I finished up my first tennis league this week and I am looking for a new racquet. The old wal mart one isnt cutting it anymore. Any advice on brands or advice in general?
OT: Tennis players of Sixpack
- Thread starter civildawg88
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I use the Babolat Pure Drive XL with Technifiber Razor Code 18G strings. I play a heavy forehand with lots of spin and a big serve. The Pure Drive or Aero Drive are very good for that type of game. That being said, you need to get in a demo program to determine what feels good to you. I dont know where you are located, but if you cant find a demo program locally, you can go online. Tennis Warehouse and Tennis Express have programs where you pay and they ship demo rackets to you. I think they credit the price of the demo program to a racket if you eventually buy one. I demo'd locally here in Atlanta, but we have lots of options for demo programs. Wilson, Head, Yonex, and Babolat are the brands I would suggest. You can find their most popular models online at those two sites. Once you pick a racket, I will be glad to assist you in stringing advice.
Babolat Pure Drive for me too. It's just a good solid racquet. But like ATLReb says, you've got to demo several racquets and see which works best for you. If you're in Jackson, Parham Bridges will have plenty of racquets to demo and will be able to give you some decent advice. Don't get too caught up in thinking you have to find the one best racquet out there. There are plenty of good ones and as long as you pick one that feels comfortable for you, you'll be fine.
I'm still using my ...
Wilson T2000 steel racket .... same one used by Jimmy Connors in the late '70s. Don't play much now but that $25 racket refuses to die.
Wilson T2000 steel racket .... same one used by Jimmy Connors in the late '70s. Don't play much now but that $25 racket refuses to die.
It would be worth the drive to go to Bridges to demo - MUCH better selection.
I hit with a Wilson nCode and a Head flexpoint radical. The Wilson has more power, but the Head has more control. I'm not married to any particular brand, as you can see. I also had a Babolat pure drive (I think) that I really liked. Try out a few different ones and see which one feels the best for you.
Also, I HIGHLY recommend Tennis Express. They have great customer service and very fast shipping. Plus if you're in Houston, the store on Westheimer is incredible.
I hit with a Wilson nCode and a Head flexpoint radical. The Wilson has more power, but the Head has more control. I'm not married to any particular brand, as you can see. I also had a Babolat pure drive (I think) that I really liked. Try out a few different ones and see which one feels the best for you.
Also, I HIGHLY recommend Tennis Express. They have great customer service and very fast shipping. Plus if you're in Houston, the store on Westheimer is incredible.
Some other advice:
1. Once you decide on a racket, price shop it online and see if the local vendor will match it. I always attempt to buy local, but I dont overpay local.
2. You should be able to get strings and stringing labor fee thrown in for free with your racket purchase. The online retailers normally do this. The locals around here dont always do this, but they run specials where strings are free with racket purchase. Strings can run you from $25-$40 including labor.
3. Also, many stores offer a discount on a bag when you buy your racket. They will give you the little single racket bag that wont hold anything but the racket with the purchase, but if you start playing regularly, you are going to want a bigger bag (3 or 6 racket bag). Utilize this time to get a discount. Again, price shop it online before buying though. I just got a $80 bag online for $40 shipped.
3. I didnt realize this at first, but get some tennis shoes designed for playing tennis. I tore thru a nice pair of Air Max's in about 3 weeks when I started playing. These run from $50-$130. Price, Nike, Addidas, Wilson, and Babolat all make them. I used Nike and Addidas for a while but once I tried Babolat, I havent tried any other brand. If you play 3-4 times a week like me, the shoes wont last 6 months, but most all offer a 6 month outsole warranty and will replace with a very small handling charge. I cut my purchase price in half by getting 2 pair of shoes for one purchase.
I play a lot of tennis and am a gear head, so feel free to ask any questions in the process.
Once I get old and nonathletic, I plan to focus all this energy on golf.
1. Once you decide on a racket, price shop it online and see if the local vendor will match it. I always attempt to buy local, but I dont overpay local.
2. You should be able to get strings and stringing labor fee thrown in for free with your racket purchase. The online retailers normally do this. The locals around here dont always do this, but they run specials where strings are free with racket purchase. Strings can run you from $25-$40 including labor.
3. Also, many stores offer a discount on a bag when you buy your racket. They will give you the little single racket bag that wont hold anything but the racket with the purchase, but if you start playing regularly, you are going to want a bigger bag (3 or 6 racket bag). Utilize this time to get a discount. Again, price shop it online before buying though. I just got a $80 bag online for $40 shipped.
3. I didnt realize this at first, but get some tennis shoes designed for playing tennis. I tore thru a nice pair of Air Max's in about 3 weeks when I started playing. These run from $50-$130. Price, Nike, Addidas, Wilson, and Babolat all make them. I used Nike and Addidas for a while but once I tried Babolat, I havent tried any other brand. If you play 3-4 times a week like me, the shoes wont last 6 months, but most all offer a 6 month outsole warranty and will replace with a very small handling charge. I cut my purchase price in half by getting 2 pair of shoes for one purchase.
I play a lot of tennis and am a gear head, so feel free to ask any questions in the process.
Once I get old and nonathletic, I plan to focus all this energy on golf.
I just started playing this year. I am in a 3.0 league but we are getting beat pretty bad most times. We didnt want to do the 2.5 league because the people in my group have done it before and they said it wasnt fun at all. I am planning on taking a few lessons this summer to get my fundamentals down. Hopefully that helps alot.
You definitely don't want to do 2.5. There won't be anyone to play and you won't get any better. If you're looking for lessons, call Julio Godreau at Parham Bridges or Robbie at Ridgeland Tennis Center. You may want to see if your group wants to go in together and do some drills. You won't get the individual fundamentals work that lessons will give you, but it would be a lot cheaper (about $10-$12 per drill session vs. about $60 for a lesson).
Couple of things to consider at this stage for you.
1) How big are you? General rule of thumb is to play with heaviest racquet you feel comfortable with. For most guys this is probably 10.5-12.5 ounces.
2) Have you ever had any elbow pain problems? If yes, you want to stay away from the stiffer frames (you can see all those ratings on tennis warehouse)
3) What kind of player do you "want" to be. Power player, placement guy etc.
Then it's just finding a stick that feels good to you when you demo it. They all have different feels and weight distributions. Make sure you try at least 4-5 models. Most big pro shops have a decent selections and all the online vendors have great demo programs.
1) How big are you? General rule of thumb is to play with heaviest racquet you feel comfortable with. For most guys this is probably 10.5-12.5 ounces.
2) Have you ever had any elbow pain problems? If yes, you want to stay away from the stiffer frames (you can see all those ratings on tennis warehouse)
3) What kind of player do you "want" to be. Power player, placement guy etc.
Then it's just finding a stick that feels good to you when you demo it. They all have different feels and weight distributions. Make sure you try at least 4-5 models. Most big pro shops have a decent selections and all the online vendors have great demo programs.
I'm a Prince guy myself..
I am still using the Prince Ozone Pro Tour's. I haven't tried the new models yet, but I did not like the EXO Pro Tours.
If you are just getting started, them demo some racquets at Bridges.
No need to buy a new one, find what you like and buy it on Ebay or a demo/used from Tenniswarehouse.com.
Have you tried new strings in your racquet?
If you don't break your strings very often you should restring it at least once a year.
Take some private lessons first and then try a weekly drill.
Good Luck
I am still using the Prince Ozone Pro Tour's. I haven't tried the new models yet, but I did not like the EXO Pro Tours.
If you are just getting started, them demo some racquets at Bridges.
No need to buy a new one, find what you like and buy it on Ebay or a demo/used from Tenniswarehouse.com.
Have you tried new strings in your racquet?
If you don't break your strings very often you should restring it at least once a year.
Take some private lessons first and then try a weekly drill.
Good Luck
Stick with it
I started playing two years ago with a group I had no business playing with. I'm not athletic. Any playing ability comes from outworking and outpracticing people.
My only advice is to stick with it. I've gotten my *** kicked MANY times, and I continue to get beat pretty regularly. However, I am getting better, and it's becoming more and more fun to play. I credit getting better to the asswhippings. I get ultra competitive and getting whipped forces me back into lessons and drills.
I started playing two years ago with a group I had no business playing with. I'm not athletic. Any playing ability comes from outworking and outpracticing people.
My only advice is to stick with it. I've gotten my *** kicked MANY times, and I continue to get beat pretty regularly. However, I am getting better, and it's becoming more and more fun to play. I credit getting better to the asswhippings. I get ultra competitive and getting whipped forces me back into lessons and drills.
Definitely stick with it. You can always find a group of people you can be reasonably competitive with and it's a great way to meet a lot of good people (and a few ********). One more suggestion. Play some mixers. Ridgeland has one every month or so. They have one this Saturday as a matter of fact. You can play with and against men and women ranging from 2.5 to 3.5/4.0 at the Ridgeland mixers (I once played with a girl who had just got bumped DOWN to 5.0 which was a lot of fun), but it's totally non-competitive. Parham Bridges doesn't have mixers nearly as often and they tend to draw people from
Wilson T2000 steel racket
That make for a great weapon, I used to keep one in the trunk of my car in case it was needed.
That make for a great weapon, I used to keep one in the trunk of my car in case it was needed.
I've used Head rackets since high school.
Anyone demo'ed this racket?
http://www.tennisexpress.com/HEAD-Youtek-IG-Radical-OS-Tennis-Racquet-25326
Anyone demo'ed this racket?
http://www.tennisexpress.com/HEAD-Youtek-IG-Radical-OS-Tennis-Racquet-25326
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With thy our forehand I'd think you like something stiffer with easier access to spin. I haven't hit with the oversize but didn't like the mp. Harder to access spin and power than a lot of other racquets to me. But some people really like the more flexible frame
I've been using this once since 2003 except the oversize version. I just keep getting it restrung.
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/IS6/IS6Review.html
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/IS6/IS6Review.html
My son plays competitive jr tennis and has been in the Head sponsorship program for the past 9-10 years and he plays with the Head Radical Pro (Mid) and he really likes it. Its a very stiff frame that is designed for 4.5 - 5.5 players, weighted head heavy. Probably skewed more on control side. Where you really tailor it to you and your style of game is the type of string or combination of strings if you are uses a hybrid approach.
Its worth trying it out.
BB
Its worth trying it out.
BB
I use a hybrid b/c I kept breaking the strings using synthetic gut on the racket that I currently use.
If it ain't broke don't fix it but if you want to try some stuff hit the new head radical and speed lines. The Wilson blade is a very nice ground stroke stick as is the Steam and the new Juice is getting good reviews. I haven't hit with babolats but pretty much their entire new line gets good reviews.
oh and the head instinct is awesome from the baseline. Probably the best ground stroke racquet I hit when demoing stuff this winter but I personally couldn't serve with it.
i ended up with speed mp and added a little lead. It wasn't the best in any category but was solid everywhere
Prince racket review on ESPN...
http://espn.go.com/blog/espntennis/post/_/id/1251/tech-it-out-prince-tour-98tour-100tour-pro
http://espn.go.com/blog/espntennis/post/_/id/1251/tech-it-out-prince-tour-98tour-100tour-pro
I use Tennis Warehouse. They reviews are great they will let you demo stuff as well. Their prices can be really hard to beat as well.
I use a Wilson BLX Pro Team FX (yellow) and I like it. My skill level certainly doesn't do it justice.
I use a Wilson BLX Pro Team FX (yellow) and I like it. My skill level certainly doesn't do it justice.