Tennis question

[lendaddy]

I am about to start playing again and want to have my racquet restrung for maximum spin. What string and instructions should I give them with that in mind? FWIW I have a couple year old HEAD Radical oversize. Should I get a different racquet if I have max spin in mind?

FWIW my ability is probably a 4 on a 10 scale But I really enjoy playing.

Thanks

[gassy]

Can't help with any of your questions but if you ever wanna meet halfway and play a match, beers are on me! I'd say I'm a 4 too.

[lendaddy]

That could happen, give me half the summer to approach competence and we'll talk.

[twait01]

A lot of the pros are stringing Luxilon Big Banger rough for spin. But most major brands have a line that is made to produce more spin. One short coming is that some of the best string for spin such as gut doesn't last very long. If you start hitting with a lot of spin plan on re-stringing every few months.

[Por_sha911]

Get it strung "loose" to get more spin.

[t951]

I thought loose meant more power, ie less control. Spin is a control thing. The ball compresses against the tighter strings which give less trampolinig and more ability to roll the ball.

What I am trying to say is clear in my head, but I cant seem to type it out....

[ed martin]

I used to play a ton of tennis up until a few years ago. Played some college. Head?! I think your thinking state of the art 70's technology. I do believe what you want to enjoy the game is an oversized graphite. If the strings are too loose your going to lose control.

[911pcars]

For max. spin, try "spaghetti" stringing the racket. I tried it briefly years ago for a test when my brother had a tennis shop. As I remember, strings are strung in a double row with offset instead of on a flat plane. The tension is low as well. The result is tremendous ball grip by the strings and great spin but at the expense of power. However, at the rec. level, that's often good enough. I could serve and cause the ball to bounce almost 75º sideways, and being a southpaw, doubly weird for the receiver. But it's a gimmick. True topspin is a technique using an arm swing so the racket contacts the ball on an upward arc. Different motion to create slice. The new racket materials make it easier to do. The pros hit with spin, power and placement. In their hands, the racket is like a toothpick and the ball is but a blur.

I love the game but some pinched nerves caused me to quite a few years ago.

Sherwood

[lendaddy]

Thanks guys, good info.

I get the physics of what causes spin but my body just doesn't comply for some reason I have no trouble serving with slice and can put a sick amount of backspin on a ball but topspin is very hit/miss for me. I'm sure my technique sucks and the best luck I've had was to envision "pulling" the racquet up on an angle as opposed to swinging it...if that makes any sense????

Anyway, thanks again.

[GDSOB]

Bend your knees. Start low, finish high. As we age, the bend your knees part ain't so easy...

[twait01]

It took me awhile to change my swing to hit with more topspin. A lot of frustration and miss hits. I changed my grip to a full western which kind of forced me to swing with more upwards arc and that helped me learn it more quickly I think.

[Mo_Gearhead]

I have been playing tennis and stringing racquet's for 25 years.

There is not a string out there that will produce spin. Spin is induced on the ball by the angle that the stringbed contacts the ball. Factors are: The grip you use, whether the racquet face is open or closed, racquet head speed and whether you are hitting from high to low (slice) low to high (topspin) or side to slide (spin/slice).

Granted there are (rough) textured string types (Prince Topspin,
Gamma Rough, etc.) ... but they will NOT help you hit with more 'spin'. The ball is in contact with the stringbed for milliseconds.

Low tension produces Power... more tension increases Control.

Hitting topspin: One of the best analogies I like is ... imagine the ball is a clock face. 12 top, 6 bottom, etc. With a slightly closed face racquet grip (top of racquet closer to the net that the bottom), imagine you are trying to strike the ball and make the 6 rotate up over the 12, racquet of course starts low behind and sweeps up wards as contact is made.

[twait01]

I don't know if this helps either, but I noticed that when I started to swing for more top spin my miss hits tend to be moonballs that still tend to drop in, whereas before they would either hit the net or go long. I haven't been playing for very long but so far I really love the sport.

[lendaddy]

OK, should the racquet be horizontal at impact or should the butt be above the head? Vice versa? It really looks to me that the pros pull up from the handle or "lead" with the handle. Is that correct?

[lendaddy]

I think this guy's got it down

[Sarc]

Originally posted by lendaddy
I think this guy's got it down

Yep, Roger's not too bad. ;-)

[Mo_Gearhead]

In a 'perfect' world, where you are making contact in the 'strike zone', the racquet would be horizontal. But the world is imperfect, and so all the ...moving to the ball, getting set, getting the racquet back, making contact, hitting through ...there are many variables.

If you take the ball early, (ball out in front of 'strike zone') the racquet head will probably be up, if taking the ball late, the head will be lower (in the arc/swing).

That is why they (professionals) make it look so easy. PRACTICE, PRACTICE! They anticipate the bounce, move well, get set up early, WATCH THE BALL HIT THE STRINGS, follow through ...etc.

Love the game!

[911pcars]

The object is to get to the ball and hit it in the same relative position.... every time. The pros can compensate better if it's not ideal.

Sherwood