So many racquets and strings, so many choices. And so many player types. To help you cut through some of the gear clutter, we presented Nate Ferguson, founder of Priority One Tennis in Tampa and stringer and racquet customizer to the top pros like Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, with 10 common player identities and asked him for some gear tips for each type. See if you find yourself in one of these 10 and, if not, please give us your personal player type including your level (based on the NTRP scale), the current racquet and string type you use, and what you need to improve your game. We’d like to create a database that covers the basic player types to help us provide more specific information in future equipment reviews in TENNIS magazine and on TENNIS.com. Just click on the "Contact" tab at the top of my blog to send me an email, or post a comment to let us know.
1. The Club Contenders
This 3.5-4.0 doubles team is always in contention for the club championship. They play two-up at net and cut off most passing shots and can retrieve lobs, but they never get past the semis, mainly because they sky or mishit their volleys instead of angling winners at net.
Ferguson: “I recommend they use mid-size standard-length (27-inch) and narrow-beam racquets which will make it easiest to control the angles on volleys. They could also beef up the frames with lead tape at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions on the sides of the hoop and on top of the handle for extra stability to help them on those off-center hits at net. Larger grip sizes will give them a better feel of where the face of the racquet is on contact. To maximize that feel, they should string with gut—the big three brands are Babolat, Wilson and Prince—strung in the middle of the recommended range for an even balance of power and control.”
**
Novice players should avoid the temptation of swinging the same stick as their favorite pro. (Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images)2. The Rookie **
Biggest challenge right now is just to keep the ball in play in order to discover the joy of rallying. Hasn’t decided yet on whether to focus on singles or doubles, but aspires to play competitively at the public park or club level. Figures the racquet to buy is the one they saw their favorite pro use on TV.
Ferguson: “Trying to use a tour player’s racquet for a rookie is like getting behind the wheel of a Formula 1 Ferrari the day after you get your learner’s permit. A game-improvement racquet is the right call for most rookies, characterized by a big sweet spot (which means at least a 100-square inch head), an open string pattern that will help get the ball deep into the court, and a light weight for easy handling. String can be a good soft synthetic multifilament like Prince Premier Softflex or Technifibre NRG2 in the mid-tension range, then eventually adjusted it up for control or down for power depending on how the Rookie’s game develops.”
3. The Wild Thang
This aggressive 3.5 all-court singles player hits like Godzilla with out-of-control boomers that hit the back fence on the fly. The Thang has no arm or elbow issues. The goal is to play with the 4.0s, who right now aren’t returning calls.
Ferguson: “The Thang needs an even-balanced mid-plus standard-length stick with some significant weight and a dense string pattern (18 mainstrings) that will help curb those chronic out-ball problems. Since the Thang has a healthy hitting arm, he or she might also try a polyester string to deaden the stringbed. Luxilon Big Banger Original and Babolat Hurricane are the toughest and most durable.”
4. The Run ‘n’ Gunner
This 4.5 veteran has lived to rush and crush, but his serve-and-volley style is going the way of wood racquets, so he needs to raise his or her level from the baseline to keep up with the baseline boomers. The Gunner has heard that most of the top pros play with polyester strings for better control and to generate more spin, but is wary that using them could lead to arm and elbow problems which he or she has so far avoided.
Ferguson: “The Gunner doesn’t have to go all the way with polyester. He or she should consider a hybrid mix of the newer softer versions of polyester like Luxilon M2 Pro and Prince Poly EXP in the mainstrings for control and bite, and gut in the crosses to cushion the blow. Both should be strung at low tension for comfort. A lot of tour players, including my top three clients—Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic—use this hybrid combination because it gives them the best of both worlds.”
**
Murray's Head YouTek Radical racquet is a modern improvement on Agassi's older, oversized frame. (Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)5. The Agassi Idolizer **
A 5.0-5.5. player, he shaped his game and gear after his childhood idol, Andre Agassi, right down to the oversized Head Radical racquet strung with Kevlar mainstrings. He’s looking to win the state title this year.
Ferguson: “Oversized racquets are great for beginners and some mid-level players, but they went out with Andre and Michael Chang for tournament level players. Smaller-faced racquets like the mid-plus version of the Radical Andy Murray uses are better for control and they’re more maneuverable and faster through the air on serves. Andre used Kevlar mainstrings to tone down the power of his oversized frame (with gut or nylon in the crosses), but it’s as dead as steel wire and he eventually went to polyester that was almost as durable and a lot more playable. The Idolizer should follow suit.”
6. The Wounded Warrior
First, it was a rotator cuff. Then tennis elbow. Now the Warrior also feels soreness in the wrist. Not looking to improve, just wants to keep from being sidelined. Needs the most comfortable string and tension combination available. Doesn’t care how much it costs, how often it breaks.
Ferguson: “When arm concerns are all-encompassing, you’ve got to think gut at a loose tension for ultimate arm protection or at least a comfort synthetic like a Tecnifibre NRG2 or Technifibre X-1 Biphase. The Warrior should also think about a larger handle to prevent the racquet from twisting which adds stress to the arm. He or she should also consider a soft cushioned replacement grip—Gamma Hi Tech, Prince Duratac, Babolat Syntec, Wilson Cushion Aire Perforated are three—combined with a tacky overgrip to keep from squeezing the racquet tightly at contact. An oversized head is going to reduce shock. Also look at racquets that have an open string pattern (16 mainstrings) that will soften up the stringbed.”
**
Synethetic multifilament strings are a good investment for players who want durability. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)7. The Pro Tour Wannabe **
Aspiration: To get to “The Show,” and she’s willing to practice until she drops. Plays in the zone from the backcourt with bullet passing shots off either side, and is working on rushing to net. Her idols are the Williams sisters and she uses the same Wilson K Factor KBlade Team racquet and strings at their 66-pound tension with gut. But mom and dad are already spending their fortune on lessons and have told her the expensive and highly breakable gut has to go. So she’s looking for a more cost-effective string that will blend durability while maintaining some playability.
Ferguson: “A good synthetic multifilament string with good feel is the best way to go. She should try Prince Lightning or Technifibre X-1 Biphase. If she’s a hard hitter like Venus and Serena, she should string tight at the top of the range for control; if not, in the middle of the range for a blend of control and power.”
8. The Baseline Retriever
A classically trained and grooved 4.0-4.5 player with all the right moves who can trade ground strokes all day and counts unforced errors on one hand. But the Retriever has trouble ending the point with an outright winner and needs strings to supply some added power to defend the club title. Also plans on playing more doubles for social reasons, but that means going to net, which to this baseliner is the twilight zone.
Ferguson: “Gut strung at a lower tension will give the Retriever a cupping feel at net and more power from the baseline. Some lead tape—about three grams placed at the top of the grip and three more grams at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions on the hoop—will provide more authority on ground strokes and give the Retriever more confidence that the racquet face will stay still when he or she ventures to net.”
9. The Fun & Fitness Combo
This 3.0 doubles team will tell you tennis is mostly a great way to stay in shape, and a lot more fun than “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” with Richard Simmons. They enter the club tournament every year just to support the program, but don’t go home and kick the dog when they lose in the first round. Their racquets are pre-strung Wal-Mart specials.
Ferguson: “They may not care about winning, but they’ll get a lot more fun and exercise out of tennis if they can prolong their rallies. They should start by looking at premium game-improvement high-tech racquets with light weights, head-heavy balances, thick beams and oversized heads that will provide more depth and help keep them in the point longer. They don’t need to use expensive gut, but a good playable synthetic string like Babolat Excell or Prince Synthetic Gut should do nicely, strung in the middle of the tension range for a blend of power and control.”
10. The Spin Doctor
This 3.5-4.0 gives “junk” a good name. In singles, the Doc slices and dices the ball from the baseline to draw opponents to the net and then floats lobs over their heads. The Doc just turned 60 and doesn’t get around quite like before, but wants to maintain the reputation of being the Saturday morning group’s biggest nightmare with topspins, backspins and even sidespins.
Ferguson: “The Doc can accentuate spins with a thin-gauge multifilament like Gamma Pro 18 gauge at low tension. An oversized racquet with a little extra-length is also going to put more slice on the ball for this style player and minimize mishits. The Doc might also downsize the grip to get more wrist into the shots and create even more spin.”
Bill Gray is a senior editor and gear guru at TENNIS magazine. Read his blog, The Pro Shop.