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  1. #1
    Sharkd Guest

    Need help with new racquet. Babolat?

    1st some personal info. Beginner. I'm 39. 10 years without playing. Now in Florida.
    Old racquet Price Response 110 . Maybe 14 years old. No weight info on the racquet. 5 years since last re-string.

    I got for Christmas a 4 lesson present from my wife at a local C.Club & since then I'm playing 4 times a week . I love it. 1 day lesson/ 3 days games. And I'm learning fast.

    The Pro in a nice way told me that racquets get tired over time and loose some of their good qualities. In other words , It's time to get rid off that dinosaur & he said to look for a oversize /11 oz./27in.long.

    I like the Babolat line and I don't want to buy & learn again on a huge racquet. And in a couple of month have to buy a smaller racquet again.

    Question.
    Can I ignore the oversize recommendation and force myself to learn on a 100 in. racquet? Like the Pure Drive or AeroPro Drive.

    Thanks , and please let me know what do you think.
    I want to see everybody's opinion.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    18
    I think as long as YOU don't mind putting up with mis-hits and so forth, then go for a 100 sq. in racket. I will say, though, that mis-hits on the Babolats were tough on my elbow. The frame is stiff. So the negative would be perhaps getting a sore/injured arm.

    As always, try to demo a few rackets before making your purchase.

  3. #3
    Sharkd Guest
    Jay
    So that's the reason why I'm having pain on my right elbow? Mis-hits?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    18
    Well, I wouldn't say that, but they certainly don't help, especially if you have a stiff racket and/or strings. Poor technique is the main cause of elbow pain, but it sounds like you are working with someone who can make sure technique is good. So yeah, it could be an unforgiving racket, or hard strings.

    The pro should be able to recommend some gear to take care of the elbow, so it doesn't get worse. My tennis partner had to miss several months of tennis to fix tennis elbow,so don't let it get to that point!!! No fun at all.

  5. #5
    Sharkd Guest
    I won't. Thanks
    Now about the strings. I have no idea what I have on my racquet, but I can certainly re-string it to that correct tension. So I need to know 3 things.

    1.Tension
    2.Material
    3.Gauge

    I read that these 2 strings are the most comfortable.
    -1. Luxilon Ace 18
    -2. Ashaway Monogut- 17 or 18

    Which way should I go?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Louisville, KY
    Posts
    35
    Technique First, Gear Second
    If the way you’re hitting the ball is the cause of your arm problem, no amount of equipment changes will save you. In most situations, a pro can show you what you’re doing wrong in a one hour lesson or less. Best of all, getting professional instruction on mechanics may save your arm and improve your game at the same time.

    Evaluating Your Equipment
    Gear matters too. Equipment adjustments and changes can also bring relief. Your goal is to reduce the vibration, shock and torque. This is what causes inflammation in wrist or arm tendons. Careful selection of racquets and strings can improve the situation or help you avoid problems.

    Use a Soft String
    A soft feeling string will cushion the impact of the ball by absorbing more shock and vibration. Natural gut is the best possible choice. Some synthetics work much better than others.

    Make the Sweet Spot Bigger
    Bigger sweet spot = hitting more balls in the sweet spot = less vibration. Try using a lower string tension. A 2 – 3 pound reduction in tension noticeably enlarges the sweet spot. If you’re looking at making a racquet switch, remember that racquets with a larger head size will have a larger sweet spot too. Consider moving up a size.

    Restring More Frequently
    String performance declines with age as well as wear. Generally speaking, string performance declines even faster in outdoor playing conditions. Dead strings require your arm to exert more force to produce power. The most arm friendly strings are fresh strings.

    Racquet Changes
    Players with chronic arm problems or severe pain should consider a racquet switch. Where racquets create arm problems, it comes from extra length, light weight, stiffness, or some combination of the three. Eliminating or preventing a problem means choosing a frame that is opposite or at least moderate in those characteristics.

    Consult with an Equipment Expert
    Talk to an equipment expert who has the in-depth knowledge to compare what you’re using now with the latest racquets. Product offerings change constantly.

    Based on feedback both the Volkl DNX and the Prince O-Ring technologies exhibit the best protection for the elbow, suppressing both shock and racquet vibrations.

    I absolutly love Volkl racquets and have had no elbow problems since I switched to Volkl. Natural Gut is the most arm friendly string but some don't want to pay the cost. Gut really holds tension well and since I'm not a string breaker I get about two months before I have to restring. Below is recommendations from several months of feedback. The * asterick marks my favorites.

    Racquet Recommendations


    Head i.X6 OS
    Head FP Instinct
    Prince Triple Threat Bandit MP
    Prince Triple Threat Bandit OS
    Prince 03 Tour Mid, Mid Plus or OS
    Prince O3 White *
    Prince O3 Blue
    Prince 03 Spectrum 95/110
    Pro Kennex Ionic K 15 (new and improved Kinetic Technology)
    Pro Kennex Ionic K 5 (new and improved Kinetic Technology)
    Wilson T5 Triad OS
    Wilson n5 MP or OS
    Wilson n6 95/110
    Wilson n5 Force MP/OS
    Wilson n5 Force 98 or 110
    Wilson T3 Triad (for a stiff racquet- excellent protection)
    Volkl DNX 3 *
    Volkl DNX 8 *

    String Recommendations

    Klip Natural Gut *
    Gamma TNT 17 or 18
    Gamma TNT Live Wire
    Gamma TNT Live Wire XP
    Tecnifibre NRG17
    Tecnifibre TrC 16 or 17
    Wilson NXT 17 or 16
    Wilson NXT Tour *
    Wilson Sensation

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    18
    In addition to the good advice posted above, for strings, natural gut is great for the elbow. It's the priciest of the strings, though. You may want to do a hybrid - half gut, half somethign else. Or, just look for a multi-filiment. These strings will have more "give" in them.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Louisville, KY
    Posts
    35
    Good point about the gut hybrid. Good multifilament strings run $10-$15. You can get a gut hybrid like Klip Adrenalin or Klip Lightning for only a few dollars more $18-$22. This doesn't include the cost of stringing.

  9. #9
    Sharkd Guest
    You guys are really helpful. Following your advise this is what I did.

    I got myself a Price 03 blue (new $102) thinking on the mis-hits and my elbow & 3 sets of wilson NXT Tour ($11 ea.)

    -Do you know if this racquet is more flexible than the Babolat PD that I was looking at 1st.?
    -Now I like to know your opinion on wich tension should I try with this combination.
    Thanks again.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Louisville, KY
    Posts
    35
    The 03 Blue is a nice racquet. I usually recommend tension in the middle range to start and see how that feels. You can then adjust if needed when it's time to restring. The 03 Blue range is 55-65 so 60 would be a good start.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    18
    wow, great price on the racket. Where did you find that at?

    I strung my blue at the higher range - 60-63, hoping for more control at the net, but didnt' really like it that much. My most recent stringing was at 56, and I'm enjoying it a lot more in terms of getting spin on the ball and a bit more power. Just keep notes and adjust your setup as you play more and get experienced with the gear.

  12. #12
    Sharkd Guest
    I got both things on Ebay. Here is the link to that seller. They have more.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-Prince...QQcmdZViewItem

    I didn't know that you own that racquet. Are you happy?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    18
    I love the Prince O3's. I started out with the Blue, but I play a lot of doubles and am aggressive at the net. I found the Blue wasn't quite giving me the control I wanted. So I moved to the Prince O3 Red. Almost the same...the length is just .25" small, and the head size is 105 instead of 110. Not a huge change, but I feel better at the net now. I lost some power, but not enough to cause me too many worries.

    In singles, I'd probably still prefer the Blue because it's more forgiving, but am forcing myself to play with the Red to become better with the smaller head size. However, my partner now uses the Blue and loves it.

    I love the O3 line because of their small increments. It's so much easier to fine-tune exactly what you want in a racket!

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