The 9 Top Rated Tennis String That Sharpens Your Racquet: 2018 Review

The 9 Top Rated Tennis String That Sharpens Your Racquet

Becoming a pro in a tennis comes with making the right choice for your tennis kits. And your tennis kits especially your racquet do the talking when you have an exceptional string that fits it. The string has that full potential to either step you up or round you up to a starting point.

To help you find that best string to step up your game, I have come up with these 9 top rated tennis strings with the capacity to improve your performance. The information here is based on research I did and my experience with some of them. I hope you find what you’re looking for by the time you get to the bottom of this article.

The 9 Top Rated Tennis String That Sharpens Your Racquet

The Selected Strings and Why They are the Best

The strings I’ve reviewed made it to this list based on my experience, information gathered from product source and feedback comments from people that have used them. So, you have a comprehensive information to help decide on what type of tennis string to go for.

Your best tennis strings available to your selection are:

  • Babolat VS Touch Natural Gut 16 string
  • Babolat RPM Blast 17
  • Luxilon ALU Power 16L String
  • Luxilon 4G 16 String
  • Solinco Hyper-G
  • Solinco-Tour Bite Tennis String
  • Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex
  • Wilson NXT Power String
  • Tecnifibre NRG2 16 String

 

Babolat VS Touch Natural Gut 16 string, The Stuff of Legend

Babolat VS Touch Natural Gut 16 stringCheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 42.95 – 44.95

My Overall Ranking: 9.7 out of 10

Overview of the Babolat VS Touch Natural Gut 16

It’s one of the iconic strings from Babolat which came into limelight in 1925 and has contributed immensely to the performance of most tennis Pros. It’s also graced some legendary games of some great players in the history of tennis.

This string is endorsed by most ATP and WTP Pros who enjoy power without sacrificing comfortability. It’s a top-rated tennis string good for top-level players as well as beginners who would want to enjoy their game without worrying about arm pains.

It’s made from natural fibres and offers an outstanding combination of power, comfort and irresistible feel. As described by Babolat, the technologies – Thermogut and BT7 technologies backing this string are unmatched in durability and playability.

I love this string although it’s a bit expensive (common to all natural guts) compared to other synthetic guts but I think it’s a good one because you can’t settle for something less and welcome arm pains anytime you play.

String Technical Specification

The distinctive feature of this string is summarized below:

Gauge: 16 / 1.30 mm

Length: 40 ft / 12 m

Composition: Natural Gut (with Thermogut & BT7 Technology)

Colour: Natural

You can also find some with black colour. The technologies of the string are to improve the deficiencies found in most natural guts.

Thermogut Technology: it’s a finishing touch that boosts the string to resist moisture translating to its durability.

BT7 Technology: it’s a layer structure designed to improve on the durability of the string.

Why Would You Buy Babolat VS touch Natural Gut 16?

Babolat VS Touch Natural Gut 16 string customer rating
Check it out!

Pros

  • It has an unmatched combination of power, comfort and feel.
  • If you have issues with elbow, shoulder or general arm problems, then this is the best choice for you.
  • It has good vibration mechanisms to neutralize effects on the arm.

Cons

  • It’s comparatively expensive to the synthetic guts which are common with natural guts.
  • It has inadequate spin and control as compared to polyester strings. This can be solved by using higher tensions or stringing it in a hybrid.

Price

The Babolat VS Touch Natural Gut 16 String is sold at $ 42.95 at Amazon (free shipping) and Tennis Warehouse. It’s comparatively expensive though, but its usage saves you from arm pains.

You will make a right choice by going for this if you’re in search of the above qualities discussed. In addition to this, assessment by tennis warehouse and customers authenticates the value it can offer you.

Pros Endorsing This Item

With the unique qualities shared above, it’s of no doubts that Alexander Zverev, Bryan Brothers and Marin Cilic are great fans of this string.

Finally, if you’re looking for a string with this 3 maximums – maximum power, maximum comfort and maximum tension maintenance, then I think Babolat VS Touch Natural Gut will serve you well.

 

Babolat RPM Blast 17

Babolat RPM Blast 17Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price: $ 17.95

My Overall Ranking: 8.9 out of 10

Overview of the Babolat RPM Blast 17, Unbeatable String in the World of Tennis

Another iconic string from Babolat. It’s a co-polyester monofilament string with an exceptional spin. The fame of this string went viral when Rafael Nadal first used it at the Australian Open in 2010. It has long attracted customers not only because Rafael Nadal used it, but its exceptional features to most traditional strings.

Like most polyester strings which are stiffer, the Babolat RPM Blast 17 is a little thinner than 16 and has a softer feel than the traditional polyester strings. Its octagonal shape gives it an amazing touch for one to create more spin without losing control over the ball.

The Babolat RPM Blast 17 is durable and less elastic but very difficult to break during playing. You don’t have to also worry about rearranging your strings very often when playing with this string. It’s a good choice for players who wield heavy racquets and would love to generate greater spin as well as a better control without compromising on durability.

String Technical Specification

  • Gauge: 17/1.25mm
  • Length: 40ft/12m
  • Composition: Co-polyester Monofilament
  • Shape: 8-Sided
  • Colour: Black

Why Would You Spend Money on RPM Blast 17?

Babolat RPM Blast 17 customer rating
Check it out!

Pros

  • It’s the best choice when it comes to creating more topspin and having better control at the same time.
  • It’s very durable and gives you value for your money as it lasts long too.
  • It also performs well when used in hybrids with natural guts.
  • It’s averagely inexpensive.

Cons

  • Beginner and intermediate players with shorter strokes may not exploit the full potentials of this string.

Price

You can find Babolat RPM Blast 17 at Amazon at $ 17.95 and it’s the cheapest price you can get. This is not cheap and not a too expensive string, considering the quality it comes with.

I would recommend it to any player who would want to generate more topspin.

Pros Endorsing this String

As stated earlier, Rafael Nadal is the iconic player using this string with other Pros such as Julia Goerges and Heather Watson.

Finally, if you want to feel the blast in your spins with better control, then you might want to grab yours.

 

Luxilon ALU Power 16L String

Luxilon ALU Power 16LCheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price: $ 17.95

My Overall Ranking: 9.6 out of 10

Overview of the Luxilon ALU Power 16L

It’s one of the most popular strings found among the professional players on the ATP tour and has contributed massively to the polyester string revolution. With the great blend of fibres and polymers, it’s no surprise of the exceptional combination of spin, control and durability without trading off the amazing feeling it comes with.

It’s said to be a gold standard on the professional tour and hasn’t failed in any way in its quality. Intermediate and advanced players who would love more of control in their game are good to go in for it.

String Technical Specification

  • Gauge: 16L/1.25mm
  • Length: 40ft/12.2m
  • Composition: Co-polymer (nylon) + Fluocarbon resin + aluminum fibers
  • Colour: Silver, Ice
Luxilon ALU Power 16L String customer rating
View it here!

Pros

  • It is very durable and enables one to generate amazing spins without losing control.
  • It provides players with a good feel for the racquet when playing.
  • It’s a premium string and thus fits the price.

Cons

  • It’s averagely expensive.
  • It’s might be too firm for beginners.

Pros Endorsing this String

On the ATP tour, the professionals you will come across with this string are Jeremy Chardy, Marin Cilic and Borna Coric.

If it’s good for these professional players, then you’re not making a mistake if you should buy it. Grab yours here.

 

Luxilon 4G 16 String, The Tension Holder

Luxilon 4G 16 StringCheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 16.80 – $ 43.00

My Overall Ranking: 8.7 out of 10

Overview of the Luxilon 4G 16

It’s a co-polyester string designed to specifically prolong its tension maintenance ability. Unlike most strings which lose their shock absorption in a short time, this has an extended high-tension property making it a great choice for players with aggressive play style to enjoy longer playability.

It’s durable and quite stiff but provides a great feel for players to be comfortable with. So, if you’re looking for a long-lasting string of high tension maintenance which can provide you with great spin as well as control, then this string can do that job.

String Technical Specification

  • Gauge: 16L/1.25mm & 16/1.30 mm
  • Length: 40ft/12.2m
  • Composition: Co-polymer Monofilament
  • Colour: Gold

Why Buy This String?

Luxilon 4G 16 String customer rating
Check it here!

Pros

  • It has an exceptional tension maintenance.
  • You can create more spin and still have a control over it.
  • It’s very comfortable to use.

Cons

  • Generating more power would cost you an extra effort.

Price

It ranges from $ 16.80 to $ 43.00 on Amazon so it provides you with that flexibility. You can get it at tennis warehouse too at $ 17.79 for the 16L/1.25, so I think your best deal will be Amazon.

Although, averagely it’s a little expensive but a cool price for what it can offer you.

Pros Using It

You can find Grigor Dimitrov, Alexandr Dolgopolov and Gilles Muller in the ATP tour using this string. With these great players embracing it, you’re assured of its potential.

In brief, if you want to have a longer playing time without losing the tension of your string in a short time, then you don’t have to blink in buying this.

 

Solinco Hyper-G

Solinco Hyper-GCheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 11.95 – $ 15.99

My Overall Ranking: 9.2 out of 10

Overview of the Solinco Hyper-G

It’s a square-shaped string designed from a copolyester material. It’s found to have been developed for top 50 players of the ATP tour and has risen in the market for its quality. It’s moderately firm which gives a muted and softer feel making it more forgiving to the arm.

It’s not much of power but can generate outstanding spins with excellent tension maintenance. It’s a great string for topspin players who project the ball sharply into the court without having to worry about overhitting.

String Technical Specification

  • Gauge: 16L – 20
  • Length: 40ft/12.2 m
  • Composition: Co-polyester Monofilament
  • Colour: Green

It has about 5 gauges with different diameters providing you with a good option of cost.

Why Buy This String?

Solinco Hyper-G customer rating
See for yourself!

Pros

  • It has high tension maintenance.
  • It’s a good option for players with arm pain.
  • It’s provides muted and softer feel than most polyester string.
  • It’s very durable and hence longer playability.

Cons

  • Its power generation might be less for beginners.

Price

The Solinco Hyper-G comes in different diameters giving rise to the price range $ 11.95 – $ 15.99 and you can get it at Amazon (cheapest) and tennis warehouse.

I think the price is manageable compared to other strings which cannot even match it in terms of quality.

Pros Endorsing This String

If you want to find professionals using this string, then you would check out Bryan Brothers, Sam Querrey and Donald Young. Again, this string was designed with the help of a prominent ATP touring professional so you have got all the goodies in it.

For arm friendly string with great topspin, this should be your last stop.

 

Solinco-Tour Bite Tennis String

Solinco-Tour BiteCheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 7.45 – $ 15.99

My Overall Ranking: 8.3 out of 10

Overview of the Solinco-Tour Bite

It’s a co-polyester string designed to fit advanced players who seek a complete blend of control, durability and spin. It has a growing popularity at the collegiate level because of the great profiles created with the topspins.

It’s not a string for massive power shots but in the right hands, it can produce very heavy balls through the spin at precise angles. I will say it’s an accessory for players who would want to place the ball deep into the court with faster strokes.

String Technical Specification

  • Length: 40ft/12.2m
  • Composition: Co-polyester Monofilament
  • Colour: Silver

The gauge varies for the version you would choose and it ranges from 1.10 mm to 1.35 mm.

Why Buy This String?

Solinco-Tour Bite Tennis String customer rating
Check it out!

Pros

  • It provides a perfect combination of spin, control and durability.
  • It’s ideal for aggressive players who like to smash the ball
  • It’s last quite long in playing.

Cons

  • It’s underpowered for players at beginner level.
  • It’s a little stiff to some people.

Price

You can have the best deal of this string at Amazon ranging from $ 7.45 to $ 15.99, which is a cool price on the average.

It comes with free shipping, so you might want to secure your cut to enjoy your game.

Pros

So far in the professional tennis game, you will come across Sloane Stephens using this string.

For big hitters seeking great loads on head speed, a copy of this string will make your game shine. You can get it here.

 

Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 4.75 – $ 10.00

My Overall Ranking: 7.9 out of 10

Overview of the Prince Synthetic Gut

It’s one of the cheapest strings that are in high purchase throughout the year. It’s not that soft but a little easier on the elbow and its solid core synthetic fibre provide all round playability. It’s not only an ideal choice for budget-minded players who seek all-round performance but it makes a great hybrid with other strings too.

Its design is of decent combination in spin, power, comfort and control but not of exceptional performance in one area. Compared to its original, it’s durable and offers great value to its followers who find no reason to switch to other strings since the time they started using.

String Technical Specification

  • Gauge: 16 /1.30mm
  • Length: 40ft/12.2m
  • Composition: Solid Core Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex
  • Colour: Black, Blue, Gold, Red, Purple, Silver, White, Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink

Provides a good range of colours for a perfect racquet colour combination.

Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex customer rating
View it here!

Pros

  • It’s very cheap compared to most of the strings
  • It’s a little easier on the arm with its soft feel.
  • It’s also durable and offers a decent power.

Cons

  • It doesn’t offer an outright excellence in one area of string performance.

Price

The lowest price you can get is $ 4.75 and the highest price is $ 10.00 at Amazon. This is indeed a great value of string for players who don’t want to spend beyond their budgets.

Finally, if you’re looking for a decent blend of spin, power, control and good feel of the string without overshooting your budget, then get your cut here.

 

Wilson NXT Power String

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 19.80 – $ 19.95

My Overall Ranking: 7.7 out of 10

Overview of the Wilson NXT Power

You have to note that this string was formerly named Wilson NXT Tour. It’s one of the iconic strings this brand produces. It’s the softest among this brand and was developed for an exceptional feature of power and reduced vibrations for great arm comfort.

Its polyurethane bonding enhances the durability of the string and adds to the feel of string contact providing a similar feel with the natural gut. Its great power delivery and awesome comfort make it an ideal choice for all class of players.

String Technical Specification

  • Gauge: 17/1.26mm
  • Length: 40ft/12.2m
  • Composition: Multifilament (Xycro Micro fibres bonded with polyurethane)
  • Colour: Natural
Wilson NXT Power String customer rating
Check it out!

Pros

It’s good for players who seek outright excellence in power and comfort.

Its great feeling makes it very forgiving to the arm and thus a good choice for players with arm pains.

It’s 80 % less in vibrations than traditional synthetic guts.

Cons

  • It requires extra effort for one to generate much spin and have better control as well.

Price

The price ranges from $ 19.80 – $ 19.95 on Amazon. It’s a bit pricey but it’s worth a premier string of the brand and thus makes it a cool price for such a popular string.

In short, if you’re a player who wants to produce shots with explosive power without offsetting comfort in your game, then grab your copy here.

 

Tecnifibre NRG2 16 String

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 17.95

My Overall Ranking: 8.5 out of 10

Overview of the Tecnifibre NRG2, Awfully Hard to Beat

It’s a premium quality string made from synthetic fibres and comes close to natural guts in terms of playability. With it’s Silicon Pyrogene Lubritec (SPL) technology, you can be assured of durability and exceptional comfort of play without trading off the power.

Not only does it have a large following for its ultra-comfort, touch and power when strung in full bed but makes a perfect combination with other strings in a hybrid. It’s a good choice for all levels of players who are more concerned with the elbow or arm pains but seek the explosive power of their shots.

String Technical Specification

  • Gauge: 16/1.32mm
  • Length: 40ft/12.2m
  • Composition: Multifilament (100% Elastic Fibers, SPL – Silicon Pyrogene Lubritec additive)
  • Colour: Natural

The unique property of the SPL additive is to control elongation of the strings which adds to its durability by 40%.

Tecnifibre NRG2 16 customer rating
Verify it here!

Pros

  • It’s relatively soft compared with most synthetic strings and provides great relief for players with wrist, elbow and arm injuries.
  • It has longer playing time.
  • It’s ultra-comfortable to use without compromising on power.

Cons

  • Its control and spin properties might not be enough for big hitters.

Price

It goes for a cool price of $ 17.95 at Amazon. The price is worth for a premium quality like this and you will hardly get it below that amount anywhere. In my opinion, its superb feel is worth the money and should be a good reason to grab your copy if you seek that.

If you’re seeking great power as well as amazing comfort in your play then you don’t have to ignore this string. Get yours here.

Conclusion – Have You Found Your Choice?

I believe by now you have found the right string to end your frustrations. Producing the right shots with great momentum to throw off your opponent is what keeps up going in the tennis game so having the appropriate surface is very essential. So, let me know by dropping a comment to know if this article was helpful to you in any way and I will be glad to get back to you.

You can also share your experience by leaving a comment below if you have used or after trying any of the strings reviewed above. Feel the strings as you enjoy your game!

The Strategy in Choosing a Tennis String That Fit Your Playstyle

The Strategy in Choosing a Tennis String That Fit Your Playstyle

Are you on the edge of choosing a tennis string but don’t know what to look out for? Or are you looking out for the property of tennis string that will give you the best value of money? If your answer is “Yes”, then you’re at the right place to find the explicit information that you need.

There are numerous strings flooding the market which make it hard to choose especially when you’re a beginner in tennis. Of a truth, even experienced players find it hard sometimes to get a suitable string for themselves. But having the fair knowledge of what makes up the content of the string and the property it should have for your skill level will be a helping hand in your selection.

In this article, I will be guiding you through the check marks needed for a string to be considered on a purchase. Money is hard to come by these days, so you don’t want to throw away the little that you have. Let’s move right to it.

The Material of Construction, The Principal determinant of Preference

The type of material used for the string forms a major part of the string’s quality. The kind of material used not only forms the bulk of the string but influences its playability as well as other properties. The wide range of strings available on the market is mostly made from nylon, polyester, aramid fibres and natural gut.

Natural Gut Based Strings – Ultimate Playability and Feel

The Strategy in Choosing a Tennis String That Fit Your PlaystyleIn the history of tennis when strings had not advanced like today, it was the number one choice among professionals in the ATP and WTP tours. As strings evolved, the demand for this material type has been in recession due to its cost since the modern technology has made it possible to develop low priced strings.

However, it’s unmatched with the others in terms of its playability, exceptional feel and maximum control without trading off the power. The natural gut strings are made from cow gut or sheep intestines with some advanced technology. To ensure longevity, it’s modified to have a weatherproof coating as a means of withstanding bad weather.

You might hesitate to buy a natural gut based string due to its cost, but if you have arm problems or simply want the best string, then that’s your best choice.

Nylon Based Strings: Is It Synthetic Gut or Nylon?

It’s common to come across synthetic guts when you make mention of tennis string since the best choice is in decline because of cost. Is it a different material? No, the synthetic gut is actually a nylon string. It can be soft or hard depending on its chemical composition.

Its solid cores like synthetic gut and classic are from soft nylon compound whiles the harder ones such as Maximal or Velvet is coated to give a flexural stiffness.

During the heydays of natural guts along the history of tennis, nylon strings were found among beginner players. It was nowhere near natural gut, let alone being called a premium string. Now, its usage is on the rise among non-professional player and gradually making it to the professional tour players.

However, the modern manufacturing process of nylon strings have advanced in performance and provides a remarkable blend of playability, comfort, power and durability which is almost close to natural gut.

Polyester Based String – Designed for String Breakers

It’s the fastest growing string on the market and has become very popular among ATP players and some WTP players. It’s not known to deliver much power and outstanding feel but its development of co-polyester modules has made improvement in tension maintenance and feel making it less harsh now.

Its relatively less power generation compared to that of nylon or natural guts trades it for an exceptional spin creation. It’s a very durable string specially engineered for string breakers and players with aggressive play style.

When it comes to stringing, it’s easier in a hybrid. If you have arm issues or at a beginner level, it’s not the best choice for you. But if you want to try it, use it in a hybrid with other material strings.

Aramid Tennis Strings, Fantastic Abrasion Resistance

They are strings made from fibres which are more durable, stiffer and provide better control of high tensions on racquets. They are by far stiffer than nylon strings and mostly come as multifilament strings with some amount of nylon embeddings.

Its stiffness provides better control at the expense of power due to low deflection of racquet string bed on impact with the ball. This makes it a good option for big hitters who seek maximum control rather than more power in the game.

In stringing with aramid strings, it’s advisable to lower the tension by 10% than you would normally use. It’s not a better option for players who are at the beginner level or have problems with their arms to use on full beds. But stringing it in hybrids with natural gut or nylon at the crosses will be fine.

Under this string, you will find DuPont Kevlar fibre and Technora fibre.

Modes of String Construction – Does it Affect Performance of strings?

The way strings are manufactured contributes to the string’s performance as much as the string material does. So, the type you go in for is essential for your selection. There are:

Modes of String Construction

Solid Core with One Outer Wrap: Nylon strings are popularly known by this construction. The strategic design of nylon at the centre with nicely sized and calculated alignment of wraps at the outer surface provides the benefit of improved tension maintenance and awesome feel.

Modes of String ConstructionSolid Core with Multiple Wraps: It has a number of wraps around the solid core and offers added property of durability as well as cushioning effect. You get a maximum feel with the racquet when you strike the ball.

Modes of String ConstructionMonofilament Polyester: It’s mostly used for polyester strings and offers a great deal of durability. It’s relatively less stiff than Kevlar constructed string except for its dead feel. It’s recommended for players who break their strings often.

Modes of String ConstructionMultifilament with No Wraps: Unlike the solid cores, this has rolls of tiny synthetic fibres clumped together to offer improved cushioning effect. It’s more comfortable than the solid core of nylon. It’s also soft and makes a good choice for players with problems with the arm but can’t afford the natural gut.

Modes of String ConstructionMultiCore with Wraps: It has smaller diameter bundles of microfibre core with one or more outer wraps. It’s not much different from the multifilament (no wraps) except for the improved durability.

Modes of String ConstructionTextured: It has a solid core with wrapping. The only difference is the embedding of filaments in the outer wraps or on the surface of the wraps. This configuration enhances the string’s spin potential.

Modes of String ConstructionComposites: it’s formed by blending different materials of unique properties together with the aim of maximizing them. It’s to incorporate a uniform mixture exceptional characteristic.

Credits: Images under modes of construction were obtained from tennis warehouse.

What Else Do I Look For?

You might be wondering why you need to know all this information just to find a right string for your racquet. Tennis string is important as the engine of a car. Most people fail to consider that until it disappoints them on the court.

Among the several grading categories, below are few to take note of:

String Gauge

It refers to the diameter of the string. The thinner the string the better its playability whiles durability is associated with its thickness. Per the naming system, the thickest is 15 and the thinnest is 19 and sometimes 20. When L is attached to the value it implies half gauge where the L means “light”.

So, a string specified as 16L means its thinner than 16 but thicker than 17. Generally, thinner strings are known to generate more spin.

String Gauges and Diameters in millimetres:
15 = 1.41 – 1.49 mm 17 = 1.20 – 1.24 mm
15L = 1.34 – 1.40 mm 17L = 1.16 – 1.20 mm
16 = 1.26 – 1.33 mm 18 = 1.10 – 1.16 mm
16L = 1.22 – 1.26 mm 19 = 1.00 – 1.10 mm

Playability

This has to do with the overall quality of the string and the ease with which you unleash that in your game. In addition, it’s how fast your string snaps back to its original position after hitting a ball, that is how resilient the string is.

It’s influenced by the material of the string, its construction and gauge. Natural guts are unmatched in resilience and still continues to carry the baton. Some popular strings you can check are Babolat X-Cel, Tecnifibre NRG2, Wilson Sensation NXT and other few.

Durability

We’re easily attempted to buy things which are tagged durable. In the tennis game, durability is inversely related to playability – so, going in for a very durable one will be sacrificing playability.

Hence, a player who easily breaks strings – for example, a 16L gauge string will do himself good by switching to the 16 gauge version of that string. Strings like Babolat and other popular versions of Luxilon strings offer a reliable durability.

Tension

It’s a secret weapon to power generation and having control over your shots. Generally, more power generating racquets would have relatively loose strings (lower tension) whiles higher tension strings offer better control over shots.

For advanced players with fast, aggressive swings often need more control and thus tighter strings are helpful. However, a beginner player in which control is essential doesn’t necessarily need a high-tension string but a lower one to be able to frequently hit balls at the centre of the racquet.

You’re to note that every racquet and the recommended tension range specified by the manufacturer as result of their playtesting.

Power

As most players would like their shots to drop like bombshells (with great power), it is advisable to find your best string tension setting to get a perfect blend of power and control.

But if you want more power then drop your tension by a few pounds. Lower tension not only gives you more power but reduces arm injuries. That’s vibrations transmitted to your hand and elbow anytime you hit the ball.

How often do I have to restring my racquet

Summary

Up to this point, you have a handful information to help you decide on what type of string to go for. Having the right information is a great resource to discovering the best string for your racquet. Let me have your comment if this article is helpful to you or if you have a question and I will be glad to get back to you.

Now that you can make a good choice, you need to know how often to replace it. Check it out here. For a more detailed information on the top rated strings to consider for your racquet, click here.

How Often Do I Need to Restring My Tennis Racquet?

How Often Do I Need to Restring My Tennis Racquet?As we seek for the best strings to have on our racquets, it’s relevant to know how often to change it. It’s a concern most players have even when they’re trying a string they’ve just strung. How far can this string take me? Almost every player asks this question.

Just as you look out for the string properties that will give you the best performance, so should you keep track of it anytime you play. That’s the most effective way around it especially when you play regularly. But what if you’re not a regular player? You’ll find out soon by the time you’re at the bottom of this article.

Changing your string will depend on a number of factors which are mostly influenced by you. In this post, I will guide you through the indicators that inform you that – “change me” and why it’s necessary to restring your tennis racquet often.

Why the Need to Change Your String?


Tennis string, like any other product, cannot retain its original properties over a period of use. Its deterioration is initialized at the point of stringing and on the first usage on the court. That’s the more reason why the Pros change their strings after every game. That’s not you and I, right?

How Often Do I Need to Restring My Tennis Racquet?The moment the string is strung, its tension and elasticity begin to reduce. And string’s tension is a determinant on how much power one can generate and control you can have on the ball. So, when these are set on the decrease as you play, your performance reduces. Instead of maximizing your playing style, you begin to cash into other techniques that will enable you to offset the lost properties of the string.

Consequently, it translates to other effects like injuries and having to put in much energy than your usual style of play. At worst case, you break your racquet and that becomes an additional cost. It’s therefore, relevant to change your string when you notice a significant change in its performance.

The Old Wisdom for Restring – “Rule of Thumb”


Well, there’s this general rule that goes: you should restring the racquet as many times in a year as you use it in a week. This implies that if you play once in a week, replace it once a year if you play thrice in a week, restring it at least every four months and so on. This rule may be a starting point but definitely not an absolute guide for everybody. Aggressive and big hitters might even restring many times than what this rule says.

However, this may work for others but not everyone because there are several variables that go into the decision of changing your string. This includes; the level of the player, your style of play, the type of string you use, your initial string tension, how you keep your racquet between uses and others.

In reality, some string materials do quite well that you can play even years before restringing. Like me, I restring when I feel that my string is not giving me the performance I need or when my string breaks. So, my recommended guide is that you restring your racquet when the string breaks or when you’re not happy with your string’s performance – period!

Some “Change Me” Indicators


Restringing of a racquet is usually an exercise of less concern to players at beginner level except for the obvious case of string break. At that stage, you tend to focus more on the fundamentals of play and nothing else. It takes a while for beginner players to be sensitive to the following indicators that I have observed. But intermediate and advanced players, know their racquets well to be able to notice a change in performance during play.

Change in string appearance: It’s the easy-to-know indicator since that’s observed with the eye when the string starts to fray during play. It occurs by the constant hitting and rubbing of the ball on the string surface. When you observe that, then it’s a warning shot that your string is giving you. The fraying of string can be facilitated by improper storage of racquet and wide variations of temperature and humidity. So, you’ve got take good care of your racquet.

Diminished control level: The best feeling a player can have is to be in control of his or her game. And you can get that when the tension of your string is high. With that, you can place your shots at calculated angles that you project the balls. That makes you feel you’re on top of the game.

However, disappointment sets in when your string can no longer provide you with that needed tension. Your shots wouldn’t drop at the exact point you would want to send it. When it’s obviously not from the wind or any particular cause, then you have all the reason to believe that it’s your string which is failing you. If you find yourself in that frustration, then it’s an alert that restring has to be done.

Enforced spin generation: At a point where you put in more manpower to produce similar spins like when you first strung your racquet is an indicator for you to assess your racquet for restringing. When your strings become loose, duration of ball contact is extended which affect the amount of spin you generate. This translates into the momentum that your spins carry. The momentum reduces and that your balls reach the opponent as loosed ones.

Loss of playability: When the string loses tension and goes dead over time, you lose power as well as feel. The ability of your strings to snap back after hitting the ball reduces and eventually goes dead. As a result, vibrations upon impact which is supposed to be absorbed by the string is then translated into your arms causing discomfort.

Consequently, it leads to pain to your arms and you can no longer go further in the game. I don’t think you would regularly want to be reminded to restring by this gesture.

Final Thoughts


Regular restringing is a good habit to practice but it should be performance driven. Apart from string breakage, the need to restring should be based on how happy you’re with the string’s output. Other than that, general rules cannot be an absolute solution to your restring routine. The frequency of restringing varies for every player but never forget its relevance to yourself.

Your questions are welcomed or you can share how frequently you restring your racquet in the comment section below and I will be glad to connect with you. In case you want to restring and you’re confused about how to get a better string that will fit your racquet, click here.

Babolat Pure Aero Racquet Review – Latest, Improved Version

Babolat Pure Aero Racquet

Brand Name: Babolat

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Price Range: $ 195 – $ 219.00

My Overall Ranking: 9.6 out of 10

Babolat Pure Aero Racquet – Latest, Improved VersionThe Babolat Pure Aero Racquet, Product Overview


One cannot talk about the Legend Rafael Nadal, King of clay court without mentioning this powerful and amazing product of Babolat, Pure Aero Racquet. This racquet serves to the exact expectation of players who enjoy the power and great spin in their games.

It’s one of the best tennis racquets popularly used in the history of tennis. The new Pure Aero is a replacement of the AeroPro Drive known by its user-friendliness. It provides modern tennis players who seek more power, great spin, maximum control over every shot and more stability, the flexibility to do so. It enables one to be on top of the game. You can customize it to the exact feel that you’re comfortable with. Yes, it offers you that option making it more friendly to use.

What makes the Babolat Pure Aero Racquet an amazing asset is the upgraded aerodynamic beam and the FSI Spin Technology. Before you get overwhelmed, let systemically review this together.

The Racquet Technical Specification – Product Information


From the regulatory bodies, tennis racquets are specified based on length, weight, size of the head, string pattern and throat. Variations of these give a wide range version of brands. And no wonder it’s a headache for one to make a choice especially when you’re a beginner in the game.

The distinctive features of the Babolat Pure Aero are summarized below:

Length                           27 in                                        69 cm

Head Size                     100 sq in                                645 sq cm

Weight                          11.3 oz                                    320 gm

Balance Point             13 in 33 cm                           4pts Head Light

Composition               Graphite

String Pattern             16 Mains / 19 Crosses

In addition, the flexibility and swing weight of the racquet play an essential part in a racquet’s quality. And this Pure Aero proves itself of good quality beyond all reasonable doubts. Its ratings per the Babolat RDC (Racquet Diagnostic Center) scale are:

Analysis                                  Score                                Grade

Flex Rating                                69                                    Range: 0 – 100

Swing Weight                            327                                  Range: 200 – 400

With the above flex and swing weight values, you can be assured of more power and good stability. Generally, a flex value of 60 or below is considered as very flexible or “soft”. Racquets with more flexibility are usually less stable. This racquet offers you a good balance of flexibility and swings weight making it more comfortable to generate more power without problems.

What Makes Pure Aero an Outstanding Racquet? – Product Effectiveness


That’s a question we never skip but I can assure you of its awesome potential. No one would want his or her money to go down the drain. I wouldn’t let that happen. For you to attest to this racquet’s effectiveness, I will walk you through how this was endorsed.

Groundstrokes – What Score did this racquet get?

I haven’t used this latest version myself but from my experience with the Pure Drive and information gathered from players who tested this new version, it’s one of the best deal one can ever get. From players having the experience with the previous version, this is what I gathered:

The easy access to spin and great power as designed for was unchanged. It gives room for more spin with the backhand coupled with maneuverability which makes it so awesome. From others, it is super easy to swing and generate more spin without losing control. Comparing to the previous version, it’s little heavier but easy to adjust in no time. Its friendliness makes it comfortable in the hand when playing.

The weight of the racquet together with the improved string pattern makes it easier to cut through balls without problems to the elbow. In addition, the improved dampening feature makes it more forgiving in returning shots without losing much balance.

With these established facts, it will be an unfair judgment to score this below 86.

Volleys – Does it Pass?

Making reference to the previous version, AeroPro Drive, the maneuverability of this improved version enables one to find the right angle over the net with great comfort. Its unique features make it easy for one to quickly block back heavy shots and carving it deep into the court at the right angle without having to lose control.

With doubles experience, it provides a good feel of touch with softening grip in getting balls over the net without fear of twisting hand. It generally provides easy access to spin and flexible adjustment in volleys. This is a great feeling for a player and thus makes it an excellent pass.

What Makes Pure Aero an Outstanding Racquet?Serves – Generating Point with Ace Advantage

“This is, in fact, one of my favorite racquets to serve with, Period!”, one concluded. This is not a surprise to me because the Pure Aero is tagged with power and great spin. I wasn’t expecting anything less than that. It has proved to deliver to one’s expectation and even better.

Its design loads it with great power and spins with explosive feeling during a serve. Sure, the ball drops like a bomb with massive momentum giving trouble to the opponent. This enables one serving power to come out real and generates more spins without losing control. If I am to score this, I will give it 92. It speaks for itself.

Returns – Real Deal for Players

Being able to return shots of an opponent with ease gives upper hand. One would be tempted to think that the great power and spin offered by the racquet would make it a closed chapter in terms of returning shots. With that massive feel of power in your hands, aggressively returning shots may sometimes be a surprise to you. You might hit the ball beyond your boundary but that notwithstanding its easier to cut through big shots of the opponent without a twist of the arm.

That ease access to the return of balls without much pressure makes it easier to recover and be in control of the game. I will score this 85.

Racquet’s Unique Technology – Revolutionized With The Latest Babolat Technology


The unmatched performance of this racquet is as a result of the technologies backing it – Aero Modular 2 and FSI Spin Technology. The Aero Modular 2 is an upgraded version of the beam’s aerodynamics which enables one to swing the racquet with less resistance in the air providing a greater hit on the ball. This together with the higher swing weight maximize the effect of producing an explosion feel in your hand as one hit the ball.

The FSI Spin Technology features wider spacing in the string pattern making it more stable and comfortable as the strings freely snap to its position after hitting a ball. These technologies combined make the racquet a true tennis gear of generating much power and greater topspin leaving the opponent in trouble.

The Bad Side of Pure Aero – Any Demerits?


Ideally, I would say this is a complete tennis racquet with all the goodies one can ever hope for. It’s a perfect one with no flaws but has some few setbacks.

As discussed above, a player of less aggressive playstyle may not exploit the full potentials of this racquet. Other than that, it’s a perfect one.

Sure, It’s an Expensive Racquet, But It’s a Fair Deal for Its Awesome Features


The price is, of course, expensive as compared to others but what one really has to ask is – Is it giving me the quality and the features I desire? It might even cost you more if you trade it for a less expensive one that cannot offer real value in the end.

The standard type of the Babolat Pure Aero racquet is $ 219.00 which is pretty good, looking at the features it comes with. The price is worth it!

Conclusion – Make The Right Decision To Be In Control of Your Game


Having taken you through this review, you have a reason to go for this racquet. It’s better to stay on top of your game and thus the Babolat Pure Aero racquet is the best option for you. Follow this to get your quality Babolat Pure Aero tennis racquet.

Feel free to drop your comments and questions in the box below and I will be glad to get back to you as soon as possible.

Best Rated Tennis Racquets – The Best Brands of Tennis Racquets

Best Rated Tennis Racquets – The Best Brands of Tennis Racquets

Irrespective of your level in the tennis game, choosing the right and good tennis racquet is the beginning of exploiting your strength. There are several brands with numerous designs that sometimes make it confusing for one to select from. You will know what I am talking about if you have ever come to a point to make a decision in buying a particular design of a racquet brand where you have several options. If you are at a point of making that decision too, don’t worry we are going to figure it out together through this post to make the right choice.

There comes the question; what is the best brand of tennis racquet or what is the best-rated tennis racquet? A popular question mostly asked when one have to make a choice but what I believe will do justice to this question is what goes in to make the design of the brand worthy of choice. Frankly speaking, one with interest in tennis will have to check a number of features presented by the design of that brand to make a wise choice.

This is what I will try as much as possible to deliver so that you make a right decision in selection. To be on the same page let briefly look at the overview of the tennis racquet and what the International Tennis Federation (ITF) specifies about racquets in a professional tennis game.

Overview of Tennis Racquet


The racquet is a frame consisting of a handle, head and throat. The head which is connected to the handle forms a hitting surface with strings crossing each other to form a pattern. These strings crossing each other are interlaced alternatively or bonded together.

As regulated by the ITF, the pattern of the hitting surface must be uniform and of identical characteristics on both surfaces with no irregularities. So, a good racquet would have to possess all these features with other characteristics yet to be discussed.

The Standard Dimension Specification of Racquet by ITF


The various designs of the racquets come in different sizes but the dimensions are governed by the ITF. The maximum dimensions which are not to be exceeded are as follows:

  • overall length – 73.7 cm (28.0 inches)
  • overall width – 31.7 cm (12.5 inches)
  • the overall length of hitting surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle – 39.4 cm (15.5 inches)
  • the overall width of hitting surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle – 29.2 cm (11.5 inches)

All the various brands follow these regulations but different designs not exceeding the above are produced. One’s choice is dependent on a number of factors elaborated below.

What are the Best Brands Then?


Among the several brands available for one to choose, the best brands used by the top-rated players are listed below:

  • Babolat
  • Wilson
  • Head
  • Yonex
  • Volkl
  • Prince

Apart from these major brands, other emerging brands in the game of tennis are;

  • Gamma
  • Tecnifibre
  • ProKennex
  • Dunlop

Out of the six major brands listed above the most used ones are the first four. But among the six major brands are families of designs which offer unique characteristics that a player would select from. So, I will be narrowing it down to the various families of designs to present you with the odds for easy selection.

Babolat – Rafael Nadal’s Favourite Brand


This is one of the most popular brands used currently by the world’s number one ATP ranking, Rafael Nadal. It’s best known as modern player racquets. One can experience speed, power and spin from a range of this racquet brand suitable to a beginner, intermediate and advanced players.

In the line of this brand are three main families which come in different versions such as standard, models with respect to the weight, the overall length of the racquet and size of the head. In any case, their uniqueness is unchanged with the family. So, finding a family of a particular property that fits your taste is a go area for your selection.

Let’s delve straight into the families to see what we can find.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsBabolat Pure Aero – Is one of the most used racquets of this brand that allows you to load your shots with great power. This is designed to complement the aggressive mechanics of the modern game. Its name was derived from the aerodynamic beam shape and stable feel. It enables players to hit balls at higher speed. It was previously known as Aero Pro Drive and it comes in different lengths, weights and sizes providing options for players at all levels to choose.

Previously, there were racquets of this family which were part of Aero Pure Storm and are now distinguished with VS. This family has a lot of potentials that would be of good value to consider. Anyway, let look at what the others too can offer.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsBabolat Pure Drive – It’s another most popular racquet series optimized for speed, power and spin. It has a lighter and easy to use frames and is highly recommended to players with aggressive play style. This family bears so much resemblance to the Pure Aero family but has a different feeling. Mostly, it’s advisable for a demo session before buying. It’s available to all levels of players.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsBabolat Pure Strike – is a user-friendly modern tennis racquet which provides control, feel, power and spin. It’s a thinner racquet with a flexible beam that offers better feedback and control. This family of the racquet is recommended to intermediate and advanced players who want to add control as well as feel to power and spin in their game.

The potential of these families makes me feel like I’m on a tennis court. They have awesome features that one might be tempted to have all of them. As stated, Pure Strike is for intermediate and advanced players whiles Pure Aero which is not much different from Pure Drive except the feel, is for all range of players. So, if you are interested in this brand and with your level, it should be clear the one to go for.

This brand is used by about 26 great tennis players both in ATP and WTP. About 2 and 3 of them are in the first 10 of the ATP and WTP rankings respectively. The male mentioned earlier as Rafael Nadal ranked first and the female named Caroline Wozniacki ranked second. Without jumping to a conclusion, let see what the other brands have to offer.

Wilson – Racquets for Some of The Most Iconic Players Ever Seen in Tennis


This is a favourite brand for one of the greatest tennis players, Roger Federer. It provides distinctive classic racquets of control and speed as well as modern ones of power and spin for all range of players from beginner through advanced. Along the tennis game improvement, this American brand has four main families.

In each family comes to the various versions from standard Wilson through the models. Each like the Babolat has unique features that make them distinctive.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsWilson Pro Staff – this is known for its remarkable precision, control and classic feel. It has a more flexible beam. It is one of the most iconic families in this brand line of production. The predominant feature of this is controlling and thus has a head size at 97 or smaller of variable weights. This is a good selection for an advanced player of good mechanics and is also suitable for beginners and intermediate players as well.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsWilson Ultra – It is engineered for a wide variety of playing styles and suits the modern power game of pace and spin. It has a thick beam making the racquet stiffer and more explosive than the blade and the pro staff racquets. It is available for all categories of players from beginner to the advanced level. It also provides easy access to power and spin.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsWilson Blade – It’s a family of racquets loaded with precision, feel, control and spin and is available to all class of players. It is engineered for more response and easy access to spin. It also provides a more arm-friendly stroke but is less powerful than Ultra and Burn racquets.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsWilson Burn – It’s for modern and hard-charging tennis players looking for aggressive tennis game loaded with speed, power and spin. It’s a good selection for players of this nature. It has thick and firm beam punctuated by a crisp and lively response for players who want to add more rpm to their game. It is ideal for several spin generation and thus a good choice for seasonal spin players. This series is also available to all class of players.

In summary, the Ultra, Blade and Burn are good for all players from beginner to advanced whiles the Pro Staff is a good choice for intermediate and advanced players.

In the ATP and WTP games, about 27 great players led by Roger Federer, Simona Halep of rank 1, the Williams and other players use this brand of tennis racquets. It now getting tougher for one to choose looking at the profiles each are offering. Let keep digging.

Head – Largest and Terrific Tennis Brand


This brand has existed in the history of tennis spanning over half a century and is available to players from beginners seeking comfort and power to advanced players searching for control and feel.

In the line of tennis development, this brand has 6 families of varying versions from standard to models of variable weight and head size.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsHead Radical – This family is suitable for players who desire racquets optimized for speed, power, spin, control and feel. Head Radical tend to have moderate flex ratings making it slightly flexible than the average modern power racquets. Majority of this family is weighted for players at the intermediate and advanced level. There are other modified versions for beginners as well.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsHead Prestige – It’s characterized by precision, control, stability and feel. This is an improved version and is specialized for more muted feel by dampening vibrations at the impact of the tennis ball. It’s a good choice for intermediate to advanced players looking for racquets of these characteristics.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsHead Speed – Players looking for racquets that can offer good control, feel and spin will be served right to select this. It offers the speed and spin required of modern player racquets. The majority of its production line features thinner and more flexible beams giving them great control and feel. In addition, it provides customization option of adaptive tuning of string pattern as well as power options for beginners and anyone seeking a preferred setting. It’s available for beginners, intermediate and advanced players looking for quick swinging styles and control.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsHead Extreme – It’s recommended for big swing modern players seeking power, speed and spin to their game. It has thick and lively beams giving modern players impressive stability. It also enables effective loading of shots at a regular pace and getting the ball bouncing. It has only two weights available for beginners to advanced players who want to generate more power and variety of spins in their game.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsHead Instinct – It’s engineered specifically to deliver more power and spin. It’s a user-friendly modern racquet that comes with open 16 by 19 string pattern to maximize spin potential. It also comes with an adaptive feature that one can tune to suit one’s need. It’s ability to accommodate light and heavy options make it flexible to customize it to features that fit beginners and intermediate players.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsHeader MXG – It’s the newest family to this brand and is specially weighted for players in the beginning and intermediate level. It’s designed for its outstanding speed, power and spin. It features Magnesium throat bridge serving as a stability enhancement and accommodates longer main strings for extra comfort and power. It’s a good option for improving beginners and intermediate players.

In summary, the prestige is for intermediate and advanced players whiles instinct and MXG are weighted for beginner and intermediate players. The rest of the three are designed for all class of players.

There are about 18 great players in professional tennis that use this brand of tennis. Just to mention a few such as Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Andy Murray, Sloane Stephens, Ashleigh Barty and the likes feature this brand of the tennis racquet.

Yonex – Isometric Shape Racquets


The shape of this brand offers a large hitting surface suitable for delivering shots of more power as well as control in a tennis game. It has four different families which I will briefly touch on.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsYonex EZONE – Provides a good measure of speed, power, control and spin. It’s also more flexible and arm-friendly. It fit players ranging from beginner to advanced level who seek controllable power racquets with an amazing feel.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsYonex EZONE DR – offers racquets of remarkable control, spin and feel. It’s available to players from beginner level all the way to advanced and has average stability for the ranges of weights and lengths.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsYonex VCore Spin Vortex (SV) – It provides a combination of power and precision to players. Its extended length version is a good deal for modern aggressive baseliners who want to be in control of their game and are for all class of players.

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsYonex VCore Duel G – It provides players with extra control of the game and an amazing feel with a slightly traditional spec profile. It has thinner beam compared to Ezone and Vcore families. Its heaviest models are great for advanced players looking for control, feel and shot cut-through in their games. The lighter ones provide a good deal for intermediate players.

Overall, the VCore SV and Duel G will be a good choice for intermediate and advanced players whiles the rest is for all class of players. About 18 professional players use this brand and prominent among them are Angelique Kerber, Belinda Bencic, Hyeon Chung, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Steve Johnson and the likes.

Volkl – Option for Ball Attackers


This brand is not commonly used but has a good option for modern players seeking power and speed. There are about five families of this brand which are as a result of variations in power, precision, spin, control, feel and speed. The families are:

  1. Volkl V-Feel
  2. Volkl VSENSE
  3. 2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsVolkl Super G
  4. Volkl Organix
  5. Volkl Pro & Classic

Most families of this brand are used for all class of players but the V-Feel and VSENSE are more geared towards intermediate and advanced players. Professional players who use this brand are Nicolas Almagro and Laura Siegemund.

Prince – Provides Good Feel


Another brand at bracket with the Volkl brand. It has about 7 families making it the largest family among the various brands. They are;

  1. Prince Tour
  2. 2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsPrince Beast
  3. Prince Phantom
  4. Prince Warrior
  5. Prince Classic
  6. Prince Lightning
  7. Prince Premier

These names look like they were carefully taken to suit the name “Prince”. It’s also less popular and is seen among professional players like John Isner and Lucas Pouille

Conclusion – Declaring Best Brands and Making a Choice

2018 Best Rated Tennis RacquetsAs discussed above there is a wide range of options for one to choose from but the brands I will recommend are Babolat, Wilson, Head and Yonex. That still seems like a lot of confusion because these brands come with families and versions.

Based on best-selling data gathered, pinning it down to the best options available for each brand, I will recommend Pure Aero, Pure Drive and Pure Strike 98 for the brand of Babolat. For one seeking Wilson brand, Pro staff RF97 and Blade 98 are highly recommended.

Radical versions of the Head brand will be good for one to take a look at and EZONE DR 98, VCore Duel G 97 is also a good choice for one to consider.

I hope this will be of good assistance in making your choice of racquet. I will consider myself as a Babolat fan since I enjoy playing with this brand.

Without considering my recommendation, what do you think will be the best brand and family to choose for a tennis game? I will be glad to get back to you if you can share your view in the comment box below.

 

 

 

Carpet Tennis Court – Take it with You Wherever You Go!

Carpet Tennis Court – Take it with You Wherever You Go!

Carpet Tennis Court – Take it with You Wherever You Go!A court which is no longer in use for professional matches but at shoulder to shoulder with grass court in terms of speed. They are temporary fixtures laid on concrete or asphalt and comes in different designs and colours.

They are mostly manufactured from polymeric or rubber materials which are supplied in rolls like the normal carpet used at homes. Due to its fastness comparable to only grass courts, exit balls have smaller angles like the grass courts.

Before its use for professional event was halted by ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), it was mostly used for indoor tournaments which is now replaced with hard courts. The change generated misunderstandings among some players as it was considered an unfair treatment to those who enjoy fast games.

End of Carpet Courts – Why Was it Changed?


The change, perceived to favour slow court players stood when it was agreed by the top 50 players of the circuit. In addition to this, Kris Dent, the ATP Director of Communications said, “the change was decided for different reasons, but the most important is to adopt homogeneous surfaces, which will reduce the risk of injury”. This change took effect in 2009 and it still stands.

End of Carpet Courts – Why Was it Changed?The ATP putting an end to carpet court professional events was aimed to promote competitive tournaments that audience will enjoy watching. It was to bring out the talent in players more than the display of only strength and thereby producing matches with fewer points won with ace.

Looks like the motivation to homogenize tennis court surfaces was the only drive for ATP/ITF officials to change the carpet court. No, it wasn’t. There was a side plan to it. And it’s amazing how they succeeded because their plan worked.

The Other Side of the Change, Tennis Officials Motive


It happened that the carpet court was not the only court intended to be cut from the system. It’s counterpart, grass court was also on the table of the ruling tennis bodies. These fast courts of low-bouncing surfaces made it difficult for players to anticipate incoming ball because of their inconsistent ball-bounces. So that was a major point of the ATP and ITF officials to phase-out these heterogeneous surfaces and create homogeneous courts of longer rallies to be enjoyed by audience.

With the homogenization agenda in place, the ruling tennis bodies succeeded in making a major policy change to phase-out carpet court completely. The life of carpet court was shortened at the top-level for good. So, in the year 2009, carpet court took the hit for the fast courts and was removed from its last major tournament, the Paris Bercy Masters.

This gave birth to homogenized hardcourt surfaces with consistent ball-bounces and thus longer rallies. Longer rallies engineered by the ATP/ITF officials to give value for audience’s money was a tool to make more money. That is satisfaction of game by audience make it easier to increase ticket price.

Analyzing the Change a Step Further


In short, carpet courts were normally synthetic carpet on hard surfaces in the Open Era, characterized by smaller exit angle of balls (short rallies), fast game environment and more points won with ace. What made it laudable for the carpet court to be changed is elaborated briefly below.

  • Miss in the blink of an eye (Less value for Audience’s money)

In the Open Era these players (now retired) namely Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl were the greatest players of all time who made their names with the carpet courts when the racquets used were not as developed as today.

As racquets were improved, next generations of players like Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras, Richard Krajicek and others of strong stature turned tennis game on carpet and grass court to be don’t blink if you don’t want to miss type of game. This was believed to be hated by audiences as they don’t enjoy the game. So, it was more of power and less skill.

Therefore, to change this phase of game, generations of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic with modern racquets were not given much of this experience to match the old BIG buddies since the ruling bodies tried to facilitate the use of homogeneous surfaces of longer rallies.

These great players and others lifted the game of tennis with the longer rally courts and when officials saw that the audience had bought into it, the homogeneous courts were sustained. The acceptance of this concept also became a gateway to hike ticket price slowly. The officials succeeded in all angles and thus carpet courts, seen to be the hindrance to this success was taken out of play in professional tournaments. Carpet courts were killed completely!

A Simple Way to Lay Carpet Court, There are Other Ways Too


There are several techniques used for constructing this court which depends on how much sand was used and its type. As stated earlier, these courts are laid on concrete or asphalt base, I will concentrate on laying of the carpet on any of this base.

With the base in place, it is washed to remove free materials and loose stones on the surface of the base. Any holes found on the base is filled with resin sand mix normally used by paving firms. This is a porous material that rain water can go through.

Marking Out the Court

A single court has a total of 8 rolls of carpet with 4 each on both sides laid from the center of the court towards the baseline. Using about 3-inch nails, taut line and aerosol, the eight sections are marked from the center of the courts with the standard court dimensions. Before the carpet are laid in the markings, it is expedient to check any visible stones. Carpet Tennis Court – Take it with You Wherever You Go!

Laying the Court

After marking the base, the carpets are rolled out from the center of the court with each following the various sections towards the baseline. Overlaps are removed and the carpet are fitted edge to edge. The white markings of the actual court are also fitted using glue mixed with hardener.

Once all the lines have been placed into the carpet mat, a kiln dry sand is spread on the surface. It is evenly spread with a brush on the entire court and then left for about two weeks. After the set period, the court which initially looked like a beach will now be ready for play. The sand would have been absorbed into the carpet fibers. You can check here for a short video on that.

You now have your court ready. Enjoy it!

Conclusion – How Do You See the Court Now?


I guess you might have wondered how carpet court was and I hope this post has painted a clear picture as to how the court is? I haven’t tried one myself but I hope to take that challenge of trying it if I should come across one. What about you? Have you tried this court before?

Feel free to share your experience of this court in the comment below if you have ever tried it and I will be glad to read. Also, what is your take on stopping the use of this court for professional tournament? Just drop your view and it will be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

Hard Court Tennis Surface – The Variable Speed Courts

Hard Court Tennis Surface – The Variable Speed Courts

Most players believe that the surface of the tennis court plays a very important factor in the game style and pace. What do you think? The hard-court tennis surface is one of these surfaces which present variable exit speed of tennis ball depending on the material of construction. In terms of ball speed, this court surface fall between that of grass courts and clay courts.

One might wonder why the name “hard” was chosen for this type of court surface. And that, won’t the hardness affect or damage tennis balls used for the game? The hardness is a comparative term used to distinguish it from the other types due to the materials used.

This court comes in different brands with variety of colours as specified by a customer. The brands may be referred to as different types of hard court obtaining their names from the kind of technology used for the court construction. The base material used for this court is either concrete or asphalt and that reflects the name of the “hard”. These courts are used in two of the grand slams which are Australian Open and US Open.

Brands of Hard Court – Have You Tried Any of Them?


It is interesting to find that some hard surface brands are not only used in tennis game but on netball, basketball, volley ball and other games. The main material of construction giving rise to its hard surface is concrete or acrylic with other materials used as the finishing surfaces. The topmost material used determine whether the court will be a slow one or fast.

There are several of the brands depending on the manufacturer’s design but I will be sharing some common ones used in professional tournaments. Among the wide range of designs, the most prominent ones found in professional tennis tournaments are

  • DecoTurf
  • Plexicushion
  • GreenSet
  • Rebound Ace
  • Laykold

Currently, these courts are on the rise and are becoming more common in most places. This is as a result of the low maintenance cost of the courts. These brands are merely cushions designed based on customers request. The design therefore influences the speed of balls on the court

DecoTurf – Most Popular Among Them


This is one of the commonest cushions used for hard courts. It is overlaid on top of concrete or asphalt surface. DecoTurf brand is a hard-court surfacing product with exceptional features such as speed consistency of play, relatively low maintenance culture, long-lasting variable colours, durability and ability to customize to any customer’s prescription.

It also has unique resilient property that takes the pressure off one’s body without changing the normal course of ball bounces. This multi-layer cushioned surface mostly consists of layers of silica, rubber or acrylic material providing maximum player comfort as well as exceptional performance.

In terms of weather effect and other environmental degradation factors, it very resistant and has long-lasting terms. From specialists that construct this brand, the surface is cross sectioned into the following; filler course, heavy rubber course, fine rubber course, texture course, finish course and lines.

Unlike clay and grass courts, these courts do not require regular sweeping and rolling, watering, mowing and the likes. You just have to be ready to play. Just grab your racquet to test this type of court and you will enjoy it.

Currently, these brands can be seen at the following tournaments such as US Open, Canada Masters, China Open, Japan Open, Dubai Championships and others. This court has been used at Olympic games at Greece and China in 2004 and 2008 respectively.

Plexicushion – Replacer of Rebound Ace


This is currently the court surface used in Australian Open. It replaced the Rebound Ace surface in 2008 for professional tournament in Melbourne. It is also a cushion surface which shares similar advantages with that of DecoTurf. Does that make them the same? No, they are slightly different.

Like most of this hard-court brand which have layers of acrylic mix and rubber granules, the plexicushion is no different. From the makers of these courts, the Plexicushion brand has two set of three-layer acrylic combined with large or smaller granules of rubber. The first three layers of acrylic are mixed with the large rubber granules and the additional three layers acrylic are also mixed with the smaller rubber granules on top of that. This makes it a layer more than the Decoturf.

This enhances its cushioning effect making it easy on the body and thus quicker recovery for next day’s activity. But it does not change the characteristic ball bounce of a hard court tennis surface. This is because in the top layer, sand is mixed with the colour coating to give a texture of surface which controls the play speed thereby influencing the bounce of the ball.

Plexicushion, a hard-court brand for Australian Open per its design is able to withstand extreme weather, such as court temperatures in Melbourne that can reach 147 degrees. It does not lose the original properties in these conditions but maintains the consistency for players to enjoy the game.

GreenSet


Another cushion, layered on top of asphalt or concrete and sometimes wood due to the conditions on ground. The design surface uses acrylic and vinylic copolymers as binders with silica as principal mineral content. This brand has about four layers. The layers are categorized as base, base colour and finish layer which give the characteristic style of ball bounce as hard court.

This brand has also featured quite a number of professional tennis under International Tennis Federation (ITF) and on the ATP and WTA tours. It is also one of the brands selected for several occasional indoor events and is used currently in Paris Masters, Swiss Indoors and other tournaments.

Rebound Ace – Multi Sport Uses


Rebound Ace is a multi-layered cushion design with thickness ranging from 5 mm to 8 mm. This brand has a range of surfaces for tennis, netball, basketball, volley ball, badminton, futsal, gymnastics, cricket, and other multi-sport uses.

The surface layered on the concrete or asphalt base consist of polyurethane rubber, fiberglass, and other materials. As known of hard courts as variable speed courts, the ball bounce characteristics are customized by variance in the amount of sand used for the surface. In comparison to DecoTurf, Rebound Ace has more cushioning.
For about 20 years, Rebound Ace was the Australian Open official surface until 2008 when it was replaced by Plexicushion. The change was a result of some controversial claims by some players with the view that the court becomes sticky at high temperatures. This, believed to cause injuries and some inconsistencies in the tennis game. However, there is no evidence that it worse than other courts.

Laykold


Laykold is the official surface of the Miami open since 1984. It comes in different designs with materials such as polyurethane, rubber or acrylic. It also has liquid cushioned surface layered on concrete or asphalt.

This brand type has surfaces that can be constructed with cushion or without cushion.

DecoTurf, Plexicushion and Rebound Ace brands are product of California Products Corporation whiles Laykold brand is manufactured by Advanced Polymer Technology. These brands give a wide range of hard court tennis surface for individuals, organizations, institutions to choose from. But the ultimate thing is one should enjoy playing on any of them.

Style of Play on Hard Tennis Surface – Mastering the Court


The style of play on any court surface is mainly dependent on the speed of the ball after bouncing, height of bounce and spins used. The hard-court surface of variable speed has its ball bounce speed and height of bounce between that of clay and grass courts. Unlike clay courts in which players tend to be more defensive, players on hard court are compelled to be more aggressive.

For this surface, one is likely to observe flatter first serves especially if the court is playing fast, and more kick second serves as the court will take the top spin and ensure the returner is having to hit at shoulder or even head height.

Occasionally, players play drop shots when their opponent is at the side of the court or well off the back. Also, players with good flattening skills of ground strokes are able to accrue points as the balls are able to travel faster.

Best Career Hard-Court Records – Both Active and Retired


Can one player be a master of all the tennis court surfaces? You can leave you comments in the box below. In my opinion it’s very hard to come by such a player as I have not yet come across that.

As Rafael Nadal is known as the King of clay courts so are other professionals being commanders of certain other court surface. On hard courts, male players who have good command and have set remarkable records are Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Jimmy Connors, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, Marin Cilic, Kei Nishikori, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl and others.

  • Agnieszka Radwanska,

Among the women, Angelique Kerber along with hard court stalwarts Agnieszka Radwanska, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova, Caroline Wozniacki, Petra Kvitova, Venus Williams, and Dominika Cibulkova have also chalked great records on the hard-court surfaces.

Hard Court Tennis Surface – The Variable Speed CourtsHard-Court Summary – Try it!


The hard-court brands as described above are being advanced day in day out to improve on performance. The quest to provide players with the best feel on courts as well as reduction in injuries are major factors considered for the development of new advanced courts.

Hard court surfaces are good for both indoor and outdoor events which require very low maintenance cost compared to clay and grass courts. In addition, they are able to withstand harsh environmental conditions.
Playing on hard court is fun and I enjoy it most of the time. Do you agree with me? You can drop you comments in the box below to share you experience on hard courts.

 

 

Grass / Lawn Tennis court – “The Fastest Court”

Grass / Lawn Tennis court – “The Fastest Court”

Grass / Lawn Tennis court – “The Fastest Court”

This court was once the commonest tennis court type from the early stages of tennis development. Due to technological advancement and tennis game development, the discovery of other court surface types has made this court a bit rare.

The lawn tennis court which is now grass tennis court have been used among three of the Grand Slams but currently, it’s a symbolic court of Wimbledon. Hitherto, US Open and Australian Open used these courts from 1881 to 1974 and from 1905 to 1987 respectively. The oldest Grand Slam, Wimbledon has been using these courts since 1887 till date.

Court Construction


Grass courts require special skill to be built to specification. As done in other courts where the ground is prepared before the surface material is applied, the grass courts are no exception. In the construction of grass courts, the following factors are considered; the type of topsoil, topography of the land, drainage, weather and several other factors. These are necessary to construct high quality court of good tolerance to tennis wears with manageable maintenance cost.

This court like the clay court is also a packed one skilfully constructed with irrigation priority. The court has about four layers categorized into drainage layer, binding layer, top soil and finally the grass frosting. The drainage layer is composed of hard stones uniformly packed to about six inches with some drain pipes.

The second layer above it, is a coarse sand layer free of lime for pH control and also serves as a barrier to hinder the top soil from seeping into the drainage layer. On top of this layer is the topsoil rich in nutrient to support the growth of the grass. This layer is a sensitive part of the court and thus consumes time in its construction. This layer is made up of clay or sand with a good measure of organic matter to support the growth of the grass.
Grass Courts looks more complex to construct and thus specialized constructors are employed to do that.

Types of Grass Used – The Type Matters!


These courts characterised by lower bounce of balls is as a result of the type of grass used for the surface. The grass types currently used for the court are;

  • Bentgrasses (Agrostis spp.): A. castellana, A. tennuis, and A. stolonifera are the main types of this grass that can be used for grass tennis court. The A. stolonifera bentgrass type is referred to as creeping bent whiles the other two as browntop bent.‘Highland’ browntop bent, popular name for A. castellana is the most common bentgrass used in for tennis court which can grow during winter with its colour maintained. However, these grasses cannot withstand continuous use and thus cannot make a good field for major tennis tournament.
  • Red Fescues (Festuca rubra L.): There are three varieties of them namely Chewings, Slender and Strong creeping. They have shiny, needle-like leaves and are able to withstand drought compared to other grass species. Among these three types, the slender red fescues have better performance for tennis court use in terms of maintenance and ability to tolerate abrasion.
  • Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.): This type of grass has a rapid growth with high fertilizer requirement. Due to its growth nature it requires fairly high maintenance and can be used for tennis courts where tournaments are played regularly.
  • Smooth-Stalked Meadow Grass (Poa pratensis L.): This grass upon its initial test for tennis court use was found to have tolerance to wears close to perennial Ryegrass. But upon further test failed to produce good result although is seen to be a promising one for tennis use.

Sometimes two or three of these grass types are blended for a grass tennis court. This is very necessary in cases where a balance is needed for both performance and maintenance.

Challenges About the Court – Adapt a Play Style


This court is known to be the fastest court because the ball bounces with very low friction losing just a small fraction of its speed. Also, the ball exits at lower angle compared to the other courts. This lower angle may seem like the ball doesn’t bounce at all.

The fast-moving ball requires quick reaction by players and those with speed and power perform very well on this court. Also, the serve and volley type of players get upper hand in games on this court.

The grass court is known of its beautiful display of arrayed lawn but comes with high maintenance cost as compared with the rest. It also become slippery when in contact with water and balls skid very fast making it difficult to play at times.
Also, the small exit angles of ball forces players to bend most often to return shots. The regular bending may cause joint injuries sometimes.

Famous Players of this court – “Title Winners”


The challenges posed by the different court types make it difficult for one be a champion of all. So, it is either you are specialist at one or you are Jack of all trade but master of none.

Among these great players, Roger Federer is the most astounding grass court player with 65 consecutive wins on grass court from 2003 to 2008 in the Open Era. And He continues to win major championships held on these courts.

Other players who have won at least five major tournament single titles on this court are Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, John Newcombe, Björn Borg, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King and Chris Evert.

Final Words – Do You Have the Skills for Grass Court?

It is a great adventure to try something new. Playing on different types of tennis court surfaces might require transfer of knowledge but believe you me, the feeling is different. You can’t really play as they way you do. You might have to adjust to that new surface court’s play style.

If you want to enjoy fast game, this is the court for you. Try it and do well to share your experience in the comment below. You can always come around and share with folks through the comment what you have discovered personally about this court surface too.

 

 

The Clay Tennis Courts – “Slow Courts”

The Clay Tennis Courts – “Slow Courts”

As briefly described in the tennis court types, the clay tennis court is characterized by the speed with which the tennis ball travels as compared to the other tennis court surfaces. Because of its tendency to slow down the ball, it robs players of the merits of big serves.

Since the advancement of the tennis game into a real-time profession for players, the governing bodies have done a great job to transition from the natural court types to ones engineered by specialists. These courts surfaces used in modern tennis have been designed to meet certain specifications giving rise to different paces in the tennis game.

The clay tennis court designed for tennis games of this time is quite different from the natural one from history.

Court Construction and Materials Used


Although the court is termed as clay but beneath the surface are layers of materials carefully lined to ensure the compactness of the field. The thickness of materials used at each layer of the field gives its characteristic properties and hence influence the style of play.

The clay court can be viewed as a packing bed constructed from bricks, stones, shales and other material aggregates. It consists mostly of four layers of different stones of varying sizes packed on top of each other. The stones at each level are of uniform sizes to ensure effective drainage and the courts are sloped slightly to aid the water drainage. Usually, the natural clay court takes 2 or 3 days to dry.

It is about 3 feet deep and on top of the base is covered with thick powdered limestone and 3 millimetres of fine or coarse frosting. For firm compactness, it is rolled flat.

Types of clay courts


From the general construction materials used for the clay courts, it can be stated that clay courts are not actually made of clay entirely. So why then call it clay court? The name of the court comes from the frosting used and thus clay court because the surface is made of clay.

There are two types with respect to the colour: red and green clay court.

The Red Clay Court – The Commonest

The Clay Tennis Courts – “Slow Courts”

This is the commonest type used in the French Open. In this type the topmost layer of the court is derived from particles crushed from bricks. These bricks are fire burnt giving rise to the red colour. The particle size of the crushed bricks influences the drainage ability of the court.

Very fine particle frosting takes longer time to dry as compared to the coarse ones.

The green clay court – A Green Clay?

The Clay Tennis Courts – “Slow Courts”

This is a fast-dry court branded as Har-Tru. As the red clay court is made from the fire burnt clay bricks so is the green court made from crushed loosed particles of metabasalt (formed as a result of volcanic action). This volcanic stone is naturally green and its hard nature provides properties different from that of the red clay court.

The source of this surface material makes the court slightly faster and harder. The Volvo Car Open is one of the women’s tournaments that plays on this Har-Tru tennis court.

About clay courts – Facts


As there are several options presented to one as to which surface material to use for a tennis court, it is expedient to know the pros and cons that come with them. The clay courts can be associated with the following:

  • Easy and cost less to construct: Comparatively, it cost far less in making a clay court since the special skill is packing materials of different sizes in layers which is more natural.
  • Health Benefit: The clay particles which is more granular enables players to slide on court surface. This reduces drastically joint injuries which is so much common on hard surface courts. In a half year period, it is discovered that fifty percent of tennis players are likely to suffer from an injury due to the court surface and the shoes worn by the player.
  • Unique playing characteristics: Playing on clay courts require one to develop strategies and skills that promote endurance and patience. This is because the consistent slower ball bounce on clay courts results in longer rallies, stronger strokes and much coordination. This has now been an encouragement from the United States Tennis Association to their players to train on clay tennis courts.
  • Cooler Surface: When there is a downpour, the court retains moisture which evaporates during hot periods leaving the surface cooler than hard surface courts.

Asides these laudable advantages that come with the clay court it poses the following disadvantages:

  • Comparatively, high maintenance costs: For the court to be in good shape every time, the surface must be flattened with rollers and lines drawn as well. Also, the surface must be renewed if it dries out which cost a considerable amount of money to replace.
  • Damage to clothing and footwear: A player wearing white cannot be said to leave the game with only sweat in the attire but with stains on clothing too. When the court is wet, the clay build-up under the shoes of players which is inconvenient sometimes.

Court Style of Play – Observed from the Specialists!


The “slow” termed court are well enjoyed by players who meet the skill set requirements and thus win for themselves titles. Most players who find success at the French Open have the stronger defensive ability and are able to endure for long play.

The players ace their opponents out by strategic ground strokes that generate strong top spins and drop shots. The tennis game on a clay court is not more of running and stopping as on the grass or hard-court types but of sliding into the ball during the stroke. Also, the rallies require much physical strength and appreciable level of mental focus.

Great Players of This Court – The Clay Court Specialists!


Players with a good grasp of the clay court tactics have recorded for themselves great achievement in major tournaments at French Open. These players are sometimes referred to as specialists of the clay courts because they mostly excel on clay courts. Most of them have not won any championships on other court types.

Male players with remarkable achievement on clay courts: Rafael Nadal – “The King of Clay”. Thomas Muster, Gustavo Kuerten and Juan Carlos Ferrero have won tournaments on other surfaces but have won major titles only at the French Open whiles Sergi Bruguera, Albert Costa and Gastón Gaudio have won almost all their career titles on clay courts.

Females: Virginia Ruzici, Anastasia Myskina, Iva Majoli, Sue Barker, Ana Ivanoic, Francesca Schiavone, Jelena Ostapenko and Simona Halep.

Tennis Court Types – Knowing the Field

Tennis Court Types – Knowing the Field

Tennis court, a field where tennis game is played, is a rectangular grid somewhat like the table tennis platform. This field from history has undergone series of modifications from dimensions through material of construction to other factors determined by the governing bodies. However, the tennis of today has four main court types based on the surface material used to construct.

Overview of the Court Types

As stated earlier, the tennis game enjoyed by professionals and the public has the following court types:

Each court comes with its skill set requirements to overcome the challenges it poses to players. Tactics such as speed, agility, coordination and level of endurance of a player may vary from one court to the other. It is quite rare to find a professional player who is a master of all the tennis court types. Let delve briefly into this court types.

Clay Tennis Courts

Tennis Court Types – Knowing the FieldClay courts are the kind of courts that require much endurance and demands more strength. The clay used on the surface of the court is derived from brick, shale, stone or other aggregate of minerals loosely bound together. These source materials are crushed into smaller particles which are combined with other additives to meet standard specifications.

Under this type, comes two sub types due to the colour of the clay material namely red and green clay court. Among the grand slams, the French open is the only tournament that uses the clay court. It has been the only tournament which has maintained this court from its inception despite the modifications on the other grand slams. This makes its tournament unique. For full content of this click here.

Grass/Lawn Tennis Courts – From the Origin!

These courts are the fastest types which have come a long way with the history of tennis game. In the early stages of tennis development, it was commonly called lawn tennis court. It seems to be fading out of the system but people sometimes use it to distinguish the tennis game from table tennis.Tennis Court Types – Knowing the Field

These courts are made of grass lined in different designs which make an awesome display. It comes in different colours and types of grass used which give them unique characteristics. They are predominant in Wimbledon Championship.

Hard Tennis Courts

The name of this court type got me into thinking on the first time I heard of it. Is it a court based on difficulty level or the field on which it is played is very hard? Don’t be carried away too, it is a court classified according to the type of surface material used.

Tennis Court Types – Knowing the FieldThese courts come in many colours and are suitable for several styles of spin demanding less physique as compared to the clay type of courts. They are mostly constructed from synthetic materials layered on concrete. These courts are mostly used on the professional tour among the US Open and Australian Open.

Carpet Tennis Courts

What comes to mind when you hear of carpet court? Can you guess? It is a court which is similar to the normal carpet concept that you and I know. The surface material of this court is nylon, rubber or polymer which can be folded in rolls. It is sometimes referred to as indoor court by people. This can be folded into sheets and spread on any suitable surface which can be inside a room or outside on suitable ground.

Tennis Court Types – Knowing the FieldOne can regard it as a carry-on court because you can carry it anywhere. It also has two main types which are indoor and outdoor versions. This court has the highest injury record because of its nature and thus its use in major professional tournaments retarded in 2009 to reduce injury cases.

Indoor and Outdoor Courts – Are they types?

These terms are commonly used but are not considered as court types. They are used as a qualification to the setting of that court. Any of the main types of the court described above can either be termed as an indoor one or outdoor based on the confinement.

Tennis games played indoors are void of any environmental interruptions such as wind which can be very disturbing sometimes as compared to the outdoor ones. The court types briefly explained above can be adapted for indoor or outdoor use in any tournament depending on individual’s choice. But the most common type of the courts normally used is the hard court.

Historically, there are number of championships played in an enclosed area with different court surfaces. The Davis cup mostly use a clay court type for its matches played indoors. These courts normally have underground watering systems used for the maintenance of the court. Also, with good lighting system, the 2012 Wimbledon Championships were completed on a lawn court played indoors. Beside these, other court types have been used indoors for the following tennis games: Halle Open on grass court, London Indoor Professional Championships and World Covered Court Championships.

One of the most important tennis tournament played indoors currently is the ATP World Tour Finals. Most of the major tennis championships are played outdoors which are common to find.

What’s Your Experience on These Courts – In Conclusion

Tennis Court Types – Knowing the FieldIf you are a fun of tennis game, I believe you have had some experience on one or two of these types. Was the feeling the same? I remember my experience when I first played on a hard court after several training on clay tennis court. I was kind of disappointed in myself because I couldn’t really flow well for the few hours. It took me some time to get accustomed to it before I could play a smooth game. So the feeling is not the same in my opinion.

I guess you have your experience too. Do well to share yours in the comment box below and I will be glad to get back to you. If you haven’t got that experience, then I will recommend you to acquaint yourself with these posts (clay, grass, hard, carpet) to see if the feeling is the same when playing on these courts.