Listed below are some of the most common question I get asked about racquets, stringing etc… If you have a question that is not listed, or some more specific, please contact me via the 'Contact' page where I will endeavour to give you the answer.

 

Q. What racquet should use?

A. Everyone plays a different game and your choice of racquet should depend on your technique. In general players with short, compact strokes should use light, stiffer racquets; players with long, fast strokes should use more flexible, control oriented racquets; and those with medium speed and length of stroke should use racquets in-between.

 

Q. What grip size should I use?

A. The size you should use is dependent on the size of your hands. There are several ways to tell which is the best size to use, but it is better that the player feels comfortable holding the racquet and that is does not twist when hitting the ball. If unsure which size to get when choosing a racquet it is better to get too small than too big as it is easier to build up a grip than to reduce it.

 

Q. Which string should I choose?

A. There is a wide variety of strings available, all designed to play differently. Some can last longer, while others offer better playability. You should decide which characteristic you would like which would enhance your playing style.

 

Q. What tension should I have my racquet strung at?

A. The difference in string tension is one aspect that will affect how the strings perform. The tighter they are strung the greater control and spin, but the power level is lower and the string won’t last too long. Conversely the lower the tension the more power is produce and the strings will last longer, but the control level will be reduced. This assumes that the racquet and the string is the same.

 

Q. Why should I have my racquet restrung if I have broken the strings within six months, and how often should it be restrung?

A. The strings may not have broken but the playability life of them was lost a long time ago. The playability life of any string is shorter than its durability life. It can be months between these two situations, and during this time you will find it harder to produce power and control as you were used to. It is recommended that you have your racquet string at least as many times a year as you play (on average) a week, but at least once every six months.

 

Q. What is the best string available and would I benefit from using it?

A. The best string is natural gut. It produces the highest levels of power, control, feel and comfort. Its slight downside is that it isn’t as durable as some synthetics, but it does have a longer playability life. Because of the quality of its characteristics most players would benefit from using it unless you're are a frequent string breaker and even then it could be used in a hybrid. As you might imagine you pay for excellence. It costs up to £42 for a racquet to be strung in natural gut.

 

Q. My arm tends to hurt either while I'm playing or afterwards. What could be the cause?

A. There are several reasons why people experiencing arm injuries. On the equipment side the wrong type of frame and/or string choice can cause problems along with having the wrong grip size. Bad or poor stroke technique can also cause problems. I can help with your equipment choices to either avoid injuries or help alleviate them.

 

Q. I find my current racquet is too light or seems to twist when I ht the ball. Do I have to buy a new one?

A. No. With some basic racquet customisation techniques I can help remove these problems.