Everything Tennis

[TripleAAA]

Tennis season is here once again!

I've been getting several PM's (which I don't mind) regarding tennis racquets, strings, and other stuff regarding the game. Just thought I'd make an official thread where people can come.

If you have any questions regarding tennis equipment I'll be glad to help you out.

It will help me out if you state what you are currently using in your post (racquet, string, tension, etc).

 

[dandruff]

Highly appreciate your long, detailed and prompt responses to my questions. Thanks again!

 

[MikeMike]

hopefully i can get back to playing more this summer since ill be at home working a night job

hopefully my LM. Radical is still in good shape, should prolly get it restrung though.

 

[HaxorNubcake]

are you a tennis pro or something?

edit: nvm just saw the sig

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
hopefully i can get back to playing more this summer since ill be at home working a night job

hopefully my LM. Radical is still in good shape, should prolly get it restrung though.

I strung probably over 500 of those. They are a pain in the butt with their denser string pattern. :roll:

 

[ndee]

What rackets can you recommend for someone who plays Tennis about 1-2 a week? I started playing again, after I played some years when I was in high school(about 7 years ago). How important are the strings actually?

 

[OdiN]

I haven't played in a while...need to get back out there.

Could probably use some more lessons. At a point where I don't think I'll get all that much better by myself.

But nobody I know every plays

 

[MasterAndCommander]

Am I going to mess up my elbow using polyesters for my mains?

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: MasterAndCommander
Am I going to mess up my elbow using polyesters for my mains?

What are you using on the crosses and what racquet are you using? There are plenty of pros (and others) out there who use poly in their entire frame and have no problems. Poly is better than Kevlar in my opinion, however it has a lower tensile strength. This means that the string has a tough time bending at extreme angles like around the edge of your frame. If you are a hard hitter and/or you have a tendency to mishit balls a lot, you'll break polyester quite often. I found this happened to me quite a bit if I played someone with a big serve and I was lungeing to barely get my frame on the ball.

To answer your question the best I can, much it will depend on any existing conditions you might already have. In other words if you have had some tendonitis or something in the past, I'd recommend steering clear of it. Denser string patterns will also make a difference in terms of forgiveness.

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: ndee
What rackets can you recommend for someone who plays Tennis about 1-2 a week? I started playing again, after I played some years when I was in high school(about 7 years ago). How important are the strings actually?

Ndee, do you have an NTRP rating or can you estimate what level you might be at now? I'm assuming you've lost a step or two since high school? What racquet are you currently playing with, strings, and tension? What don't you like about your current setup?

Strings are very important and often overlooked when people buy new racquets. Generally, the more of a beginning player you are, the less of a factor string will be. As you become more advanced, strings can make a huge difference.

Without going into all the details before knowing your current setup of racquet/string, one important thing to note regardless is how often you get your racquet strung. Many people basically play with the string until it breaks and this can affect their overall success quite a bit. You should get your racquet restrung every few months regardless if you break the strings or not.

Give me your racquet setup and I can get more specific on racquets for ya.

 

[mrrman]

Question,,,,where do you get the patterns to string racquets? I am planning on getting my own 6 pt stringer soon and I use the Head Liquid Metal racquets. Thanks

 

[sigs3gv]

Originally posted by: TripleAAA

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
hopefully i can get back to playing more this summer since ill be at home working a night job

hopefully my LM. Radical is still in good shape, should prolly get it restrung though.

I strung probably over 500 of those. They are a pain in the butt with their denser string pattern. :roll:

QFT++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I just broke one of those today. Not looking forward to stringing it

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: mrrman
Question,,,,where do you get the patterns to string racquets? I am planning on getting my own 6 pt stringer soon and I use the Head Liquid Metal racquets. Thanks

Here ya go

Look up your racquet. On the right side under specs, you can see the holes to skip and what not. When you get really good at stringing, you won't need this. Tennis Warehouse is an excellent all around resource for stuff like that.

 

[MasterAndCommander]

Originally posted by: TripleAAA

Originally posted by: MasterAndCommander
Am I going to mess up my elbow using polyesters for my mains?

What are you using on the crosses and what racquet are you using? There are plenty of pros (and others) out there who use poly in their entire frame and have no problems. Poly is better than Kevlar in my opinion, however it has a lower tensile strength. This means that the string has a tough time bending at extreme angles like around the edge of your frame. If you are a hard hitter and/or you have a tendency to mishit balls a lot, you'll break polyester quite often. I found this happened to me quite a bit if I played someone with a big serve and I was lungeing to barely get my frame on the ball.

To answer your question the best I can, much it will depend on any existing conditions you might already have. In other words if you have had some tendonitis or something in the past, I'd recommend steering clear of it. Denser string patterns will also make a difference in terms of forgiveness.

I'm using a couple of Yonex RD Power 7 longs strung @ 60 lbs (16x19 pattern). I'm using 16 GA. synthetic gut on the crosses.

Years ago, I played with Kevlar strings (Prince Pro Blend) until it felt like my arm was going to fall off.

So far with the poly mains, I dont feel the same harshness as with the Kevlar, but my elbow is starting to feel tight and bothersome.

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: MasterAndCommander

Originally posted by: TripleAAA

Originally posted by: MasterAndCommander
Am I going to mess up my elbow using polyesters for my mains?

What are you using on the crosses and what racquet are you using? There are plenty of pros (and others) out there who use poly in their entire frame and have no problems. Poly is better than Kevlar in my opinion, however it has a lower tensile strength. This means that the string has a tough time bending at extreme angles like around the edge of your frame. If you are a hard hitter and/or you have a tendency to mishit balls a lot, you'll break polyester quite often. I found this happened to me quite a bit if I played someone with a big serve and I was lungeing to barely get my frame on the ball.

To answer your question the best I can, much it will depend on any existing conditions you might already have. In other words if you have had some tendonitis or something in the past, I'd recommend steering clear of it. Denser string patterns will also make a difference in terms of forgiveness.

I'm using a couple of Yonex RD Power 7 longs strung @ 60 lbs (16x19 pattern). I'm using 16 GA. synthetic gut on the crosses.

Years ago, I played with Kevlar strings (Prince Pro Blend) until it felt like my arm was going to fall off.

So far with the poly mains, I dont feel the same harshness as with the Kevlar, but my elbow is starting to feel tight and bothersome.

Yeah, sounds like you might want to cut that stuff out in your situation. The RD Power 7's alone shouldn't be causing the problem though. It could also just be wear and tear. You might want to consider a multifilament at a thicker gauge like a 15L.

I assume you are a string breaker?

 

[thirdlegstump]

I've got a bunch of Wilson ProStaff Classic 6.0 midsize (85" head). Nothing like a basic raquet and tight set of synthetic gut at 65lb : )

 

[Ricemarine]

Yeh. I got a question for the OP ...

Right now I'm wondering why a lot of players use overgrips... Is it because its more squishy?... What is the point of actually using an overgrip?...

Right now, I'm using the head hydrocontrol replacement grip, and my thumb is getting blisters again, so I need something good (unless my grip is bad...). I don't know my NTRP rating sadly... So I'm wondering if an overgrip might be worth investing in... Or probably try a different tacky grip such as the prince duratec.

Right now I'm using a Dunlop 200G Mid with 16G ashaway crossfire II's, strung 58/64.

Also... I've been experiencing tennis elbow lately... Is it possible the frame could be to blame?... Or should I try lowering my tension?...

 

[thirdlegstump]

Originally posted by: Ricemarine
Yeh. I got a question for the OP ...

Right now I'm wondering why a lot of players use overgrips... Is it because its more squishy?... What is the point of actually using an overgrip?...

Right now, I'm using the head hydrocontrol replacement grip, and my thumb is getting blisters again, so I need something good (unless my grip is bad...). I don't know my NTRP rating sadly... So I'm wondering if an overgrip might be worth investing in... Or probably try a different tacky grip such as the prince duratec.

Right now I'm using a Dunlop 200G Mid with 16G ashaway crossfire II's, strung 58/64.

Also... I've been experiencing tennis elbow lately... Is it possible the frame could be to blame?... Or should I try lowering my tension?...

I've been using tournagrip since I was 6. I can definitely recommend them.

 

[Zim Hosein]

TripleAAA, if I had a racquet restrung about 2 years ago, and haven't used it since, will the strings break if I go play with it now?

 

[Ricemarine]

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
TripleAAA, if I had a racquet restrung about 2 years ago, and haven't used it since, will the strings break if I go play with it now?

Rofl probably not

Unless you smash it at somebody Zim

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: Ricemarine
Yeh. I got a question for the OP ...

Right now I'm wondering why a lot of players use overgrips... Is it because its more squishy?... What is the point of actually using an overgrip?...

Right now, I'm using the head hydrocontrol replacement grip, and my thumb is getting blisters again, so I need something good (unless my grip is bad...). I don't know my NTRP rating sadly... So I'm wondering if an overgrip might be worth investing in... Or probably try a different tacky grip such as the prince duratec.

Right now I'm using a Dunlop 200G Mid with 16G ashaway crossfire II's, strung 58/64.

Also... I've been experiencing tennis elbow lately... Is it possible the frame could be to blame?... Or should I try lowering my tension?...

Overgrips are generally used by players who want a constant "new", "tacky", feel. Since most overgrips come in packs of 3 (or larger bulk reels), you can keep a pack in your bag and during changeovers or between matches, quickly wrap a new overgrip over your existing grip. For players whose hands get really sweaty, this tends to help quite a bit since the moisture tends to transfer to the grip over time. Some people use them merely to build up their grip to a larger size. There are tons of grips out there which means plenty of experimenting to do.

As for your 200g, what is most likely causing your problem are several things. First off, your 200g has a very dense string pattern which doesn't allow for a lot of forgiveness or "pocketing" of the ball on the string bed. This translates to more of that vibration/shock going up your arm. Combine that with the string you are using (Ashaway Crossfire II) which has kevlar in the mix, and you got a very "board-like" feel. Some people like this though and you can argue you get better control with those attributes.

One other thing I should note is your string tension. You stated 58/64 which if correct, means you are stringing your crosses at a significantly higher tension that your mains. Even though your crosses are a synthetic gut, you can potentially damage the frame with that much of a tension difference. Then again, the 200g is a pretty solid/heavy frame so it can probably withstand the pressure pretty well.

With regard to your arm problems, I would suggest trying polyester if you like stiffer feeling string. However ultimately if your arm problems persist, I'd move away from the aforementioned strings all together. Sounds like you might be a string breaker in which case, going with a thicker 15L with a softer construction might be your best bet. If you got the cash to spare, give some natural gut a try. Although I must warn you, if you try it, you might not want to ever go back to a synthetic again.

 

[TripleAAA]

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
TripleAAA, if I had a racquet restrung about 2 years ago, and haven't used it since, will the strings break if I go play with it now?

Hard to say, but most likely not. Instead the tension will probably be much looser than when you originally had it strung and your strings will basically be dead. For the "every once in while" tennis player, it's not a big deal. Otherwise, get that bad boy restrung!

 

[sigs3gv]

What string is stronger than Babolat Ballistic Polymono 16g?
I seem to break strings every 3-5 days

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: Ricemarine

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
TripleAAA, if I had a racquet restrung about 2 years ago, and haven't used it since, will the strings break if I go play with it now?

Rofl probably not

Unless you smash it at somebody Zim

It's a serious question, I don't wanna spend ~$30.00 to restring my racquet if the strings will still be fine if the weren't used for 2 years. BTW, if they will break ASAP, can I smash it on you Ricemarine?

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: TripleAAA

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
TripleAAA, if I had a racquet restrung about 2 years ago, and haven't used it since, will the strings break if I go play with it now?

Hard to say, but most likely not. Instead the tension will probably be much looser than when you originally had it strung and your strings will basically be dead. For the "every once in while" tennis player, it's not a big deal. Otherwise, get that bad boy restrung!

Crap! I forgot about the tension!

Thanks TripleAAA :beer: