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<s>[INST]Dunno if you’ve purchased your frame already but the Blade 98 is a good racquet for most people. Check which string pattern before you buy—16x19 or 18x20. I’m not too familiar with the 104 but iirc it’s an extended frame and so is harder to manoeuvre. The Hyper Hammer is a very head heavy frame best suited for players who can’t create any power themselves and have no desire to develop any. They’re your classic weekend warrior frying pan serving old farts at the public park kind of racquet (as described to me when I talked about having started with that exact line of racquets myself). You may also consider other Wilson racquets like the PS97 or Babolat / Head / Yonex frames as well if you have an opportunity to do so. You can try the RF97A but it’s not a forgiving frame over time (you get tired very quickly if your technique is not there yet, which is likely the case as you said you’re a 2.5), and from personal experience I have yet to meet someone who wields that frame that is proficient at tennis...usually they’re Federer fans who bought it because it’s what he uses. On the plus side if you do really want that frame there’s a good chance you can find it for sale second hand. Finally, if you want a frame with more swingweight, you’re may be best served adding lead tape at 3 and 9 on a lighter platform racquet that has the features you want, instead of buying a racquet that is heavy to begin with that isn’t quite your style.[/INST] I work the US Open every year and I will tell you there are always surprises even to us on staff with timing and stadium assignments, but the really big names will always be on Ashe. Federer didn't play Armstrong last year when the new stadium was opened and they won't risk the insanity of the GA crowd fighting for seats in there. The schedule is somewhat hard to predict and I think your chances of grabbing the exact session are slim. There is as much of a chance of him playing a day match as a night match. So my advice is to look at the next day's draw when it's published at 3-4pm the day before on the US Open website or app. Then go to Ticketmaster or Stubhub and buy resale seats before the rest of the population figures it out.</s>

<s>[INST]Haha I wouldn't call it sexual. But it's supposed to be play. Like a good dog bites, but not hard. Just enough to give you a nip and feel it. It's part of play. And that's what rallies really are. You're not actually playing out a point. By no stretch of the imagination is it any real measure of competitiveness. It's just fun and practice. It's not fun if one person is just dominating. We see that even in rat play; if one rat dominates the other, the loser will not want to play. So the stronger rat will literally let the weaker rat win from time to time. That's what you should do when you rally. You don't just make it one way traffic, you give a little so that it can be fun. It's not fun if one person can't keep up. It's not fun if on person can't try at all because they're "too good." It's fun when it's just aggressive enough that you're hitting balls hard, but you're not trying to all out win. Personally I always assume if someone is doing dumb stuff in rally situations they're probably acting out from insecurity. And I know if someone lets me back in a rally or game situation (not a match), they're probably doing so to keep things more fun.[/INST] Fun to watch, Thanks for posting</s>

<s>[INST]The ball toss is super important and unfortunately there is not short cut, you will have to learn to throw with your (probably) non-dominate hand. Maybe this helps a bit? [https://youtu.be/UJ3xNfw7G3Y](https://youtu.be/UJ3xNfw7G3Y) Also when serving you should use the continental grip, if you are not doing that already. In general it helps when you film yourself. In the video it's easier to know what you are actually doing vs what you should be doing. Essential tennis (the channel you linked) they have a podcast and one of them is about filming. Good luck![/INST] I'm definitely goining to check that podcasts. Sunday I'm going to tennis with my girlfriend so then I'm gonna ask if she would like to film it. Then I can watch it back and see if I'm doing it correctly. And after that I will practice and practice and practice even more till I'm happy with my serve! That's for your comment!</s>

<s>[INST]Yeah it didn't work for me but yeah it's definitely got the bite thing going. When you see the string you'll get why. Lol the string is practically flat. So from just a novelty perspective not bad to try. Who knows maybe it will be perfect for you[/INST] "Shank you very much" when it goes in anyway. </s>

<s>[INST]This was the beginning of the first set and this guy was hitting a lot harder than I’m used to, but looking at the footage yeah my forehand looks awful. I don’t disagree with you. I’ll work on it when I’m playing with my friend trying to get in to tennis.[/INST] If you are not in a position to take some lessons, watch slow-mo videos of the pros FHs and do your best to mimic the stroke path. Also make sure you’ve got the right grip and contact point.</s>

<s>[INST]What? I only play with pros and ex-pros. :)[/INST] Your service grip is not traditional/conventional. I have not tried your grip, but this may (?) interfere with a natural, traditional arm movement. You should consider using the standard “axe” grip. Also, relax :) don’t tense up</s>

<s>[INST]From what I heard sports like baseball and volleyball carry over well into tennis since the shoulder swinging motion (throwing, spiking ---&gt; serve) is well ingrained in their muscle memory?[/INST] We'll soon find out!</s>

<s>[INST]I stepped away from the game just as the Sampras era was coming to an end, came back last year to find the game has completely changed but it's actually been fun to learn the modern style. Still decided to develop my serve and volley game because I don't think I have the fitness to grind it out at the baseline, and from a tactical standpoint it feels a bit boring to me to camp out back. My assumption is also that if I develop solid S&amp;V skills, at the intermediate rec level, my opponent won't be able to hit passing shot after passing shot through the course of a match, and if he does, then hats off to him. [/INST] Serve and volley is great. I suck at tennis and have been able to maintain a solid 4.0 rating (in a pretty good area for tennis, northeast DFW) just by S&amp;V. I’ll take months, even 9 months away from Tennis and usually it just takes a few times out and I am back to having a decent S&amp;V rhythm back, unlike groundstrokes. Makes people nervous it seems like. I also chip and charge a ton, usually half of them end up as shitty framed drop shots, lol, don’t care, points are points. Many of my breaks come from a late inside out backhand return from the deuce court, a couple decent volleys and a framed return on a chip and charge. People say I’m lucky, maybe that’s so, I get a bunch of net cords that always seem to go my way. </s>

<s>[INST]I play in Tennis Canada’s junior provincial program.[/INST] Ah. I mean it happens a lot to players when their mental strength breaks down, but usually not to this degree. Your weaknesses tend to be amplified and whatnot, but to break down like that I think may be showing a breakdown in technique as well. Talk to your coach.</s>

<s>[INST]Shuffles instead of cross over steps[/INST] Raquetflex and top tennis training. And for non-youtube resources tenniswithouttalent.com is probably the most scientific, no BS tennis website out there.</s>

<s>[INST]I'd say worry about that stuff when you're competitive. Having the right swing weight is important when you're playing against big servers and groundstrokes but isn't really important for beginners who are learning. Also learning to string yourself might be a good investment[/INST] That's what I was thinking too about stringing. I learned to string a while ago but I don't own a machine, The nearest place to get a racquet restrung is a 2 hour drive which is why I will certainty have more then one racquet. If I get a machine I wont need to go anywhere and maybe offer it up as a service if I find more then the one player I do know now. Also I used to play competitive when I was more active, its only now that there is a court nearby with people who I can play with. </s>

<s>[INST]I grew up in Rochester N.Y. I know all about playing in crap weather. I even played while it was snowing once for a college tournament. It was like hitting bowling balls, not tennis balls. :( I got out of NY as soon as I graduated.[/INST] Oh man. They may be in the same state, but damn it gets cold up there. I go upstate here and there and it feels like a climate shift every time haha.</s>

<s>[INST]There is no better feeling that you get on the regular than hitting with new strings. I break my strings every 5-6 hours of play so I get to hit that high every week. Wallet hates it though.[/INST] All of my peeps are down in El Paso playing sectionals. I haven't heard a word. Hmmm......</s>

<s>[INST]I played in 43 degrees today. I lasted 20 minutes. Next time I might wear gloves.[/INST] The backboard is free. But I hear he's highly voluble to the lob.</s>

<s>[INST]you know, at first I thought all these videos were spam then I tried watching one and honestly pretty great. Informative, well demonstrated, not trying to sell me any garbage. Just a dude who likes tennis giving tips to other people who like tennis ��[/INST] Mine arrived today. Initial impression - They feel extremely stiff, almost like rock in the hand. But they actually bounce very very well. Hypothesis - People are writing off this ball for no good reason: either they are turned off by the fact that the balls are unpressurized, or they only hit with them for a short time. I'm going to assume that once the balls are broken in a bit, they will improve in feel. Yes, I'm biased because I'm hoping for a ball that does last 4x as long, meaning less money spent on balls. But I'm at least going to give it a fair trial. I haven't hit with it yet, but when I do, I will update you.</s>

<s>[INST]too open meaning i should change my grip? Yeah i think my wrist is not locked; should i squeeze harder? i took 5 lessons a few months back and i stopped.[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]Holy crap you’re hitting the piss out of that ball, does it owe you money?[/INST] Haha. No. It really isn't that hard :) Far from going full ape on the ball</s>

<s>[INST]Seriously with that much overlap it looks like the grip size increases by 1/8th...[/INST] That’s about right. I play with a 4 3/8 but prefer not quite the size of 4.5 with overgrip, so especially with thinner overgrip, I will overlap to just get a little more size on it. Also, like I said earlier I did it partially when I was younger to annoy my dad, and I think I just got used To the feeling of it </s>

<s>[INST]&gt; faces the ball, it's usually pointing to the side-ish before contact Is that because you're breaking the plane (racket pointing along the plane of your back) on your takeback, so the buttcap faces toward the fence in the way that your bellybutton would? If that's what you mean, I think at the peak of my takeback my racket tip probably faces close to along the plane of my back, with the tip almost pointing back towards my dominant shoulder. I think this is sort of essential with the 1hbh, since your relying entirely on that uncoiling to generate power - it's much harder to muscle the ball with only one hand on the racket. &gt; Sounds simple enough. Why didn't I think of this lol When I was a kid, my coach would have my watch tournaments and adjust my grip how I thought I should along with one of the players to get the timing down, perhaps you could do that so it's a bit more entertaining. &gt; I guess I'll still slice at my usual ratio, which is usually for defensive shots on the run/stretch, and super low balls. I notice that some 1hbh players like Shapovalov also use the BH slice very sparingly. I think Shapovalov is unique in how comfortable he is with that jumping backhand. I tend to slice if I'm on the defensive - I'm pressed for time on a high ball, or if the ball is too low to hit a reliable 1h drive. I'd guess maybe 25% of the time overall? I like to hit an offensive slice though if I'm able to come into the court and attack a high backhand, a lot of players only see defensive floating slices hit for time, and it can be a real weapon if you like to try to skid one down the line.[/INST] &gt; If that's what you mean, I think at the peak of my takeback my racket tip probably faces close to along the plane of my back, with the tip almost pointing back towards my dominant shoulder. I think this is sort of essential with the 1hbh, since your relying entirely on that uncoiling to generate power - it's much harder to muscle the ball with only one hand on the racket. This is some good info, thanks! &gt; When I was a kid, my coach would have my watch tournaments and adjust my grip how I thought I should along with one of the players to get the timing down, perhaps you could do that so it's a bit more entertaining. Not gonna lie, that's pretty genius. I've never had to struggle with grip changes before, since my hitting hand only had to "memorize" 2 grips: continental and eastern forehand. Now with the eastern backhand, that makes it 3. &gt; I like to hit an offensive slice though if I'm able to come into the court and attack a high backhand, a lot of players only see defensive floating slices hit for time, and it can be a real weapon if you like to try to skid one down the line. Yep, I also like to employ the old chip'n'charge. I'm a net rusher, so I actually do it quite a bit. I have another question. I'm assuming you use an eastern backhand grip, but does your index knuckle rest fully on the top bevel? For me, I find that it's situated a bit further back, like somewhere between the top bevel and the next one down. So like, bevel 1.5 or something if counting the bevels counter-clockwise (I'm a righty). Is this normal or viable?</s>

<s>[INST]I think I just found a new hobby my wife will hate when I do this at home. Fridge door you say?[/INST] Try using a cream or spray that dehydrates the skin. I used to have a spray for sweaty feet in the bag and used it on my hands before play. Apply it with caution tho'. When I played a lot (4+ times per week) my hands started to peel.</s>

<s>[INST]I was going to recommend a multi/poly hybrid because its super comfy with good control but my setup snaps every 5-8 hours. You could try a thicker gauge synthetic and a soft poly hybrid? I’ve tried both synth/poly and poly/synth and synth/poly was more comfortable and spin heavy. I was using a 16 gauge OGSM and for polys with that string ive tried, isospeed baseline, gamma octo, lethal 8, prince poly (PP S8, BO soon!). The down side to this is, the main strings wear down very quickly and string snapback dies quickly, I end up cutting it out before it breaks most of the time. Another option would be poly/poly hybrid. put a heavy spin shaped poly in the main and a soft rounded slick poly in the cross. I’m testing out a lethal 8/isospeed baseline combo atm and it hits pretty great + the isospeed really softens it up. I play on a midsize too and I usually string my multi/poly hybrids at 51/47 but on this poly/poly I actually did 45/45 and it feels surprisingly good, might try even lower next time[/INST] Big hitting players often struggle with low bouncing slice shots. Play them deep to the body or to the weaker side, and you'll get a short ball. If the slice ain't deep enough they'll still struggle with putting too much pace on it. An alternative to stepping on returns is also to go way back. If your opponent doesn't serve and volley and the court allows it, you have nothing to worry about.</s>

<s>[INST]Currently, it's not as important as in the past. Lots of pros are hitting more with their wrist than with a good shoulder turn. It's much easier to step into your forehand and get good weight transfer by turning your body and stepping into the shot. Easier on your body too.[/INST] 7.0 lbs ≈ 3.2 kilograms ^(1 pound ≈ 0.45kg) ^(I'm a bot. Downvote to remove.) _____ ^| ^[Info](https://www.reddit.com/user/Bot_Metric/comments/8lt7af/i_am_a_bot/) ^| ^[PM](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=Ttime5) ^| ^[Stats](http://botmetric.pythonanywhere.com) ^| ^[Opt-out](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=Bot_Metric&amp;subject=Don't%20reply%20to%20me&amp;message=If%20you%20send%20this%20message,%20I%20will%20no%20longer%20reply%20to%20your%20comments%20and%20posts.) ^| ^[v.4.4.6](https://www.reddit.com/user/Bot_Metric/comments/8o9vgz/updates/) ^|</s>

<s>[INST]Not a lot to go on here. Maybe y’all were rusty but in NorCal this would be closer to 8.0. Not enough racket head speed, poaching, or general consistency on display here.[/INST] We were not playing well in this set. Second set was much better quality, unfortunately, I mistakenly reformatted the SD card in the camera that I recorded the second set on. Will record more tomorrow. ��</s>

<s>[INST]Can you buy a 97s? I didn't even know they were in production, thought it was basically just a prostock racket.[/INST] Depends on your region. If you were Northern Virginia, NorCal, Atlanta, New York, 3.0. Most other places, perhaps 3.5.</s>

<s>[INST]At one point this year I had enough and stopped caring about the rain. Needless to say I haven't managed to find a hitting partner who feels the same way, but that doesn't stop me. I just go to the courts and practice solo drills like serving and whatnot. At least the courts are always free when it's raining![/INST] That's tennis for you. Everybody targets everybody's backhand because it tends to be a the weaker less developed shot. I agree that if you wanted to switch now would be the best time but I use a 1 handed backhand as well and I personally feel it helps me be more of an all court player. I can use it defensively or aggressively and I can switch to my slice pretty easily. So for me it just works out better than the 2HBH. But from what I hear the 2HBH is more consistent. So it should give you exactly what you're looking for as long as you train it properly. But people are still going to target it over and over. And those high balls to the backhand side don't get any easier 2 handed. Good Luck!</s>

<s>[INST]Haha, yes you know the type. I’m 37 in the body of a chubby 45 year old right now. I’ve actually managed over the last several years to drop down from 245 to about 200 now, so the health is getting better and better, but I could stand to drop another 30ish by the time I’m 40. I’m hoping my kid picks up tennis and I can have a hitting partner that gets me into the best tennis game of my life as I go through my 40s haha. My dad is 65 now and he and I play together every time I visit him or he visits me, we talk about our games on the phone all the time, I really want to have that relationship with my kid as well. [/INST] Dude dropping 45 lbs is no joke. Solid work �� </s>

<s>[INST]It's pretty good. I used to use cyclone religiously but I was having control problems in the 350sw and above range. Just felt a bit unpredictable. If you like cyclone maybe give Weiss cannon ultra cable a shot once. It's technically a bit softer. Feels different than the black I used, but it has by far the most bite on the ball I've ever tried. And I've tried a few gear shaped strings lol. Not going to be a huge bump in spin, but it's not that expensive (I think 12 or 13 dollars, can't remember), and sometimes it's fun to try new things.[/INST] Wisdom from Gramps should take him far!</s>

<s>[INST]Brand does not matter in the least. Racquets and strings are very much just personal preference, as long as something works well for you, there's nothing wrong with using it. Also I'm very much white and american lol[/INST] If you are a 4.0 or below player, please do not waste your time practicing forehand winners. Such players cannot hit winners consistently. I am 4.0 and can tell you how much enjoy playing against oponents who like hitting winners. A 4.0 and below player who can hit 5 decent forehands in a row to the oponents backhand without making an error is much more successfull player. Instead, learn how to hit with more topspin. It sounds that the problem when you hit forehand from inside the court is that it sails long. If you hit with more topspin you would better control that. You can probably learn to hit with more topspin more easily while keeping the eastern grip. Or you may want to switch to a more spin friendly grip. </s>

<s>[INST]I played in 43 degrees today. I lasted 20 minutes. Next time I might wear gloves.[/INST] Time to find an indoor court! BTW, it was 85 degrees here today. Looks like winter left for a while.</s>

<s>[INST]Since he picked up Ljubicic as a coach he's transitioned to a more solid eastern hammer like in the picture you linked. He always had a grip that in my opinion was closer to a hammer than the pronounced pistol grip he uses on his slice, but pre Ljubicic he had the index finger more separated up the racket. [Here](https://www.atptour.com/en/news/www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2019/03/11/04/10/federer-indian-wells-2019-sunday-backhand.jpg) are a few more. [1](https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/72/590x/secondary/Roger-Federer-1769081.jpg?r=1551895772914) [2](https://www.perfect-tennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Federer-Backhand-Grip.jpg) [3](http://images.indianexpress.com/2017/06/federer-7594.jpg) Here's his pretty clear pistol grip on the slice. [1](https://img.vavel.com/b/Federer%202006%20French%20Open.jpg) [2](https://www.tacticaltennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Roger-Federer-in-orange-shirt-looks-to-hit-a-backhand-slice.jpg) [3](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/13/d2/9b/13d29bacb65409ef752fb095252a83d3.jpg) [4](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_YE-k1QwZfg/maxresdefault.jpg) This one really shows how he uses that pistol grip to allow him to control the radial deviation on his backhand slice - something that you don't see guys like nadal and djokovic do as much.[/INST] From what I've noticed, this type of format is also fairly common in club ladder leagues/tournaments, as players need to organize their own times to meet up and play. It usually allows a match to start and end within an hour. Some tips I have are to give yourself some time to warm up beforehand. This goes for any match scenario, but in an 8 game pro set, if you get off to a slow start, the match could be over just like that. With that being said, your opponent is facing the exact same scenario. The strategy that worked best for me in this format is to start off with a bang - take the game to your opponent, go for your shots, and don't hold back. People who are not used to this format like to take it easy and get a groove going at the start, as they do not want to lose the first few games. This gives you the opportunity to take advantage of their more passive start, and jump to a quick lead. The pressure really builds once a small lead has been established in a one set match, and oftentimes, the opponent may never even fully settle in before the match is over. Honestly, this goes for any match - you always want to go out with the mindset of playing to win. It's just emphasized more in this format because of how fast the match could go by. As for the no ad scoring - the returner usually gets to choose which side they want to return from. Usually, you want to pick the side that you're most comfortable on, unless your opponent shows serious weakness serving on a particular side. Play to win, but more importantly, remember to have fun! These types of tournaments are usually more casual, so it can be a great opportunity to make some new friends/hitting partners as well.</s>

<s>[INST]It looks like you are very flexible and that is why you are able to face the court and serve. If it was me I would have thrown out my rotary cuff. You are not using your kinetic chain much. It is kind of a pin point serve but you are not moving your body weight. It is not exactly a platform serve either because your feet are very close together and you are not rotating. I think you are a good candidate to move into a pin point serve style.[/INST] Funny you say that! I've tried pinpoint style and I actually didn't like it at all, it felt like my feet were cuffed together and it just felt very unnatural. (My arms are very flexible by the way, which is why my motion feels so natural to me.) I can understand your suggestion of the pinpoint stance though-- my feet come together as soon as I lift off and it looks like some sort of ballerina pose, haha. I had no idea it looked like that until I viewed the slow-mo footage. Anyway, today I tried the other commenter's suggestion of adopting the proper platform stance with the different hip position and my kick serve definitely benefited. I probably hit about 15 kick serves today that were better than my previous best kick serve in terms of how much the ball kicked to the right. Once I commit my new serve to muscle memory, I'll upload some more footage and see if there are any other issues to work on.</s>

<s>[INST]Ah. I mean it happens a lot to players when their mental strength breaks down, but usually not to this degree. Your weaknesses tend to be amplified and whatnot, but to break down like that I think may be showing a breakdown in technique as well. Talk to your coach.[/INST] Thanks. I was kind of looking to vent and I guess i didn’t clarify but it was more like my muscles just got stiffer and stiffer and the hole I dug with one error become a sinkhole.</s>

<s>[INST]Maybe try changing the grip gradually? Rotate it every other day a little and get used to it and then do it again and again, until you are at continental.[/INST] your footwork is abysmal look up closed stance and open stance improve your split step</s>

<s>[INST]You could try going to a thinner gauge for your poly, if you’re using 16, you could go 17 or 18 even. I’ve never used poly/gut combo, so not really sure about how to use that effectively... do you string the poly lower than the gut? Do you use the same gauge? Do you feel a big difference versus using just poly? Is the benefit mostly a softer feel? Does it take away from the power a little? . I used multifilament (tecnifibre nrg2) for a long time and really like it, but when I switched I felt a big difference. the feel dropped a little, but the improvement in liveliness was pretty dramatic: i lowered the tension 5-7 lbs, and it is more stable, more springy, but in a good way. I thought it would be harder on my arm, but honestly the contact feels lighter and less jarring when the ball im receiving is heavy. Held off of switching cuz I hated the early polys, they felt and sounded terrible to me. Why the synthetic gut? I’m assuming your prestretching the strings? I’m using 17 gauge and it outlasts the nrg2 at 16 gauge. [/INST] I have poly 2 lbs lower than the gut. Gut gives more power and feel in the mains which is what I like. Gut poly hybrid gives the best of both worlds imo and is better than full gut case the power and feel of gut is mixed with durability and spin of poly. No wonder Fed uses it, it's pretty sweet. I use 16g gut for more durability and 17g poly for more flex. I'm using synthetic gut cause this isn't my main setup. And I do prestretch the strings. 16g should be more durable than 17g cause 17 is thinner and moves more. </s>

<s>[INST]Well for starters you choke up too much with the left hand, it should be as low as you can get it, just above the right hand.[/INST] I just wear contact lenses on days I play tennis. I hit a lot of reverse forehands so I'm worried that I may smash my glasses on a particularly awkward reverse forehand</s>

<s>[INST]I've said that I know the string density won't change but I think by stringing less the string bed will be more loose allowing more power. I'm just curious to see what would happen. [/INST] I agree with supafly, I don’t think it will add power. Lower the string tension. Don’t be afraid to go down to 40 lbs (don’t know the kilos), if that’s what feels good. What is your tension at? If you read it on a forum where people are experienced, I guess you can keep doing that, but my thought would be it wouldn’t be good for the frame to do that. Another consideration are the tie offs, if you’re using thick string... I couldn’t do that because the grommets I use to tie off are at the last string, and the string I use (solinco tour bite soft 17g) won’t fit in non-tie-off grommets.</s>

<s>[INST]Sort of. I prefer to go to a pro shop and actually get measured. Or use this site: http://protennistips.net/tennis-racquet-grip-size/ I think the “finger width” rule has too much variation and I’ve seen very different results. It’s a bit too loose as a rule of thumb. I’d rather measure tip to knuckle etc. it makes a difference.[/INST] Perfect. Nothing to fix.</s>

<s>[INST]A tip i found helpful is: *Use both hands during the 1 handed backhand*. Sounds counterintuitive, but the 2nd hand plays a major role in the take back and balance after contact. I try to remember to keep my left hand on the throat of the racquet until it reaches my left pocket during the swing.[/INST] Very underrated tip. I find that if my left hand leaves the throat of the racket too early, my swing ends up becoming too linear, rather than low to high, which results in a flatter, less consistent stroke.</s>

<s>[INST]Hi! I'm probably in level between 3.5/4, 22 years old. I don't usually break strings. My last racket was Dunlop Revolution NT with poly/gut combination. I play mostly on baseline, constantly adding spins to my strokes. I'm thinking about trying out Babolat Natural Gut mains/ Luxilon Alu Power cross because I'm curious about how it feels regardless of its price, but it'd be great to hear suggestions from co-players.[/INST] Hitting drop shots off their serve come to mind, also the SABR</s>

<s>[INST]I grew up in Rochester N.Y. I know all about playing in crap weather. I even played while it was snowing once for a college tournament. It was like hitting bowling balls, not tennis balls. :( I got out of NY as soon as I graduated.[/INST] When I started lifting, my vertical jump increased significantly - surprise a lot of people when they attempt to lob me at the net. I found the benefits of strength training to taper off once I approached some decent weights though (190kg squat, 210 deadlift, 130 bench). Started training the snatch and clean and jerk. Much more applicable IMO. Need a coach though, finally joined a weightlifting gym and was doing quite a lot wrong. Plus, using less weight for the same results on court means less stress on my joints.</s>

<s>[INST]Zen mode. [/INST] Zen mode on the courts, pain mode when back home!</s>

<s>[INST]The two hander has some real advantages over the one hander. For example, return of serve, and handling high balls. There are days where I wish I had a two hander.[/INST] Generally speaking, for a new player, I say use the racket that helps you the most. You need to get some satisfaction out of the game, so hitting a few good balls with a game improvement racket, IMO, is a good thing. As she improves and starts using her whole body more, maybe add some lead tape. But in general, for 99% of people, especially adults who can't play 3 or 4 hours a day, I don't think getting a "difficult" racket is going to incentivize anybody to develop a better kinetic chain from the get go. I think it's just going to frustrate people.</s>

<s>[INST]Yeah I had no confidence in my serve and at that point, I pretty much wanted to start under hitting it just to get it in. I was going for really conservative serves because in my head I was thinking that the game actually mattered when in reality it doesn't. I know that I should be playing to improve not to win but when I'm on the court, that goes out the window. It's a mental problem I have that I haven't found a solution too yet but I'm working on it. Thanks for your feedback and time![/INST] Always try to serve correctly, even if you hit 50 double faults.</s>

<s>[INST]I'm in the black shirt/blue shorts. After this match I started to feel deep sharp pain in my right shoulder joint - played competition the next day and since then (about 10 days ago) my shoulder has been a write-off! I can open doors, raise my arm straight upwards etc but things like washing my hair are complete torture.. making a throwing motion kills me!!! Looks like no tennis or much of anything for the next few weeks unfortunately..[/INST] lol how on earth do you naturally pull your front foot back? I've never heard of that before. Anyway pull your back foot forwards, otherwise your motion works disrupts your flow and will stifle your momentum.</s>

<s>[INST]I hadn't seen that tip about the initial hip position and subsequent rotation demonstrated so clearly before. Thanks for the tip, I'll surely be working on this tomorrow. That foot placement is going to be quite an adjustment. How similar should the stance be for the flat and kick serves?[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]What you mean to say is, "I envy your weather this time of year."[/INST] Nah, I prefer dry heat to 100+ degrees and 80% humidity. The weather here in DFW is downright awful. I grew in west Texas and it was regularly close to 120 degrees, but it was dry which was nice, you basically become your own swamp cooling system when you start sweating in heat like that. Here there’s just nothing you can do, except bring 5 shirts in your tennis bag along with a beach towel, extra socks, multiple sets of wrist bands etc. It’s the worst, lol. </s>

<s>[INST]I agree with you. But I also say we should go back to wood rackets.[/INST] Haha man, I feel like we would be friends in real life, I agree on the wood rackets as well.</s>

<s>[INST]Well done. Only 30 pounds to go. That should take about a year. Cut out the carbs, the weight will just fall off. When you think about it, that's about 3.6 gallons of water. And don't forget the old saying, a camera adds 10 pounds to you. I also suffer from mental image delusions. Must be catchy.[/INST] Volkl C10 and some of the power bridges if you put some tape on them have very similar flexibility to the old prostaffs. I’m someone that played with the 85s in junior high, and eventually went to the 6.1 like you. I really like my leaded up Volkls by as the other guy mentioned it’s good to find someone who has the contraptions to outfit your racket so they are all identical. The upside is how cheap they are to do this way with lesser used rackets instead of buying an official stick from Wilson for a million bucks. </s>

<s>[INST]Yeah I've got those lead strips. Might give it a go. No risk of damaging the buttcap though?[/INST] Nah it pops right back on</s>

<s>[INST]Childhood injury[/INST] Ah, that explains it. Funny, my tan lines are less this time of year. You can't spend as much time on the court in the summer in Phoenix. You'll burn your feet from the heat of the courts.</s>

<s>[INST]Thank you for your recommendation. I will look into the poly/poly hybrid that you recommended. At the moment I don't have a contact that will string and at the same time allow me to bring my own strings. So I'm limited to what the two shops that I frequent offer in terms of strings. Do you string yourself?[/INST] Just lead up the PS, add some under grip and add some at 12 so you can maintain similar balance and twistweight while upping static weight. also, something /u/turbospin pointed out to me a while back, but choking up a little bit on the racquet when serving works pretty well!</s>

<s>[INST]Well done. Only 30 pounds to go. That should take about a year. Cut out the carbs, the weight will just fall off. When you think about it, that's about 3.6 gallons of water. And don't forget the old saying, a camera adds 10 pounds to you. I also suffer from mental image delusions. Must be catchy.[/INST] Yeah my carb load was much too high the last 4 days, but I needed the glycogen to lift. Tues-Thursday are going to be my low carb days. </s>

<s>[INST]That racket has a 100 sq. head, so the spin potential is definitely accessible. Your string choice is fine - a good affordable option that softens the stringbed as opposed to ALU and a multi/nat gut. If you like the racket and strings, I would stick with them. Try experimenting with adding weight to your racket, as that would help add plowthrough and depth to your shots without having to swing as hard (also prevents you from being pushed back as much). The Speed MP comes at around 11.2 oz strung, so you have a pretty big margin to work with. Get some lead tape, and experiment with placement around the hoop, and then counter balance with weight in the handle (you can use bluetack/putty shoved in the buttcap, or just take off your grip and wrap some lead tape around the end of your handle). With a full western grip, I would personally recommend starting with weight at 3/9; maybe 2-3g on each side (4-6g in total in the hoop), and then counter balance with a similar amount in/on the handle. If you need a bit more power, toss a few grams at 12. Go up in weight slowly, though - add a few grams, take it for a few hits, then reassess, as it can take a while to find a setup that works well for your game. I suspect you should be able to go up to around 11.7oz strung without having it affect your playing ability negatively.[/INST] I've already used the tennis warehouse calculator to figure out lead tape placement, the racquet is 12.47 ounces and 6 points head light, with 335 swingweight. When I first started using it, most of my shots went long because I hadn't adjusted my swing path to compensate, but I think the issue is that over time, I began to overcompensate. I think that I will just need to use a more forward swing motion, actively aiming a few feet past the service line. I could also take some weight off and see if the faster racquet head speed makes up for the lower swingweight.</s>

<s>[INST]Being tall gives you more power, able it handle high balls, more reach but you aren't that maneuverable, as fast, can't take body shots well and low balls[/INST] Yes I agree but imo the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. 6'10 fed beats normal fed imo</s>

<s>[INST]I don’t know much about string types. From the relatively small amount of research I’ve done, it sounds like I should start with a poly or a syn gut, and move into a multifilament if it’s too uncomfortable? I chose multi over poly for the demos that I ordered yesterday.[/INST] I’m no pro, so take my tips with a grain of salt. The main thing I see is on your forehand, you’re using too much wrist. Too much wrist action majorly affects accuracy. I also think you should try to learn the two handed backhand, because it may a little bit easier to learn proper technique.</s>

<s>[INST]The two hander has some real advantages over the one hander. For example, return of serve, and handling high balls. There are days where I wish I had a two hander.[/INST] That’s amazing to hear!</s>

<s>[INST]Weight lifting, High intensity interval training etc.[/INST] &gt;Weight lifting, High intensity interval training etc. I'm not here to plug anything but I started this program two months ago and I'm definitely making gains. I just needed a guide to follow. Takes a little bit of dedication but if you put in the time it'll pay off. I'm 41 so I'm doing the old fogey program. Still a burn though if you push yourself. [https://www.memberstennisfitness.com/](https://www.memberstennisfitness.com/) I've also done some jumprope HIIT workouts in the past that I think are a great workout. Check out the "jump rope dudes" on youtube. They have some great HIIT workouts.</s>

<s>[INST]Jesus, why do you overlap your grip so much?[/INST] I started doing it when I was 6 or 7 because it pissed off my dad, been doing for the next 30 years, lol. </s>

<s>[INST]Thank you :) I just finished watching this video&gt;&gt; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIo12LOZiY0&amp; and realised what you are pointing out [/INST] If you look at the 3 goats they are all 6'1 and 6'2, same with Sampras. I am going to say if you are around that height the sky is the limit. </s>

<s>[INST]What overgrips are those?[/INST] Probably yonex supergrap, judging from the finishing tape.</s>

<s>[INST]I have 2 of the 97S. I was just wondering what the CV plays like because I saw a good deal. I did notice the CV has a thicker beam than the 97S so I decided to stick with what I have[/INST] Did wilson at some point sell a 97s? That sounds like a frame I'd like, especially if it's weighted and balanced like a traditional prostaff. The only thing I want out of my prostaff now is a bit more spin.</s>

<s>[INST][deleted][/INST] That's a good thing, also set a few days a week to drill with someone. If you can get a basket of balls and feed to each other to practice certain shots.</s>

<s>[INST]Oh man I have struggled with this too. Here is a battle plan that helped me improve: First, reboot from a new mindset: Topspin is NOT optional. EVERY groundstroke should have topspin. When you hit you should be thinking about two things: striking it to give it topspin and with enough height to get it over the net. Hit with more topspin than you think you need. Do not be tempted to hit flat. Master this and only this until you have reliable control. Expect your level to drop for a few hitting sessions while you re-tool the technique. Then start to \*very gradually\* add power back. Think about "throwing" the racket through the topspin swing. Don't "muscle" the ball by intentionally "hitting hard"; instead, let the natural forces of swing path and angular momentum provide the power. (You still need to avoid hitting flat.) Focus on that feeling of letting the string friction lift the ball up and over the net. You should still be hitting with feels like a lot of topspin. After practicing this often, you will start to feel more confident and find yourself naturally adding more power with the topspin keeping it in the court.[/INST] &gt; Don't "muscle" the ball by intentionally "hitting hard" I just say "don't swing hard; swing fast"</s>

<s>[INST]Bigger nail clippers. Or have the nail surgically removed like Brad Gilbert did[/INST] Weird, have you tried hitting a flat forehand with an open racket face? Or it might just be an issue with your right wrist.</s>

<s>[INST]I have poly 2 lbs lower than the gut. Gut gives more power and feel in the mains which is what I like. Gut poly hybrid gives the best of both worlds imo and is better than full gut case the power and feel of gut is mixed with durability and spin of poly. No wonder Fed uses it, it's pretty sweet. I use 16g gut for more durability and 17g poly for more flex. I'm using synthetic gut cause this isn't my main setup. And I do prestretch the strings. 16g should be more durable than 17g cause 17 is thinner and moves more. [/INST] Yeah, but I meant the 17 gauge poly lasts a lot longer than the 16 gauge multi.</s>

<s>[INST]it usually goes long. problem is probably not enough spin i guess. Maybe im not brushing the ball enough and i cant get the feeling of the brush like i can with my forehand[/INST] I'm the same way except with 2 hand, and I have a feeling that 80% of my backhand errors are a result of inadequate footwork/positioning. Can you describe exactly what's going wrong? Like does the ball usually go long, into the net, etc.</s>

<s>[INST]I'm just starting to turn this around. Just started thinking if I'm not relaxed and in the moment then all in doing is holding myself back. Because I'm so competitive though, I spin it into something like "he doesn't want me confident and relaxed, so I'll show him" kind of thing. Has been helping a lot, but still not fully there yet.[/INST] You’re strokes look really unconventional, but you are pretty good. A lot more effective than they seem at first glance :)</s>

<s>[INST]There's nothing like the competitive spirit. Never play golf against ex-NHL. Man, they can hit a golf ball a mile. I played an ex-NFL at tennis once. I was surprised how 'passive' he was. I like to neutralize the quick player with shots to the body. Take away his speed. Good to see you've got another hitting partner. I'm playing tomorrow with an old tennis pro. He's ten years younger, but 60 pounds heavier, so it evens out.[/INST] Man I tried To go to the body, lol I though kick served to the forehand moving back across his body would mess with him, lol nope he loved those. Slices into the hips? No problem. I have to kick them high and up to his backhand, he doesn’t like that much, and he’s a bit slow on reading slices out wide in the duece court. Pure speed, he loves that man, he loves blocking back with a little extra power. I’m just surprised how quickly he learned to read me. Maybe I’m not as sneaky as I thought. Let us know how your match with the new guy goes.</s>

<s>[INST]Forget about technique, first thing is watch the ball! The first 3 mins you did not return one serve and the balls you were able to get all shanked. Slices or bunt all balls if you have to but make sure you watch the ball and make solid contact. Also you are standing in a pure forehand stance so I am guessing you don't like to hit backhands. Next time during practice say it to yourself which side you are preparing for. If the ball is coming to your forehand side, say forehand as early as possible. This will force you to determine early and prepare early to make a solid shot. Once you get good at this you can start calling out which area you can hit at your opponents side, such as crosscourt or down the line. Too many beginners and intermediates focus on wrong things such as minute movement of the wrist and knees pointing 2 degrees off non sense. It makes zero difference if you can't hit the ball. It matters at a very high level, but to us rec players we have a lot more to learn before even getting to that place, if ever. [/INST] Your footwork is non existent. You’re more stiff than a tree. Loosen up, focus on split stepping. also next time i’d recommend demoing multiple rackets before you buy. When you buy a new racket it should be a solid decision that you feel comfortable making. Which means you shouldn’t be switching back to your old racket, adjust to your new racket, you bought it for a reason (maybe not a good one in your case). The more you play the sooner you will fully adjust.</s>

<s>[INST]you missed the "cannot afford to re-string every couple of matches" part. unless natural gut is super cheap now[/INST] Settings are important. You can easily beef up the weight using silicone in the handle and led tape in the hoop :)</s>

<s>[INST]For grip get an original tourna overgrip. Even when they're fairly soaked they still maintain grip for me. Also get a wristband and wear it on your playing arm. It actually catches a surprising amount of sweat that would end up on your grip. Also a change of shirt helps too. Another alternative is to regrip your racquet each set. You can then dry your 'used' grips off and reuse them next time you play. Maybe a bit extreme, but it will help too.[/INST] Hips! And now a little bit of ankle bullshit. </s>

<s>[INST]Nice to hear. Your advice on diet is paying off. Body fat dropping, crushed out over 600 watts of power on the tower, serve is back in the 120s, if I could just stop being a head case and double faulting multiple times a game I should have east service games down here at 4.0, lol. It really is amazing how my body has taken to 200-250 grams of protein a day. Almost like instant recovery.[/INST] I've had to up my game so to speak. No more breakfast. It's intermittent fasting now. No breakfast. As to your head case syndrome, I have no clue. My motto is, if you can't beat them, dazzle them with bullshit.</s>

<s>[INST]I assume you have more than one racket? If so, play until they break, it shouldn't be long.[/INST] I only have one racquet. I don't think I'm good enough a player to have multiple?</s>

<s>[INST]Chocolate milk is supposed to be the best recovery drink. I think Fluid (cycling guys love it) works great for recovery, and makes an awesome chocolate milk. From what I've read to prevent lactic acid from just lingering in your muscles the trick is to take a hot shower/bath right after the intensive workout. That promotes blood flow to pump out the acid. Then I think later you are supposed to take the dreaded ice bath. Ice baths work wonders.[/INST] /u/turbospin it’s your time to shine bud!</s>

<s>[INST]Honestly, your racquet wont really make a difference. Improving your technique will. [/INST] Wasn't the question I was asking, there isn't anyone around here that coaches and I was just gonna learn from youtube and other internet recourses. I was simply asking about new racquets and new strings. </s>

<s>[INST]You know what, wether we agree/disagree on the tennis points, I was needlessly dismissive. I apologize. Thanks for pointing it out. Sorry about that[/INST] It's all good. It was my first opportunity to use that pun at the end, so thanks for taking it well, and also sorry I had to go there, haha.</s>

<s>[INST]you missed the "cannot afford to re-string every couple of matches" part. unless natural gut is super cheap now[/INST] Well Go all kevlar But if injuries are to be prevented the best choice is natural gut</s>

<s>[INST]Nice, which prestige pro is that one? I picked up a Youtek Prestige Pro a few weeks ago and have been loving it. Seems to be the perfect fit for me, some other rackets were too light, too heavy. Loving it so far. &amp;#x200B; Also, what strings are you putting in there?[/INST] 98</s>

<s>[INST]Thanks for your explanations, I'm learning a lot here. One more question, why do you string the gut at 57 but the poly only at 52? If the gut retains tension better than the poly then I imagine this gap will grow even further and possibly be more like 10 lbs gap after a month? Currently I have a full bed luxilon 4g @ 56lbs in my RF97A, and yes, I agree it can definitely be tough on the arm. The shoulder and wrist for me can sometimes be issues if I'm playing multiple days in a row. How do you think access to spin will compare to the gut/poly hybrid?[/INST] Dear lord, 4G is one of the stiffest polys out there, and you have it in a full bed in the mid 50s in a fairly stiff and demanding racket. It would be a miracle if you didn't have any arm issues yet. Natural gut is a lot softer than a poly string. You likely won't notice a huge drop in playability if you string them both at the same tension, but the majority of people who use hybrids tend to string the softer string about 2-3 lbs tighter than the stiffer string. This is done in an attempt to even out the stringbed a bit, for lack of better terms - matching a soft string with higher tension with a stiffer string + lower tension. For example, if you decided to put natural gut in the crosses and poly mains, you would still string the gut a few lbs tighter. I tried 54lb gut mains with 52lb poly crosses at first, but I found the ball to sail a little on me when going for a big shot. I didn't want to increase the poly any higher than 52/53~, so I decided to experiment with bringing up the gut to 57 and leaving the poly at 52. It's worked well for me so far. The main strings are the strings that dictate the majority of the response off the stringbed. As a result, even after the poly crosses have dropped tension and gone dead, the gut mains retain their tension and playability well enough to carry the stringbed, allowing you to keep playing with the setup without feeling like it has gone dead. With regards to spin generation - spin is a product of swing path and technique, moreso than the racket or strings you are using. However, comparing 4G to a gut main/poly cross hybrid, you will likely get similar amounts of spin from both setups - maybe even more from the gut hybrid, as 4G is not known for its spin generation, but for its tension maintenance. With that in mind, if you are worried about the poly cross dropping tension too quickly, then you can definitely use 4G as the cross string with natural gut in the mains. That is also a great hybrid that many have praised. If you have serious arm issues, then I wouldn't recommend it, but if your arm is in good condition, then a gut/4G hybrid will work great. ALU power/rough is a popular cross string choice for natural gut because Federer uses that setup, but I personally use it because I like the livelier feel of ALU power compared to some other deader polys out there. In a full bed, ALU power dies after like 4 hours for me, but with it as a cross string in a gut main hybrid, I haven't had any issues with the stringbed feeling unusable after 5 months. For reference, I spent around $50 Canadian for a set of gut/alu power rough + labour. Even if I used my favourite bang for your buck poly, volkl cyclone, I would be paying about $24 Cad per string job. I typically restring once every 3-4 weeks with full poly. In the 5 months since I first strung my RF97 with gut/poly, I haven't had to restring it again yet. Because I'm not a string breaker, it was a great investment for me, as the setup has played great throughout the entire 5 months, and the foreseeable future.</s>

<s>[INST]1. The forehand that you hit after 1:37. Your racquet is back pretty much when it hits the ground at your feet. That's why you had no time to properly prepare to hit it. Even if it looks like it's going long, have your body set up to hit it. 2. For the return thing, I see what you mean about Nishikori, but watch [his return here](https://youtu.be/Z_xo_Q6B7UA?t=57). He likes to start with his body angled but when he actually is about to hit it, his feet are parallel to the baseline. Watch how he moves and squares up to return. I think by having your feet angled to the baseline when hitting your return you are "counting" it as a shoulder turn for the hit when in reality you haven't turned them at all. Also I want to emphasize /u/jk147's comments - REALLY watch the ball and try to make clean contact. I have a problem with shanking in streaks too and that's only fixed when I make an effort to concentrate on that shot and nothing else. His other points are spot on too. Edit: are you wearing airpods while playing? [/INST] I just hang one in the fence on each side of the court.</s>

<s>[INST]Can you buy a 97s? I didn't even know they were in production, thought it was basically just a prostock racket.[/INST] "Racquet Tech" was by far the most valuable channel for me so far. Unfortunately the guy is not posting new stuff regularly.</s>

<s>[INST]true, i tried continental grip for a bit but it just feels weird, i always end up just going back to the forehand grip. how do i stop reverting to the forehand grip? [/INST] Maybe try changing the grip gradually? Rotate it every other day a little and get used to it and then do it again and again, until you are at continental.</s>

<s>[INST]Or put in extra sessions to get the upper hand ��[/INST] Sorry, Grandpa has no extra left. I should start a go fund me page to pay for some young guy plasma / blood transfusions. That might help.</s>

<s>[INST]Thank you so much my friend,you really help me a lot with the channel ,maybe you help me more that I help you with the videos :)[/INST] Haha I don’t think that’s true, your videos help so much. I just wish for everyone to know about your videos because they are so good. This morning my son stopped watching his cartoons to watch your videos with me, he is only 3.5 but asked me to take him to tennis court to try to serve this weekend. Maybe I make a video haha. </s>

<s>[INST]Tried both the Clash 98 and 100 tonight. Keep in mind I'm about a 2.5...for me I found this racket hard to slice with. Maybe due to wider beam? The 100 had beat up strings while the other (the 98) had new Luxilon string and I preferred the 98 but could have been the string. Overall though both of them were just OK. I preferred the Yonex slightly to both. Meanwhile there was a gent with Ultra 100 down there and he let me play with it. I think of all the ones I've tried this was my favorite or close to the Blade 104. Is there something about those two rackets that share commonalities? One thing I've noticed for me is I prefer a heavier racket....being a beginner type should I not prefer a lighter racket? I grew up with a Prince Spectrum weighing 12+ ounces so perhaps it's due to my experience with that? I'm worried if a heavier racket could lead to arm issues down the road[/INST] Lighter will lead to just as many arm issues as a heavy racket will if you don't have good mechanics. Generally a heavier racket is preferred, but it's all dependent on your play style.</s>

<s>[INST]A very large step above the division 2 college tournament I watched here in Phoenix last week. Ah, to be young and slim again. Lean as whippets.[/INST] Outside of what everyone said, cut down the number of moving parts. Don't go full serve straight out of the bat when you are hitting the net. Practice the arm movements first. Just toss and hit and feel where the contact point is and build a good, high curve shape. Once you can get a decent spin then include various parts. You have probably seen many videos where they recommend kneeling at the baseline to remove the legs from the serve. Same idea.</s>

<s>[INST]Don't worry about stoke techniques for now, only reason you are shanking is due to not preparing for the ball fast enough. Easiest way for consistency is not better forehand and backhand, but getting into the same ready position everytime. See how your forehands back swings are shorter or longer and different a lot of times? That is because you have to adjust for the ball instead of preparing to get into the position to hit a ball. Split step is key, second thing is identifying where the ball is going by saying to yourself forehand or backhand. Get the racquet up and ready to hit a forehand or backhand. This is actually pretty tiring if you are not used to it. [/INST] That is very insightful. Moving forward, I will put more emphasis on footwork and preparation.</s>

<s>[INST]Positioning needs a ton of improvement. Servers partner should never be in the alley. Cover the high percentage option and force opponents into the low percentage option. Also remember to “follow the ball, and follow your partner.” You should always be shifting, repositioning, looking to poach, even when the ball is not played to you. Discuss the play with your partner before each point. Plan your poaches, don’t just wait for balls to come to you. Edit: a word[/INST] Lol we played at Brookhaven last week at sectionals! That place is amazing</s>

<s>[INST]No other string can match the feel of natural gut. Synthetic gut is nothing like the feel of natural gut - the closest thing would be a premium multifilament like Wilson NXT, but I find that multi mains snap much quicker than natural gut mains. The spin production also feels a lot less than a gut/poly hybrid, in my experiences. I typically snapped multi/poly hybrids in 3 weeks, tops, while my gut/poly setups haven't snapped in 5 months. Of course, YMMV. Natural gut seems like an expensive upfront investment, but if it ends up lasting you even 1.5-2 months, then you will have made your money back. Polys tend to die in about 2 weeks, so in that time, 2 poly string jobs will have cost the same as the initial gut stringing cost. Granted, if you never restring dead polys and like playing with them, then that's a different story... I use luxilon gut 16g at 57lbs in the mains and luxilon ALU rough in the crosses at 52lbs. I tried 54/52 at first, since my full poly setup is usually around 48-50lbs, but I found the setup to be way too powerful. The RF97 is a really powerful racket, so I needed the gut at a higher tension to get some control back. Plowthrough will always be there with the RF97. The weight and stiffness of the frame provides the most stable response that I have ever felt from a stock frame - it feels like it has no equal when it comes to stability and plowthrough. The Vcore pro 97 330g came close, but I liked the RF97 more for the easy spin and power I got from the racket. The Vcore had more feel, like you, I felt that it lacked the adequate spin/power that I got from the RF97. If you have huge groundstrokes, then a poly in the high 50s could help tame the RF97 (albeit at the risk of potential arm issues), but otherwise, I think gut/poly feels like it is the ideal string setup for this racket.[/INST] Thanks for your explanations, I'm learning a lot here. One more question, why do you string the gut at 57 but the poly only at 52? If the gut retains tension better than the poly then I imagine this gap will grow even further and possibly be more like 10 lbs gap after a month? Currently I have a full bed luxilon 4g @ 56lbs in my RF97A, and yes, I agree it can definitely be tough on the arm. The shoulder and wrist for me can sometimes be issues if I'm playing multiple days in a row. How do you think access to spin will compare to the gut/poly hybrid?</s>

<s>[INST]Welcome to tennis. You definitely have the hand-eye coordination to enjoy the sport. I recommend that you get some lessons with an official tennis pro. No one has mentioned your footwork which is really the foundation of the stroke. Getting your feet into the right position before each stroke is key to setting up consistency.[/INST] Nice job! Your movement is better and you're staying lively and aggressive at the net. Watched some of your video and I have a couple of really easy suggestions, especially for your level of doubles. 1. Don't overhit. I noticed you really cranked a few of your forehands with a low margin for error. Even if they worked out, give yourself a little bit of cushion on those shots. 2. Aim your volleys around the T or at or behind the other net persons feet. Again, margins are important and going for really sharp angles across the front of the person at the net or in the alley for the baseline guy are harder angles to hit. I promise the net guy won't be able to scoop anything up that's hit around his feet or behind him and the baseline guy will have to run just as far to get that ball in the middle as he does out wide. 3. When in doubt, hit a low shot in the middle when the other team is two up. This was more for your partner, who was going for lobs a lot. Lobs are great and keep the other team honest, but the low middle ball should be your bread and butter when the other team is at the net. This is good for a lot of reasons. First, the net is lowest there. Second, there's a good chance of a communication mistake from the other team. Third, if they do hit it back, it's going to be really tough to get a sharp angle on it. 4. Talk to your partner between every point you are serving. Signs are fine, but nothing beats a quick check in before each serve. The pieces of information you need to communicate: net guy says where he's going (poach, fake poach, stay home). server says where he's putting his first and second serve (middle (T), wide, to the body). Generally, if the net guy is poaching, the server should serve middle. If the net guy poaches on a wide serve, he has to commit fully to the poach and the server has to move over extra fast after serving. Overall great job. You should also encourage your partner to do these things as well. Communication is key, especially if it's your first time playing together, you can give advice and simple coaching on the spot between points or games. Your guy was standing way too far back on your serve. You can tell him that. Even if he's not a great volleyer, he's already there, he may as well be in the right position. You can tell him, "hey, i like to check in before each serve. here's what we need to tell each other". "if they both come in, just hit a low ball towards the middle". "aim your volleys at their feet". etc. You can communicate a lot of information in a very short amount of time and also increase your chance of winning. Good luck!</s>

<s>[INST]I hadn't seen that tip about the initial hip position and subsequent rotation demonstrated so clearly before. Thanks for the tip, I'll surely be working on this tomorrow. That foot placement is going to be quite an adjustment. How similar should the stance be for the flat and kick serves?[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]Right, makes perfect sense.[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]For being "newish" (not sure what timeframe that implies but I'll go with 6months or under) looks great! You appear to be using a head prestige pro (correct me if I'm wrong) but if om not that racquet is way too advanced for a starting player.[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]Yeah. Kind of sad though how much they can beat TW which is local (in town) to me, with international shipping. [/INST] Yeah true. I love TW and buy all my shit from them. Golden state overnight, for free! </s>

<s>[INST]Good tip! Cheers[/INST] sounds like you hurt your shoulder</s>

<s>[INST]If you want a good read, The Inner Game of Tennis is always worth it. There's lots of great tips in there. One thing for sure though is to not worry about "I have to break here' or 'i can't let him break me'. Just focus on playing the next point to the best to your ability. One thing I always say is 'the next point is the most important point' Foucs on winning that point. If you do that you'll either win or lose but you'll know you've done whatever you can to win.[/INST] I keep hearing the name of that book. I'll give it a look! And whenever I'm fully immersed in the point and can forget about everything thats when I play my best.</s>

<s>[INST]I absolutely hate when this happens. Ok, traffic accidents or whatever holds you up, I can understand that. BUT when this happens over and over again, I just leave. You can't cure someone else's bad habits.[/INST] This is a god tier shitpost. But in all seriousness, start with moving your feet and getting sideways and see where that gets you.</s>

<s>[INST]Look up ladder footwork drills on YouTube. They are often used in soccer training, but they are excellent drills for training footwork in terms of both speed and coordination. I played soccer for about 10 years before taking up tennis, and footwork came very naturally to me because of my soccer background.[/INST] thanks! will look it up!</s>

<s>[INST]It sounds to me like you need to practice adding pace to a slow ball. It's VERY hard to do. It usually results in an error on your part. But, if you can add pace to a junk baller, you will win. And don't forget about jamming your serve right to the body. A very underused shot if you ask me.[/INST] Orange theory after 2 sets of tennis sounds pretty insane, but sounds like a winning formula for fitness. </s>

<s>[INST]It was 66° on central Indiana yesterday. Insanely warm. Practiced a little for my upcoming tournament (that is today)[/INST] I wish I had recorded all of my tournament matches. Sounds like a great idea to me. I already know my weaknesses, so I don't need reminding myself.</s>