hi, i've played tennis for 14 years and wondering if the specs on my racquet are player friendly...?

Question

I use a wilson prostaff 6.0 midsize 85 sq in. here are the lead tape placements and weight: 4grams of lead,extending from 10 to 8 oclock and 4 grams of lead, extending from 2 to 4 oclock totalling 8 grams in the head, and 12 grams were placed in the handle under the wilson leather **racquet specs: 14.04oz/397.9 grams , 31.1cm/10pt head light, 350 swing weight ** so what do you think of this racquet in terms of all around play ? such as power, manueverability, stability.....etc...? opinions plz

Answer 1

Until you demo other racquets with different specs, you will not know what specs best suit your game. That racquet is so static heavy and swingweight heavy, it probably only helps on groundstrokes, and will limit your timing at net and will slow down your serve (you have to put more umpf into your serve to generate racquet speed to get power out of it, but if you are strong, that racquet will provide plenty of power). The 85 head size also leaves no room for error on off-center shots, you must be pretty good to hit in that small sweetspot consistently :)

I have tried enough racquets I know what specs are best suited to me, I dont even have to demo anymore...The racquet chart at the link below is an example of specs...

Answer 2

Well, first of all, you could have left the head alone and put only 4 grams in the handle for the same balance. The answer really depends on your style of play and, more importantly, how it feels to you.

Head light, base (handle) heavy would provide a more maneuverable platform for someone with fast swings and help with quick volleying. Would probably be suited for a serve and volleyer or someone who doesn't need more power on their groundies. Conversely, more head weight would lead to a more stable volley at the sacrifice of maneuverability.

If you have a slower swing and want more power, your head should be heavier. That will add power to your serves and groundstrokes, but, make it less maneuverable for volleys.

Personally, I leave my grips alone (except for an overwrap) and just add a couple of strips of lead to the 3 & 9 o'clock positions. Gives me a little more momentum for my serves (I'm using an oversize lightweight Head Ti Radical) and a little more stable volley. I'm an all-court player, so, sometimes I'm serving & volleying, sometimes slugging from the baseline. It has worked for me, but, the bottom line is, how does it feel to you? The only way to really tell is to try the same racket set up different ways and see which one you prefer. If it doesn't "feel" right to you, it doesn't matter what I or anyone else says. - Good Luck!!! Ace