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All Rackets are Not the Same
As is the case in many sports, good equipment is a key component to tennis, and your most obvious and personalized component is your racket. Finding a racket that suits you can be a major part of improving your game, and with today’s new options the wealth of possibilities can be more than a little confusing with variations in strings material, string tension, gauge, and grips.
The three basic choices in string materials are natural gut, synthetic, and synthetic gut strings. There are advantages and disadvantages to each which can affect durability, feel, and tension loss. Durability describes how the strings hold up to repeated use. The feel is a description of how long the ball stays in contact with the strings. The longer a ball is in contact with the strings the softer the feel. The inherent elasticity of the strings can also effect the power you can get from the strings, and since more power is generated in the strings than from the racket frame, strings are a very important factor. The string type also effects the strings ability to hold tension. All strings lose tension over time, but the type will help to determine how quickly. Many report that there is no comparison to natural gut strings, but the price can be prohibitive, which has lead to companies developing synthetic gut strings with varying results.
String tension can vary most aspects of your tennis shot. A difference in string tension or the stringing pattern differs the amount of ball control, power, shock impact and spin that you can get on a ball. Different tensions have different benefits. Deciding what you want before you start, will allow you to hone in on the tension right for you. If you need more power from your tennis forehand, a difference in string tension or string pattern may help. Stringing patterns generally fall into two categories: open and closed. And open pattern is less dense and is generally considered to give a softer feel and enhance power and spin. Denser or closed patterns tend to enhance durability and control. There is also some variability in the stringing patterns and gauges (the thickness of the strings).
Changes in grip type and the length and size of the racket head may also affect your tennis game. Grips come in either leather or synthetic. Synthetics are generally preferred for their greater cushioning, but they lack any moisture absorption, which can cause for a very slippery handle in hot weather. A leather grip has less padding, but doesn’t suffer the same short-comings of a synthetic grip. In both cases, the grip will begin to slip and should be replaced far more often than the racket. Innovations in materials for the racket and size and shape of the racket head have caused another whole dimension to choosing a racket. Rackets were originally all wood, but new advances in metallurgy have allowed us to create lighter, durable rackets. The size and shape of the racket head effects both the power, control, and spin on the ball. Smaller rackets are generally considered better for control, while larger rackets have the benefit of providing better power.
It’s an overabundance of options, and picking the correct equipment is complicated, but having good equipment can help to improve your tennis game and your tennis technique. You may be able to find a racket to give you the increased speed or control that you need. Since the rackets can effect your game, you should also remember to use the same racket, or at least the same type of racket, on the court that you use during your tennis drills. A tennis trainer may be able to help you find the racket right for you.
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