Are you getting enough depth on your shots?

 

Are you hitting your shots deep enough?

If not, you’re probably giving your opponent short balls that they turn into winners. Hitting the ball deep forces your opponent to cover more ground and keeps them at the baseline where, for most amateurs, it’s tougher to hit clean winners. Hitting deep balls also gives you more time to set up for the return shot.

But how to get more depth?

We see several things that can rob you of depth. Strings can be that cause in several ways. One is stringing your racket too tight. This reduces the trampoline effect at impact, taking away depth and even spin potential. Lower tensions can also reduce shock at impact, reducing stress on your arm.

Another potential cause is using to stiff of a string. While poly strings are great for durability, they are stiff and not very elastic. This again reduces the trampoline effect, making you swing harder without getting the depth you need.

One other equipment related reason you’re not getting the depth you want is your racket. A racket with a small head reduces the trampoline effect, and while good for big hitters, could rob you of more depth and power.

Stop in and we’d be glad to help you pick the right string and tension for your game, and with our Racket Demo Program, a racket better suited to your game.

Want More Control?

Want more control?
First of all, I should be specific about the type of control I'm describing. I'm talking about depth control. The ability to hit the ball consistently deep, but not long.
If this is the kind of control you are looking for, there are a few ways to achieve it though equipment. The first is with rackets. If you are hitting lots of shots long, your racket may be too powerful. A racket with a smaller head, thinner beam or denser string pattern will all reduce depth. This does not come without some cost. With less depth comes less power.
The other way to gain control is with your strings. Going a little tighter on the tension will add some depth control. You can also go to a firmer string. This will decrease the trampoline effect and add control. As mentioned above about rackets, going firmer or tighter on your strings will reduce your power and increase the amount of effort to get the ball deep.
There is another, non-equipment way to add control. Increase your topspin. More topspin will help the ball drop down and in play, keeping you from hitting as many long.
Stop in and we can show you ways to gain control with the least amount of power loss.

Two Rackets...Same Tension...But Different

Often we will have someone come in for a restringing and ask for 55lbs because "my friend strings their's at 55lbs."
The main thing to keep in mind is that 60lbs can feel very, very different depending on the racket being strung. For example, the new Wilson Clash has a recommended tension range of 48-55lbs. The old Wilson BLX 3 has a range of 53-63lbs. A tension of 55lbs on the Clash is the maximum suggested and will feel quite tight. On the BLX 3, it will be at the low end of the range and will play looser and more powerful.
When comparing tensions that others use, check the tension range (which is stamped on most rackets) on their racket and figure out how tight or lose it is strung based on that. That will give you a better measure than the actual tension will.

We get many people coming in with questions about hybrid strings. The most common is, "what types of strings should I use?"
First of all, the main reason for using a hybrid string is because you need a combination of benefits that one string alone can not provide. An example of this is someone who wants the durability of a poly string but needs a softer feel than poly alone will have. By pairing the poly with a softer string, he can get some of the benefits of both strings and reducing the negatives in both.
As for what to use, a good way of thinking of it is apples and oranges. Most often the strings will be fairly different. Some players will use two poly strings as a hybrid, but that is like using apples and apples. The majority of the hybrids we string are a stiff, durable poly string paired with a softer,  multifilament or synthetic gut (in feel and performance, apples and oranges). Using two very similar strings, while not out of the question, will not give you the benefits of an "apples and oranges" hybrid like improved feel and added performance.
Stop in and we'd be glad to help you determine if a hybrid string job would be best for you and what combinations will have you playing better tennis.

Low Tensions....Are They Good for You?

A trend in tennis right now is to string rackets at lower tensions. On some rackets, such as the Wilson Clash, stringing at 45-50lbs is recommended.
Should you be stringing that low?
That depends mostly on the racket you are using.
Just because someone you play with is playing great with a racket strung at 45lbs, doesn't mean that it will work on your racket. All rackets have a recommended tension range. Depending on your racket, 60lbs could be at the high end of the range or the low end and will play very differently.
Another thing to consider is the strings being used. Some poly strings such as Luxilon, suggest stringing 10% less than with other, softer strings. Like with rackets, 60lbs with a poly string will feel much different than with a multifilament.
The main thing to know is what are you using now, both racket and string-wise, and what sort of results are you looking for. We can help you find the string/tension that will be fit your needs and your racket.

Dampener Questions Answered

Dampeners are a constant source of questions for us here in the store.
Where to put them?
How many to use?
Are there rules?
What do they do?
We'll start with the last one. What they do is limit the vibration of the strings. They do not reduce frame vibration or prevent or cure tennis elbow. By reducing the string vibration, they do add comfort at impact and quiet the "pinging" sound that many people dislike.
You only need one to do the job. Adding more will not add benefits, and, there are rules that dictate where they are placed. Dampeners must be below the bottom cross string. This makes them much less likely to affect a shot by them contacting the ball.
The best place for them is between the middle two main strings and secured up against the bottom cross string. If you have a problem with them coming out, consider using a longer dampener that is woven in and out the mains, hooking in at the two ends. This makes them less likely to come out.
And one last question, "should I use a dampener?"
That one we can not answer. Ultimately, it is a feel thing. Try your racket with and without. Whichever feels better, there is your answer.

We get asked all the time about hybrid stringing.

A hybrid is nothing more than a stringing with two different types of strings. But why would anyone want that?

Most often, hybrids are a good option for players who want some of the benefits of a particular string, but not the negatives. For example, they want the durability of a poly string, but need it to be easier on the arm. By stringing a poly in the mains and a softer string in the crosses, you give the poly more ability to give and absorb impact while maintaining much of the durability.

Here at MP Tennis & Sports, we can make a hybrid out of any two strings we carry. We can also help you find the combination that will best suit your needs and your game.

Ever wonder why your strings are moving so much? Simple. They're supposed to. The more spin you hit, the more the strings should move, and the more they move, the more spin potential you will have. In this era of tennis where standing at the baseline and trading big groundstrokes, topspin has become more important. The more spin you can hit, the larger the margin of error over the net and shot depth. String movement helps increase spin potential. When strings move more they can grab the ball, hold on longer and impart more spin. There are many factors that can add to the string movement. 1. "Spin patterns" - Companies like Wilson are making rackets with intentionally more open string patterns. This increases the space between strings, giving them more room to move to increase spin potential. (see video below) 2. Stiffer rackets - As rackets have gotten stiffer, players have found that they can hit the ball with more power. When a frame is stiffer, it doesn't give as much at impact. The only other thing that can give is the strings, and they will give more, and move more. This increases power and spin potential 3. The strings themselves - Many strings are made with a coating on them to increase the ability of the string to move across itself without wearing into itself. This adds some durability as well as spin potential. Something we see here is customers asking to have their rackets strung as tight as possible to reduce string movement. This only works to a point. Hit enough spin, they will still move, not to mention the increases shock at impact and loss of depth and power. Others will use a poly string because "they don't move". They still move, but the stiffness of them gives them more of a tendency to return to where they started. For many though, poly strings are tougher on the arm and require more effort to get the ball deep. We do have to be honest about one fact of string movement. More string movement does, for some players, reduce the life of the string. The friction at the intersections of the strings causes them to wear through and eventually break. Generally, the harder you hit and the more spin you hit, the quicker you're likely to have your strings break. The trick is to find a string and tension combination that maximizes spin, power and feel, without sacrificing durability. Yes, moving strings back is a pain, but the additional spin is more than worth it in the form of more balls hit in and points won. Check out the video below to see the effects of string movement on spin in the Wilson Spin Effect rackets.

Tennis Myth - Poly "Lasts" Longer

The number one reason we hear for why people use poly is that it lasts longer.

This assumption is true, but only up to a point.

A poly string is likely to take a longer amount of time to break, but that is only telling half the story. While a string may not break, all strings suffer from tension loss. Given enough time, all strings lose their ability to perform and return energy to the ball. When the strings don't perform to their potential, neither will you.

So what strings should you use?

For those who are likely to break strings in a short amount of time, poly strings are a good option. Chances are, those players are hitting the ball with a good amount of power and can benefit from the added durability and control poly strings offer.

If you are playing more than once a week, and can not break a poly string in under six months, they are probably not a good option. For those players, when you get to six months, a poly string will have lost a good deal of tension. This will result in loss of power, spin potential, and overall performance. True, while they have not broken, they are not "lasting" as long as other options might.

Multifilament strings and even basic synthetic gut strings will lose less tension over the same period of time and will perform better, longer. For players who don't break strings often, these strings will also add power and have a better feel than the stiffer, poly strings.

A good rule of thumb for restringing is to replace your strings as many times in a year as you play in a week. If you play twice a week, this means every six months. For those who do not tend to break strings, the softer, non-poly strings will maintain more of their performance at the six-month mark. For a non-string breaker, this may actually buy you a little more time before the string performance drops to the point of becoming a hindrance to your game.

Again, for those that break strings often, you will likely break the string before the tension loss becomes an issue. For the rest of us, a multifilament will be a more arm-friendly, better performing and very likely, longer lasting option when you re-string.

Stop in and we'll help you pick a string that best fits your needs and your game.

Control...and Where to Get It

One of the most requested things we are asked for at our MP Tennis & Sports store on Dale Mabry Hwy is strings for more control.
We can help, but here's the thing, it depends on what your definition of control is.
First of all, no string is going to do anything for your right/left control. That is a function of your swing and your timing at impact. Depth is another matter.
For many, control is not hitting the ball long all of the time. If you are hitting the ball long frequently, there are several things that could be going on.

1. Not hitting enough topspin.
2. A racket that is too powerful.
3. Strings that are too lively.

We'll skip #1 for a moment and go to #2. If you are using a large, oversize headed racket, it just may be too much racket for you. Large head rackets are designed for players with weaker, shorter swings. Sure, you can put a really stiff string in it or max out the tension, but you'll never really change that the racket may not be ideal for you.
As for #1, topspin can give you much more margin for error. Topspin is a result of taking the right kind of swing. You can use a spin friendly string, but that is only going to help so much. The best thing you can do is take a few lessons with a good pro who can show you how to hit more spin the right way.
The funny thing with strings is so many of the characteristics that help with spin potential also make the string bed more lively. Playing with a string bed that is too lively will help send balls long. The better your technique is for creating topspin, the less likely you are to hit the ball long.
Now, if you hit the ball flatter, a lively string will give you little margin for error where depth is concerned. Going to a firmer string will reduce the trampoline-effect at impact and give you less depth, causing fewer shots to go long.
It is a balancing act. You don't want to go so firm that you can't hit shots deep enough. Find a string and tension that gives you enough depth on well-hit shots, with the fewest number going long. Also, a string that offers too much "control" will reduce the power of your shots, making them easier to return.
There is going to be some trial and error involved. We can show you some options that will offer the best depth control with the least sacrifice of power. Stop in and we'd be glad to help.

Arm Pain? It Could Be Your String.

Here at our MP Tennis & Sports store, we have seen an increase in people coming in and needing to change from poly strings.  The most often heard reason is arm issues. For many players, a full bed of poly string is just too stiff, even when strung at a low tension.
When using a full bed of poly, you have to hit hard enough to make the string give at impact. The more a string gives, the more it does two things. One, it absorbs the impact, making it easier on the arm. The other thing is that the more a string gives, the more energy it will return to the ball (think trampoline).
The main reasons people choose a poly in the first place is control and durability. Poly strings will, for most people, last longer (won't break), but will, over time, lose tension. Once the string has lost enough tension, the performance will decrease, making them even harder to generate power and spin.
For some, the control aspect is about not hitting the ball long. Many players don't hit the ball long as often with poly strings but sacrifice power and depth to do so. When the power goes down, you have to swing harder, which adds to the potential of arm trouble.
So, you've been using poly but it is hurting your arm. Now what?
There are several options.
1. Try a hybrid of poly and a softer string. This will add performance without sacrificing much durability. For most, polys on the mains and the softer string in the crosses will ease the arm issues while still giving a stiffer feel (for those who like that feel).
2. A "synthetic gut" string is a middle ground string that doesn't last like the polys but offers less spring than the softer multifilament strings.
3. For those with real arm issues, a multifilament string will offer more power and shock absorption.  Both things will stress off the arm and give a more comfortable feel. You will also find less of a need to have to "kill the ball", by letting the strings do some of the work and stress from your arm.
4. For those who feel they need a poly, there are some newer, slightly softer poly strings. While not as easy on the arm as the other options, it will be an improvement over most poly strings.

If you are feeling the impact of every shot in your arm, stop by our Dale Mabry store and we can give you some options to have you playing more comfortable, and hopefully, better tennis.