Tennis

collisster · 27 Sep 2009 at 22:12

I've had a look for a tennis thread on here but I've probably missed it!
I started learning at about 7 then continued until about 15 years old then had 3 years out due to injury then my old coach retiring. Now my friends have gone off to uni I've got back into it to fill my time

. Had a few sessions with a coach and had a knock with my dad and getting back into it.

I used to play with people much older than me and had to thrash it to get any power. not I'm 18 and have grown a lot I seem to be getting a lot of power but lacking a bit of control here and there. The serve is doing me very nicely tho

Any people on here tennis players?

I'm after a new racket as mine is from when I stopped coaching 3 years ago. its an old head S2 I think sort of more triangular than normal rackets.

Has there been many advancements in technology that would see a good difference when changing to a newer racket?

Collisster

Shamikebab · 27 Sep 2009 at 22:21

I try and play as regularly as I can. Started learning when I was seven and played pretty regularly until Uni, none of my friends were really interested in it so I stopped playing as much. Been picking it up again over the last few years, mostly playing with my sister. I'm playing with a Head racket I've had for 8 years probably, should really upgrade as i assume the latest rackets are a significant improvement.

collisster · 27 Sep 2009 at 22:23

yeah this head one is about 4 years old now probably not 8 years

I'm liking the look of the new head radical range, used to play with one when I was a junior.

Gaijin · 27 Sep 2009 at 22:39

I've started again after 7 years out. Finding it tough as you would expect being 4 stone heavier and the body has wasted over that time. Change in direction is a killer and the 130mph serve is no more

I'm struggling to keep shots in and so have had to restring to 62lbs on my Wilson. Have just picked up a stupidly cheap Babolat Pure Storm team which i'm going to put through it's paces tomorrow.

Looking for a club thats local and not too expensive. Typically the closest and cheapest is my old club which I didn't have the greatest rep at when I left. But thats typical elitist tennis club attitude for you.

collisster · 27 Sep 2009 at 22:53

don't know how quick my serve is.. I think its pretty quick I really need more topspin but don't want the windscreen wiper shot! I like a racket thats light in the head too because I've got a fast swing

anksta · 13 Oct 2009 at 13:03

arite, not seen too much tennis discussion on here.

I used to play tennis with my step dad ages ago but it was just like knocking it over the net and just tossing the serve in, nothing more. Then I discovered top spin and over the next few years looked up techniques and practised them loads, I've never had coaching or anything but I've played and beaten a few that have. I knew one guy at uni who used to be ranked numner 5 in the country and had played Andy Murray, he absolutely slaughtered me and my mate but he said I had good technique and was surprised when slotted a winner home on the backhand cross court.

Anyway, that was a while ago and since then I've played loads and reckon I've got a lot better, my serve especially, I've never had it measured but it must be over 100mph, I can serve a trusty 2nd serve as well now with top spin, and hit a first with spin and pace.

The thing is though right, I only ever play my one mate now, who is good but I can beat him, I well like playing him though I cant wait to play tonight but at the same time, I dont really have any gauge of how good I am at all.

I've heard plenty of people say "oh yeah I play quite a bit I'm not bad" and then you go and they just knock it over like I used to, I went with this one guy who said he had a double backhand but then the one time he tried it he put his hands the complete wrong way and missed the ball completely.

I had a look on that USTA rating thing and from what I could tell, I'm a 4.0 or 4.5 at a push but for all I know I could be a 2. I'd say I had a reliable forehand, hit 6 out 7 groundstrokes without missing down either wing, full on forehand can be a bit and miss. Double backhand can be bob on one day and then absolutely horrific like I've never learnt the next, slices are always reliable and I can volley pretty well, hit smashes running backwards etc.

How good are other people, what scale dfo you measure yourselves on?

Sorry for goin on and on but I'm seriously gettin addicted to playing now, I play every week night and we found a new park last night where you can turn the floodlights on yourself so we'll be playing every night until it ices over I think.