Sports Equipment Articles
Racquet Sports Articles
Welcome to Courtside Sports Article Archive. This ever-expanding list of
racquet sports articles is designed to inform and aid you in the pursuit
of enjoyment through racquet sports. We’ll give you tips on selecting the
right equipment for you as well as some game improvement ideas that may help
to give you that “extra edge” during your match. If you have any ideas or
topics you’d like us to cover, please contact
us at www.courtsidesports.com and
tell us what’s on your mind!
Featured Article:
How To Choose a New Tennis Racquet
Choosing a new tennis racquet among the hundreds that are available on the
market can be a daunting task for any tennis player, regardless of their
degree of racquet knowledge. Tennis racquets from dozens of manufacturers
range in price from $50 to over $400. Some popular racquets remain inline
for a few years, but for the most part, racquet manufacturers will release
new products every year. How do you select a new racquet? This article will
help you sort out some of the issues relevant to finding that perfect racquet
by breaking down racquet shopping into three segments; beginners and recreational
players (NTRP 1.0 to 3.0), intermediate and club level players (NTRP 3.5
to 4.5), and advanced and competitive players (NTRP 5.0 to 7.0).
The beginner or recreational player should primarily be looking for a racquet
that makes the game easier for them and hence more fun. Moderation in all attributes
of the racquet will most likely apply here. A racquet that is too heavy will
be difficult to maneuver; a racquet that is too light will be unstable and
vibrate when the novice player hits the ball off-centre (this happens frequently
when learning). Racquets range in weight from about 8 to 13 ounces. The average
recreational player will benefit most from a racquet in the middle (approx.
10 ounces) of this weight range. This will allow them the mobility they need
in a lightweight frame, but still provide them with enough weight for stability.
Racquets range in head size from midsize (85 to 95 square inches), to midplus
(96 to 105 square inches), to oversize (106 to 115 square inches), to superoversize
(115 to 135 square inches). Again, the novice player will benefit most from
a moderate midplus or oversize racquet. Racquets of this size will offer the
player a good balance of power and control with a sweetspot large enough to
centre the ball easily. If the novice player sticks to shopping for a recognized
brand (Wilson, Head & Prince are the top 3 brands, Dunlop, Yonex, Babolat,
Volkl and Slazenger also make good quality tennis racquets), they can expect
to pay $80 to $150 CDN for a graphite composite racquet that meets these requirements.
Spending more will likely provide them with a racquet made of higher- grade
materials, which often results in a lighter racquet (less than 10 ounces),
or a stiffer racquet (equals more power)
more on how to choose a
new tennis racquet >>
