My simple guide to racquet selection

[NoBadMojo]

This post will be a duplication of the things I have consistently said here for a few years, so i apoligize for the repitition to those who have read before. I do this because every week, people misquote and twist around the things I say. I say these things after having given a few thousand tennis lessons closely observing how people learn and play their best tennis.

Simply put:

"I believe people should use the highest swingweight they can honestly handle based on their present skillset <no matter what swingweight it is>. I also believe they should use a racquet with a sweetzone large enough so they can reliably find it"

By 'honestly handling', that would mean the person can swing the racquet fast enough with reasonable technique for however long their sessions last when playing people who is as least as good as they are (ideally people with differening playing styles). If a person doesnt have reasonable technique, the other elements would still apply.

By 'finding the sweetzone' that would also apply to when a person is playing someone who is at least as good as they are <ideally someone who hits w. pace>. I say sweetzone instead of sweetspot hoping to avoid the usual drama. I define the sweetzone as the area of the racquet where you get a predictable responsive solid hit.

That's all. Like most everything, there can always be the occassional exception.

 

[VGP]

Sounds reasonable.

I know you've been saying this for like a year or two now, but what exactly do you mean by the "reverseness of racquet selection rules?"

Do you mean that someone should use what they wouldn't think they should use?

You expounded on your term a while back and I can't remember exactly what you said.

 

[Steve Huff]

Ed, my rule is even simpler: Pick the racket up, swing it a couple of times and if it feels good and you can afford it, buy it, play with it, and don't worry about what everyone else says.

The more you play, the more you'll know what feels good, and the better you'll be able to pick out a rackets.

Admittedly, your advice is better. Mine is just simpler. Cheers.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Sounds reasonable.

I know you've been saying this for like a year or two now, but what exactly do you mean by the "reverseness of racquet selection rules?"

Do you mean that someone should use what they wouldn't think they should use?

You expounded on your term a while back and I can't remember exactly what you said.

In the interest of clarity and conciseness, I took the reverseness of racquet selection rule out of my post. if people buy a racquet based on that, they still havent made a good choice <for the long run> so the rule doesnt apply to the theme of the post.

 

[NoBadMojo]

Ed, my rule is even simpler: Pick the racket up, swing it a couple of times and if it feels good and you can afford it, buy it, play with it, and don't worry about what everyone else says.

The more you play, the more you'll know what feels good, and the better you'll be able to pick out a rackets.

Admittedly, your advice is better. Mine is just simpler. Cheers.

Hey Steve. best of the new year to you. your advice is good advice for someone who doesnt play at a good level as you say. or someone just starting out. it helps if the racquet is visually appealing to a person.

once they get a better feel for the game, they could change to something better suited. if they dont know what that might be and can afford a lesson from a qualified teaching pro <who knows gear> that would be a good choice

if I must recommend blindly, I've had lots of success recommending the V1...closest <by far> i've ever come across to the one size fits all type of abba dabba. The proof is that people of all levels play this frame <appropriately> and it has been in the lineup <mainstream production> for maybe something approaching 15 years