Summer is the time to tinker!

Summer is Here! The perfect time to tinker with your game and your gear! For those of us die-hard year-around Floridians, summer means lots of rain, morning tennis, and a great opportunity to test out some new gear! Most local league play is over. USTA leagues are primarily combo and mixed – which typically don’t count towards your USTA ranking. There is no better time to try out a new racquet or string setup than now when most of your tennis is social. You may love your old racquet, and that’s okay! New racquet technology is constantly emerging and new designs and materials are creating more powerful, more comfortable frames than ever before. If your game is changing, you may be ready to upgrade to a frame that better suits your future playing level before you get there. We have seen more advancement this year than we have seen in a decade towards arm-friendly, low-shock frames that still perform beautifully. Tennis elbow is the #1 reason that people stop playing tennis, and the industry is listening! Racquets unfortunately don’t last forever – they are light, thin and under constant tension. When inspecting frames before stringing we often come across undetected cracks and have to deliver the bad news that your favorite racquet is no longer serviceable. Sometimes fear and panic sets in! Choosing a new frame can take a weeks and the adjustment (at least for me) takes a couple weeks. If your favorite aging racquet might be on it’s last breath – take out some demos and get familiar with the new frames and technology before you have to rush the decision and potentially make a poor purchase that could have otherwise been better. Don’t get caught up in the numbers. Demo! Occasionally we have a customer who shops online for one reason or another, sometimes even to buy a frame that we have in store for the same price, only to bring it in for restringing because they can’t stand it. The reviews were great, the numbers matched up but it just doesn’t work! I’m a numbers guy – and we have expensive, high end diagnostic tools, scales, and decades of data at Wrigley’s Tennis. These are all excellent resources for comparing and customizing frames and for getting “in the ballpark” on a recommendation. But, racquets all have a unique ‘feel’. A Ford Mustang and a Chevrolet Camaro have the same amount of horsepower but some will prefer one over the other. Racquets are no different! Take a test drive. We will use our knowledge and tools to put some great frames in your hand and let you decide. Get a second, professional opinion! Take a private lesson with a couple demo frames. Your tennis pro will have the ability to see things that you don’t necessarily notice yourself and can provide good feedback on which frame better suits your current or desired level of play. If you have never taken a private lesson or aren’t working with a tennis professional, let us know and we will get you pointed in the right direction! We currently have over 100 demo frames available from all of your favorite brands and will continue to bring in the latest and greatest the industry has to offer. If you don’t see something that you are looking for, please ask! We will also purchase or take in on trade your old frame(s) to lessen your expense of your new racquet purchase. We look forward to seeing you soon. Stay tuned for the next edition: String. Good luck out there this summer!