There are numerous factors
that go into choosing the best racquet for any given player. Weight, balance, head size, stiffness,
etc. One piece that is often overlooked
or not known is the frame construction.
How the frame, more specifically the beam and throat, is constructed
plays a significant role in how the racquet will play. Let’s get geeky with beam and throat shapes.
Oblong beam:
The oblong shape, similar to
an oval, is the strongest design. When
the ball strikes the string bed, the string bed and frame flex from the
impact. The stronger the frame, the less
the frame flexes which results in the string bed flexing more and producing
more power. The thicker the beam, the
less the beam will flex. (The beam is
the “oval” part of the frame.) The ball
leaves the string bed before the beam returns to its original position,
therefore no power is produce from the “snap back” of the beam.
The elongated beam is still
strong but slightly weaker than the standard oblong beam. This means the elongated oblong beam will
flex slightly more than the standard oblong beam. When the ball hits the string bed, the beam
flexes more, preventing the string bed from flexing as much as it would if it
were the standard oblong shape. This
beam shape produces slightly less power than the standard oblong shape beam.
Square-ish beam:
The square-ish beam is the
weakest beam design. The beam will flex
significantly when the ball strikes the string bed, preventing the string bed
from flexing as much. Due to the beam
flexing more, the string bed flexes less, which results in less power being
produced by the strength of the beam.
The same information is true
for the throat of the racquet. The
weaker the throat, the more the racquet will flex/bend on impact, which will
result in less power being generated from the frame.
Which frame construction is the best one for me? This depends on how you play, what you’re
looking for out of a frame, whether you only play doubles/singles or both, and
your playing style. For the frames that
flex more, or are weaker, the player must generate more power on their own
using their body. If you hit the ball
very hard and can produce a lot of power but are experiencing difficulty
keeping the ball in or controling the ball, a racquet with a weaker frame
(elongated oblong or square-ish) would give you the control you’re looking
for. Most players who try out a racquet
that produces less power say that they gained a lot of control, when compairing
to their racquet that has stronger construction and produced more power. What is really going on is that their power
was reduced slightly and they were able to control the power they produced much
better, resulting in their game improving.
Doubles players would love a racquet with the square-ish beam and throat
since these racquets provide the ultimate feel and touch. The player decides how far a volley or
half-volley will go. With a
stiffer/stronger racquet, the volleys will always be more powerful even if you
don’t move the racquet. Players that
might want to try a racquet with a weaker beam and/or throat include: doubles players, serve and volleyers,
attackers, and power hitters that are looking for more control.
The racquets with a oblong beam and throat, such as the Babolat Pure
Drive, are stiffer and will produce more power due to the string bed flexing
more upon impact. These types of
racquets are for the player that has difficulty producing big power. Using their same stroke, more power will be
generated with a racquet of this type.
If a player is able to produce very high topspin, then that player might
be able to control the power produced from a all oblong racquet. For example, Rafa Nadal produces up to 5500
RPMs on the ball which allows him to hit the ball with a lot of power but still
be able to have the ball drop in the court.
Players seeking more power should try out a racquet that has an obling
beam and throat.
The elongated oblong racquets are a mix of the two types previously
discussed. They range in flexability and
try to harness the best of both worlds, power and control. These racquets will vary in how they feel and
perform, so try out a couple different models from different companies to find
the best one for you and your current playing needs. If you play mainly singles but also play
doubles every now and then, this might be a good option for you.
Whenever seeking a new racquet, always try them out before you buy. I hope this information helps you find the
best racquet for you.
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