EQUIPMENT AND COURTS RACQUET SELECTION - Part 1

Articles In This Section:

· EQUIPMENT AND COURTS RACQUET SELECTION - Part 1

· EQUIPMENT AND COURTS RACQUET SELECTION - Part 2

· EQUIPMENT AND COURTS RACQUET SELECTION - Part 3

1. A well balanced, expertly made racquet is a sound investment for good tennis. Twelve to eighteen dollars invested in a racquet of nationally known quality will be well spent. The best racquets are of first quality ash, and if properly cared for, the frame will last for many years.

2. The handle of the racquet should be small. A circumference of four and a half inches is recommended for beginners. The test of the proper size in a handle is that the thumb overlaps the middle finger by one joint and a half when the player shakes hands with the racquet.

3. The racquet for women should weigh not more than thirteen and one-half ounces. Usually the "heavy" racquets range from thirteen and one-half to fourteen and one-half ounces. The "medium" weight includes thirteen to thirteen and one-half ounces, and "light" weight from twelve to twelve and one-half ounces.

4. Most of the modern racquets balance heavier in the handle than in the head for quicker action. In selecting a racquet, the player should swing a number of different racquets and find the one that seems to suit him.

5. Good quality lamb's gut costing about five to eight dollars will give excellent service for one or two seasons. The racquet must be restrung when the strings become loosened or break. The most practical stringing, which will serve the beginner very well, is silk or nylon which looks like gut but is damp proof. This is especially recommended for summer camps and damp climates.

6. Steel racquets are not recommended because of the different kind of game they develop which is not in favor with the best tennis circles. Also, it is necessary to hit the ball much harder to get the same results, due to the inflexibility of the steel strings. Balls wear out much faster, too.

CARE OF RACQUET

The racquet should be kept in a press and waterproof case at all times that it is not being used. During the winter it should be packed away in a dry place, where no moisture can get at it. Otherwise the strings are likely to rot and the frame to warp.

BALLS

Wright and Ditson, Spalding, Wilson, Dunlop, or Pennsylvania balls which bear the present year and official seal should be purchased as frequently as are needed. Balls are good only so long as the felt cover remains undamaged, and the bounce is perfect.