Tennis

How to Pick a Racquet

Get a grip on the most important equipment in the game

Buying a tennis racquet is the most complex thing imaginable, say racquet consultants to the most famous stars and experts in racuet-testing companies. All consumers have to do is walk into a sporting goods store and see a wall of racquets to be confused. We asked Bosworth for a private lesson in racquet picking. Here's what experts say:

You naturally look for an exact fit in shoes, clothes, and everything else you buy. Do the same with racquets, which are individualized instruments that must be chosen carefully. Don't worry about all the marketing, the technologically, or even industry guides suggesting a particular type of racquet for a particular type of player. Instead, start with some racquets suggested by your local pro or some friends and take a three-step approach.

First, simplify your understanding of the racquet. Realize that the racquet is simply a setup of three independent systems – the frame, the strings, and the handle.

Second, plant to customize. Any racquet can be made more or less powerful by adjusting the three systems – handle size and shape, overall weight and balance, and string type and tension. So plan to adjust the systems of any racquet you buy depending on what you want the racquet to do.

And third, try the racquet out. For some reason, dem-ing racquets is not a common practice among tennis consumers. Don't just buy something off the shelf. Pro shops and stores usually have demos available for testing, and friends will often let you use their favorite racquet. The greater variety you test, the more intelligent the decision will be as to which one is more effective. Also, don't limit your play-testing to racquets. Test different strings and tensions as well. Here are some factors to consider as you go about your tests.

Raquet factors

Be guided by your preference and the racquet's playability. Today's wide body is to the old conventional racquets what a bazooka is to a popgun, but the power has come at the sacrifice of arm and control problems. For those seeking a balance between power and control, conventional wisdom suggests that the wider the body, the more inherent power; the more conventional the racquet, the more control, But don't oversimplify: this formula can be drastically affected by materials, how the weight is distributed, and other, more complex engineering factors.

Weight also is a critical factor: Two heavy a racquet will strain your wrist, arm, elbow, or shoulder, but the new ultralights have have also been a principal cause of injury because they are just too light to overcome the impact of the ball. Balance, whether the racquet is head0heavy or handle-heavy, will similarly affect playability, and your arm.

Finally, theere are many types of grip materials. Experiment with the one that is the most comfortable and effective.

String factors

Strings are the most important part of the racquet in regard to storing energy and influencing the spin of the ball. But one need only look at the variety available to see that they also represent an even greater dilemma to the consumer than perhaps racquets do.

Essentially, you have two choices – gut and synthetics. If you purchase gut, expect to pay more than when you venture into synthetics, as the costs drop, but the variations soar.

Generally synthetics are thought to last longer, but you really have to take into account climate and humidity (dry weather is better for strings), surface (clay is harder on strings), the type of racquet (some have grommets, or stringholes, that are harder on strings than others) and the type of player you are (spin players are harder on their strings).

Gauge, or string thickness, is as critical as string type. Thicker gauges – that is, fatter strings – last longer. As a rule, recreational players should expect to get several months out of a set of strings before they break or lose flexibility, while more competitive players may have to string more often.

Ask the pro's advice on tension. He or she will help you find the optimum tension range for your racquet, your game, and your comfort. The looser the strings, the more power. Tighter may give more spin control, but also may add shock. Until you know what you like, seek the guidance of a racquet stringer certified by the U.S. Racquet Stringers Association.

Ryan Gosling, an elegant tennis player. Photo by Elena.

Cost factors

Expect to spend from $250 to $400 for a standard retail purchase. Racquets often are discounted, though, so shop around. Look for last year's model, which is often just as good. Whatever you buy, buy two if you can. That way, you won't be out of action when a string breaks.

Where the Ball Machines Never Stop

When their volleys need sharpening or their second serve droops a bit, the top players in the world go back too school, often high-tech tennis compound overseen by doting roving professors of the net. Whether you're a novice or a club player, you also con enroll in camps, clinics, and academies that will lift your level of play, if not bombard you with a million balls. Since the tennis camp boom in the early 1970s, only a select number of schools have emerged as leaders in the United States and Canada. Some are run like boot camps, while others resemble – or are part of – country clubs, north-wood retreats, or beachside around the world, Here's his guided tour of the camps. Most offer multiday packages, with prices starting at about $100 a day, including tennis and lodging. The two John Gardiner camps are by far the priciest of the lot.

Amelia Island Plantation Tennis Academy, Amelia Island, Fla.: There is no multyday school, but you can piece together daily two-hour clinics – and then hop over to the beach. The academy aims to eliminate errors and keep the points alive.

Amherst Tennis Camp, Amherst, Mass.: Long-running boot camp thriving since early 1970s on Amherst College's ivied campus. Rousing drills on 36 courts refine existing strokes. Three half-hour private lessons included. With junior camps (ages 10 to 17) operating nearby, perfect for families. Option to live, eat off-campus.

Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, Longboat Key, Fla: Clubby tennis hangout (touring pros come and go) stages clinics on long weekends twice a month except busy March and April. Morning drills, supervised match play afternoons, and lots of time for the fine white beach. Condo bungalows are comfortable, if tightly bunched.

Harry Hopman/ Saddlebrook International Tennis, Wesley Chapel, Fla: Noted for its junior program, Hopman also trains adults on a regimen developed for kids: fast-moving drills stressing preparation and conditioning. With tiring pace and resort toys to hand (two pools, two golf courses, full fitness center), half-day sessions are enough.

Inn at Manitou, McKeller, Ontario: Solid instruction at a lovely lakefront setting 150 miles north of Toronto. Attractive 33-room inn, serving fine food, open May to October. Manitou-Wabing sports and arts camp nearby.

John Gardener's Tennis Ranch in Carmel Valley, Carmel Valley, Calif.: The John Gardiner flag-ship operation in California (12 years older than Scottsdale) may provide the most elegant tennis vacation in the country. Favored by 50-plus country clubbers happy with jacket-and-tie edict at dinner. Teaching is highly personalized, and food is tops. The catch is the price, very high for one week. Open April 1 to December 1.

John Gardiner's Tennis Ranch on Camelback, Scottsdale, Ariz.: Chic, expensive, formal, and beginning to show its age, the ranch is drawing a somewhat younger clientele, singles among them, and is updating the food. The instruction remains spirited and thorough. Sunday through Sunday weeks from $2000.

John Newcombe's Tennis Ranch, New Braunfels, Texas: The ex-star isn't always around, but his tactics are in evidence. Stroke improvement, not conditioning, is stressed at this 28-court complex, 30 minutes from San Atonio. Popular weekend package (two nights-, three clinics, all meals), in cottage or condo.

Killington School for Tennis, Killington, Vt: They videotape every stroke with immediate analysis. Green Mounatins are a cooling backdrop. Open May through September.

La Quinta Hotel Golf & Tennis Resort, La Quinta, Calif: Coury at this hide-away near Palm Springs. Old Hacienda serves as clubhouse for 21 hard, 6 grass, 3 Har-Tru courts.

Lodge of the Four Seasons, Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.: Intensive tennis instruction in beautiful Missouri lake country. Led by great gurus with a special focus on double play. The rambling resort offers four indoor courts, as well as boating, riding and golf.

Nick Bullettieri Tennis Academy, Bradenton, Fla. : Best known for its junior program, academy offers adults novel drills and classroom sessions to simplify and improve strokes. On full package you stay in condominium clusters by the courts and eat hearty, if ordinary.

Stan Smith Tennis Academy, Hilton Head, S.C.: Ace player of two generations ago, Smith appears only at Thanksgiving week clinic, but his classic game serves as model for all instruction at handsomely landscaped Sea Pines Racquer Club. Classes are held only three hours a day, leaving time for beach, golf, and biking.

Stratton Tennis School, Stratton Mountain, Vt.: Their programs incorporate techniques gleaned from many top clinics. Learn movement and footwork by seeing a lot of balls, Two-day clinics from mid-May to Columbus Day (with Saturday-Sunday the most popular). Golf, riding, and sailboard schools offer a diversion.

Topnotch at Stowe, Stowe, Vt.: Sweat is out in style at this posh northern Vermont inn. Tom Salmon's efficient clinics are particularly beneficial for beginners. Use off-court time for riding, biking, exercising in deluxe fitness center, or antiquing. Clinics open all winter on four indoor courts.

Van Der Meer Tennis Center, Hilton Head, S.C.: For everyone from tot to pro, Let the staff tailor a day, weekend, or week package (at either on-premises spartan Tennis Center or nearby Shipyard Plantation resort). Try to reserve a periodic clinic taught by local masters who will spot your flaws in minutes.

Vic Braden Tennis College, Coto de Caza, Calif.: Braden relies on high-tech props (lots of video) and a dogmatic teaching style that stresses top-spin.

Flowerbed. Photo by Elena.

Customizing Your Racquet

Tips on getting the best from your racquet from racquet experts

Frame: Adjust the weight and balance with lead tape in strategic places. Avoid putting it on top if the racket is already too head-heavy. It is fairly easy to add weight, far less so to eliminate it, so while taking care to avoid buying too light a racquet, make absolutely certain you don't buy one that is too heavy.

Strings: Don't settle for whatever strings are in the racquet. Choose you own, on the advice of the pro, and then take advantage of stringing offers or other opportunities. Play-test new strings whenever you can.

Handle: If the handle is turning in the hand after contact, it might be that it is too small or that its shape isn't suited to you. Perhaps that butt cap is too large, or too small for the hand to feel comfortable. After the handle by unwrapping the grip, changing the shape or size of the underhandle with suitable tape, and then rewrapping. Or similarly change the butt cap by building it up with tape or shaving it down. If you experience excessive wear on the thumb, the racquet is moving around a lot in the hand.

Tennis elbow, anyone: Fewer than 5 percent of those who get tennis elbow play tennis, according to Tennis Magazine. Golfers, violinists, and surgeons also suffer from it. If you get tennis elbow (an inflammation or tiny tear of the muscle in the forearm), wait 20 minutes to let your body heat return to normal, then use ice to reduce the pain. Severe pain may need a prescription of cortisone.