Need Racquet Advice

[markn1208]

I'm a intermediate to advanced player (4.5 NTRP) with a bad right shoulder.
I am 30 years of age and have not bought a racquet in years but it's time for a new one. Looking for a racquet that will be gentle on the arm yet give me the feel, power, and control I need. All this new technology in racquets is very confusing to me. Please advise on which racquets i should demo .

Thanks.

 

[Colpo]

Some quick advice would be to pair a soft-feeling racket with a soft string, then tension the string appropriately so as to retain some ball control. Take a look at the Volkl V-Engine Tour 8, a new-ish (2004) red-colored frame built on hugely successful V1 chassis. It has a pleasingly cushioned feel, but is enough of a player's frame to sate your rank. Couple this frame with natural gut or Tecnifibre NRG2 for a soft, dampened stringbed. But, string it in the upper end of the recommended tension range for control. Even if you don't go with these particular items, use the "soft + soft" model as your guide, although with your ranking, you'll want to err more on the player's frame end of the spectrum.

 

[TripleB]

If you prefer a < 95 square inch racquets go for the Yonex RDX-500 Mid (90 sq in) strung with natural gut.

If you prefer a > 95 square inch racquets go for the Yonex RDX-500 Midplus (98 sq in and my new racquet of choice) strung with natural gut.

Both offer a "soft" feel, good power, excellent control, and stringing them with with natural gut will magnify each of those characteristics.

TripleB

PS: If you prefer a = 95 square inch racquet then go back and find a Yonex RD-7

 

[ferrari_827]

Also, the Ti50 provides good comfort and power, and it's=95sq.in.

 

[Steve H.]

If your shoulder problem has to do with rotator cuff, a low-swingweight frame may help. Some of the softer-playing frames today include the Prince Diablo MP, ProKennex 5g and Ki5, Fischer Pro #1; as Ben says the RDX 500 is also soft and solid, and so is the Slaz X1. If you want something lighter, maybe try one of the Volkls. Hope this helps -- a lot depends on what weight, swingweight, and head size makes you most comfortable.

 

[Serve-And-Volley]

I would suggest to you a Volkl Catapult 10, fairly lightweight at 11.4 oz and you can put lots of pop without sacrificing control on both your groundies and your serve. I also like the Yonex RDX-500 Mid or MP. Both racquets will be gentle on that bad shoulder if you string with a good natural gut like the Babolat VS Natural 16 or 17 (used it on my racquets its great). Well hope you find a good racquet.