Lighter racquets and why you should use them
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I’m definitely curious on the Dunlops CX 200, the LS is still above the 300g range 10.7 strung.. some of the sub 320 racquets seem unstable depending on the frame.. I wonder if the lower stiffness of the CX 200 LS would be an issue? I have an older Tflight 300 and it hit well but the vibrations wreck my elbow, none of my other racquets cause such issues, didn’t matter tension or strings.. the only thing I haven’t tried was multi or gut but I usually use thin gauges in poly or soft versions (cyclone tour or standard 17-18g).. I’m looking at sub 320ish racquets mainly.
This guy is a moron. Even child can play with 300g unstrung. Any half decent club player (i meam 4.5 USA ranking) can play with 320g unstrung. Then it is up to player and swingweight becomes more important. And racket stifness and string bed stiffness.
If you are under a 3.0 level player, an under 300g racquet will work. Over 3.0 level, you will start to appreciate more weight. As you play more tennis, weight, balance, stiffness, and string choices will start to make sense. You will grow with the sport and become a Tennisnerd. 👍 😄
Its gotta be 300+ grams at least. Otherwise at higher levels of play you can literally get "hit off the court".
If you’re an amateur a light racquet is better. Once you start developing you’re technique and get physically stronger, heavier racquets over 330g are the best option
What I don’t see very much is recommendations based on who is actually using the racket. Is it a guy on his 20s? Or a woman in her 40s? IMO this should differentiate recommendations quite a bit.
Very interesting video and concepts shared (as usual – big fan of your videos). I actually started with a Babolat Evoke 102 (graphite infused) I think the weight was 270g (or close to that). I moved to a head radical mp after 6months as my game and passion for the game increased – and I love this radical, but I am super curious to customize the Evoke 102 racquet by restringing with a hyper g and adding some weight to see what it would do- the only concern is that it being made from a lesser frame material the feel might not be very good or worth customizing. What do you think?
I often find myself going back to my Prince 100x Twistpower…. Me likey😊
Hi Tennis Nerd! I need some advice for my 10-year-old son. He’s currently using a 26-inch Head Gravity Junior racquet, but his coach suggested it’s time for him to transition to a 27-inch racquet. I’m considering two lightweight options: the Head Extreme (the lightest version) and the Babolat Pure Aero (also the lightest version).
He mainly plays on clay courts, and I’m looking for something that balances control and power, but isn’t too heavy for him to handle as he adjusts to the bigger size. Which one do you think would be the better choice for him? Any recommendations or insights would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
help me, im a muscular guy, with a fast swing speed… in todays game, is it better to go light racquet with spin strings or… 330g raquet with gut / hybrid low tension? or higher tension?
My arm hurts with light racquets.
The general idea is to use the heaviest racquet you can comfortably maneuver. Light racquets are underrated. If the heaviest racquet one can swing is a 280g frames, it’s perfectly fine. Great video!!! – Munish, TW
Don‘t use ligtht racquets.
I bought a 280g racket and managed to turn it into a 320g strung i feel the head is too light it is very manuverable a little too manuverable to my liking but i will probably add like 5-15 g more. from my experience the lighter racket can cause arm pain but it being a platform racket you can customize it more freely and mold it to your own liking
Racquet manufacturers take the piss when it comes to lite versions.
Wilson had a v8 blade Team and it was just a steam 99 with new paint.
I think the strings should be different too? Maybe 1.20mm and kilos per braid? It will be interesting not only for 12 year olds, I for beginners 40,50+ developing swing, or..?
When do you go lighter or heavier though? Assuming you can be efficient with either..
The first thing mentioned after hitting with the lighter racquet was "add some weight" and you’re good to go 🤔
Thanks for the video. What specifications are best if you have short strokes ?
I stay away from light rackets….vibration – not comfortable and injury / joint pain prone, faster/ longer swing is required for a good momentum (m1v1 = m2v2, 1 = ball; 2 = racket). lack of feel etc..moderately heavy (~10.5 to 11.5 oz) with light head is good..with a swing weight around 300..etc
I use heavier rackets that I’ve leaded up. Never played better. More power and control. Maybe not for everyone, but works well for me.
I recall Sampras used an especially heavy racquet and even added lead tape to make it even heavier. Sampras is obviously the exception and doesn’t apply to the average player
There is a lot of misconception about raquets weight and stats in general. The tennis raquets manufacturers oriented their production to large masses of newbie players with these light raquets. These players due to bad technique feel they are goin to get hurt if they use heavier raquets. In reality a heavier raquet helps a lot with inertia/plough through and helps get a proper technique faster. Many light raquets introduce parasite movements due to instability and lack of plough through like the tendance to raise your elbow etc.
Now what would those super light raquets would be good for? For very young players and for very old players. Both categories lack in power and the old players usually prefer to play doubles, so there is a lot of net time, serves/smashes where a lighter frame helps a lot with manoevering. Also coaches can use lighter raquets when feeding with the ball basket all day, they get less tired this way.
So big props to the manufacturers like Yonex who offer a range of raquets for advanced players too which go around 320g and even above with a neutral 7points HL unstrung.
I think this a weight and balance everybody should aim for wether being beginner, intermediate or advanced or above for stronger individuals.
P.S. Raquets like Wilson RF Autograph imho won’t cut it since even it’s heavier it has like 12points HL which offers stability but not a lot of power and suits a more offensive player not a baseliner. In the old days the raquet to which resembles a lot its Wilson Prostaff Classic 6.1 used by Edberg and that was played by majority of the pros in early ’90s.
I help my friend string racket in a tennis pro shop. I have seen a lot of players who are only an intermediate or even lower level but buy racket that is from 310g to 325g. I learn that some people feel that its shameful to use light racket. Afraid to let their friend to tease them saying they are weak. Some are just tapping the ball over the net using the heavy racket to utilize its stability but their shot really lack of pace. I have either seen player who uses heavy racket are either very good player or really bad player. Sadly majority is bad player. Thats the truth, Some just want to use racket that similar specification with what their idol are using. Just follow blindly. Use the racket that really suits you and you will improve faster. Use your tennis skill to impress your friend instead of using heavy racket. If you use heavy racket and play badly, people can clearly sees your skill level, it doesn’t do you any good.
I learned to play tennis as a kid with the Ivan Lendl Adidas GTX Pro so I’m used to swinging heavy clubs. Even though I feel that I serve more better with a lighter racket I prefer to play with the RF Pro staff 97 (340g). I’m a little bit older and slower now and I feel that it’s easer to return fast serves with the heavier racket. I just need to stick it in and the racket does the rest. Because of my lack of foot speed I’m all about offense and with the heavier racket I feel that it is easer to crush short balls. I don’t need to accelerate it as much as a lighter racket to create rockets, bombs and bullets. I’m a tank now and so is my racket.
Are the racquet weights in the video for frame only without string?
My player’s racquet journey started with the Dunlop CX 200 tour which I still love, Tecnifibre Tfight 305, and has currently landed at the FURI Arma Pro 98 (Stock form) with Restring Zero. The Arma Pro 98 is so connected that it reads my mind when I need a drive winner and immediately responds to my call to action.
Cheap Babolat Boost Drive. Perfect spec for most rec players. Great value for money. Add weight at bottom as mod, to make it less head heavy.
Hi Jonas, at 64 i am thinking of going to a lighter racket, I have speed MPL but not getting the same control, i have modded it a little! Then I saw Prokennex do a Q5 280g 16×20 which is 1 pt HL strung and aprox 315 SW 22mm beam they also do the Ki5 270g again aprox 313SW but its 3pts HH They are Tighter 16×20 so control will be there but might lack a little power! Probably would have to play with a multi in these what do you think?
Can you explain to us mere mortals why some 300g rackets are easier to swing than others. Ie they feel lighter? My 300g pure aero seems much heavier to my friends head extreme mp?
When enough weight is added I can really feel what it does to the ball and I like it! However, I’m getting a little older and it starts to “weigh” on me some and I get tired . I have elevate tour (real one) and it’s good but seems like it’s missing something so I add weight but haven’t figured it out just right yet could use help from someone
270g is just way too light
Light racket is like a slow train to take you to tennis elbow in the long run.
Starting from the very heavy wood racket era in my twenties and later switching to 13- ounce original Prince Graphite I played with in my thirties, it has been difficult for me to switch to too light of a racket over the years (unstable for my elbow). These days (haha in my much older days), I finally settled around 340 grams total Vcore 98 (2021 version) with leather grip and a little weight at 3 & 9. I occasionally use the new version of POG (tour classic) which is about 12.3 Ounces with everything to give myself the illusion of being young again 🙂
So far my experience with 3 racquets is this:
Ps v14 97L – main racquet; quite demanding, comfortable af and best feel. Is the racquet I can do everything with without issues, and modify my swing path and try different strikes without issues. 290g unstrung; light series
Blade v8 100, 300g unstrung racquet. Best for baseline playing and much less demanding, but harder to swing through the air even though is more stable. I feel I play more consistent but worse: cant volley, swing slower, hit stronger but I feel like the racquet is not helping my strong points or objectives at all. Is a jack of all trades, master of none.
Ps v14 X – 315g unstrung, headlight balance. So far the best of both worlds: consistence, stability, comfort and feel. Not as precise as 97L but that has nothing to do with weight. Problems? My physicality dosnt allow me yet to take it as a main racquet. Feels too heavy to volley fast and comfortable, or to play 2h matches.that said, is the racquet I use for my daily 1h training sessions in order to get stronger and force myself; and when I go back to my beloved 97L I feel I can just do whatever I want with it.
(About me: I am 26yo, been training for a year, 176cm tall 78kg; I lift weights aswell even though Im not a bodybuilder).
So far I feel that weight is relative to each one physicality and playstyle. I look fordward to play agresive all-court mixing strikes but if I were an agressive baseliner Id obviously stick to a heavy hammer to just abuse balls with tons of swingweight
I remember the times when 340 gram racquets were considered light😂😂😂.
Your strength is in the wrist and the whole arm. The matter of racket convenience is just related to your strength and nothing else. However, strong players may play with either heavy or light rackets…same proportion goes for weak arm and swing power players, they can choose light or heavy based on feeling and ball impact quality. In other words, the right formula isn’t based on what others play, try just yours and discover your own magic making. Don’t underestimate the tension and string to use matching along to the frame weight
I’d suggest that these lighter rackets should usually be used with a multifilament string to help with shock absorption and comfort, Velocity MLT is a great one.
Hello! Could you advise me please, I have a Head Intelligence Prestige MP. What raquets on current market have the same feel and comfort but a bit leighter about 300-310 g?
Try warming up with a heavy racket and then playing with a light one.
I’m currently using 354g as my stung racket with 343 as the swing weight. Its become my preferred weight and balance (33cm strung)
I have a RF 97 340g and I lead taped another 100g to it.
Beware! Lighter rackets can be brutal on your wrist and arm.
my experience: with light racket you dont have a chance against a powerful hitter
Control is more important than power at lower level. Matches are decided by unforced errors.
Im going to use head instinct power 110 looses teings as possible .. i will be in tv soon
Light racquet? Never 😂
The biggest downside to low swing weights and light racquets to me is technique. Can get away with bad technique with light racquets and develop bad habits. Heavy racquets force earlier prep, full swings, less jerky movements (because not possible) etc etc.
The advocated reasons for lighter raquects are very biased, and only suitable to a very small set of players. If people really follow his advice, well, good luck.
Testout the Wilson Prostaff 97UL. I think it’s the smallest and lightest tennis racquet out there.