Tip of the Month – by
How Temperature Affects Your Equipment - first published May 2008
"Keep
it cool..."
Last month, I talked about the importance of replacing your
racquet grips on a regular basis. This month, with summer just
around the corner, I'd like to remind you that higher temperatures greatly
affect the performance of your racquet strings (for all racquet sports) and the
bounce of tennis balls.
Higher temperatures will make your strings feel more "lively" and you
will experience greater depth in your shots but control could become a bit more difficult for some players. When the
temperatures are very cold, on the other hand (Winter,
Spring or early morning) the strings can feel "dead" and it takes
more effort to generate power, plus the chance of a "premature" break
of the strings is much more likely.
This same principle applies to balls: more bounce when the balls are warm and
less bounce height in colder temperatures. Squash players are very familiar
with this fact .
For best performance , store your equipment at moderate temperatures
(avoid leaving it in the car!)