Real Tennis Players - Like You! - Asking For, and Offering, Advice on the Sport They Love
Player to Player is USTA.com’s regular feature in which everyday tennis players are given a forum to ask advice on the sport they love – and their fellow players will dish out advice. We’ll post a number of the best responses we receive to our question of the week. PLAYER TO PLAYER DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT YOUR QUESTIONS, so please send any queries you’d like answered, or responses to other players' questions, to Player@USTA.com.
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This week's question from Dieter: | "I am 55 years old and a 4.5/5.0-rated player. I did not play as a junior and, therefore, was never taught to hit a safe second serve, such as a kick, and am making too many double faults. What is your advice?" | | Please share your thoughts with Dieter by e-mailing Player@USTA.com and include your name and hometown.
Got a question of your own? Send that along, too! | |
READ OTHER PLAYERS' ADVICE
Last week’s question from Han-Chi:
(Please note: There's no need to send additional responses to this question)
"I play often, at least four or five days a week. I notice that my strings tend to lose their "feel" a week after stringing my racket. They can last for about another week before breaking. Because of this problem, I need to re-string my racket within two weeks. Does anyone have any suggestions on strings that have great feel but last long?"
PLAYER RESPONSES:
From Gonzo N.:
This may make you feel better. At one time, I was playing as much as you are now and was re-stringing my own rackets two to three times a week. When I would go to a more durable string, I would not get the same performance, and my arm would get sore. Bottom line, we can’t have it both ways. It's either your arm or your pocket.
From Steven:
Well, when it comes to strings, I play with a Wilson [K] six-one tour 90. I use the Luxilon strings. I play four to five days a week, also. The strings are durable, and they break for me three weeks to a month, when I use it.
From Zack, Boca Raton, FL:
Consider Kirschbaum Competition 16.
From Kenny, Highland Park, IL:
First, make sure you keep your rackets stored in a nice environment – not too much humidity or cold. Also, there is a new brand of strings that are polyester and are amazing. Agassi said, "We should all be able to use them, or they should be banned." You can also get the cross strings in a more lasting kind of string and the others in a more power type of string. Ask your stringer about all of this, and go for it!
From Coach Poppie, Palm Bay, FL:
String is probably the least understood item for most players. Assuming you are playing with synthetic string, you have polyester and nylon as the most common solutions. There are aluminum and graphic impregnated solutions; multi-filament and solid core; big-hype, high-cost string; and low-budget string.
String comes in many gages. The higher the number, the thinner the string – 15, 15L, 16, 16L, 17 and 18 gage for other racket sports.
I play with 17 gage. I can increase control and speed at low tensions.
The higher the tension, the more control, while lowering the tension will increase speed (all things remaining equal)
Hey, I don’t make this stuff up! Read Bodie.
Go to 15 gage. Polyester wears better, but you can lose tension – it is a tradeoff.
Since I own a machine, last year I bought five different 17-gage sets of string. I played with each set up to a week and cut them out immediately if less than what I wanted. You do not break in strings; they at their best the moment you lift the frame from the machine.
Once I decided on the string, I bought a reel online and then adjusted the tension, as needed for my game. Now that I have tune in my tension, I lock it down and leave it alone.
As you see, there is no white or black answer – just an infinite array of gray when it comes to string.
I stick with Head. I play with Head rackets, although I like gamma synthetic gut. I got a better price the last time I bought a reel for myself.
Bottom Line:
- Invest in multiple rackets for obvious reasons.
- Buy your string online in reels and align with a competent stringer for installation only.
- Invest in a machine. Do yours, and pull a little on the side to help with the cost.
- I bought my machine more than 20 years ago, maintained it, and it has paid for itself many times over.
Do hope this helps. Good luck.
From Phil, Briarcliff Manor, NY:
Use the strings you have but put string savers in. They're little plastic things that fit in between the string at the intersections and prevent the movement of the strings from slicing through one another. Be generous and cover the sweet spot and then four strings up, down and sideways to be sure, especially toward the tip of the racket, where string tension is very high.
*Please note that any advice given out in this forum should in no way be confused with actual medical advice. Before starting any new exercise regimen or altering your existing one, we strongly urge you to consult with your regular physician.
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