Please help me pick a racquet for my wife

[asabet]

My wife and I both played tennis at a decent level in high school then took 18 years off from the sport. We recently started playing again, and I was able to pick up some nCode nTour racquets (pre-strung) at a bargain price.

She complained that they didn't give her enough power, and I wanted more weight, so I bought her a Blade 98 BLX Pink racquet with Head FXP Power strings, and I bought myself a 6.1 BLX 95 with Prince Hybrid 3D Recoil strings.

I love my new racquet. It just feels and plays perfect for me. However, my wife plays much better with the nCode nTour than she does with the new Blade 98 Pink. She tends to hit a lot of balls long with the Blade, and she says it's too heavy. She's pretty happy with the nCode nTour now, but I keep wondering whether there's another racquet that would suit her better, combining the lightness she seems to need with more power.

She is a baseline player and probably NTRP 3-ish right now. We've been playing a lot together lately, and we're both improving back towards where we were long ago. She's not going to demo a bunch of racquets to find one. I'm hoping to just get lucky and pick a good one for her. Should she stay with the nCode nTour, or should she try something else?

 

[HiroProtagonist]

Just put some multi or a soft power syngut in the nCode at a fairly low tension, problem solved.

 

[asabet]

Thanks for the suggestion! I was also wondering whether she might prefer a larger head size. I think the nCode nTour is 95 si ?

 

[got spin?]

I would demo a Head Six Star racket. I bit pricey for an entry level, but I have alot of beginners on this racket. Or if you want a cheaper one, go with a Head LiquidMetal Radical, OS is best, mp is good too.

 

[asabet]

Thanks! I wonder if the problem with the BLX Blade 98 I got her is in fact that it is too heavy (her theory) or that it's just too much power. The main problem she has with it is that she hits everything long, whereas she has a nice consistent result with the nCode nTour. The Blade 98 is strung with Head FXP Power at 58 lbs tension. Would a change of string type or tension help her with control?

 

[esgee48]

I agree with Hiro. Restring her racquet at midpoint minus 4 pounds with a soft and cheap syn gut. That's her first reference tension. If she wants more power, drop tension again by 4 pounds on the next string job. Would not go with multi unless she has arm problems. Multis lose their tension too fast.

If you have an iPhone or iTouch, buy the app RacquetTune and track her tension. The first string job, when it loosens up may be to her liking. But you won't know the tension unless you have the app.

 

[mctennis]

Volkl V1 Classic.

 

[asabet]

If you have an iPhone or iTouch, buy the app RacquetTune and track her tension. The first string job, when it loosens up may be to her liking. But you won't know the tension unless you have the app.

Is that app accurate? I just bought it and tested her two rackets. The pre-strung nCode nTour tested at 55 lbs. The BLX Blade 98 - which I had strung supposedly at 58 lbs two weeks ago - measured at 40 lbs . Is that why her shots are flying long?

As an aside, my two 6.1 BLX 95 racquets which were also strung at the same place - supposedly at 55 lbs - measured at 39 lbs and 37.5 lbs respectively :shock:.

 

[whomad15]

Prince red/blue are nice, lots of room for some tweaking if needed also.

can always try a babolat (i dislike them personally, too stiff for me)

 

[Sentinel]

Please help me pick a racquet for my wife

Just bend over and pick it. But don't bend your back.

And while you are picking up the racket, pick up any dirty socks or other clothes lying around and put them in the wash, too.

 

[asabet]

Please help me pick a racquet for my wife

Just bend over and pick it. But don't bend your back.

And while you are picking up the racket, pick up any dirty socks or other clothes lying around and put them in the wash, too.

Are all 15,000+ of your posts as helpful as this one ?

 

[UCSF2012]

Add lead tape to the nCode. She'll can have as much power as she chooses. She'll also be the only girl who uses lead tape in America.

 

[Steve Huff]

I string for a lot of women. One of the frames that is increasingly popular for 3.5-4.0 women is the Babolat Aeropro Drive Team. It's a little lightler than the regular model, and seems just as solid. If she's a lower rated player (like my wife who is a 3.0), I got her a BB 1 OS. She also played with a Prince Hybrid Shark OS for a while. Both have plenty of power.

 

[anhuynh16]

I would demo a Head Six Star racket. I bit pricey for an entry level, but I have alot of beginners on this racket. Or if you want a cheaper one, go with a Head LiquidMetal Radical, OS is best, mp is good too.

i thing the 3 star is better- my mom and dad use it and there very happy

 

[esgee48]

Is that app accurate? I just bought it and tested her two rackets. The pre-strung nCode nTour tested at 55 lbs. The BLX Blade 98 - which I had strung supposedly at 58 lbs two weeks ago - measured at 40 lbs . Is that why her shots are flying long?

As an aside, my two 6.1 BLX 95 racquets which were also strung at the same place - supposedly at 55 lbs - measured at 39 lbs and 37.5 lbs respectively :shock:.

Look up threads by Stoneage, who is the developer of the app. It is accurate +/- 2 pounds if you put the appropriate info into the app.

What type of stringing machine was used to string your racquet? What type of string (gauge etc)? A lockout will string to the ref tension than stop and the string starts to lose tension right there. A constant pull machine will keep pulling the ref tension until you clamp, then it will start losing tension. Some strings do a lousy job of maintaining tensions, others do a very good job. Check out the TWU string database.

 

[Ben Hadd]

Get her to give the Head YT IG speed 300 a demo, though it doesnt feel as head light as stated.

 

[Sentinel]

Are all 15,000+ of your posts as helpful as this one ?

Most are worse. This was the best one ever !