One of the most commonly misunderstood issues when it comes to playing the game of tennis is tennis racquet stringing tension. Despite being commonly misunderstood, this is a very important consideration that you need to put attention into, especially when you are just getting started in the game of tennis. What is really comes down to choosing the right stringing tension, the most important consideration to make is what works best for you. Despite this, there are still some basic guidelines that you should keep in mind.

- First of all, there is generally a tension range that each tennis racquet has based on its manufacturer.

The tension range for each racquet is generally displayed on the throat of the tennis racquet, so if you ever find yourself unsure, or if you cannot decide which is best for you, try a stringing tension that falls right in the middle of the range that is denoted on the throat of your chosen tennis racquet for good results. This is usually a decent one to start with and you can always make changes later if you need to. Decrease and increase the tension as needed until you are happy with the results.

- Since different tension ranges are recommended for different tennis racquets, there is no single tension range that can be recommended without knowing which racquet you are playing with.

You can follow the guidelines here, however, to come up with a good basic starting point and then adjust accordingly. Lower tension is capable of increasing power, and higher tension is capable of increasing control.

- Using a lower tension makes the racquet behave almost like a trampoline, where the ball hits, the strings form a pocket, and your swing shoots the ball out of the pocket.

This is a fairly decent working metaphor of how a lower tension tennis racquet is going to behave. The result is more power, but less control.

- Using a higher tension causes the racquet to act more like a brick wall or a board.

The ball flattens out more, and this allows the strings to bite down on the ball more effectively, providing more control but a loss of power in the process. Many players tend to prefer tighter strings, but you may not feel comfortable with this when you are just learning how to play.

Racquet string tension is going to feel different to different players and in different racquets. Some racquets are stiff and others are flexible. One tension may feel right for one racquet and completely wrong for the next. What it really comes down to is what your focus is on the court, and what your personal preference is. Try different tensions until you are comfortable with the feel and the results, and stick to that tension range until you change racquets and need to start again with a completely different string tension range.

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• Tennis Racquet Review for the BABOLAT Pure Storm Tour Racquet Racquet - BABOLAT Pure Storm Tour Stringing Pattern - 16 x 20 Composition - Graphite / Carbon Xtreme Head Size -630 cm2 / 98 sq. in. Weight when Strung - 335 g/11.7 oz Weight when Unstrung - 320 g/11.2 oz Balance Point when Unstrung - 310 mm Balance point when......
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Beginners who are just learning how to play tennis are most definitely going to face quite a large amount of frustration because it takes a lot of time, patience and practice to really get the hang of the sport. The most important thing that you can do to make this process run more smoothly is to avoid beginner mistakes in order to minimize the level of frustration that you experience. Here are five basic beginner's tennis tips that will help you break out of the beginner mistakes and really get going in the game.

1 - The first tip is simply not to try too hard right out of the gate.

Even if your coach tells you to try harder, do not overtax yourself. If you find that you have having difficulties with your stroke or your technique, you should try to soften up your grip and your muscles, and you should not worry about perfection until you have the technique down a little better. It is going to take time to gain the required skills for tennis play, so start slow and soft and work your way up at your own comfortable pace.

2 - Try not to have any real expectations at first.

If you try to expect a certain result every time you play, you are only going to become more frustrated. You are going to develop at your own unique pace, so do not allow yourself to become stressed out in the process. Everything will come to you in time, but only if you open up your mind and try not to have too many expectations in the beginning.

3 - The next tip is to realize that there is only feedback, and no real mistakes in tennis.

If you hit the net, you haven't made a mistake, but you have taught yourself that you need to hit higher next time. If you blow a serve, take it in stride and perfect your swing. Do not complicate things by looking at every falter as a mistake, but rather consider every move to be a chance to learn and improve your game.

4 - No matter what is currently happening on the other side of the court, you should absolutely always be moving.

Jog, dance, make small hops or do whatever else you need to do to keep your body moving. Standing still is only going to allow your movements to become stiffer, which will make it harder for you to reach the ball when it does come back your way.

5 - The fifth and final tip is to be patient, because it will take time for everything to really register in your brain and make sense.

When you get the instruction to take a specific shot, then you should do your best and then simply wait for the results. When the results come, take everything in and move on to the next challenge. Every shot is a learning process, and will improve your gain over time.

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• 13 Quick Tips for Better Tennis There are a lot of tennis tips and tricks floating around out there, but many are complicated and complex, and not at all easy for you to implement on your own without a dedicated trainer to walk you through them. The following article is designed to go over some quick......

Racquet - Head Intelligence i.S12
Grip Size - 4-1/8 (L1), 4-1/4 (L2), 4-3/8 (L3) or 4-1/2 (L4)
Head Size - 115 sq. inches
Length - 28.0 inches
Weight - 8.20 oz when strung
Stiffness - 71 Babolat RDC
Balance - 15.26 in Head Heavy
Cross Section - 27mm Straight Beam
String Pattern - 14 x 17
Swing weight - 288 kg*sq. cm
Grip - Head ComforTac
Normal Retail Price - $149.00

The Head Intelligence i.S12 is a lightweight legend, featuring one of the lightest available swing weights and static weights available on the market today. This is a racquet that truly does allow for excellent maneuverability and racquet head speed. The Head Intelligence i.S12 offers a head heavy balance and a wide and open string pattern, both of which ensure that you will have ready access to ample power and plenty of stability as well.

The Head Intelligence i.S12 features Head Intelligiber which is integrated on both sides of the throat area of the racquet. This unique intellifiber is created using piezoelectric materials, utilizing breakthrough properties that make these materials unique and different from any other materials being used on today's tennis racquets. The Head Intelligence i.S12 also features energy transformation properties, using the mechanical energy of the ball impact and converting it into electrical energy in less than a single millisecond. The electrical impulse can actively change the shape of the intellifibers in order to create more stiffness using controllable shape change.

In less than the first single millisecond of ball impact, the Head's intellifibers will stiffen in order to reduce bending in the throat area of the racquet in order to provide unmatched power. No matter how strong the material is, any traditional racquet is still going to bend when it impacts with the ball. This bending can cause a serious loss of potential power, which is why the Intellifiber material offered by Head is such a breakthrough. 20 percent of all vibrations are immediately eliminated upon impact with the ball, offering optimum comfort by reducing vibrations significantly by using electrical energy instead of mechanical energy.

The innovative cross section design utilized by the Head Intelligence i.S12 reduces weight by six percent while still increasing torsional rigidity by nearly 30 percent. Because it is still but light weight, the PowerFrame in the Head Intelligence i.S12 increases torsional stability for less twist and torque, providing instead optimum control while reducing weight maneuverability.

The Head Intelligence i.S12 has a perfectly symmetrical PowerPattern with equal distances between all of the main and cross strings, which creates the only string bed in the world that deflects this consistently and deeply upon impact with the ball. The PowerPattern features PowerZone grommets, a patented design which allows the strings to deflect by as much as 180% in comparison to conventional string patterns and similar grommets. The benefit here is that PowerPattern provides the ultimate amount of power and the maximum sweet spot along with unrivaled directional control because it offers a consistent response no matter where on the string bed the ball should hit.

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• Stringing Tension for Tennis Racquets One of the most commonly misunderstood issues when it comes to playing the game of tennis is tennis racquet stringing tension. Despite being commonly misunderstood, this is a very important consideration that you need to put attention into, especially when you are just getting started in the game of tennis.......
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There are a lot of tennis tips and tricks floating around out there, but many are complicated and complex, and not at all easy for you to implement on your own without a dedicated trainer to walk you through them. The following article is designed to go over some quick and simple tips and tricks for improving your tennis game. These tips are simple and quick, which means you can turn around and implement them quickly without needing lessons or professional assistance.

Quick Tips for Better Serving -

1. Practice with targets whenever you can. When you have something to focus on, you can drive much greater results. Always use a target when you practice serving, because when you focus on hitting a target, it will keep you honest.

2. Vary your target size based on your skill level. As your skill level improves, change up your targets to give you new and exciting challenges.

Quick Tips for Better Volleying -

3. Make sure that you are pointing the racket with its head facing "up".

4. The volley grip should be continental.

5. The volley is not intended to be a ground stroke. You should be pointing the head of the racket up toward the sky rather than in the direction of the court next to you.

Quick Tips for Better Overhead Shots -

6. When you are making an overhead shot, try to stand sideways.

7. Your overhead grip should be continental.

8. The overhead swing is similar in style to the serve, at least in the sense that you are standing sideways when you initially make contact with the ball. Many tennis players will point their toes in the direction of the net when contact is made with the ball, throwing off their contact point in the process.

Quick Tips for Tennis Strategy -

9. You absolutely must be willing to keep the ball in play no matter what happens. This is true regardless of your age or skill level.

10. There are two different ways for you to win a point. The first is to get the ball to go past your opponent and the second is to allow your opponent to make a mistake.

11. If you cut down on errors you will force your opponent to make more mistakes. This is much easier as a strategy than trying to hit winners all the time. Mental toughness beats physical toughness when it comes to winning matches.

Quick Tips for Tennis Footwork -

12. Avoid crossing your feet no matter what. Crossing your feet can actually cut out valuable time that you could be using to set up your next shot instead.

13. Footwork is essentially the process of putting yourself in the right position to receive and hit the ball. If you can move swiftly from behind the baseline, you will be a more efficient player.

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• 5 Tips to Prevent Tennis Elbow Although tennis may not be a full contact sport, it is still possible to get injured. One of the most common injuries that tennis players face is called tennis elbow. This is a repetitive strain injury that can be incredibly painful. The good news is that you can prevent it,......
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Tennis tips and tricks are like small tweaks that you can make to your game in order to improve your play. If you are looking for a way to improve your capabilities as a tennis player, consider these tennis tips and tricks and then move on to look at other potential tennis playing tips that will allow you to improve your game immensely.

1 - This is an important one: Adapt your shots and your tactics according to your conditions.

Is it windy, sunny or hot? Use the conditions to your advantage by adapting your game to them. Other considerations that you should make and adapt to are how you are currently feeling, and how well your equipment is performing at the time. By adapting to your conditions, you are significantly improving your game, which is one of the best tennis tips and tricks of all.

2 - Another great consideration when it comes to tennis tips and tricks is to get used to your opponent's play early on in the match.

Nobody plays the same in their warm up as they do during the match, so the real adapting will begin when the match begins rather than before. Watch the ball well at first and get a feel for what is happening. Gradually adapt accordingly, you have plenty of time.

3 - If you want to play a powerful game, you need to have a powerful serve and a powerful return.

If your serve and return are weak, you will be on the defensive throughout the entire match. Don't blast your best serves at full power when the match has just begun. Begin at about 75% of your capabilities and gradually increase your capabilities to find your comfort zone and to win the match.

4 - Find your comfort zone!

Especially when it comes to ground strokes, get into your groove as soon as possible, beginning with long cross courts at 2 to 5 feet over the net, then aim five feet from both sides and baseline in order to improve your ground strokes, forehands and backhands.

5 - Become aware of your opponent's weaknesses.

The next step is to determine what shots you can and cannot reasonably play accordingly. If your opponent moves very slowly when coming toward the net for example, is your drop shot a reliable enough shot that you can properly utilize it? Master moves before you change up your game too much. Adapting your game is vital, but only if you stay within your limits.

6 - One of the most important tennis tips and tricks is never to fall into a mind trap.

There are numerous mind traps that may ruin your game, such as "If I do not take this opportunity, I will not get another", and "I do not want to make it a double fault now". If you find yourself falling into a mind trap, change up your thinking and play your match point decisively and with as much courage that you can muster.

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• Book Review: The Tennis Drill Book By Tina Hoskins One of the most important steps of becoming a good tennis player is practicing your drills, over and over again, until it becomes second nature. There are numerous methods that are promoted for different drills, and dozens of books on the subject. We were ready for more of the same......
• Book Review: The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance By Timothy Gallwey This book is probably one of the most respected and used books in the sport, and it was great to see it re-released. It first came out in 1972 and since then it shaped the lives of many of the world’s greatest players. Now, a whole new generation of players......
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If you are interested in learning how to play tennis, there are a few things you need to know before you get started. By having the proper foundation in this sport, you can be assured that you’ll learn properly and be able to play better as a result. Although this game is a lot of fun, it can be a bit difficult at first. These tips will help you get through that frustration and learn to enjoy the game.

The first step is to make sure that you have the right equipment. While entry level rackets can be expensive, it is best to buy the gear that is going to last. Many rackets that are budget priced will not be durable enough to take you to the next level and they may actually hinder you from learning properly. It is better to spend a bit more and get a quality racket. However, if you are not certain as to whether you will really like the sport and you don’t want to invest a lot of money, a budget racket may be the best choice.

You’ll also need to get a good pair of actual tennis shoes that will support your feet and legs. This can help reduce the risk of injury and give you that strong platform to develop as a player. You can find these on sale if you shop at a few stores and keep your eyes open for bargains. It is best to buy actual “tennis” shoes, and not running or athletic shoes, since these will not have the kind of support you need.

Once you have all of the right equipment, it’s time to think about working with an instructor. Again, this is an added expense, but it is a good investment. If you’re not in a position of being able to afford lessons, it is best to get an instructional DVD that will walk you through the basics of the sport. There is no real replacement for an actual teacher, but DVD lessons are helpful especially for those that are on a budget.

The key to getting better as a player is practice and you should set aside a few hours a week if you are serious about the sport. If you just want to have fun however, playing once a week is usually sufficient. Just remember that the more time you devote to practice, the better you will get in a shorter period of time. Get training gear and practice tennis drills often to get the basics down pat before moving into actually playing against another player.

This will help you keep your confidence levels up and you’ll have the right moves down pat when it comes time to actually play against someone else. Remember, tennis should be fun, and shouldn’t be a chore. By keeping the right mindset, you’ll be much more likely to get more out of the game and you’ll be able to stay mentally fresh and ready for new challenges.

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• Tennis Skills: The Player's Guide Tennis Skills: The Player's Guide is a paperback tennis guide by Tom Sadzeck. This book easily follows the formula which has been successfully used in "Golf Skills", "Hoop Drills" and "Soccer Skills", and Tennis Skills: The Player's Guide is doing an excellent job of providing an in depth look at......
• Book Review: The Tennis Drill Book By Tina Hoskins One of the most important steps of becoming a good tennis player is practicing your drills, over and over again, until it becomes second nature. There are numerous methods that are promoted for different drills, and dozens of books on the subject. We were ready for more of the same......
• Book Review: The Best Tennis of Your Life: 50 Mental Strategies for Fearless Performance by Jeff Greenwald When it comes to the mental game of tennis, this is an area that every single player must master, and there is always room for improvement. This book offers an in depth look at numerous mental strategies that any player can put into practice in order to learn to play......
• The Debate Over Oversized Tennis Rackets One of the hottest issues in tennis is the use of oversized rackets. While there are a handful of pros in the circuit that actually use them, by far, they are most often used by inexperienced players that are just getting started in the game. There are some benefits and......

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If you’re trying to get your child interested in tennis, there are a few things that you should know about ahead of time to make sure that they get a solid foundation in the sport. Whether you’re teaching them on your own, or they are going to actual lessons, these tips will help keep your child on track and help them develop a true love of the sport.

First, the lessons need to be fun. Kids sometimes need a little help getting engaged in training and if their coach is constantly yelling at them, they are going to end up dreading every minute. It’s best to find a coach that excels at good motivational methods and if you find that your kid suddenly doesn’t want to go to their lessons anymore, you may want to investigate what’s going on. One bad coach can ruin a player for life, and it’s best to stay on top of how your child is being.

If you’re doing the training on your own, remember to keep it fun, and while focusing on the competition element is important, it shouldn’t be the end all and be all of your lessons. By keeping your child engaged in their lessons and looking forward to them, chances are they will get more out them and want to keep learning.

Next, you’ll want to make sure that they have the right equipment. There are junior sized rackets that are ideal for smaller hands and will help improve their overall accuracy. As your child grows, make sure that their equipment still fits them. Growth spurts can mean having to purchase a lot of equipment in a short period of time, but you can always resell anything that they have outgrown. If a racket is too big or too small, your child just won’t be able to play as well as they could if they had equipment that fit them.

Another important point to remember is that there is such a thing as too much training. You may want your child to be the next Serena or Pete Sampras, but they will need to have other activities in their lives to make sure they are well rounded. By beating tennis into them, you may just be beating the joy of it out of them a the same time. Parents tend to get carried away with coaching kids, and sometimes, it can have the opposite effect.

The same is true of regular coaches. They may believe that a child has the necessary talent to be a star, but if the child is pushed too far, they may end up hating the sport, instead of going on to greatness. It’s a fine line to walk, but it’s an important one to watch. Make sure your child has another outlet in their life. For example the Williams sisters design clothing – and this is a great inspiration to help parents come up with alternative activities for their child to learn.

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• Tips for Beginning Tennis Players If you are interested in learning how to play tennis, there are a few things you need to know before you get started. By having the proper foundation in this sport, you can be assured that you’ll learn properly and be able to play better as a result. Although this......
• Athlete Profiles: Pete Sampras Pete Sampras was born in 1971 and grew up in the Washington DC area of the United States. He is considered to be one of the most gifted male players in the sport and has one numerous titles, medals and cups throughout his long and illustrious career. Although he is......

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Tennis is a game that is played primarily in your mind, even though your body is running back and forth on the court. Many of the top players in the game have devoted volumes to the subject of mental tennis, but these tips can be distilled down into a few strategies that every player can use. Even if you only play tennis occasionally, these tips will help you improve your game and they may even give you a whole new perspective of the sport.

1. Play to Win – Not to Avoid Losing.

Many players make the mistake of going into a game desperately wanting to avoid losing. This is a common problem and it is completely understandable. No one wants to lose. However, by pre-programming yourself this way, you are actually increasing your chances of losing the match, simply because you are so worried about it. Go into each game playing to win and you’ll notice a big difference in your scores.

2. Getting Rid of Nerves.

This is a huge problem, even for the best players in the game. It’s natural to be nervous before a match, but if nerves are crippling your performance, it’s time to do something about it. You can use the above tip to take the pressure off by not thinking about losing and there are other great strategies that can be employed to help you become less nervous. You may want to consider contacting a sport therapist if nerves are really hampering your performance.

3. Set Yourself Up to Succeed.

One of the best ways to win is simply to picture yourself doing it. Play the match in your head beforehand and think about how you are going to handle each shot. Program yourself to win and chances are, you will. It can take a few times to get the technique down, but visualization can be incredibly useful when you’re getting mentally prepared for a game. By reducing negativity, you’ll be setting yourself up to win – not lose.

4. Don’t Let Intimidation Worry You.

If you’re playing a more experienced player, it is only natural to be a bit intimidated. However, if you let this go unchecked, it will only get worse. Remember, they have the same fears you do and in fact, they may be even more worried about the game than you are. Take every match as it comes and don’t think about how good the other player is. Focus on your own game and let it fall into place naturally.

5. Never forget to practice.

One of the best ways to ensure that you’re mentally tough is to practice your game – both the physical and mental sides. By staying sharp and being on top of your game, you’ll naturally be more confident. Take the time to read about mental strategies and employ them whenever you can, both on and off the cart. As you train, you’ll be getting mentally and physically stronger and you’ll be able to take on any challenge.

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• Book Review: The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance By Timothy Gallwey This book is probably one of the most respected and used books in the sport, and it was great to see it re-released. It first came out in 1972 and since then it shaped the lives of many of the world’s greatest players. Now, a whole new generation of players......
• 5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Tennis Game While many people are under the impression that learning tennis is nearly impossible, there are actually quite a few incredibly easy tips that can drastically improve your game. While these tips may not turn you into a star over night or land you at Wimbledon, they will help solid players......
• 6 Tennis Tips and Tricks Tennis tips and tricks are like small tweaks that you can make to your game in order to improve your play. If you are looking for a way to improve your capabilities as a tennis player, consider these tennis tips and tricks and then move on to look at other......
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One of the hottest issues in tennis is the use of oversized rackets. While there are a handful of pros in the circuit that actually use them, by far, they are most often used by inexperienced players that are just getting started in the game. There are some benefits and a few drawbacks to using oversized tennis rackets, so let’s look at this issue logically to see who is right, and who is wrong.

Pros of Oversized Tennis Rackets

1. Accuracy.

This is probably the main reason that oversized rackets are so popular. When you have a larger surface on your racket, it just makes sense that you’re going to be able to hit the ball with a lot more accuracy. No more whiffed shots, that gigantic head will be able to catch anything going by. This can help new players get the confidence they need to keep playing.

2. Less Joint Stress.

This is the most compelling reason for buying an oversized racket. Players have found that it is just easier to use a racket with a larger head and they notice a reduction in the amount of arm and elbow pain after using one. If you already have issues with tennis elbow, this is a very simple solution that can bring a lot of relief.

3. More Power.

The head of an oversized racket allows you to put a little more power behind your shots and this is another main reason that they have become so popular. There is a lot of controversy over this, but the truth is, you can hit a ball harder with an oversized racket.

Cons of Oversized Tennis Rackets

1. Not a true test of skill.

Although these rackets can initially improve accuracy and help give a player some confidence, it may be false confidence. It is best to learn with a standard racket to help develop proper hand eye coordination. Some consider the large head on an oversized racket to be cheating, and if a player has to suddenly make a switch to a standard racket, they may find that they can no longer hit the ball as well as they used to.

2. Banning may be in the future.

Tennis officials are strongly considering banning oversized rackets in the future. While this will really only affect players on the circuit or those that play at a competitive level, it is something to think about. Why should you waste the time learning on something that you’ll never be able to use. However, for occasional players that don’t really care about the rules, an oversized racket can still be used.

At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference and the way that you look at the game. Even though they are great for those suffering from arm strain, the criticism that likens these rackets to cheating may have some merit. It’s best to learn on a standard racket, in our opinion, to get the foundation you really need to succeed in this game.

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The racket you pick will have more than an impact on a tennis ball, it will have an impact on the way that you play this game. If you’re not using the right tennis racket, chances are you are not playing the game as well as you could be. It is a good idea to read up on new rackets if you’re in the market for a new one, and even if you aren’t you can still learn quite a lot by staying current on new advances. Before you head to the store and grab any old racket off the shelf, here’s what you need to know.

1. Price shouldn’t matter.

This goes for inexpensive rackets as well as expensive ones. Just because a tennis racket is priced at $300 doesn’t mean that it’s a good one. Similarly, just because a racket is priced below $50 doesn’t mean that it is lousy. Never use price as a guide for quality since it is all too easy to be wrong. Some of the most expensive rackets on the market are made cheaply, while the inexpensive ones can actually be pretty durable. Always test out a racket before making an assumption that just because it’s more expensive means that it has to be better.

2. Get the right size.

If you’re playing with a racket that is either too big or too small, you won’t be playing as effectively as you could be. It is important to get a racket that is sized perfectly for your frame. Children will need to get actual kids rackets, and women usually do better with rackets that are designed specifically for them. While there are always exceptions to the rule, it is best to get professionally fitted with a racket, especially if you are serious about this sport.

3. Balance counts.

A good tennis racket will be perfectly balanced. Try holding several in the store until you find the one that feels perfect in your hand. Having a properly balanced racket will have a big effect on your game and it will allow you to use more power in your swing. It is best to try this with a strung racket, so if you’re dealing with a floor model, make sure to ask the store to let you hold one that has already been strung so you can get a better idea of the overall balance once the racket is complete.

4. Get the right grip.

No one wants to play with a racket that is too hard to hold. There are many new materials out there now and they provide a great gripping surface. In addition to this consideration, the size of the grip also matters, especially if you have overly small or large hands. If you cannot grip the racket properly, you won’t be able to hit the ball as hard as you could be. Take the time to find the grip that is just right for your hand. The search will definitely pay off.

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