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Beam

The beam of the racquet is the area on either side of the head. It does not increase

the overall length or width of the racquet, but is considered its thickness. Compareracquets by placing them flat on a table, and you will see that their designs may differ

in that some have wider beams than others. Wider beams can add power to your

shots, however, many say that a wider beam affects how the strings are contained

and, therefore, how they perform; thus, creating a greater flex, or "trampoline" effect,

that can affect control and direction of shots. General advice is to start with a thinner

beam and, once you advance your shots to a point that you are controlling spin, etc.

you can try a thicker beam to determine if it presents a good feel for your style, or if it

creates an adverse effect on your ball control.

Throat & Shaft

The open throat design has become a design standard in most of today's racquets,

eliminating the now-defunct past lollipop design (e.g., imagine today's badmininton

racquets, where the single main shaft is directly attached to the racquet head). The

open throat design was created to better stabilize the racquet head, better

compensating for off-center shots and, along with the larger head areas, has worked

to enlarge the effective sweet spot.

The shaft is the point at which the two sides curve down from the throat, where they

come closest to extend down directly to connect to the racquet handle. The throat,

as it goes down, becomes the shaft, and then joins to the racquet handle.

Grip

At the end of the shaft, it joins with the racquet grip. Different grip sizes are made

available for both hand size and best comfort preference. Grips range in diameter

between 4 and 4-5/8 inches. If you don't know which grip to select in your new

racquet, a popular rule of thumb is that, when you grip the racquet comfortably (but

not tightly), you should be able to take your thumb and touch the last knuckle joint

(i.e., closest to the nail) of your middle finger. If you are not certain which grip size to

select, always choose smaller, simply because the grip size can be easily enlarged

later using grip tape.


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Butt Cap

There is no performance function to the butt cap. It simply provides closure to the

racquet handle and creates a convenient place for placement of manufacturer logos.

Shape

Not all racquets are the same overall length. Although longer racquets give you more

reach and power to the ball (e.g., especially when serving), they also make the

racquet a little more difficult to control.

Other considerations when selecting the right tennis racquet...

Racquet Materials

We've come along way from the original tennis racquets made of simple wood

frames and pig or sheep intestines (for strings). Today's strings are still made using

advanced manufacturing (e.g., for consistent quality) of intestines from sheep, cows

or pigs; or they are made of a synthetic polymer.

Natural gut (i.e., intestine) strings are susceptible to damage from moisture or high

humidity and are more fragile than synthetic strings. Gut strings have a lower

elastic modulus, giving hard-hitting players extra power.

Today's tennis players use the latest racquets made of advanced engineered

materials.

Many of today's tennis racquets are made of carbon fiber composites. Thesecomposites have excellent strength-to-weight ratios, allowing for the development of

popular oversize rackets and heads. Some rackets are filled with polyurethane foams

to reduce vibration. Other rackets are hollow to decrease weight.

A whole smorgasbord of racquet materials awaits you at the sporting goods store.

You may need a little help sorting through the offerings, so here's a list of the most

common racquet materials you may encounter:
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Graphite The vast majority of racquets manufactured today use graphite in

one form or another as the base ingredient. Graphite is the technological

generation's equivalent of the trusty laminated wooden racquet that was so

popular until about the 1970s.

Graphite is remarkably strong for its relatively light weight. It provides terrific

power, as well as good control and feel for the ball. But graphite is best in a

composite mixture with any of the various thermoplastic- and fiberglass-type

resins used today. Graphite-composite racquets are great for beginners as

well as advanced players because stiffer racquets transmit shock and vibration

to the arm and shoulders.

Boron and Kevlar Both Boron and Kevlar fibers both resemble graphite, but

boron and Kevlar are even lighter and stiffer than graphite. Kevlar is best

known for its use to make bulletproof vests. Unless mixed with other materials,

however, Kevlar's stiffness can transmit a lot of shock and vibration to your

arm and shoulder, especially if you don't hit the ball on the sweet spot.

Aluminum This material is still used in less expensive racquets. Aluminum

offers decent power and a surprising amount of feel. Feel is the sensation you

get for how you're striking the ball and where it's going. Some racquet

materials are more sensitive than others to things like impact and vibration, so

they transmit information to you differently.

Titanium More recently, a new technology has emerged in the

manufacturing of tennis racquets - titanium. Made from a very strong,

extremely light material, titanium has been a hit with professionals and serious

recreational tennis players. Titanium is similar to aluminum. Either aluminum

or titanium is an acceptable choice for beginners.

Wood or metal alloys Low-cost tennis racquets may still be made made of

of wood or cheaper (weaker) metal alloys. Cheaper materials allow for lower

costs. Regaring the benefits you derive from the racquet, you get what you

pay for: very little.


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Most of today's racquets are much lighter than their predecessors; weighing in at

just 9 to 12 ounces. However, you should be able to feel the weight of the racquet as

it is a valuable tool to aid your hand-eye coordination. You need a racquet that you

can use comfortably, without feeling heavy; and light enough to allow you to

efficiently swing, thus allowing you optimal ball control.

As a beginner, you should devlop your tennis playing skills with a standard-length

tennis racquet (i.e., 27 inches) and then graduate up to longer racquets with wider

beams as you establish your preferences and feel for the ball, especially as you

developed advanced techniques.

The Tennis Ball

The inner layer of a tennis ball is made of polybutadiene, an elastomeric polymer,

which is reinforced with bits of clay, a ceramic. The outer cover of the ball is made of

nylon polymer fibers.

The sole of a tennis player's shoes is made of an elastomeric rubber polymer

compound which has been processed to withstand wear and tear.
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