys will be down with his rejects.
CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
Same racquet, same string, 1 slightly higher one slightly lower tension
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Well I'd never advocate changing to a different racquet mid match. But I've definitely gone into different matches with different racquets and played against other guys that do this too and I don't think their game suffers at all compared to the "never change the racquet" guys.
I'm sure at the highest level of sports where every little percentage advantage counts, it's different. But in the rec world of 3.0-4.5, it's not changing anything. The margins are just not that fine.
Traffic
Hall of Fame
I used to carry two racquets with same strings and rotate the racquet whenever it needed new strings. I've experimented for several months on a few different racquets and found one I liked but it was an older one that is discontinued. I found a current model that is an offshoot of it and I like playing with that. So I have two racquets that are somewhat similar. I only play the one and have the other as a back-up.
My son has 5 of the same racquets. He used to have 1, then 2, then 3. The first two are rather worn and had to get a couple more. So he has 3 racquets he rotates. The older two are sitting at home unstrung. Once all the racquets have about even wear, then I'll have him rotate through the 5. That should last him until he is on his own and can buy his own racquets.
My son has 5 of the same racquets. He used to have 1, then 2, then 3. The first two are rather worn and had to get a couple more. So he has 3 racquets he rotates. The older two are sitting at home unstrung. Once all the racquets have about even wear, then I'll have him rotate through the 5. That should last him until he is on his own and can buy his own racquets.
empirical data suggests it doesn't hold true.
I know and see many players that play at a decent level and are just fine playing longer than 2-3 years with the frame.
but then you have the power of marketing and advertising, and some people truly believe this and will change the frame every 1 year, or 2 years, no matter how the frame plays.
same applies to the stringbed.
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I can personally attest based on real life tennis played on a court with Jolly that he is not a low level player. [emoji462][emoji471][emoji462]
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