November - December
1999 -- Vol. 10, No. 6

by Kelly Kirk
Certified Racquet Technician

One of the few female racquet stringers in the business, Minnesota's own Kelly Kirk casts a discerning eye at the new crop of racquet frames on the market -- and gives you some tips on how to choose the one that's right for you!

Try This!
[Or ... Demo, Demo, Demo]

The new frames are out. Their cosmetics are hot, the manufacturer’s power ratings are up, and the marketing chatter promises to elevate your game to a whole new level. Although tennis racquets have just recently reached the 200 gram barrier, racquetball has long been the leader in lightweight frames. This year’s unstrung frames range from just under seven and half ounces to barely over five ounces.

Wow! How did we get down to nearly five ounces? Graphite. In less than a decade, composite materials have allowed manufacturers to go from graphite to high modulus graphite to ultra-high graphite. This year’s new vocabulary includes such words as Hyper Carbon and Tri-Carbon. But it’s still graphite, a black lustrous carbon, which is the heart of all frames. New combinations of resins and fibers have doubled the number of graphite layers within your frame — and coincidentally allowed companies to put more angles in your frame. In short, more layers combined with more angles have created our lighter, more powerful, frames.

So do you listen to the hype on who has the lightest, the strongest, the most precise weapon out there? Do you buy sight unseen? Or do you visit your local pro shop and pick up a series of demo racquets? In other words, do you have a game plan for selecting your next weapon?

There is only one thing we can agree on: demo, demo, and demo some more. Any instructor or retailer worth their salt will encourage you to try different frames. This year, instead of asking, "Which one is the top of the line?" Or, "Which is the lightest?" Or, "Which has the most power?" Clear your head of all preconceived notions and make a choice that is advantageous to your game. For once, do not concern yourself with weight or expense.

Surround yourself with a number of demo frames and begin by picking them up one at a time. Slow down! Do not run out to the court and immediately start pounding the ball. Instead get a static feel — just find out what feels natural in your playing hand. The racquets which have a good static feel are the ones you should take to the court.

Don’t be a sucker for the first frame pushed into your hand. Chances are your old frame, although it may still be aesthetically sharp, has lost some of its pop. Between hard matches and time on the rack getting re-strung, the carbon fibers of your frame have taken a beating. It’s a dirty little secret that under such circumstances, a new frame of any comparable model will feel great.

Grams should not be the single most defining factor. Remember there is a trade off: a light frame will allow you to prep more quickly, but you’ll have to increase swing speed to compensate for the lack of mass at impact. A heavy frame may be a bit slower to hoist, but once the swing starts it may feel like the frame propels itself. Ergo, instead of being so concerned about the number of grams and the rumored connection to arm fatigue, check your legs out first. By the time a player is demonstrating visible arm fatigue, chances are the feet are not anywhere near a good set up position. Don’t blame the frame for your dysfunctional footwork.

Power ratings are set within each manufacturer’s specifications. Every company has its own power rating so you cannot compare a nine at one company with an eleven at another. All things being equal, a frame with a wide beam generates more power — as does a frame with a larger head size or longer strings. If you absolutely insist that power is the single most important facet to your game, bear in mind there is a trade off here too: a stiffer frame associated with more power will also deliver more shock to your arm while a flexible, less powerful frame will deliver less of a shock.

Take a second look at the more flexible frames padded with a few more grams. Is extra mass such a bad thing? That depends on how you view it. In what may seem like a contradiction to the previous paragraph, a heavier frame by virtue of its weight, creates less shock for your arm simply because the ball pushes it around less than a lighter frame. Then again, regardless of which frame you select, hit the sweetspot consistently and you should not feel discomfort from vibration.

Competitive players who drill on a regular basis have an advantage over players who simply play matches. (Not that there is anything inherently wrong with just wanting to play!) The more familiar you are with your weaknesses and strengths, the easier it should be to select a new frame for the season.

Take the demo racquets which initially felt good into the court. Start by just hitting some easy backhands and forehands. The balance and weight will differ from frame to frame so don’t expect rollouts right away. You may also experiment with what you know are your weakest shots. Chances are your best shots will remain with you no matter what frame you select, so you should be more concerned with finding a frame which might strengthen those weak shots. Then serve. Because our game is often dominated by the serve, the serve should weigh in heavily as a determining factor. Regardless of who is endorsing a product, discard any frame that induces arm pain. One should never underestimate the advantages of a comfortable racquet.

How long do you need to hit with a demo frame before making a decision? That is an individual choice. Experienced players often determine which frame is meant for them in a matter of minutes, not hours. So where does that leave the rest of us? While some instructors advocate several matches, others will tell you to just drill and get comfortable. It’s not unusual for amateurs to lack consistency from one match to the next — so don’t penalize a manufacturer’s frame for what is really your lack of precision! The cardinal sin, once you have made your selection, is to jump back and forth between your new and old racquets depending on whether you won the game or lost it. Deep down we all want something that will elevate our game. Unfortunately, outstanding results come not from frames, but from speed training, weight lifting, drilling and a bit of raw talent.

In summary, if you demo with an open mind, you might be surprised to discover that the lightest and stiffest frame may not be the most responsive racquet for you. Or it could turn out that the high end frame you first sneered at as “just glitz and advertising” is the perfect fit. No matter which frame you select, all have benefited from space age technology. Be less concerned about how a racquet performs for somebody else, and more concerned about what it delivers to your game.