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Fitness: Gear Test

 

Tennis Racquets
Anyone for tennis?

Tennis pro Clinton Coleman tells us which racquets are worth making a noise about

Over-35s England captain, Clinton Coleman, tennis manager at the David Lloyd Club, Watford, puts a selection of racquets through their paces.

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Head I Radical (Oversize) - £150

Head size: 107 sq in. Recommended racquet tension: 58-68 lbs.
Although most players are using the Mid Plus Radical, I think the oversize head is slightly more forgiving. Ever since Prince first came up with the idea of a bigger head size this shape has stayed in various forms. Head has produced the intellifiber frame that has given this oversize racquet an edge over its competitors.

This is the racquet that I am currently using and, as the racquet of choice for Andre Agassi, I am in very good company. It's heavier than many of the other top range racquets, but this gives more control to your ground strokes.

Best for... advanced players.



 
Wilson Hyper ProStaff 6.1 - £140

Head size: 95 sq in. Recommended racquet tension: 55-65 lbs.
The ProStaff range has a proven track record, with the frame hardly changing since the late '80s when it was two-times Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg's racquet of choice. The 6.1 is by far the most popular racquet on tour at the moment - the head stringer at Wimbledon, Glynn Roberts, says that out of 500 racquets his team strings, between 35-40 per cent of players use the Wilson 6.1.

Although technology has moved on, the reason so many pros love it is that it feels great and has excellent control all at a very reasonable price. That said, it's not ideal for beginners as the frame is quite stiff and it's not a particularly powerful racquet.

Suitable for... team club players.



 
Wilson Triad Hammer 3.0 - £200

Head size: 115 sq in. Recommended racquet tension: 50-60 lbs.
This racquet takes the best of the latest technological designs and combines them all into one frame. The result is a pretty powerful racquet, but one that is easy to control thanks to the iso-Zorb in the handle. The rubber absorbs 60 per cent of the shock and vibration, a major cause of tennis elbow. Power is generated by the weighted hammer technology in the head.

This racquet has a soft feel about the way it plays so I would suggest players have the racquet strung at the lower end of recommended tension. If you're not the most accurate of players then the large sweet spot should help with your aim.

Best for... improvers.



 
Head Intelligence iX16 - £300

Head size: 118 sq in. Recommended racquet tension: 59 lbs.
The hefty price tag reflects the amount of technology in this racquet. Its main feature is a microchip in the frame that gives the racquet a better feel and makes it an efficient shock absorber. On paper it sounds like this racquet could play itself, but in the real world it needs someone quite competent in charge of it as it takes a fair amount of skill to be able to control it.

The iX16 is the most forgiving racquet I have ever played with. The 118 sq in head size helps, but the fibres in the frame's construction reduce the vibration from mishit shots. This is good news for all tennis elbow sufferers as the vibration gets absorbed in the racquet instead of in the tendon in your arm. The only problem I can see with this racquet is the £300 required to buy one.

Best for... club players.



 
         
Babolat Pure Drive - £100

Head size: 100 sq in. Recommended racquet tension: 50-55 lbs.
This is a power machine - four out of the five of the biggest servers in the game use this racquet. In fact, it's the only racquet on the market that is used by two players in the top ten men's game.

The wider bodied frame gives this racquet an extra edge on the power front, but the Pure Drive needs a player who can control it. If you have decided to buy the Pure Drive, I suggest you take a few lessons with your local LTA licensed tennis coach so all that power can be controlled. It's very competitively priced, too.

Best for... big hitters.



 
Tretorn Speed Gun - £49.99

Head size: 95 sq in. Recommended racquet tension: 50-60 lbs.
The Wimbledon fortnight may inspire you to dig out your tennis whites, but if your enthusiasm is unlikely to last into August then you can't do much better than this.

The Speed Gun is a bargain price, but it doesn't feel cheap. Out of all the under-£50 racquets this one comes top for me. It feels solid and has very little vibration - fantastic value for money.

Best for... beginners.



 
 
 
 

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