How to pick the right racket...for you
With so many choices out there, picking a new racket can seem like a difficult process.
The truth is, done right it can be both easy and fun.
There are several things that you need to know before starting the process. Knowing your answer to these questions will make things much easier.
- 1. What racket do you use now?
It’s surprising how many people don’t know the answer to this question. Knowing what you use now gives you a starting point on your search, eliminating many rackets from consideration while focusing on those that are most likely to work.
- 2. What do you want your new racket to do better than your old one?
This is important as it serves to cut down the number of potential rackets. For example, if you want something with more weight, you can zero in on the rackets that are heavier than yours.
- 3. What is your game like?
If you are a hard-hitting baseliner, there are rackets that will work better for you than others. Knowing your game will allow you to focus on rackets that suit your style of play and power level.
Once you can answer the above questions, you are ready to take the next step....
Demo...demo...demo!
While there are sources online that can help you pick a racket, the best advice we could give anyone looking for a new racket is to try before you buy. It is amazing how often people will try something they thought would work for them, and after trying it....hated it! A racket may sound good on paper, but until you hit with it, there is no way to know if it will work.
At MP Tennis, we have a demo program that allows you to try many rackets, while keeping track of what you have tried and liked. We use this information to help you narrow down the search to those rackets that are most likely to work.
When trying out rackets, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- 1. Try to play your normal game with natural swings.
One thing that trying rackets allows you to do is to weed out the ones that don’t suit your game. When trying rackets you should focus on playing your normal game with normal swings. If you feel like you are changing something to make the racket work, you have the wrong racket.
If you feel like you have to swing harder than normal to generate power, then you need to try a more powerful racket. The same goes for having to “hold back” to maintain control on your shots.
The racket should fit your game. You shouldn’t have to alter your normal swing to fit the racket.
- 2. Play with your typical opponents.
If you normally play with hard hitters, try the demos while hitting with hard hitters. If you play a wide range of players, do so with the demos.
A mistake some people make while trying demo rackets is they hit with players who are nothing like those they normally play. It’s possible to really like a racket against a hard hitter while not liking it against weaker hitters. By playing with a fair representation of your average opponents, you will know how the new racket is going to perform against those different styles of play.
- 3. Hitting against a wall or ball machine....only.
When trying demos, hitting on a ball machine or wall can be a help in eliminating rackets that clearly won’t work. However, ball machines and walls are not a good way to make a decision about a racket.
A ball machine shoots the balls to you with consistency that the average recreational player cannot. Let’s face facts, the average person you play hits bad shots with weird spins and a wide range of pace.
A hitting wall gives you no idea of the depth of your shots.
When trying demo rackets, be sure to hit the ones you like the best against human hitting partners, giving you the most ‘match-like’ conditions. After all, the only way to know how a racket will hit during a match is to hit it in a match.
One last tip on trying out demo rackets.
Don’t sell short any one brand. Try something from every brand if you can. At MP Tennis, every brand we carry has top quality, pro-line rackets. You never know what is going to work for you.
When all is said and done, you will know that you have the right racket for you and your game. And knowing you have the right racket the first time you have an important match will make the effort of picking the right one well worth it.
