travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
I played my first 4.5 singles match today with my shortened 26.4” 6.1 95 Team 18x20 today against a friend who usually plays me close. This time it was not close. I was up 6-0, 5-0 before I let up and gave him a couple of mercy games so he didn’t leave feeling too bad.
The shortened length patched up my weakness so it wasn’t a weakness. I could drive the ball to either corner deep with my forehand with confidence. For the first time ever, my forehand was legitimately 4.5+ level and better than my opponent's 4.5 forehand. The interesting thing was that every single one of my shots - not just forehand - was improved.
My 2hb (which was already 5.0+ level) was more controlled and point-and-shoot. My 1hb slice was spinny and precise. Touch was amazing. Even my first serve was easier to land in the box due to the better control of the racquetface angle at contact. Twist serves had good kick. Netgame was on point.
Before the match, I agreed that I wouldn't use any moonballs because he was prepping to play big hitter in tournament tomorrow (my goto strategy in singles, but my friend's achilles heel). I didn't need any moonballs this morning because I could simply move the ball around with point-and-shoot groundies and overpower my overmatched opponent. I was mixing in serve-and-volley with more confidence too.
In 'short', the shorty bumped my level up an entire NTRP point. I let my friend hit a few balls afterward with the shorty, and he agreed it had the same effect on his game and felt like he couldn't miss.
I'm now officially at 26.4" length and never looking back. Can't wait to give some of my other frames the treatment too. Specs were about 344 sw, 12.9 oz., 12.55" balance (much lighter than I had been using recently, but similar hitting weight). Lots of added mass centered at 9:30 and 2:30 on hoop, and lots more in handle. Strung with prestretched full poly at 70/50 lbs.
The shortened length patched up my weakness so it wasn’t a weakness. I could drive the ball to either corner deep with my forehand with confidence. For the first time ever, my forehand was legitimately 4.5+ level and better than my opponent's 4.5 forehand. The interesting thing was that every single one of my shots - not just forehand - was improved.
My 2hb (which was already 5.0+ level) was more controlled and point-and-shoot. My 1hb slice was spinny and precise. Touch was amazing. Even my first serve was easier to land in the box due to the better control of the racquetface angle at contact. Twist serves had good kick. Netgame was on point.
Before the match, I agreed that I wouldn't use any moonballs because he was prepping to play big hitter in tournament tomorrow (my goto strategy in singles, but my friend's achilles heel). I didn't need any moonballs this morning because I could simply move the ball around with point-and-shoot groundies and overpower my overmatched opponent. I was mixing in serve-and-volley with more confidence too.
In 'short', the shorty bumped my level up an entire NTRP point. I let my friend hit a few balls afterward with the shorty, and he agreed it had the same effect on his game and felt like he couldn't miss.
I'm now officially at 26.4" length and never looking back. Can't wait to give some of my other frames the treatment too. Specs were about 344 sw, 12.9 oz., 12.55" balance (much lighter than I had been using recently, but similar hitting weight). Lots of added mass centered at 9:30 and 2:30 on hoop, and lots more in handle. Strung with prestretched full poly at 70/50 lbs.
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