Tennis players—let’s hear from you.
I noticed some US Open threads on the board recently, so I thought I’d start a thread…
me:
time in tennis: 1 year (followed tennis for many many years). I was a baseball player and golfer my whole life.
Level: 3.0
#s of times per week on the court: 2-3 (matches/privates/drill)
racquet: Blade V7 16x19; Solinco confidential at 50lbs
I know I’m a newb but have really enjoyed the past year playing
Any other players out there?
September 8th, 2021 at 12:39 PM ^
I'd rather hear from the volleyballers
September 8th, 2021 at 2:34 PM ^
Too much palm, ball strike is almost at an upward trajectory, no wrist snap and poor follow through.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:27 PM ^
Badminton is number one racket sport, comrade.
September 8th, 2021 at 12:40 PM ^
OT season?
September 8th, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
I would think Satansnutsack might be above 3.0, but I guess we all need time on task.
Probably 3.5 now. Play once in awhile, mainly so my wife can practice. Played and was decent in high school. Ran track and then played rugby in college. Big forehand, good serve and volleys, know how to move opponent around court. Weak backhand, I run around it like Rafa. Used to be able to get to everything, now slower. Prefer doubles.
I haven't kept up with rackets/string tension these days, but 50 lbs seems low to if you're playing that often and 3.0 looking to move up. I keep my old babolat at 61, and my wife who's new to tennis but has some power prefers it to the one strung at 55. Love to hear from those who actually know about this.
September 8th, 2021 at 12:51 PM ^
I have strung a lot of racquets in my day. Still not an expert, but definitely depends on string type (different types will lose tension quicker) and whether you are looking for control, spin, power. I think pros are using poly strings in the low 40 lbs these days!
This is pretty cool to track: https://www.staleytennis.com/pros-choices-tennis-racquets-strings-tensions/
September 8th, 2021 at 1:10 PM ^
I string my own rackets as well. Most modern frames have recommended tensions in the low 40s to upper 50s range. Many poly strings such as Luxilon recommend stringing 10% lower than you normally would with synthetic or multifilament strings.
September 8th, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
I would think Satansnutsack might be above 3.0, but I already said that above. Double post.
September 8th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Guessing this will be requested to move to OT season but I'm in.
Time in tennis: 20 years
Level: 4.25
Matches per week: 1-2 depending on the weather/season
Racquet: Head Graphene 360 Extreme MP (2018)
Strings: Gosen Polylon 17 gauge I string myself at 55 lbs
Switched from Babolat Pure Drive about 15 years ago and never looked back.
Started playing tennis in the winter last year for the first time ever because hockey was shut down. I can definitely get into it year round now!
September 8th, 2021 at 9:31 PM ^
Racquet recommendations?
I played squash for 15+ years at a very competitive level, but once I had my second child, I put my racquet down as I prioritized my kids. Now my youngest is starting high school, I've got some spare time. My fitness level is very high (road cycling), but my knees, let's call them not-so-good, otherwise I'd be playing squash again. Very good hand-eye coordination.
I've been playing tennis with my wife and daughter for about a year and am ready to start gearing up for competition. I signed up for intermediate lessons at the Portland Rec Center, starting in a couple of weeks. I need a nicer racquet than the Slazenger I bought at Dick's Sporting Goods a few years back.
When I played squash, I was all Black Knight, generally close to top of the line models. I don't need top of the line but a good racquet won't break the bank.
Ideas?
September 8th, 2021 at 11:55 PM ^
Look for racquet reviews at Tennis Spin YouTube channel.
September 9th, 2021 at 12:43 AM ^
There are so many racket options. I recommend demoing a few. Tennis Warehouse has a very good demo program where you can try 3-4 at a time and they 2nd day ship them directly to your house and you can keep them for a week. Some of the more popular frames out there today are the Babolat Pure Drive and Pure Aero, Wilson Clash, Head Speed, Head Gravity and Yonex Ezone are just a few and are very suitable for various levels of players. Then you have to consider racket weight (and swing weight) because most of these rackets come in different weights …the most common racket weight is 300g (unstrung). Lighter (probably don’t go below 285g) can give you more spin and power. Heavier gives more control. Usually the better your game is and as you generate more power on your own then you tend to want to add more weight. String patterns are also something to consider. The most common is 16x19. Some rackets go up to 18x20 but again those are usually for more advanced players looking for more control. Hope this helps. As the poster above said, the Tennis Spin YouTube channel has some good videos on various rackets. Tennis Warehouse has extensive reviews on each racket as well but just try a few and pick the one that feels the best…they are all good frames.
September 9th, 2021 at 1:59 PM ^
Thanks!!
September 8th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Tennis players have fuzzy balls.
September 8th, 2021 at 1:05 PM ^
Love my MgoTennis buds.
Time in tennis....35 years
Level: 4.0 - 4.5
# times per week on court: ~2 (I spend another 2-3 days watching my son who is a junior player)
Racket: Head Graphene 360+ Speed MP; Volkl Cyclone or Solinco Confidential mains and Gamma TNT2 crosses at 52#
September 8th, 2021 at 1:57 PM ^
Do you string the crosses at a different tension than the mains?
September 8th, 2021 at 4:01 PM ^
I string crosses and mains at different tensions.
was a 4.5 in highschool, then stopped playing for like 10 years throughout college and medical training, picked back up about two years ago. Play once per week now.
Babolat pure drive
mains - babolat RPM (synthetic) at 58
crosses - babolat vs touch (natural gut) at 56
September 8th, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
I've heard those are some nice strings. I've never played with RPM but would like to try some day. How long does the natural gut last for you? I know that's a premium string.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:53 PM ^
I love the RPMs, they are octagonal so it helps to bite the ball and gets me a bit more top spin to hit a heavier ball. The VS touches are nice as well, as you mentioned in an earlier post the natural gut crosses really add a lot of touch. They last a while, havent broke in a year, but likely because I don’t play enough, however I feel like they have lost a lot of their tension so they need to be.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
I personally string the mains and the crosses at the same tension but I know some people vary the two. There seem to be an infinite number of strings and stringing options out there! I got a stringer for Christmas last year (because my son started going through them pretty quickly) and it's been fun experimenting with different strings. I've settled on the Volkl Cyclone and Solinco Confidential as my favorites. I like synthetic gut in the crosses because it offers a little more feel.
September 8th, 2021 at 1:12 PM ^
I play here and there but I'll mostly speak about my wife here and her brother.
My wife is a 4 time state champion in NC and she played for Elon. Her brother was very good but unfortunately had stiffer competition to go against like......... ISNER and her brother played at Clemson.
My wife plays a couple times a week with a future college tennis player and some other former college player and I get out there on occasions and I'm terrible (I was football, basketball).
Her brother is the director of tennis in Winston-Salem and also runs another pro shop/ courts. He also has a youth academy he is very invested in.
Not sure what racquet I use but we have 4 or 5 of them
My level is I'm not sure but I'm not a push over. Hers: better than me!
September 8th, 2021 at 2:23 PM ^
Did he ever talk to you about what it was like to deal with Isner?
September 8th, 2021 at 1:30 PM ^
I've played for 29 years. I got started because I asked for lessons when I was 11 for Christmas. I'd watched Wimbledon and the US Open that year for the first time and was obsesed. I don't get to play much, but I'm on the court a lot because I'm a teaching pro.
I'm probably a 4.0 at this point, but I'm not sure. I haven't played in a league or tournament in way too long. Which is something I'm hoping to change this fall when we move back inside and I've got a bit more energy.
I play with a Head Prestige Pro at 50 lbs.
I teach with a Head Radical Pro at 55 lbs.
September 8th, 2021 at 1:54 PM ^
I'm a 3.0, and my team is going to nationals in OKC in a few weeks to compete to be the best worst-division recreational tennis team in the country!
Started playing USTA a few years ago, but it's fits and starts with regular play. Don't really know anything about rackets and strings etc. I have a couple of Wilson BLX Blade 98s that I bought used on Ebay, and I only restring them (at whatever the middle of the recommended range is) when the strings break.
Learned everything I know from YouTube videos. I love the game.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:27 PM ^
Get ready to face a bunch of 4.5s self rated to 3.0 d/t injury or time away from the game. Nationals is just a bunch of people woefully underrated unfortunately.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:51 PM ^
I was expecting that to be the case at both the state tournament and the Midwest sectional tournament, but surprisingly the teams we played were made up of pretty fairly rated players. We'll see!
September 8th, 2021 at 4:07 PM ^
Reminds me of back in the day, not long after self-rating became an option, our 5.0 league had a bunch of current Big Ten/MAC-level players. They would be awesome all summer and then fizzle in states/regionals when all those guys would have to go back to school.
September 8th, 2021 at 6:14 PM ^
Feel you. I was a real 5.0+ back in the day. Took 10 years off so I entered a 4.0/4.5 league. First match was against a dude who had just finished at Indiana. WTF. (No bagels for him, at least.)
To prove my bona fides, I still play w/ the Pro Staff. Pete's pro staff.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
I'm probably a 2.5. I really don't play at all, but one of these days I'd love to start taking lessons.
Looking back at my childhood, I really regret never getting into tennis...
September 8th, 2021 at 2:21 PM ^
anybody have experience with yonex racquets?
I hear it has a pretty sizable sweet spot and a good feel for the elbow.
i have only played with babolat.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:08 PM ^
I switched from the yellow Babolats to the Yonex Ezone a few years ago and I'm super happy about it. It absolutely is better for your elbow. Like significantly. I'm not too sure about any difference in sweet spot though. Maybe.
I've since realized that I like the Yonex Vcore/Vcore pro even more. It's less "whippy" but has better feel and "plow through"/weight which is better for my one handed backhand. The vcore pro (greenish black one) is more like a classic graphite racquet and the Vcore (the red one) is like an in between. But the Ezone is most similar to the yellow Babolats.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:45 PM ^
Thank you so much for the first hand insights.
I now definitely am going to demo them.
September 8th, 2021 at 7:19 PM ^
I also just switched from a babolat (the yellow one ... aero, I think) to the Yonex eZone in April. Much easier on my elbow and wrist. (Also lowered my tension from 52# to 50# at the same time, which probably also helped). I like the Yonex a lot. I feel like I'm getting better spin now, and with that, better control.
Also demoed the Wilson ultra, and almost ended up buying that one, but it felt just a little tougher on my wrist
September 8th, 2021 at 2:25 PM ^
30 years played, played College Division 3 tennis for four years.
NTRP ranking - highest was 5.5, now I’m a 4.0-4.5
Still use the Prince Triple Threat Graphite as I have five of them from the college days and just can’t give them up.
Still love tennis but don’t play anymore because of a bum shoulder from all the prior years of play. I’ll pop into a tourney from time to time if I get talked into it.
September 8th, 2021 at 2:57 PM ^
Me: 32, played from middle school into college. Very experienced.
Girlfriend: 25, played from middle school into college. Very experienced.
We hit around over the weekend…very light stuff - we’re both awful now. I think today is the first day I can move my shoulder somewhat normally. I’m sticking to golf
September 8th, 2021 at 3:00 PM ^
I'm leaving this thread on the board because of the US Open currently ongoing at Flushing Meadows. If not for the timeliness of the subject matter of tennis, it may have instead been deleted.
As always, though, let's make sure we properly label OT threads.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:11 PM ^
And now, to answer the OP, I haven't picked up my tennis rackets in years, and at this point I doubt my knees would appreciate it.
I used to play pretty regularly while in college and beyond, but once I married back in the mid 80s and had a wife with little athletic ability, I gradually drifted away from the game, in favor of continuing to play in multiple softball leagues until well into my 40s when it took a back seat to all three kids playing baseball/softball/golf/hoops, etc.
I definitely wasn't all that good at tennis, and my serve especially sucked, but I had fun trying. Still have a beat-up old wooden racket and two metal rackets, but I'd need to brush off the cobwebs first (also likely knee surgery) if I ever got serious about playing again.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:35 PM ^
Satan, I play casually once every 2 months or so but would like to get more into. I've never had any formal instructions and my rackets are pretty basic 30-40 dollar rackets. Any recommendations on finding partners to play with or should I be taking lessons?
September 8th, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
Check out play your court. It’s 4.99 per month and it helps find like leveled players in your area to hit and play matches with.
September 8th, 2021 at 3:37 PM ^
Moderate player, but come from a tennis family.
My mother used to umpire at the highest level and was in the chair in the nastiest era of men's tennis; Connors, McEnroe, Ilie Nastase.
I was in the players courtesy tent and Nastase came up to her hugged her and said he hates when she umpires because she can't be intimidated.
Of course, later in the week he threw a tantrum on court and called her the worst umpire in the game. He still lost the point.
September 9th, 2021 at 9:13 AM ^
Great story!
September 8th, 2021 at 3:54 PM ^
I usually only play tennis after bowl season ends until the time they lace up the cleats again in the fall.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
Still have my TAD Davis Professional that I used in the 1960's and my Wilson T2000 that I used in the 1970's. Haven't played in many years, but if I got out on the court again, I'd try to see whether these old friends would stand the test of time.
September 8th, 2021 at 4:28 PM ^
I'm toying with starting up again. I played at a decently high level in HS and a bit for fun in college but lost interest. Now that I'm getting older, my current sports of rock climbing and mountain biking are getting a little hard on the body.
September 8th, 2021 at 5:15 PM ^
I have for played for 18 years, but I took a 4 year break from the game in there.
When on my game I am a 5.0 (I played in college, am still relatively young, and my height gets me an insane amount of easy points from my serve.), With that said, I have pretty rough ankle issues that can hamper my court movement back down to 4.5.
I coach for the high school that I am a teacher at, so I get out on the court at least 4 times a week. I always hit with my assistant for about an hour before each practice, since actual practice does not see me exerting myself much.
My current set up is the Head Graphene 360+ Prestige Pro strung with Babolat RPM Blast @ 56. Not a lot of power in this racquet, but the feel and control are addicting. As someone who has never had issues creating power, this is a lovely stick but certainly not for everyone. The racquet is unforgiving to swings that are mistimed or people with messed up mechanics.
September 8th, 2021 at 6:27 PM ^
Love me some tennis
September 8th, 2021 at 6:49 PM ^
I am also a fellow baseball player as I played through college. I am a HS PE teacher so I do a bit of everything with my students, but I never go full tilt with them. I get most of my physical activity lifting weights. My wife and I decided to join a tennis club in July that came with 4 lessons. We went through them and went to our first competitive game-like match. I tore my calf the first effin time I played a competitive game. I was warmed up. But, clearly my lower body was not conditioned for the kind of start/stop and change of direction required of a competitive tennis match. I took a hard step to push off towards the net and SNAP! Calf was partially torn. It immediately tightened up and I couldn't push off on it at all. Crutches for 3 days, a limp for another 2 weeks, and now I'm just coming out of that. I can't run or jump yet so that will probably take another month or so. Damn you tennis :/
September 9th, 2021 at 12:03 AM ^
I did the same thing a couple of years ago but popped my calf pushing a heavy sled in the gym lol.
September 8th, 2021 at 7:41 PM ^
I played some juniors (serve and volley) then got injured (skiing) and couldn’t compete for a season. Quit for a decade. Picked it up for a while when a friend (HS #1 and college scholarship player) begged me to hit with him so he could prep for a tournament and then I beat his ass (lucky to put 10 winners together and he was pissed) in a ten pointer. Quit again years later. Picked it up again in Philly and played at a 4.0-4.5 up until 10 years ago when I was injured (planters fasciitis) and haven’t played in 8 years. A friend got me out recently to hit. I sucked. Could only hit off pace and he didn’t have much. An old Babolat Pure Drive. Vegan strings.
September 8th, 2021 at 8:58 PM ^
Try pickleball.
It's no longer a game for the retirees.
You won't go back to tennis.