Racket advice needed - switching from Wilson Hyper Hammer 6.

[Kunndi]

I am an all court player: big serve, with top spin, mostly; big loopy swings on both sides, with a single handed back-hand. Like to volley too.

I decided to switch rackets from my old Wilson HyperHammer 6.3; a HyperCarbon racket: 27.5in long; 9 ounces and 110 sq-in.

I used a tool that one of the warehouse places had on-line and it suggested I switch to a Head Titanium Ti-S6 racket.

Unfortunately, I now have a very painful elbow issue - not tennis elbow, but golfer's elbow - on the inside of the elbow. My grip sizes on the new rackets are not all the same (I bulked up the smaller ones to match them).

Is that a bigger factor than the racket itself?

I am really looking for the best racket for me to switch to. How do I figure that out?

Thanks!

[guypers]

Take up bridge?

[Larry Whitaker]

It is the strings, not the racquet frame, that makes all the difference. That is not the best racquet frame, but it will be dramatically improved by having it strung with the new Copoly strings and much looser tension. Try it. I have them string my racquets in "hybrid" format with Copoly and Sensation Spin.

Larry

[pltrgyst]

On 12/7/13 12:41 PM, Kunndi wrote:
> I am an all court player: big serve, with top spin, mostly; big loopy swings on both sides, with a single handed back-hand. Like to volley too.

Big loopy single-handed backhands are rare beasties. What level player
are you?

> I decided to switch rackets from my old Wilson HyperHammer 6.3; a HyperCarbon racket: 27.5in long; 9 ounces and 110 sq-in.

Whatever the answer to my previous question is, IMO such a racquet is
rarely used ny anyone above USTA 3.5.

>.... My grip sizes on the new rackets are not all the same (I bulked up

the smaller ones to match them).

What new racquets? What are you trying to convey here? Is grip size a
critical factor affecting golf elbow, as it is tennis elbow?

-- Larry

[Larry Whitaker]

Those Wilson "Hammer" racquets were among the most popular for both pros and amateurs a few years ago. The women pros used them years longer than the men.

My teaching pro (himself competitive in this state "Over 70" singles) says that it is just silly to hit overspin backhand shots. It is nearly impossible to hit a backhand winner, so every backhand should be sliced, preferably deep and low to the opponent's backhand corner. That is most easily done with one hand. The strategy is to use the forehand for offense and backhand for defense until we get a short ball that invites a game-ending volley or strong forehand winner. As Vic Braden taught, just keep playing boring tennis until you go to the trophy presentation.

Larry

[Pelle Svanslös]

On 8.12.2013 1:33, Larry Whitaker wrote:
>
> My teaching pro (himself competitive in this state "Over 70" singles)
> says that it is just silly to hit overspin backhand shots. It is
> nearly impossible to hit a backhand winner, so every backhand should
> be sliced, preferably deep and low to the opponent's backhand corner.

Maybe what he says is in the context of one specific BH.

--
"Got no time for jibba jabba"

[Ted S.]

On Sat, 7 Dec 2013 16:33:49 -0800 (PST), Larry Whitaker wrote:

> As Vic Braden taught, just keep playing boring tennis until you go to
> the trophy presentation.

Certainly works for Nadal, although I have a feeling amateurs like you
and I would destory our arms within one match trying to produce that
much topspin.

--
Ted Schuerzinger
justacineast at gmail dot com
If you're afraid of the ball, don't sit in the front row. --Anastasia
Rodionova

[Larry Whitaker]

I strongly suspect we will see national champions in the over 70 categories playing like Ken Rosewall. Topspin forehand and slice backhand. Just lift it over the middle of the net and lay it low into the backhand corner. The first one to hit short loses the point.

Larry

[The Iceberg]

yeah! probably. I know a guy who's won a lot of finals using the fh attack, bh defense strategy, then I know another guy who hits bh winners all over the place, can depend on technique.

[Larry Whitaker]

My teacher here is a long-time tennis teaching pro, who has always played top level tournament tennis here in San Diego and all over California. While he has all the shots, he chooses to primarily underspin both backhand and forehand. He is not interested in hitting fast serves! In fact if he sees his opponent too far back, he might underspin his serve and force the opponent to scramble to get it. Remember his opponents are now his age, in their 70s. He is focused on requiring his opponent to return with backhands and to lift the ball and give him an overhead smash opportunity. He won't miss. He plays with old Prince "Woodies" BTW.

Dave Dollens says that there may be one guy remaining in California who might beat him in singles. All the others over the years have quit singles for various reasons. Some have two new knees now! I remember him predicting years ago that all those guys would get hurt- that the violence of overspin tennis takes a toll on our bodies.

So I practice his shots. I work with the machine to ingrain a consistent low underspin shot to the backhand corner-- in combination with a strong topspin forehand when I get that opportunity. I need to develop a better drop-shot because that is an effective ploy against guys our age. I hit LOTS of overheads, knowing they will throw that up either when forced-- or as a defense. When those come back as an overhead smash, that stops that!

Tennis in our age group is more akin to chess, ha.

Larry

[Kunndi]

<snip>
>
> Take up bridge?

Nice - well played! :)

[Kunndi]

On Saturday, December 7, 2013 6:15:37 PM UTC-5, Larry Whitaker wrote:
<snip>

>
> It is the strings, not the racquet frame, that makes all the difference. That is not the best racquet frame, but it will be dramatically improved by having it strung with the new Copoly strings and much looser tension. Try it. I have them string my racquets in "hybrid" format with Copoly and Sensation Spin.
>
>
>
> Larry

Thanks. I use what they call a 'pro blend' because I break my strings a lot otherwise. I think the pro blend is gut and synthetic...

[Kunndi]

On Saturday, December 7, 2013 7:09:46 PM UTC-5, pltrgyst wrote:
<snip>

>
> Big loopy single-handed backhands are rare beasties. What level player
> are you?

I am low 4.5.

<snip>

>
> What new racquets? What are you trying to convey here? Is grip size a
> critical factor affecting golf elbow, as it is tennis elbow?

I switched from the Hyper Hammer to the Head TiS6. I had problems with the Hyper Hammer about 2 years ago, but I started using a V-band on my elbow and the problem went away. Then, it came back after I started using the Head rackets and now the pain is constant and just really bad.

>
> -- Larry

[Kunndi]

On Monday, December 9, 2013 11:25:03 AM UTC-5, The Iceberg wrote:
<snip>

>
> yeah! probably. I know a guy who's won a lot of finals using the fh attack, bh defense strategy, then I know another guy who hits bh winners all over the place, can depend on technique.

... wasn't that Pete Sampras's MO? :)

[Larry Whitaker]

Irrelevant for most of us. What Sampras had to do to win has essentially nothing to do with what 99% of amateurs must do to win.

1% or fewer of tennis club members play at the 5.0 level and above.

So as Vic Braden taught, MOST of us should be playing the percentages, avoiding unnecessary risks. And the topspin backhand is risky because the player must telegraph his intentions long in advance of the shot and because it is too easy to hit it short or out, an unforced error. So smart players slice it deep and low.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGRIf7e6fP0

Neither of them hits topspin backhands.

Larry

[drew]

On Sunday, December 8, 2013 7:43:50 PM UTC-5, Larry Whitaker wrote:

>
> I strongly suspect we will see national champions in the over 70 categories playing like Ken Rosewall.

Over 70?

Who fucking cares?

[Larry Whitaker]

You will, but only if you are lucky! Most never make it, at least they are not healthy when they get there. When you are young age 70 seems a long time ahead, but it seems only yesterday that I turned 40. Suddenly I am in my 70s.

I have been lucky. I am still playing both golf and tennis. I consider myself "in training" for upcoming tennis tournaments. Losing weight and gaining strength. I work with a PT in addition to an hour daily against a tennis machine. I'll see you out there!

Larry

[Kunndi]

On Wednesday, December 11, 2013 7:20:19 PM UTC-5, Larry Whitaker wrote:
<snip>

>
> You will, but only if you are lucky! Most never make it, at least they are not healthy when they get there. When you are young age 70 seems a long time ahead, but it seems only yesterday that I turned 40. Suddenly I am in my 70s.
>
>
>
> I have been lucky. I am still playing both golf and tennis. I consider myself "in training" for upcoming tennis tournaments. Losing weight and gaining strength. I work with a PT in addition to an hour daily against a tennis machine. I'll see you out there!
>
>
>
> Larry

I am not there yet, but understand and agree with you, in sentiment. It is a micro-small minority of tennis players who are pros, etc. The majority of people who play tennis play to be able to say/do what you are doing at your age. Kudos!
Thanks for the advice

[Larry Whitaker]

As we see around us, MOST people are lazy and careless about their health. They let themselves become overweight and hopelessly out of shape. They get by with that in their 30s and 40s, then it comes home to roost in their 50s and beyond. Suddenly they can't play any sport harder than horseshoes or darts, ha. "Use it or lose it" is a reality-and it requires almost superhuman resolve to get it back later in life. Nothing sadder than a former good athlete who is screwed up with arthritis and/or injuries caused by weak muscles and bones.

There are darned few "over 70" good singles tennis players and even fewer "over 75s" and beyond. But they're out there and they are fierce competitors. I love it. I hope to encounter such men in Palm Springs next month. They are my role models!

Larry

[crga...@gmail.com]

How's that Head racquet working out for you ?

[Manuel aka Xax]

First time I tried a Hammer thing (possibly the first one) I hated that piece of shit!
It deserved its name: balance is outrageously headed, making this racket unuseable at the net for me.
Also hated the size (100Sqi and plus is too large to my taste).

By that time I was using (and have been using it until 2003 or 2004) THE :-) Wilson Pro Staff Classic (black, yellow, red, ala Edberg obviously) 95Sqi 80%Graphite 20%Kevlar... A heavy and non-forgiving superb tool.

Wich I replaced with Babolat Drive (sublime balance, stiffness; in a lighter package).
I play with it since.

If I was to buy something new I would defintely try many models, especially from Technifibre, wich released some incredibly good rackets few years ago.

Try as many as you can: borrow from friends/parteners/clubs...
I tried those technifibres during club/brand evening test session.

[Green hammer]

> My teaching pro (himself competitive in this state "Over 70" singles) says that it is just silly to hit overspin backhand shots. It is nearly impossible to hit a backhand winner, so every backhand should be sliced, preferably deep and low to the opponent's backhand corner. That is most easily done with one hand. The strategy is to use the forehand for offense and backhand for defense until we get a short ball that invites a game-ending volley or strong forehand winner. As Vic Braden taught, just keep playing boring tennis until you go to the trophy presentation.
>

Reading this 9 years too late but this i think very accurately described the strategy that Ashley Barty used to dominate her opponents.