Articles by Justin diFeliciantonio

Racquet Guide 2013

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:35:00 -0400

The challenge to today’s racquet consumer isn’t that there are too few choices; it’s that there are so many. Go to Web sites of major retailers, and you can choose from more than 300 recent models, each with its own mix of specifications—from head size, shape, length and weight to balance, beam width and string pattern. Add in other key variables that affect performance and feel, such as string (according to the U.S. Racquet Stringers Association, there are more than 800 strings on the market) and tension, and the permutations are seemingly endless.

And that’s not even starting to consider the plethora of manufacturer technologies, which can alter racquets’ playability even further. While most companies this year are integrating existing developments into new makes and models, several racquet makers are unveiling new innovations in 2013. Head, for example, has re-engineered its latest performance racquets with a cutting-edge material called Graphene, whose lightweight, super-strong properties, the company says, allows for optimal weight redistribution and enhanced power and maneuverability. Wilson, meanwhile, as part of its Steam line, has debuted Spin Effect, an unorthodox 16x15 string pattern that, when paired with a monofilament, increases string movement and spin. And Tecnifibre says they’ve brought their T-Fights up to the standards of the ATP World Tour, namely by tightening manufacturing variances and injecting the racquets’ handles with vibration-damping silicone.

Indeed, navigating so much information makes hunting for new sticks daunting. Thankfully, this year’s racquet guide gets a handle on all this wealth of excess. That said, don’t purchase a racquet solely on the basis of our recommendation—treat the reviews as guidelines of racquets’ strengths and weaknesses, and demo those that are appropriate. If you’re in the market for a new stick, we suggest that you sample at least a half dozen potential candidates, then elect the frame that plays best. The notion of a “perfect” racquet is illusory. Even so, racquets are all different; some will undoubtedly mesh better with your game than others.

Finally, don’t underestimate how much string can affect a racquet’s playability. Beginners and others who hardly ever break strings would do best to use a soft, high-quality multifilament or, ideally, natural gut, both of which can go a long way toward improving comfort, reducing the likelihood of arm injury and maximizing shots’ power and depth. Fast-swinging players with Western grips looking for additional topspin might consider stringing with a monofilament (i.e., polyester) at low tensions (high 40s to low 50s in pounds). Compared to gut or multifilaments, monofilaments are generally harder on the arm—and so caution is warranted for players with a history of injury—but the increase in spin can be considerable. Talk to a knowledgeable tennis professional; he or she will be able to help select the string that’s right for you.

Happy hitting.

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How We Test

We requested at least four samples of every racquet reviewed. Each model was strung with the manufacturer’s recommended string and tension to optimize the frame’s playing characteristics. Racquets were then distributed to playtesters based on their level of play. Tennis editors and recreational players participated in our evaluations, with Tennis’ racquet advisor Bruce Levine, manager of Courtside Racquet Club, in Lebanon, NJ, lending court time and expertise throughout the process. We also compiled quantitative data, such as racquet length, weight, head size, balance and beam width. That way, players can compare the frames’ specifications. (All relevant measurements correspond to strung racquets.)

We tested the racquets thoroughly, identifying possible matches for a variety of player types, ability levels and stroke styles—from short-swinging beginners who specialize in doubles, to intermediate power baseliners and advanced all-courters. Racquets were evaluated using a number of criteria, including power, control, comfort, maneuverability and overall playability. Each tester was encouraged to try a racquet for as long as it took to get a feel for its particular playing characteristics. In many cases, testers returned to a frame a week after they first hit with it just to be sure that they liked it.

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The Specs

To make it easier to compare racquets, we’ve filled this chart with all of the pertinent technical information. Head size is the area of the racquet head in square inches. The bigger the head, the bigger the sweet spot. Length is from the cap of the handle to the top of the head. Longer racquets provide more leverage on serves and greater reach on volleys and groundstrokes; shorter racquets are more maneuverable. Stationary weight is how much the racquet weighs when strung. A light racquet will be more maneuverable, a heavy frame more stable. Swingweight is a guage of how heavy the racquet feels when you swing it as measured by a Racquet Diagnostic Center; the lower the number, the greater the maneuverability. Construction refers to the extent to which the racquet flexes on impact. A flexible frame bends more and gives you additional control and feel, while stiffer beams offer more power but less control. By taking into consideration both RA measurements and playtesting experiences, we categorized frames as flexible, firm, stiff and very stiff. In the Balance column, HH stands for head heavy and HL for head light. Pt. stands for 1 point, which represents a 1/8th inch difference between the racquet’s balance and its midpoint. Beam width is a measure of the thickness of a racquet’s sidewalls. Some frames have a constant width (one number), while others taper from one width at the top of the head to another at the base of the head (listed as two or three numbers). Thick racquets are usually stiffer and more powerful, while thin frames tend toward greater flexibility and richer feedback. String pattern lists the number of main strings (up and down) first and crosses (side to side) second. The tighter a string pattern, the stiffer and more control-oriented the string bed is; the more open the string pattern, the looser and more powerful the string bed. Ideal swing is the type of swing for which the racquet is best suited. Typically, beginners have more compact, slower strokes and advanced players have longer, faster strokes. NTRP recommendations will help you target racquets that are appropriate for your skill level.

Bonus: Which Racquet is Right for Me?

This useful chart can point you to the frame best suited for your game.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS YEAR'S REVIEWS

Question of the Day: Tensioning Outermost Strings

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:24:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

Your recent piece about how to tie stringing knots was helpful, but it left me wondering how to tension final mains and crosses. For example, when pulling the last cross of a one-piece stringing job, right before clamping and tying off the knot, do you advise increasing the reference tension (in order compensate for potential knot-related tension losses)? Or should last strings be pulled at the same tension as all the others?—Bill V.

*****

On this question, Bill, I’ve seen stringers go both ways. Some will pull an extra few pounds of tension on those strings immediately preceding knots—so as to make up for lost tension when that knot is tied and the clamps are released—while others keep the tension consistent with the rest of the stringbed. Often, the stringer’s technique depends on the preference of the player he or she’s stringing for; many players don’t like their outermost mains and/or crosses to move, in which case a stringer will crank up the tension on those strings to keep them in place.

That said, the smartest approach to this question is, most likely, to not pull that extra tension. As the U.S. Racquet Stringing Association argues, with a good deal of persuasion in their Techniques Manual, “[We do] not recommend this procedure because shorter outside mains [and crosses] don’t require as much pull-tension to be as tight as longer, center [ones]…In short, we suggest normal tensions on tie-offs, which may result in some tension loss on the outermost main (or cross). If customers complain about this string being too loose, you can explain that these strings are far away from the racquet’s sweetspot. Also, mis-hits will actually be less jarring if outer mains are not tensioned as high as the center mains. Stringers who are intent on increasing tension on tie-offs should not go higher than 5 pounds above normal tension.”

In my opinion, it’s this last bit—on the positive correlation between high tensions and jarring mishits—that’s the most compelling reason not to overtighten outside strings. So keep your tension in a normal (i.e., consistently low) range. The next time you frame a shot, your arm will thank you.

Question of Day: Tennis in the Elements

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:23:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

I’ve always been interested in weather phenomena surrounding sports, especially their effects on competitions. What comes to mind when you think about this in tennis?—Tom B.

*****

Interesting, Tom. No doubt you’d agree that weather is the ultimate x factor in sports. It’s a variable that acts indiscriminately, playing favorites only in the sense that it reveals those athletes with, or exposes those without, the wherewithal to make adjustments. You only have to think back to last year’s blustery U.S. Open semifinal between Tomas Berdych and Andy Murray. After a morning full of rain, the wind picked up, and Berdych, as he admitted afterwards, couldn’t cope. His high toss became a liability, both technically and psychically.

Then there’s just the weird. I imagine most sports fans carry, somewhere in our minds, a repository of bizarre sports-weather lore. Most of mine grows out of stories told to me by my father, a Philadelphia native. I think about Eagles fans, in 1968, pelting Santa Claus with snowballs at half time. Also the Flyers losing their arena, in 1978, when high winds took apart the roof of the Spectrum. And finally, on an extremely windy day in 1976, there’s Mark Edmondson, ranked just No. 212 in the world, upsetting defending champion John Newcombe for the Aussie Open title.

For many, Edmondson’s victory remains the biggest upset since the inception of the ATP rankings, in 1973. (Edmondson was ranked so low, the story goes, that he had only months earlier taken a job as a janitor to fund his travels.) But surely, Ed. v. Newk. is also up there in terms of adverse weather conditions. As Randy Walker tells it, in his book On This Day in Tennis History, the players couldn’t take the court until half an hour after the scheduled start time, because of “45 mile-per-hour wind gusts and a temperature drop ‘from 104 degrees to 79 in five minutes.’” High winds persisted throughout the match until Edmondson sealed the win, becoming, to this day, the last Australian to win his native tournament.

Any weather-related memories of your own? Draft out a comment, and share them with us below.

Question of the Day: Cooked Racquets

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:55:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

I tend to stow my racquet bag in the trunk or backseat of my car while I’m at work. But as it’s getting hotter down here in the South—and even hotter in parked cars—should I be worried about the heat affecting my racquets’ and strings’ playability? Or is this not too big of a deal?—Peter J.

*****

This is common but important question, Peter, to which the answer is pretty straightforward: For the health of your racquets and strings, you should never stow your racquets in a car on a scorching day. Nor should you, for the same reason, check your racquets with an airline when flying. As the authors of Technical Tennis explain, “Ten minutes in a really hot car will drop the string tension by at least a few pounds, permanently. The string tension will rise a fraction in winter, or in a fridge, but it won’t rise back to the tension before you cooked the strings. If you travel overseas with your racquet, take it on board the plane with you (if you are allowed). Ten minutes on the tarmac will ruin your string tension, and it might even soften the frame.”

“In some of these cars,” says Hunter Hines, Dunlop’s Director of Product Development, “it can get to be over 150 degrees in the summertime, sometimes even hotter. It depends on the material and so forth, but as it gets hotter, it’s going to change the tension maintenance and elasticity properties of a given string. The other thing is, when you’ve got a racquet in a hot trunk, and there are strings in it under tension, those strings may loosen differently at different times. As a result, the frame can bend out of shape, compromising its structural integrity."

Question of the Day: Reducing Jarring Mishits

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:10:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

I’m a club-level player, 3.5 or thereabouts. I want to know how I can stop my racquet from stinging my hand on mishits. Not that I mishit all the time, but when I do, it is not a comfortable feeling. I currently use a Babolat Pure Drive strung with RPM Blast at 60 pounds.—Bert C.

*****

It’s never a fun day, Bert, when you’re mishitting the ball badly; not only do the resulting shots go awry and take on undesired trajectories, the impacts themselves can really jar the hand. It goes without saying that the best way to do away with this feeling is to improve your technique; learn to hit the ball on center, and the jarring will cease. As we all know, however, that’s easier said than done. So what’s there to do?

Consider the following: Lower your tensions. Physicists have established that, for a variety of reasons, stiffer (i.e., tighter) strings play a sizable part in intensifying “bad vibrations,” especially at the edges of the stringbed, where, due to the shorter lengths of the strings, tension can register even higher. Indeed, according to physicist Rodd Cross, in The Physics and Technology of Tennis, mishitting the ball with stiffer strings “cause[s] the handle to vibrate more and to slam into the hand at a higher speed,” in part because, compared to softer stringbeds, the ball rebounds more quickly.

What’s that have to do with anything? As Cross explains, when a tennis ball dwells on a stringbed for a longer period of time, it’s able to function as a gigantic vibration dampener, not just of string vibrations but frame vibrations as well. This is especially the case for stiffer racquets, like your Babolat Pure Drive.

Long story short: Try lowering your tension 10 to 15 percent. You may even want to experiment with natural gut or a high-grade multifilament string, as these tend to play much softer (i.e., less jarring) than poly blends like RPM Blast. Good luck.

Question of the Day: Basic Stringing Knots

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:31:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

I’m currently learning how to string. One topic I don’t quite understand is knots. What’s the best way to make a tie-off knot? If you’re stringing in two pieces, how do you recommend tying a knot that starts the crosses?—Peter S.

*****

These are important questions, Peter. Knots are a crucial endpoint when stringing. Incorrect technique can compromise a string job by causing it to lose tension. Moreover, in worst case scenarios, bad knots can even cause a stringbed to fall apart completely—not something you want to happen when you’re in the middle of a match.

So let’s start with your first question: Tie-off knots. For most stringers, these knots, which secure the ends of main strings and/or crosses downstream of tension, are best tied using a double half hitch. As the U.S. Racquet Stringers Association makes clear, “To tie a half hitch, remember the word ‘OUT.’ Thread the string Over, Under and then Through—then repeat the procedure again and you’ve completed the knot.”

Indeed, doubling up on the half hitch is important, as single hitch knot is liable to come unfastened or sink deep into the grommet, due to its simple configuration and small size. When installing a very thin string, like an 18 or 19 gauge, it may even be advisable to tie a triple half hitch—that is, three consecutive half hitches—just to make sure that the knot doesn’t slide down into the grommet hole.

Also remember, after tensioning the last main or cross, to leave yourself at least 10 to 12 inches of string to tie-off with. There’s nothing more frustrating than being unable to finish the knot, because you’ve clipped the string too short or measured the entire length of string incorrectly. To tighten the knot, the best approach is to use hand-held pliers. While some use the stringing machine to tension knots, if not done with care, the tensioner can place too much pressure on the knot, causing it to break. Finally, after the knot has been secured, clip the tail down below the racquet’s sidewall, so that it’s about 1/8th to 1/4th an inch long. Cut the length too long and leave it above the sidewall, and the tail may cut the player; cut it too short, and the knot may slip out of place.

As to your second question: A different knot, apart from the half hitch, is required when tying knots at the start of crosses. (These knots are only necessary, as you note, when working with two pieces of string.) Starting knots, unlike tie-offs, are designed to be larger to, again, prevent against slipping down into the grommet hole, as well as resist breakage upon first tensioning the string. (“A starting knot,” the USRSA explains, “does not place pressure on the anchor string.”)

Stringers, over the years, have devised a number of different starting knots. The “figure-eight” and “fishing” knots are two that are commonly used; the former is among the bulkiest, and is good for stringing racquets with big grommets, while the latter has the advantage of being, in USRSA terms, “free floating,” meaning that “it can be pulled against the frame without tying the knot to an anchor string [as] you’re tying it against itself.”

For diagrams of the standard tie-off knot, a.k.a. the double half hitch, as well as three viable starting knots, see the above diagrams, excerpted from the USRSA’s Racquet Service Techniques Manual.

Question of the Day: Posture Shirts

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:01:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

I recently have been suffering from some upper back and shoulder pain, which I think is affecting my tennis. In particular, I feel a bit hunched over when I serve, and have been losing velocity on that shot. I think this may be a result of extended time sitting in front of the computer at work. What are your recommendations?—Albert C.

*****

This is a complex question, Albert. Make sure that you meet with a licensed physician and/or physiotherapist. Understanding the etiology of your pain and how to treat it—including, but not limited to, practicing specific exercises that target the upper back and shoulders—should be some of the first steps you take. It also might be a good idea to cease tennis activity and rest your body for some time.

Having said that, one idea to consider implementing is a posture shirt. According to Todd Ellenbecker, a physiotherapist who works with the ATP Tour, hunching of the back or shoulders can be markers of scapular dysfunction and/or general shoulder debility. Interestingly, many physiotherapists believe that, in addition to daily shoulder exercises, posture shirts can help the upper body assume a healthier position, namely by forcing the shoulder blades back. (For more information about exercise and injury prevention for tennis, visit the USTA's Strength and Conditioning page here.)

As Ellenbecker described the shirts, in a conversation last fall, “Going on a diagonal from your shoulder back along to the middle of your spine, right over the top of the shoulder blade, there are these re-enforced, thicker fabrics. They’re relatively tight. So when you put the shirt on, they actually pull you back. If you’re sitting on a computer right now, chances are that you’re sitting in a slumped posture. Imagine putting on a tight shirt that makes you sit up straight and squeeze your shoulder blades together...Dr. James Andrews, in Birmingham, Alabama, actually did a research study that found that Little League throwing athletes who wore posture shirts increased their velocity by 1 M.P.H.”

One example of a posture shirt is the adidas Techfit Powerweb (MSRP $55; see above photo), a nylon and elastane compression top that, according to the company, is fortified over the scalpular for better posture and form.

Question of the Day: What is "Construction"?

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:39:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

In your articles, you talk a lot about racquets’ “construction.” What are you referring to?—Albert B.

*****

A racquet’s construction, Albert, is often used as a synonym for its flexibility, i.e., the extent of the frame’s rigidity—specifically, how far (and how fast) the frame bends and then springs back (or beyond) its original position on impact with the ball. In general, rigidity corresponds to beam width. Racquets with thinner beams (~19mm to 23mm) are more flexible; racquets with wider beams (~24mm to 30mm) are stiffer.

While there are exceptions to the rule, by and large, manufacturers tend to design flexible racquets for more advanced players and stiffer racquets for beginner- to intermediate-level players. Accordingly, compared to stiffer racquets, flexible racquets tend to be heavier, balanced more head-light, and have smaller heads, all of which make them, overall, less powerful and forgiving on off-center hits and harder to swing.

(Of course, in recent years, these categories have started to blur, as many touring professionals have taken a liking to racquets with thicker, stiffer beams. See, for example, Victoria Azarenka with the Wilson Juice, or Rafael Nadal with the Babolat Aeropro Drive, both very stiff frames.)

Product Profile: Lock Laces

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:32:00 -0400

MSRP: $7.99, pair; $19.99, three pairs

Website: locklaces.com

Facts
Made from the same elastic material as bungee cords, Lock Laces are water-resistant, long-lasting shoelaces designed to provide a secure and comfortable fit beyond that offered by typical cotton or nylon laces. The company claims that, due to its spring-loaded, easy-to-adjust drawstring construction, Lock Laces do not come loose during competition, training, and/or everyday wear, reducing the chances of lace-induced spills. Lock Laces also provide sustained compression across the foot, increasing oxygen flow and athletic endurance, according to the company. Of use to runners as well as tennis players, the laces come in 13 different colors, from black and brown to cool gray, hot pink, and orange creamsicle. Each retails for $7.99 per pair.

Impressions
Lock Laces, for all intents and purposes, look to be comfortable and convenient on and off the court, blending the easy appeal of slip-on shoes with the additional security of conventional laces. They’re also easy to install: Thread them through your shoes, pull through a cord lock, adjust with scissors and snap a clip on the end, and voila—you’ll never have to tie that pair of shoes again. What’s more, the wide spectrum of 13 colors makes it easy and fun to complement the colors of your shoe collection. While great for high-performance athletics, L.L.s are also a good fit for kids, seniors, and individuals with limited dexterity and/or special needs.

Question of the Day: Illegal Racquets

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:18:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

I was reading your piece about illegal racquets. I’m curious how this applies to tournament match play. For example, say we played a sanctioned league match, you won, but I found out afterwards that you’d used an outlawed racquet—like the liquid-filled Dynaspot—would you have to forfeit?—Jeremy B.

*****

Although it’d be in bad taste, Jeremy, given you discovered the illegality after our hypothetical match concluded, I wouldn’t be required to forfeit the win. See Comment 4.1, in the USTA’s rulebook, Friend at Court. As it reads:

What happens if it is discovered after play has begun that a player has been using an illegal racket or an illegally strung racket? All points played stand. The player must find another racket before continuing play. A player is subject to code violations for delay under the Point Penalty System. If the discovery occurs after the match is over, the match still counts.

This is in keeping with one of the central tenets of tennis, namely that all points played in good faith stand. Technically speaking, it’s illegal to dole out penalties to a player who used illegal equipment post hoc.

Note, however, that the above shouldn’t be read as encouraging the use of illegal racquets. It wouldn’t be in good taste, or good faith!

Overture in Carolina

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:44:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, S.C.—The breeze blows, and the air is tinged with salt. You can just taste it, stinging the tongue, the balmy off-gas of mud and silt, which run in rich brown striations across the brackish waters of the Cooper River, tidal feeder to Charleston Harbor and the Atlantic out and beyond. The breeze pushes north in saline currents, hopping up above the shore, skipping against auto windshields and along the rainbow bends of I-526, now finding its way toward these very confines, here, on Daniel Island, flowing above mazes of parked cars and clustered sponsor demos, tussling with flaps and sleeves and masses of hair, swirling lazily around the madeleine-shaped tops of corporate entertainment tents, and right now cascading over the stadium's tiers, permeating Billie Jean King Court, where it undulates in soft sighs the skirt of Serena Williams, defending champion, who’s just walked through the stadium’s tunnel into the applause of 7,000-odd people. She’s standing on the court’s periphery, along with Jelena Jankovic, her Serbian opponent, waiting for ESPN’s signal to crunch across the ground’s pulverized, green-marine stone toward her chair, to contest the final of South Carolina’s premier WTA tournament, the Family Circle Cup.

Look up, and the sun is beating down in the mid 70s, through a bright blue sky that’s just barely smudged, here and there, by a few wispy, cotton-lint clouds. The temperature isn't disagreeable, but the sun is patently Southern, the light like someone’s turned the contrast knob way up, taken the grey monochromatism of the Northeast winter and bathed it in a palette of glistering orange. The light’s so incredibly bright practically everyone in the stadium, excepting the players, has given up trying to see it. Its solar intensity, unmediated, wastes unprotected ciliary muscles and sends eyelids into squint-induced seizures.

I’m sitting down courtside—in Box 39, in front of a small placard, named for the presently absent “Pink Panthers”—just completely immersed in a sea of white folk, hats everywhere. There are caps that say Gamecocks and Prudential and College of Charleston—the patrons’ tickets stuck to the brims—visors in green camouflage embroidered with Bass Pro Shop, up-side-down baskets with big straw brims fit for golfing at Augusta National, and women in sun hats all over. They expand into geriatric fields, these sun hats, their circumference and floppiness seeming to correlate positively with the wearers’ age and lowcountry allegiance.

It’s just now past 1 p.m. Back on the rubico court, the contenders are still standing by the player tunnel, taking turns telling an ESPN anchorwoman that she plans to “just go out there and play my game.” Both stand very still. They stare out at nothing, stoic, like veteran runners before a long race, anticipating trial and pain. Finally, the TV people give the signal, and the players receive another loud but polite applause as they start the march toward their chairs—actually, plush sky-blue couches—built from a sturdy-looking, mahogany-colored wood.

Upon each step, the players' quads contract into taut, thewy rectangles. Alongside them walks a hairy man of average height, shouldering a camera and trailing an assistant with lengths of cord. The man films mere feet from the faces of Williams and Jankovic, which remain natural and expressionless and afford these men the gravity of gnats. Photographers, facing the players from the chair’s far side, snap shutters through lens attachments the size of traffic lights, generally forming what looks to be a series of ginormous periods, as we all shift glutes in our seats and reach into pockets for camera phones.

The players finally arrive at their chairs, then drape towels over and sink back into their cushions. They root through their bags with a kind of efficient nonchalance, futzing with waters and plastic bags and racquets wrapped in plastic bags, putting straw around their little courtside nests. Another set of cameramen, their long, telescopic Canon DigiSupers not shoulder but swivel-mounted, work on the outer wings of each player’s nest, filming the futzing. These men sit in black-leather office chairs, typical fare from Staples, which they kick around in tight semi-circles like a 10-year-old kid in daddy’s office. The one closest to me, a white-bearded Jerry Garcia look-alike, wears call-center headphones and one those safari, neck-flap hats, color tan. He looks Cyborgian, hands and eyes conjoined to the machine. He never steals a glance outside its view.

Jankovic and Williams now meet across the net for proceedings with Kader Nouni, today’s chair umpire. A coin flips. Williams wins the toss, elects to serve. They about face toward the baseline, handbags at dawn, and begin the warm-up. It’s striking, Serena’s expression: It’s somewhere between indifference and boredom, formed downstream of zen-like concentration, or perhaps calculated intimidation, or maybe even a certain competitive hatred. I can only guess. She wears a neon orange top with elbow-length sleeves that pops in the sun and clings tight to her chest and bra, as well as a dark blue skirt that covers most of her bum, while still. Her brown hair, headband-secured, frizzes out toward her shoulders like overhanging Spanish moss. Jelena is in a peony pink dress, her own hair drawn back ghastly tight into a ponytail. It's like her hair’s painted onto her forehead, it’s so tight, exacerbating the atypical longness of her face. In between rallies, she fiddles her strings and exhales from little mashed-potato cheeks.

Ball girls become mechanical pitching arms, bouncing balls to the players, and soon they’re rallying, jumping rope with their feet. Their shots’ speed and trajectory are similar, but not their strokes. Serena’s groundies proceed in stages—her racquet, a Wilson Blade 104, prepares early and pauses a moment at the motion’s apex, before sweeping through the ball—while Jelena’s, while not exactly more fluid, are more continuous; her Prince, in blacked-out cosmetics, traces uninterrupted circles through the air. Both hold their racquets with Western forehand grips and employ two-handed backhands, the present custom on tour, but Serena’s strings ping a few decibels higher on impact than J.J.’s, marking differences in tension.

Nouni, donning 80s-style stunner shades and a short-cut Afro, sits up in the chair—a kind of children’s car seat, made from white plastic—and calls “time.” His voice is deep and gravid with occasion; it’s James Earl Jones with a French accent, that’s his timbre. The players thump the backstop with a few more serves, and then futz around some more with various implements at the chair. Soon after, they’re back out on court, ready to “play.”

Wizened ushers rush to rope off entrances, as Jankovic positions herself behind the baseline, smoothing out the clay like an infielder before the first pitch. Williams receives balls from various feeders and sashays back to the line. The crowd grows susurrus. Jankovic bounces in place, her hair swinging back and forth like a clock pendulum on speed. Williams, palm down, now dribbles the ball with her racquet, loses it, and then starts dribbling another.

It’s 1:13 p.m. Jankovic is crouching forward, Williams too, tights exposed. Williams sets herself to serve, waits a moment, and then lifts the ball in the air, a spin-less yellow glob. A heartbeat later, and the ball's gone, at its peak velocity this point, smacked into play. In its place appears a poof of stone, which soon dissolves from view, scattered by the wind until settling back into the grit below.

Question of the Day: Managing Pain with Cold Therapy

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:56:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

*****

What are your thoughts on managing pain, particularly knee pain? I’ve had reoccurring pain on my right patella during and after matches, but I’m reticent to start relying on anti-inflammatory medications. (I’m visiting the doctor soon.) Do you have any ideas that I could implement immediately?—Jerry L.

*****

Before considering my advice, Jerry, ensure that you meet with a licensed physician or physiotherapist. Professional consultation, to understand the etiology of your pain and how to treat it, should be the first step that you take. Further, assuming you’re still playing, and depending on the pain’s severity, common sense dictates that you should hold off on tennis for some time and rest your body.

That said, if you’re adamant on continuing to play, you should consider adopting cold therapy—i.e., icing. Consult any medical professional, and he or she will relay to you one of the truisms of injury prevention and treatment: RICE, an acronym that instructs players to Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate the affected areas. As Todd Ellenbecker, a physiotherapist with the ATP Tour, explained to me last fall, applying ice and compression to an injury doesn’t just reduce swelling; by reducing tissue temperatures, it increases local oxygen and blood flow, which is key to decreasing inflammation and acceleration recovery. The most effective time to ice a problem area is immediately following competition, for at least 20 minutes. But it also can help to ice at various times throughout the day, especially when the pain starts to become more apparent.

The traditional, cheap way to RICE is familiar to most athletes: Find a plastic bag, fill it with crushed ice, and place it on the injured area, preferably using some type of plastic wrap for compression. (Another route, albeit a nearly unbearable one, is to immerse your entire leg, up past the knee, in a bucket of cold ice water.) However, today, there are a number of products on the market that claim to provide an even easier and more effective way to RICE.

One such product is Hyperice, a high-tech ice pouch that allegedly works much better than the freezy packs or the ol’ plastic bag. According to the company, Hyperice prevents air pockets from building up between the ice and the affected extremity, maintaining compression and increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. The company says the product is currently being used by a number of players on tour, such as John Isner, Agnieszka Radwanska, Kevin Anderson, and Serena Williams. There are Hyperice wraps for multiple body parts—including the knee, as well as the elbow, hand, shoulder, and back.

Question of the Day: Switching Grip Sizes

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:07:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

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I have two racquets with different grip sizes. One is a 4 and 1/8th, another is 4 and 3/8ths. Is there any harm in playing with different grip sizes (tennis elbow, etc.)? Also, if I just added an extra replacement grip to the 1/8th, to build it up toward a 3/8ths, would I lose any feel with that racquet?—Anthony

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There shouldn’t be any physical harm in switching between racquets with different grip sizes, per se. (Other than possible harm to your match play, due to the jarring change in feel that a broken string in one racquet and the transition to another might occasion.) That said, it is generally acknowledged that smaller grip sizes, all else being equal, can present additional risks for injury. Interestingly enough, they can also present unique performance benefits.

As I wrote last year, on the advantages and disadvantages of different grip sizes, a smaller grip allows a player’s wrist greater range of motion during her swing. This can be positive, especially for skilled players with Western-style games; extra wrist flexion, coupled with good technique, can translate into accelerated racquet pronation while serving and a faster, freer wrist on groundstrokes, both of which can increase pace and spin. It’s no wonder that many top players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal included, choose to play with grips that are narrower than the standard, 3/8ths circumference.

However, at the same time, tiny palettes like your 4 and 1/8, by allowing the wrist all that extra movement, can stress the wrist and other tendons throughout the arm, including those that contribute to tennis elbow. This is why racquet technicians instruct sufferers of tennis elbow, along with other advice, to use a thicker, softer grip.

As for whether building up the 1/8th to a 3/8ths with extra grip will cost you “feel,” it really depends on how you understand the term. If feel, as tennis physicists Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey define it, is the “combined effect of the shock force on the arm plus vibrations of the racquet frame,” then, yes, a thicker grip will reduce feel, as it dampens the sensation of impact. (In this sense, leather grips, as I’ve written, heighten feel, because they allow vibrations to pass relatively unimpeded from the racquet through the grip and into the hand.)

But on the other hand, if your sense of “good feel” is playing with a bigger, rounder grip, then logically the change will be for the better. Personally, I think of good feel as my ability to discern the handle’s bevels, or edges; in my experience, playing with additional replacement grips and/or overgrips is a bad recipe for good feeling, as a thicker grip mutes those edges. But that’s just me.

As you decide on your grip size, don’t forget the obvious: A grip should be comfortable, and it should fit your hand. If you have gigantic, Ivo Karlovic-type hands, obviously you’re going to need to bump up the grip size. Conversely, players with petite digits shouldn’t struggle to hold onto an oversized grip for fear of injury. (For more information on finding the correct grip size, click here.)

My final recommendation would be to consult a knowledgeable racquet technician in your area. He or she should be equipped to effectively build-up your grip, whether with extra grips or a heat-shrink sleeve. Depending on the racquet and the technician’s competency, it may even be possible to switch out the handle for another that’s more to your liking.

Question of the Day: Lightweight, Flexible Racquets

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:02:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

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Does anyone make "women's racquets” anymore? By this I mean a lighter racquet with a flexible frame. Currently, I use a Head Microgel Extreme Team strung with Wilson NXT Tour at 55 lbs.—Penny Maag

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While I understand the thrust of the question, Penny, I have trouble conceptualizing what “women’s racquets” would really feel and play like. Among women, just as there are a number of different playing styles and ability levels, so too are there a number of diverse racquet preferences. Yes, women, as a whole, do tend to use lighter racquets than men, recreationally and on tour. But doubtless, not all women enjoy flexible constructions; the popularity of certain stiffer, game-improvement frames attests to this.

That said, you’re right that lightweight, flexible racquets are a minority in today’s market. This is due to the fact that, for the most part, manufacturers make lighter sticks stiffer. Why? In part because, on off-center hits, light frames vibrate more than heavy frames, and stiff constructions are better than flexible ones at muting those vibrations, as the former bends less on impact. (Note, however, that flexible frames, not stiff frames, are superior at decreasing excess shock, which bears more responsibility for arm injuries than excess vibration.) If you’ve played tennis enough, you know that an awful mishit can really sting the hand; the culprit here is bad vibes. Filtered down through a stiffer racquet, that sting feels more like a bump.

(Of course, the best way to increase power, maximize comfort, and reduce the likelihood of injury is to regularly hit the sweet spot. As tennis physicists Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey explain, in Technical Tennis, “The ball speed off the middle of the strings doesn’t depend on racquet stiffness because frame vibrations are not generated for such an impact. Thus, when you hit in the middle of the strings, there is no difference in power between a stiff or a flexible racquet.”)

Nonetheless, if you’re partial to a flexible response, and are looking to replace the Extreme Team with a frame from the same neighborhood, demo the Head YouTek Graphene Speed Rev. The Rev—though half an ounce lighter and a few points more head heavy than your current spec.—plays with a great deal of “give” in the hoop, which you should enjoy. (If the spec. difference is a problem, you or a racquet technician could easily add lead tape to the Rev’s handle, which would increase its weight and balance it more head light.)

However, if head size is an issue—the Team and Rev are 107 and 100 square inches, respectively—consider the Pacific X Force Comp, which measures 105 sq. in., is flexible, and weighs in below eleven ounces.

Question of the Day: Preventing Late-Match Burnout

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:55:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

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I’m a 3.5 player, baseliner, lots of topspin. I’m comfortable in practice, but playing a USTA match has always been a challenge. I usually start relatively strong, but my play fizzles at the tail ends of matches. Because of this, I have trouble closing out opponents. It’s like I get slightly tighter and out of sync as the match progresses. Any insight into how to stop this trend?—Bill S.

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Without a doubt, Bill, learning how to adjust mental and emotional states during the heat of battle is no simple matter. Not only does mental-skill development require practice; it requires strategies. In past columns, I’ve offered two different tacks to improving match focus: One, on the performance benefits of journaling regularly, and another detailing on how mental imagery practice can help curb on-court anxiety. Consider these approaches.

But for the sake of interest, let me offer a third, and perhaps more apt, approach to your late-match nerves: Physiological awareness.

In Mental Training for Peak Performance, author Steven Ungerleider, through a chapter on tennis, interviews Dr. Jim Loehr, a sports psychologist who’s coached Pete Sampras, Gabriella Sabatini, and a slew of other touring pros. One of Dr. Loehr’s major points is that, to maintain a positive mental and emotional approach over the course of a match—and by extension, high-level play—a player must allow his or her mind and body to recover not just during changeovers, but between each and every point. Intuitively enough, the primary marker for this recovery is heart rate. As Ungerleider explains,

Dr. Loehr says that if the heart rate stays high between points (during the resting and recovery zone), then the player is overstressed and headed for early burnout in the match. “The optimal condition between points is a stress/recovery balance, such that the heart rate is typically falling between points, the player is relaxed biomechanically, and breathing returns to normalcy,” he says. “Otherwise, if the EKG is up, the body will be tense, and that translates into tight muscle-reflex action and some bad tennis.”

Indeed, Bill, this kind of stress may be at the root of the problem: By remaining “hyped-up” between points and not getting adequate intervals of rest, you may be tiring mentally, emotionally, and physically as the match progresses, worsening your play.

Which raises the obvious question: How to relax? How to allow yourself a proper between-point recovery? The first step is simple awareness. When the point ends, notice your heart rate, and take deep breaths with the intent of slowing it. Additionally, re-instill belief in your abilities through positive self-talk and relaxed, confident body language. Between points, “[if] you hold the [racquet] too tightly or your jaw is clenched and you are ruminating about the last point that you messed up,” as Ungerleider notes, “then your muscles and emotional memory will contaminate the next series of points,” preventing your heart rate from dropping into that critical resting zone.

(One cool idea: To increase awareness of your match behavior, have someone video tape your actions between points. Says Dr. Loehr, “I want my young, old, amateur, and pro tennis players to see this sequence so that they can experience firsthand their emotions during this in-between-point period…If we can get them to rid themselves of those 3 1/2 seconds of negativity, hold their heads high, achieve new self-confidence, and prepare for the next point with a clean physiological and emotional slate, then we have done good work in our training.”)

All that said, as you put this training into practice, don’t neglect to exert yourself during points. Achieving this balance is tricky, but relaxing when the point ends doesn’t preclude playing hard when it begins. Good luck.

Child’s Play

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:03:00 -0400

These five junior racquets are light, forgiving, and appropriately sized. Designed to allow the games of young players to develop and flourish, each measures 25 inches, the maximum legal length for USTA ten-and-under tournaments. (For more information about selecting the right racquet for your kids, click here.)

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Babolat Pure Drive Junior 25
Price: $69
Length: 25 in.
Head size: 100 sq. in.
Weight: 8.1 oz. (strung)
String Pattern: 16 x 20

The Babolat Pure Drive Junior features the same cosmetic as the adult Pure Drive. With its light weight and mid-plus head size, the P.D. Junior is a good choice for eight to ten year olds (50” to 55” tall) who are just getting into the game, but are nevertheless serious about developing their swings. The racquet is also available in a 23-inch length—for children six to eight years old (45” to 49” tall)—as well as a pink cosmetic.

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Dunlop M3.0 Junior 25
Price: $79
Length: 25 in.
Head size: 98 sq. in.
Weight: 8.6 oz. (strung)
String Pattern: 16 x 19

The Dunlop M3.0 Junior is a good fit for children aged eight to ten. Like its adult-sized, 27-inch iteration, the M3.0 features a graphite construction, which, relative to aluminum frames, offers superior performance and feel. What’s more, the stick is available in a 26-inch length, which, while not compliant with USTA 10 & Under regulations, suits children aged 11 and up who are not quite ready for an adult-sized frame.

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Head Speed 25 Comp
Price: $50
Length: 25 in.
Head size: 102 sq. in.
Weight: 8.5 oz. (unstrung)
String Pattern: 16 x 19

Head’s offering for eight through 10-year-olds is the Speed 25 Comp. Also legal for tournament play, the graphite stick is light and agile, and features a sharp black-on-white graphic. It’s also sold in a 23-inch length for kids six and seven years old.

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Völkl Junior Organix 6
Price: $60
Length: 25 in.
Head size: 100 sq. in.
Weight: 8.3 oz. (strung)
String Pattern: 16 x 19

USTA eligible, the Völkl Junior Organix 6 is designed to jell well with green juniors in the midst of skill development. Völkl says the 6 features a graphite construction, lending the stick additional stability, as well as the Optispot vision system—highlights in the three and nine o’clock positions that provide points of reference to the sweet spot, thus helping players connect with it.

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Wilson Steam Junior 25
Price: $109.99
Length: 25 in.
Head size: 98 sq. in.
Weight: 8.3 oz. (strung)
String Pattern: 16 x 16

The new Steam Junior features a lightweight, maneuverable design, as well as a unique, 16 by 16 string pattern. According to Wilson, this symmetrical string pattern offers additional spin potential and power, much like the 16 by 15 patterns built into the adult-sized, Steam 99S and 105S models. The Steam Junior also comes in 21-inch and 23-inch models for smaller children.

Question of the Day: Flared-Out Grips

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:03:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

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I've read that some touring pros like Stanislas Wawrinka, Robin Soderling, and Michael Russell prefer a grip with a built-up, flared butt cap. What would the benefits of a larger, more flared butt cap offer versus a smaller, more tapered one?—James

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Good observation, James. A number of touring pros, like the three you mentioned, custom build their grips to “flare out” at the very bottom, lending the handle a kind of bell-like shape. (For a photo of Soderling’s racquet, click here. Also see Richard Gasquet’s flared palette here.) Today, there are even a few stock frames that employ the effect, like the Wilson Juice, though the level of flare is much less obvious.

So what’s the point? Why not just stick to a standard circumference? I had the chance to ask Russell this very question during an interview last fall at the U.S. Open. In Russell’s mind, the flared-out grip offers extra leverage, as well as security against slippage, especially when hanging the hitting hand off the edge of the butt cap. As he told me then,

I do build up the butt cap a little bit with athletic tape [before the grip goes on]…It’s kind of like a hockey stick, you know, kind of like that nub on the bottom. I hold the racquet quite low on the handle, and I pull against it on my serve and my forehand. If I didn’t have the athletic tape, then my racquet would probably go flying half the time. Because I also sweat, like, ridiculous.

Stability, tact, leverage: Those seem to be the objective reasons for a flared-out grip. But as with any equipment preference, there’s also a more subjective component, i.e., “feel.” In the past, I’ve tried a few sticks with hockey-like palettes; and without a doubt, that shape changes how the grip rests against the palm of the hand. (I wasn’t too thrilled about the feeling, personally.)

Still, I’d encourage you to experiment with the style, not so much because reputable pros use it, but just for your own sense of feel. There’s undeniably an element of mystery to why certain racquets, strings, and grips are comfortable to some players but not to others. And while this can be frustrating to those of us who want to uncover universal truths about taste, it’s also one of the more interesting facets of the game—as a player, you continually define your own sense of feel. Regardless of your ability level, through enough trial and error, you’ll have that aha! moment, when suddenly you think to yourself, This feels really good. From now on, I’m playing this way.

Question of the Day: Wood’s Last Gasp?

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:02:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

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Who was the last pro player to win a tournament with a wood racquet? I know wooden racquets were viable in the early 80s, but did anyone win anything with one in the ‘90s?—John M.

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Nobody ever won big with wood in the ‘90s, John. But Slovakian player Miloslav Mecir—coolest nickname ever: The Conjuror—came close twenty years ago, in 1989, at Indian Wells. According to Randy Walker’s On This Day in Tennis History, Mecir was “the last player to win an ATP tour event with a wooden racquet when he [defeated] Yannick Noah 3-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in the men’s singles final at the Newsweek Champions Cup.”

More specifically, Mecir took home the title with a Snauwert composite, which combined a graphite laminate with a wooden interior. Composites, because they included wood, generally were heavier and less powerful than full-on graphite frames, which had pretty much come to dominate the tour by the end of the 1980s. That said, composite racquets were supposed to offer a more "traditional" feel, retaining a feedback profile similar to old-fashioned wood.

Any readers who onced played with a composite? Please comment. I've never played with one, and would be curious to know more about the experience.

Also, to those interested in the IW match, take a look below.

Question of the Day: Tennis Shoes for Extra-Wide Feet

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:19:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

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Do any companies other than New Balance manufacture tennis shoes for wide feet? I have a very wide foot type, and finding appropriate shoes has gotten to be a problem.—Krueger

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Unfortunately, Krueger, New Balance is the only brand we’re aware of that offers men’s and women’s tennis shoes, in the U.S., specially for extra-wide feet—specifically, in 2E and 4E sizes. All other brands only offer shoes in the standard D-size width.

Still, if you haven’t already, give a pair of New Balances a try. One shoe I’d recommend you demo is the New Balance 996. (Read our profile of the 996 here.) Unlike many of the company’s more conservative, club-level shoes, which they’re known for, the 996 is built for light-weight performance. The men’s version weighs in at 12.5 ounces (in a size 9.5), the women’s 10 oz (in a size 7), and both feature Probank technology, support near the front of the shoe that New Balance says increases lateral stability. Further, the 996 has a 12-month outsole guarantee—among the longest in the business.

Because we’re still putting the 996 through our weartesting process, I can’t render any judgments about the shoe as of yet. (A review of the New Balance 996 will appear in Tennis Magazine’s 2013 Shoe Guide, in the May/June issue.) That said, there are two other, albeit older, New Balance models you might want to consider: the 1005 and the 1187, both of which we reviewed in the 2012 Shoe Guide. (Read complete reviews of 1005 and 1187, respectively, here and here.)

As I wrote in a blog post last year, “At 12.6 ounces in a men’s size 9, the 1005 is relatively lightweight, but is only appropriate for neutral foot types; the 1187, on the other hand, is appropriate for all foot types, but is almost two ounces heavier than the 1005.”

(To access our 2012 Shoe Reviews, click here.)

Question of the Day: Sourcing Racquet Specifications

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:33:00 -0400

TENNIS.com gear editor Justin diFeliciantonio and his technical advisers answer your equipment questions each day. Click here to send in a question of your own.

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I want to know, with respect to your racquet reviews, where do all the specifications come from? Do companies provide them to you? Or do you take the measurements yourself?—Jim S.

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In our reviews, published on TENNIS.com and in Tennis Magazine, we source racquets’ specifications directly from manufacturers, specifically asking them to provide us with strung measurements. (Compared to its unstrung state, a racquet with string, for obvious reasons, tends to be heavier, have a higher swingweight, and be balanced more head heavy.)

In short, the reason we list manufacturer’s specs. instead of taking our own measurements is so that we can best account for variances in each racquet’s production. One thing you should know is that, when a new batch of certain model ships from the factory, the racquets aren’t all the same; within a certain quality-control range, set by each company, some of the sticks will be lighter or heavier, others will be balanced more or less head light. So when it comes time to write reviews, we list each frame’s “official” median specifications; because we generally receive no more than six of each model for testing, our sample size just isn’t large enough for us to take measurements and say, with complete confidence, that x spec. is at the center of y manufacturer’s factory variance.