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Tennis - General Discussion
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Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
Hey all, question. I have a Babolat racket that is about 7 years old now that was about $130 new. It's in solid shape but the grip is disintegrating onto my hand and the strings need replaced. I know you can get a racket restrung, but can you get a whole new grip? Or are you just forced to put new grip tape over it?
Would it be worth me paying for all of this or should I just get a new racket? If I were to get a new one what's the best racket for an amateur that plays for fun that's in the $100-$200 range? I'm alright at tennis but I don't do any tournaments or anything.
Would it be worth me paying for all of this or should I just get a new racket? If I were to get a new one what's the best racket for an amateur that plays for fun that's in the $100-$200 range? I'm alright at tennis but I don't do any tournaments or anything.
You would usually have two grips on a racket, the grip and the overgrip. The grip ( also called replacements grips ) are durable and isn't normally changed very often. The overgrip is thiner and absorbs moisture and thus needs to be changed frequently. Either way, I reckon you need a new replacement grip. And you should use overgrip too. I can't fathom the blisters I would get from playing without one.
If the rackets is fine, then maybe not. Either way, even if you play recreational tennis it would probably be a good idea to keep more than one racket in case the strings break.
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
Interesting. Thanks. If it's going to cost me like $80 to get a grip and strings replaced I'd almost just rather by a new racket.
Any suggestions for one?
Any suggestions for one?
Love that Roddick interview, the part about W2009 is great
Basic grips are good if they have a little cushioning (under 10$, I don't like the leather stuff), and basic overgrips from Pro's Pro, cost me around 30 cents so I always have a few in my bag (also because my hands tend to sweat a lot)
If you'd rather get a new racket, when people try out new ones they always seem to love the ones that give more spin, something like the Dunlop 500 (which is also light enough to react quickly on serve), but that's very generic advice. Best way is to try out different ones and see what you like best
You can get the racket restrung for a tenner if you look around (someone playing at a club probably does it for his circle of players), don't get the strings that cost like 50 bucks. Some decent poly strings will do fine (I use something called weiscannon), I imagine if you play for fun you can easily go months with it, make sure you check out the tension so it doesn't feel weird to you after
Basic grips are good if they have a little cushioning (under 10$, I don't like the leather stuff), and basic overgrips from Pro's Pro, cost me around 30 cents so I always have a few in my bag (also because my hands tend to sweat a lot)
If you'd rather get a new racket, when people try out new ones they always seem to love the ones that give more spin, something like the Dunlop 500 (which is also light enough to react quickly on serve), but that's very generic advice. Best way is to try out different ones and see what you like best
perfectchaos007
Member
Definitely don't get a used racket. You don't know how the previous owner treated it. The key is to find a new racket that has been discontinued. Racket companies come up with "upgraded technology" for their rackets every year or two, then they discontinue the model. You can find some serious steals on those rackets. For example I'm Dunlap loyal, and earlier this year I bought 2 brand new Dunlop 300 aerogel rackets for $60 per racket. Those same rackets were going for around $150-$180 a piece a few years ago. So I still got brand new rackets, they were probably just sitting idle in a warehouse for a few years...waiting for me 
Aga is really fun to watch, so much variety like Henin and Hingis.
IISANDERII
Member
A replacement grip is like $5.
A tennis shop usually charges $35 or so for new strings[that cost covers both the strings and the service to install the strings on your racquet].
About Cilic and his doping suspension:
Cilic cited injury to hide failed drug test
Interesting.....
Cilic cited injury to hide failed drug test
Tennis.com
Interesting.....
I've just watched several games in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gml1Q9_3Pl4
I don't think she's anything like Radwanska or Kerber. Her strokes are more aesthetically pleasing, she gets much more pace, she goes for her shots much earlier in the rally than them. She's not a ballbasher, she seems to create the points by opening some space and the hitting it. She's more like Dementieva, except Bouchard doesn't have her serving woes lol. Needless to say I'm impressed by Eugenie's performance vs JJ, she has indeed improved tremendously.
I don't mean to criticize Radwanska or Kerber, I love their scrambling and improvization and their incredible speed on the court. BTW they're meeting tomorrow in the quarterfinals, it should be an interesting match.
perfectchaos007
Member
I still can't believe Venus beat* Vika yesterday.
*Vika was sick, but I thought a sick Vika would still be leagues better than Venus
*Vika was sick, but I thought a sick Vika would still be leagues better than Venus
Wow, that's awesome
I got it wrong, it is the fastest serve ever:
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/1978722/title/ids-serve-speed-leaders
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/1978722/title/ids-serve-speed-leaders
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
Can't believe Eugenie lost. Thought she would be able to move the unforced error machine around enough....
She needs a second serve imo. Her first serve is good, but she barely used in this match. Being dependent on that Errani-like second serve is not going to help her win matches. Especially against really strong opponents. The rest of her game is pretty good though. She is aggressive but controlled, thats why I said she reminds me of Aga. And the plastic of her forehand reminds me a lot of Kerber's (not a lefty though, obviously), when she bends her knees and hits a curvy ball down the line.
Yeah, she seemed devastated at the end there. After 3 hours of intense play though, I would be surprised if she wasn't. Especially considering her age, illness, etc...
Coldnoodle
Member
The fuck? That's horrible.
Was watching the Venus-Kvitova match. Man, were they hittin the ball! Awesome match.
Also (for anyone who cares/remembers): I ran into the coach that fucked up my forehand. I wasn't my typical, pleasant self this time (felt weird, lol) because I was still kinda ticked.
So as I was hitting the wall (he was on the one next to me), he stopped and was just staring at me, watching me hit. So I gave him a show. I made sure to emphasize the fact that I had completely done away with everything he "taught" me.
In my head, I'm going, "JUST SAY IT! TELL ME THAT I'M DOING IT WRONG!"
Maybe my cold shoulder was successful....because he didn't say anything for about 5 minutes and I almost forgot he was there. But sure enough, he goes, "You're hitting it too low to the ground."
My mind: "Fuck off." lol
What I said: "It works for me."
Then he said: "It's more difficult to hit it like that"
I said: "Your way doesn't work for me."
Then he goes, "From my observation, you'd be a lot more successful if you hit like (whatever he said)." I go "uh huh" and just go back to hitting.
And that was that. He stopped critiquing my shots.
I don't like being mean, but some people just need to mind their own business. If what I'm doing gets the job done 99% of the time, then so be it.
Oh....that precious 100%. Cool, let me relearn every skill I've acquired over the years, become comfortable with it (which would take a while) just to be 1% better.
Yeah, no.
Also (for anyone who cares/remembers): I ran into the coach that fucked up my forehand. I wasn't my typical, pleasant self this time (felt weird, lol) because I was still kinda ticked.
So as I was hitting the wall (he was on the one next to me), he stopped and was just staring at me, watching me hit. So I gave him a show. I made sure to emphasize the fact that I had completely done away with everything he "taught" me.
In my head, I'm going, "JUST SAY IT! TELL ME THAT I'M DOING IT WRONG!"
Maybe my cold shoulder was successful....because he didn't say anything for about 5 minutes and I almost forgot he was there. But sure enough, he goes, "You're hitting it too low to the ground."
My mind: "Fuck off." lol
What I said: "It works for me."
Then he said: "It's more difficult to hit it like that"
I said: "Your way doesn't work for me."
Then he goes, "From my observation, you'd be a lot more successful if you hit like (whatever he said)." I go "uh huh" and just go back to hitting.
And that was that. He stopped critiquing my shots.
I don't like being mean, but some people just need to mind their own business. If what I'm doing gets the job done 99% of the time, then so be it.
Oh....that precious 100%. Cool, let me relearn every skill I've acquired over the years, become comfortable with it (which would take a while) just to be 1% better.
Yeah, no.
perfectchaos007
Member
One thing that most tennis coaches are too stubborn to accept is that there are actually multiple "right" ways to hit a tennis ball. A tennis coach will most likely only teach you their way, and will dismiss any alternatives. Thats why I went to about 4 or 5 different tennis coaches as a teen when I was really into tennis. They all had different ways of teaching strokes and eventually I found the style that suited me.
BigJonsson
Member
Milos Raonic beats Tomas Berdych to win the Thailand Open!
7-6 6-3
18 aces
7-6 6-3
18 aces
John Dunbar
correct about everything
Benneteau once again fails to get a title. Even had a match point. 0-9 in finals now.
Noooooooooooooooooooo. Nalbandian retired
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/10/40/David-Nalbandian-Retirement.aspx
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/10/40/David-Nalbandian-Retirement.aspx
AdventureRacing
Member
Noooooooooooooooooooo. Nalbandian retired
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/10/40/David-Nalbandian-Retirement.aspx
Used to be my favorite player, that loss to Hewitt still stings.
A-Rad's 99mph forehand winner http://youtu.be/GDS7i9m4geo
IISANDERII
Member
Don't know the particulars, but in general it's easier to hit (forehands) low but it's better to hit them high. The higher you can hit them effectively, the better.
5*-1 30-0 up and Fognini obviously had to choke.
He's playing like a boss right now.
Indeed. But it was painful to see that game at 5-1. Still, he's already with a break in the second set, if he can keep it up it would be magnificent.
I stopped watching after Nadal leveled it at 4-4. That was some pretty bad shot selection at 3-1.
Delpo back to #5
Played my other match. I need a hitting partner BADLY. I'm starting to rework my backhand (because I decided that I want to HIT backhands instead of ALWAYS using a slice). I basically modeled it after Gasquet. I found his technique works for me.
Anyways, the match I played. We had to post-pone it (he had to go), but it looks like this: 2-6, 6-4, 3-3
He won the first set. I was down a break and every single set so far, lol. I went up 2-0 in the third set. He broke back and held (and made it 2-2), then broke me (3*-2), then I broke back (3-3)
Anyways, the match I played. We had to post-pone it (he had to go), but it looks like this: 2-6, 6-4, 3-3
He won the first set. I was down a break and every single set so far, lol. I went up 2-0 in the third set. He broke back and held (and made it 2-2), then broke me (3*-2), then I broke back (3-3)
John Dunbar
correct about everything
tennis had a good run.
Times are hard for Nadal haters...
John Dunbar
correct about everything
i hear fedbot received a firmware update for shanghai and is ready to school some pushers and grinders.
at least that's the dream. sigh.
at least that's the dream. sigh.