Light racket suggestion for developing topspin (beginner-intermediate player)

[letsplaytenny]

Greetings,

I started playing about 2 years ago and play recreationally during summer months. I can rally dependably and have a consistent serve. Lately what I observed is that I struggle a lot while generating topspin on forehand. I have an eastern grip and I find the wrist action on contact (wiper action) a bit heavy. Could it be my racket? I use Head Prestige MP that I bought for cheap on marketplace. I just found out that it is supposed to be for advanced players and has a higher swing weight. I have LUX ALU Banger 17 (55lbs) on it. Should I look for a racket with light swing weight to help me develop the top spin forehand? I only noticed it after playing with someone who uses a lot of topspin, my shots are somewhat flatter and lately I keep going long when trying harder.

Thank You

 

[dr. godmode]

A lighter racquet will help you whip up the back of the ball and the Prestige MP is one of the harder racquets to generate spin with. That said, I wouldn't go and drop $200+ on a new racquet quite yet.

I've found that the best way to find spin on your shots is by rallying in the short court and really trying to get good net clearance. Spend at least 4 weeks trying to find the spin in the game you've already got and then consider buying something new.

More than anything else, spin really comes from the player more than the racquet.

 

[Jonesy]

You really need to develop good technique, but if you are finding yourself stuck in the mud trying to whip the ball a lighter racket always help.

When i was learning that was when i dropped my PS and went to the Soft Drive that is super light, the difference was great for the better (amazing whip for spin) and it really helped develop my game to what it is today 5.0+

These days the closest thing to a Soft Drive is the Pure Aero Team or the Pure Drive Team, you can't go wrong with any of these.

 

[letsplaytenny]

A lighter racquet will help you whip up the back of the ball and the Prestige MP is one of the harder racquets to generate spin with. That said, I wouldn't go and drop $200+ on a new racquet quite yet.

I've found that the best way to find spin on your shots is by rallying in the short court and really trying to get good net clearance. Spend at least 4 weeks trying to find the spin in the game you've already got and then consider buying something new.

More than anything else, spin really comes from the player more than the racquet.

Thanks! Do you think my string setup could get better? Currently ALU banger 17 at 55lbs.

You really need to develop good technique, but if you are finding yourself stuck in the mud trying to whip the ball a lighter racket always help.

When i was learning that was when i dropped my PS and went to the Soft Drive that is super light, the difference was great for the better (amazing whip for spin) and it really helped develop my game to what it is today 5.0+

These days the closest thing to a Soft Drive is the Pure Aero Team or the Pure Drive Team, you can't go wrong with any of these.

Thanks! Both of those look pretty good. The 2023 Pure Aero is at around 302 swingweight. Older Team seems to have the lighter swingweight than the older Aero. Any comments on the Pure Drive? It’s also pretty light. Has a swing weight of about 310.

 

[Jonesy]

Thanks! Do you think my string setup could get better? Currently ALU banger 17 at 55lbs.



Thanks! Both of those look pretty good. The 2023 Pure Aero is at around 302 swingweight. Older Team seems to have the lighter swingweight than the older Aero. Any comments on the Pure Drive? It’s also pretty light. Has a swing weight of about 310.

Yeah my current racket is the Pure Drive and it is also super easy to manouver through the air with amazing spin, so much it feels like cheating.

 

[ariwibowo]

Greetings,

I started playing about 2 years ago and play recreationally during summer months. I can rally dependably and have a consistent serve. Lately what I observed is that I struggle a lot while generating topspin on forehand. I have an eastern grip and I find the wrist action on contact (wiper action) a bit heavy. Could it be my racket? I use Head Prestige MP that I bought for cheap on marketplace. I just found out that it is supposed to be for advanced players and has a higher swing weight. I have LUX ALU Banger 17 (55lbs) on it. Should I look for a racket with light swing weight to help me develop the top spin forehand? I only noticed it after playing with someone who uses a lot of topspin, my shots are somewhat flatter and lately I keep going long when trying harder.

Thank You

I started out the same as you with eastern grip, now I am using between eastern and semi-western. The wrist action also hurts my wrist, I was using Pro Staff 97 315grams, the weight is good but PS97 can be stiff especially with tension above 55 lbs. Now, I am using Prince Textreme Tour 100 310 grams and string tension at 50 lbs. When using eastern grip, the wrist action happens slightly after contact with the ball and it is not the wrist movement but the whole lower arm movement. This video below shows the best technique for forehand

 

[letsplaytenny]

I started out the same as you with eastern grip, now I am using between eastern and semi-western. The wrist action also hurts my wrist, I was using Pro Staff 97 315grams, the weight is good but PS97 can be stiff especially with tension above 55 lbs. Now, I am using Prince Textreme Tour 100 310 grams and string tension at 50 lbs. When using eastern grip, the wrist action happens slightly after contact with the ball and it is not the wrist movement but the whole lower arm movement. This video below shows the best technique for forehand

That's a really useful video. Thanks. Do you have any experience with Babolat Pure Drive or Aero series? A bit lower swing weight than Prince Textreme Tour 100 310 g(322 vs ~314 for Pure Drive Team) but probably a bit less control also in case of Pure Drive? They do market Pure Drive for beginners also. Prince Textreme Tour 100 310 g looks pretty good, lot of nice comments/reviews, way cheaper than Babolat also. I can probably get one on **** for about $100.

 

[Rally]

Greetings,

I started playing about 2 years ago and play recreationally during summer months. I can rally dependably and have a consistent serve. Lately what I observed is that I struggle a lot while generating topspin on forehand. I have an eastern grip and I find the wrist action on contact (wiper action) a bit heavy. Could it be my racket? I use Head Prestige MP that I bought for cheap on marketplace. I just found out that it is supposed to be for advanced players and has a higher swing weight. I have LUX ALU Banger 17 (55lbs) on it. Should I look for a racket with light swing weight to help me develop the top spin forehand? I only noticed it after playing with someone who uses a lot of topspin, my shots are somewhat flatter and lately I keep going long when trying harder.

Thank You

Stop actively using your wrist. Topspin doesn't come from rolling the ball against the strings. It comes from string snapback. When your ball collides with the strings, it displaces the two mains that are closest to the center of the ball on impact. Those mains then snap back to their natural position. The more you can displace those strings, the stronger your topspin will be. Load up in your legs, get a strong hip and shoulder turn, make contact roughly waist-core height with a closed racquet face, and let the racquet fly out and through the ball.

 

[Anton]

Greetings,

I started playing about 2 years ago and play recreationally during summer months. I can rally dependably and have a consistent serve. Lately what I observed is that I struggle a lot while generating topspin on forehand. I have an eastern grip and I find the wrist action on contact (wiper action) a bit heavy. Could it be my racket? I use Head Prestige MP that I bought for cheap on marketplace. I just found out that it is supposed to be for advanced players and has a higher swing weight. I have LUX ALU Banger 17 (55lbs) on it. Should I look for a racket with light swing weight to help me develop the top spin forehand? I only noticed it after playing with someone who uses a lot of topspin, my shots are somewhat flatter and lately I keep going long when trying harder.

Thank You

Drop the Prestige MP tension to 45,

Get set, RELAX THE WRIST, pull forward and up with body rotation, feel the pull of racket lag in your forearm as racket's buttcap ~points to the ball, and finally let the racket fly into the ball as it rotates up around your forearm and wraps around your left shoulder or above.

 

[lightblue]

Could be worth posting a brief video of your technique to see if it's more your technique that needs tweaking or your racket

 

[letsplaytenny]

Drop the Prestige MP tension to 45,

Get set, RELAX THE WRIST, pull forward and up with body rotation, feel the pull of racket lag in your forearm as racket's buttcap ~points to the ball, and finally let the racket fly into the ball as it rotates up around your forearm and wraps around your left shoulder or above.

Thanks! Will the lower tension help grip the ball better? Hopefully it’s not too hard to control at 45lbs?

Could be worth posting a brief video of your technique to see if it's more your technique that needs tweaking or your racket

Stop actively using your wrist. Topspin doesn't come from rolling the ball against the strings. It comes from string snapback. When your ball collides with the strings, it displaces the two mains that are closest to the center of the ball on impact. Those mains then snap back to their natural position. The more you can displace those strings, the stronger your topspin will be. Load up in your legs, get a strong hip and shoulder turn, make contact roughly waist-core height with a closed racquet face, and let the racquet fly out and through the ball.

I’ll try to get a video next time.
Thank you guys, some really good advice. Ready to try it out next time. The video posted above is really helpful!

 

[TennisLogic]

That's a really useful video. Thanks. Do you have any experience with Babolat Pure Drive or Aero series? A bit lower swing weight than Prince Textreme Tour 100 310 g(322 vs ~314 for Pure Drive Team) but probably a bit less control also in case of Pure Drive? They do market Pure Drive for beginners also. Prince Textreme Tour 100 310 g looks pretty good, lot of nice comments/reviews, way cheaper than Babolat also. I can probably get one on **** for about $100.

Babolat pure drive and aero is a great family of racquets. although early reviews indicate the 2023 aero version is disappointing many, 2019 is a huge hit.
The head speed TW has on sale for $99 is a great deal too

 

[TennisLogic]

And, I concur with others. Top spin is all about technique. You should be able to generate it with a wood racquet

 

[Anton]

Thanks! Will the lower tension help grip the ball better? Hopefully it’s not too hard to control at 45lbs

Prestige MP is tight string pattern (96" 18x20) so not loose at all at 45 and lower tension should let the ball dig in more for a bit more arch and action

 

[letsplaytenny]

Prestige MP is tight string pattern (96" 18x20) so not loose at all at 45 and lower tension should let the ball dig in more for a bit more arch and action

Thanks, I already dropped it to get restrung, went with ALU Power Rough at 50lbs. I think I will call them tomorrow morning to change that to 45lbs. I don’t think they’ll be stringing it before afternoon. Might also pick up a couple of rackets to demo, probably Pure Drive Team and Prince Textreme 100 310g.