Net Assets

I've Played Tennis almost all my life and I've tested just about every model and type of racket ever dreamed up. I've used wood, steel, aluminum and alloys. I've used gut of varying weight and strength, and even steel wire. And I've played on every type of court conceivable--and, in some cases, inconceivable--in every part of the world, and in some places that were definitely out of this world.

Though I'm a 43-year-old grandfather, I can still play with the best when I'm in shape. One of the reasons I can is that I've adapted my game to my racket throughout the years, ever since my mother gave me a 51-cent beauty as a present when I was a kid growing up in the Mexican-American sector of Los Angeles. If you are just beginning in tennis, or if you are already a fair-to-middling weekend player, I think I can tell you a few things about rackets that might improve your game.

If you study the rules of tennis--and very few people do, not even some officials I've met along the way--you'll find that there's nothing in them about rackets. You could use just about anything you'd care to, from a jai alai cesta to a baseball bat. There are no specifications for material, weight, grip or strings. But these are the things that determine whether a given racket is right for you and you should keep them in mind when you choose a racket.

First, material. Although several types of metal racket have become popular in the past few years, I would advise the beginning player to use a well-strung wooden racket until he feels confident that he has mastered the basic strokes and tactics (continued on page 166)Net Assets(continued from page 124) of the game. With a wooden racket, the player develops control and he learns to hit the ball without becoming dependent on the racket to do the work for him. A wooden racket also helps develop the arm muscles; it makes the player work and builds the strength he'll need later on, when he turns from novice to competitor and must call upon himself for everything he's got in a five-set match.

There's also a fairly mundane reason for suggesting that a beginner use a wooden racket: He probably won't be able to recognize the variables among tennis rackets. Of course, I hope that a person interested in the game doesn't remain a beginner but tries to progress to an advanced stage. When he does, he'll be able to appreciate and to exploit the different characteristics of the many rackets available today. Once he has learned the fundamentals of play, he is in a position to take advantage of something I have learned--that an aluminum racket delivers a true response and provides a bit more speed than wood. Aluminum gives the improving or accomplished player a more delicate touch, as well as the certainty that the ball will go precisely where it has been directed. From among the many aluminum rackets on the market, I prefer the Smasher, made by Spalding. But please don't misunderstand; I'm not trying to knock any other racket, be it wood, steel or aluminum. I'm simply offering my opinion, which is that the Smasher has undergone the kind of patient testing necessary to perfect a tennis racket, and is the best for me and will consequently be good for others as well.

As for steel rackets, virtually all models on the market are well made. However, I find that steel has more of a trampoline effect on the ball than does aluminum; the ball seems to "shoot" off the strings, making it harder to control. Steel also has a little more whip to it than aluminum, which provides more power, but decreases control. If you think you need the extra power, you can get it by using a stiff aluminum racket and stringing it a bit loosely.

Whether aluminum or steel, the main advantage of a metal racket is that it offers more power for a given weight and therefore permits the use of a lighter racket. A lighter racket, of course, is an obvious advantage for the older player as well as for the weekend player whose arm may not be too strong; but it also helps the aggressive player who spends a lot of time at the net, where the ability to move the racket quickly is crucial.

Speaking of racket weight, if there is one fault I find more than any other among newcomers to the game, it is that they use rackets that are too heavy. I cannot for the life of me understand why some men think that the heavier the racket, the more "man" they are or why some women insist on lugging around a racket designed for men. The point, after all, is to swing the racket, not to use it as a club to bludgeon the ball over the net. A racket that is too heavy is an invitation to strain in the arm, shoulder or elbow, which may lead to either bursitis or "tennis elbow."

But what is the proper weight? That's not an easy question; the answer depends on one's strength and on his style of play. As I have mentioned, a lighter weight helps both the weaker player and the net player. A slightly heavier weight might be all right for someone who spends a lot of time hitting ground strokes from the base line. As a general guide, I'd say that a medium weight, around 13--131/2, ounces, is one that most players can live with comfortably--as long as the weight is distributed properly.

Most of the weight should be in the part of the racket that hits the ball: up around the head. Handle weight may give you the impression of power, but it's a false impression. Shifting the weight to the head may produce a heavier feel, but the weight is the same and is where it will do you the most good. The same principle that determines the swing weight of a golf club applies here.

There's another important variable that must be considered if you're going to buy a racket: the strings. First, let me say that gut is the material of my choice. There are some reasonably good grades of nylon string available that have the advantages of being quite durable and relatively inexpensive, but for the best resiliency and playing quality, most accomplished players prefer gut.

How much tension should be applied to the strings is a highly individual matter. A lot of people are unaware of the fact that top players, especially myself, will vary the tension to accommodate things like the effect of an indoor arena's size and its effect on the density of the air and, consequently, on the liveliness of the ball. Of course, the average player won't be likely to worry about things that subtle, but he should know that strings that are too loose cost him power, while those that are too tight result in loss of control; the ball comes off the racket too quickly and in a flattened shape. Under ordinary conditions, I would suggest that a racket be strung at around 55 pounds of tension.

There is also the gauge of string to think about. As I get older, I find myself using a very light, thin gauge that gives me more speed with less effort. It's far more expensive, of course, because the thinner gauge wears out very quickly. The reward of playing better tennis with less effort is worth it to me, but this is a personal thing.

People occasionally complain to me about a racket they've been using for quite some time. I check it and find nothing particularly wrong; the weight and string tension seem right. Then I check the grip and find that it is wrong for the owner. If it's too large, the racket twists when the ball is hit and the shot will be off. If it's too small, the skin on the palm may wrinkle and pinch, resulting in blisters. It is essential that the grip size be correct.

The majority of men would do quite well with a 45/8-size grip; very few fellows have a large enough hand to control a 43/4 or a 47/8 grip. In fact, many men could probably drop to a 41/2 comfortably. As far as women are concerned, I recommend nothing larger than 41/2, with 43/8 the norm. Rarely will you find a woman whose hands are large enough to use a 45/8 or a 43/4.

Oh, yes; there's one more factor to consider: cost. Prices vary widely. You can still get a good wooden racket for from $25 to $40. Aluminum and steel come higher, sometimes as much as twice the price of wood. While it's true that I started with a 51-cent racket, I don't recommend that you do. Like almost everything else, an item of lasting value costs more. Of course, if it's going to last, you'll have to take care of it. I'm often amazed to find that people will buy even the most expensive rackets and then fail to take simple precautions in their care. They shouldn't be tossed casually about like baseball bats, nor used as doorjambs. Their care is simple: Hang them up and keep them covered. Obvious? Yes. Always done? No.

One final word. In tennis, as in skiing, golf or photography, it's very easy to be seduced by the sheer volume of available wares into becoming an equipment freak. But equipment, no matter how good nor how expensive, can at best enhance ability; it can never by itself make a tennis player. In fact, as I have already pointed out, a certain degree of competence is required before a player can even begin to appreciate the differences among the many kinds of rackets on the market. That competence is the result of desire and determination to improve, demonstrated by hours spent on the courts. So if you buy a new racket, don't expect it to turn you into a world-beater overnight. Give yourself and it a chance by using it for two or three weeks before making a judgment, all the while remembering that there is only one proven path to tennis excellence. Play tennis!