Screen your racquet like you would your nanny!

Screen your racquet like you would your nanny

A proverbial question in the game of tennis is how much does your racquet matter? When I was younger I played a pickup game with a guy who was much better player than I was. He beat me 6-1 while playing with a wooden racquet. Since then, my father has always referenced the incident whenever people blame their racquet in a loss. While it may be true that a racquet cannot save you when you are about to be clobbered by a superior player, a racquet can make a difference in your overall playing experience. It seems like there are so many choices of racquets and a myriad of technical terms that describe a racquet. How do you know which racquet to select? The  best advice that I can offer you is to sample, sample, and sample.  Many websites like Tennis Warehouse offer programs where you can try out different racquets for a couple of days for a low cost. Go on to these websites and scan for racquets that are recommended for a player of your level and playing style.  See NTRP ratings at https://www.usta.com/Adult-Tennis/USTA-League/ntrp/ for a list of levels. Don't agonize over every technical term describing a racquet, just try the racquets. When you sample a racquet, make sure that you test it out fully. The paragraph below tells you how to do that.

Assess how the racquet hits ground strokes,volleys, overheads. Make sure that you hit all the shots cross court and down the line. Play points with your demo racquets. Hit every type of serve in your repertoire. When you are on a test drive of a car you take it on country roads, highways,and city streets, when you demo a racquet you need to see how the racquet works in every kind of situation. Base the evaluation of your racquet on how comfortable you feel while using it. Do you feel that the racquet affords you the ability to hit with a lot of power? Does the racquet give you the consistency needed? Can you hit the way you are accustomed to hitting without experiencing discomfort? Does the racquet seem to swing smoothly when you attempt to maneuver the racquet with your usual swing? Does the racquet offer you quick reaction time while at the net? Does the racquet have any advantages over your current racquet?

The only way you can find out the answers to these questions is by playing. Aim to play for 1-3 hours with each racquet. Keep a check off list while you are demoing the racquets. It is important to take notes immediately while the effect of hitting is still fresh in your mind and body. If the racquet does something exceptional make  a note of it. If you find the racquet particularly difficult to maneuver make a note of it. Tally the pros and cons of all of the racquets you demoed and then pick two finalists. Play with the two finalists again and compare them.

In addition, as you are testing the different racquets, you can objectively measure the quality of the racquet by measuring and recording different aspects of your workout session. Measure the length of rallies for each of the racquets that you use, count how many unforced errors and winners you produce. If possible, measure the speed of shots (some places like the National Tennis Center have a device called the smart court that affords you the ability to do this). Record these numbers for each of the racquets and then make comparisons. After you have selected a winner purchase one  of that racquet, if you like the racquet after playing for a few weeks then buy another one.

Remember that the racquet is an extension of you and can only reflect how you play.