Should a small (5'2") female beginner learn on standard length or extended length?

[monologuist]

My girlfriend is just beginning to learn to play tennis....she's probably about a 2.5 right now. She's got quick feet, but is only about 5'2" and does not have great upper body strength. She has above average athleticism and coordination and is learning quickly, although I wouldn't necessarily say she is progressing at a prodigious rate or anything.

I started her off with a Prince TT Bandit OS, but she found it hard to control, partially due to the high swingweight, and partially due to the awkward head-heavy balance.

We demo'd a bunch of frames today including :
Wilson npro Surge, Prince TT Warrior OS, Prince O3 Red, O3 Blue, Prince Shark DB MP, Head LM Rad OS, FP Rad OS, LM Rad MP, LM Instinct, LM One, Volkl DNX V1 MP and OS....

Interestingly enough, the two that she hit the most consistently with were probably the two of the more "demanding" frames : Wilson npro Surge, and Prince TT Warrior OS. She said that while they felt heavier than what she was used to, they forced her to maintain better form on her strokes and move her feet correctly. The results were obvious to me immediately; we were able to rally for 10 + strokes (pretty good for her), her directional control seemed better, and her strokes looked 10 times better (much less wrist twisting and more shoulder and waist turns). I wasn't even going to have her try a 100" MP, since I thought she'd be framing the ball left and right, coming from a 100" OS, but she said it was no problem.

Anyway, now that we've discovered that something around the 11 oz. range, 315-325 SW, will work, I'm mainly concerned with whether she should be using a standard or extended length frame right now. The Surge she demo'd was standard and she hit well with it, and the Warrior OS was 27.5", and she hit very well with it , but tired a bit after about 90 minutes of rallies. I figured since she is not very tall and has a 2-handed backhand, 27.5" might not be a bad thing for her, but she seemed equally comfortable with the 27" Surge.

She is not dong a whole lot of advanced serving yet, but as she gets better, an extended length racquet will probably benefit her most in this department....so when all said and done, what do you think will be best for her : standard or extended length? With tweeners, even 27.5" is usually manageable in terms of swingweight, so it's not really a question of whether she can handle the extra swingweight. It would seem logical that a shorter player might play better with a slightly longer racquet, benefitting from the added reach, power, and angles (especially for serving), but then again maybe the logic should be the reverse of that : smaller person might play better with a smaller racquet?

 

[Marius_Hancu]

I'd say no XL, too much lever to deal with by her shoulder.
Also, yes, a heavier (but head light), not-stiff (under 65) racket would be recommended.

 

[joe1987]

Hmm..I think that Marius is right. Get her something that is not to hard on the arms and elbow.

 

[monologuist]

ok...assuming that it's an extended length model that is easy on the arm and shoulder....just in terms of tennis mechanics and in terms of the advantages of extended length racquets in terms of serving %, angles, and reach........

 

[Rookie]

My wife also is about 5'3", 110lbs and starts playing for 3 years, in her late 20's. I also passed her a POG OS to start with, and she has no problem to handle it. After she plays for the first 2 years, and she decided to go for something smaller head size, and ended with her LM Radical Tour MP. She just love it, and have 3 of them for spare. Since, now her form is getting more and more solid, which she is able to swiping forehand and BH with decent control. So, she decide to adding lead tape to juice up the racquet in order to get more power. Now, her racquets are ended at 12.7oz, 6pt HL, and with 330g on swingweight.

She is now representing our club to play league game. Since, I am a coach for a local club, and we at least having 4, 3hr session a week, and she is picking up good. I believe, her level is around 3.5-4.0, and some of the male players in our club are being beaten by her, only occasionaly.

So, what I think, is that for an adult with normal build, is no problem to handle racquet in mid 12oz range (some of my students, teenage girls, is hitting with my 12.9oz PC600 with decent power and control). And your GF should not have problem, and should go for the heaviest racquet that she can maneuver, then adjust the string set-up in order to get a balance of reasonable control and power. But this will take couple rounds of restringing.

Be honest, my wife is surely not with the best tennis potential girl that I have met. But the only thing is, she is really hard working, practice and practice. So, I also believe your GF can also do.

 

[MattPr]

Ive never been an advocate of 27.5 inch extended length racquets for anyone. Seen too many players who have developed wrist, arm or shoulder injuries using them. Even with good stroke mechanics you're putting the racquet head further away from the ideal position and putting strain on the body that isnt required. An advanced player might be okay but not a beginner who doesnt have the strokes to start with.

If you are going to go extended length (and I still advise against it) then don't go over 27.25. Don't worry if it's classified as a low powered racquet because that isnt the be all and end all of tennis. Someone of her height isn't going to be a power player anyway so she'd do far better learning to put some height on her shots. Something that swings light, isnt too heavy and is very easy to generate top with would be a better choice. I dont think she necessarily needs an oversize and might do just as well with 100sq. A Dunlop 400G might have been interesting to try and Id have suggested a Diablo MP if she could have handled the weight.

 

[bluegrasser]

The 300Gmfil is a great frame, not too heavy, great feel and control.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

My wife also is about 5'3", 110lbs and starts playing for 3 years, in her late 20's. I also passed her a POG OS to start with, and she has no problem to handle it. After she plays for the first 2 years, and she decided to go for something smaller head size, and ended with her LM Radical Tour MP. She just love it, and have 3 of them for spare. Since, now her form is getting more and more solid, which she is able to swiping forehand and BH with decent control. So, she decide to adding lead tape to juice up the racquet in order to get more power. Now, her racquets are ended at 12.7oz, 6pt HL, and with 330g on swingweight.

I love this story, because I also like starting beginners on heavy HL rackets.

I started a lady on a Snauwert 350g, now, one year later, she's happily using a 6.0 85, serving and volleying well with it. But she's a 6 foot tall girl

 

[MasterOfDisaster]

ide say let her learn on whatever she likes, no matter what shes going to learn the proper mechanics (i hope).
i started wtih a standard, then i borrowed a friends i.prestige XL, then prostaffs/slazenger (standard), and now Lm prestige.

after learning the proper mechanics she can adjust her footwork to move her into position to hit with any length racquet she wants, i beat my buddy using a 25" junior and a 28".

what matters is comfort in my opinion, find whatever racquet she likes to hit with and let her learn on it, but dont let her constantly switch racquets! switching could result in mixed up technique rather than a consistant stroke.

have fun teaching ur gf... i tried it... its tough.

 

[bsandy]

I started my girlfriend (5'2 98lbs) with I Triad 3.0 110. She kept dkinking under the ball. She picked my my "day off racquet" RDX 300 102 and hit amazingly better.

For what it's worth . . . I'd go not too long, not too big and not too light.

. . . Bud

 

[MasterOfDisaster]

...i bet my gf can beat urs bsandy :mrgreen: