Your Racket Obsession— SS #35

Let me reveal something incredibly embarrassing about myself:

Throughout my collegiate career, post-college play, and subsequent coaching journey, I’ve changed rackets 15 times. Don’t believe me? Here’s the list (in chronological order, of course):

• Prince Rebel 95

• Wilson K-Factor 95

• Volkl 93 (don’t know what I was thinking here)

• Prince O3 100 18×20

• Prince Graphite 100 (Re-issue)

• Orange and Black Yonex 97 (precursor to the Percepts)

• Dunlop 500s (I was gifted these)

• Yonex Vcore 98s (1st edition)

• Babolat Pure Drive + (I thought having an extended racket was the key to success)

• Yonex Vcore 98s (2nd edition)

• Babolat Aero 100 Tour (Banana Yellow)

• Yonex 97

• Solinco Whiteout 16 × 19

• Babolat Aero (2nd edition)

• Babolat Aero 98 (2nd edition of the VSs)

• Yonex Percept H (current frames)

Just typing all of these down feels nutty to me.

Legitimately insane.

What was I doing?

And now contrast that with most professional players who usually find a racket and stick with it for a couple of decades.

If I’m brutally honest, I think my obsession stemmed from the idea that there was this “perfect frame”—a mythical racket that would take me to the next level. Sound familiar?

Why is topspin so critical—not just physically but from a mental perspective? Why is the slice misunderstood? Find out below:

The YouTube and Instagram Landscape

One can easily be forgiven for falling into the trap of gear obsession. Just take a look at YouTube or Instagram! You’ll find countless creators breaking down frames, strings, swingweights, balances, grips, and everything in between.

These videos are addictive and detailed. “What’s Novak Djokovic’s swingweight?” “Should I use Luxilon ALU Power or Solinco Hyper-G for a little extra spin?” And they divulge information that you had no idea about.

Say what? Djokovic’s swingweight is that high? I wonder what that will feel like if I were to beef up my swingweight…

You get the idea.

Suddenly, you’re not thinking about improving your perception skills and how aggressive your forehand is anymore—you’re thinking about adding lead tape at 12 o’clock on the frame and what impact that will have on the ball you produce and your level.

Don’t get me wrong—if this is one of your hobbies and you genuinely enjoy experimenting with gear, and if you have the expendable funds to do so, go for it!

But don’t mistake these tweaks as the key to unlocking the next level in your game. Spoiler alert: no racket, string, or balance setup will take you from a 3.5 to a 5.0. I am speaking to you from a personal, embarrassing experience here!

Please, never take my advice as coming from a holier-than-thou perspective.

I also want to make it completely obvious that this is not an attack on gear creators by any means, just in case that needs to be spelled out.

Speaking With Professional Players

I first started to change my mind on this when I spoke to a player who is now ranked inside the world’s top 65.

Back then, he was hovering around 150 in the rankings, and I had the chance to chat with him about his racket setup. I was so curious.

What gnarly setup does this guy have? He’s an amazing player—it must be pretty crazy!

What surprised me most was his indifference toward his rackets. He said: “I’ve been playing with the same frame since I was a junior—it’s an older H22, just customized for me. I give it to a guy who’s a racket technician and he does all the work fo rme. I don’t think about it too much.”

This perspective hit me hard. Though, I admit, it was years before I stopped my racket infidelity. Here was someone at the highest level of the game who wasn’t obsessing about his rackets and strings.

I’ll give you another story.

I was speaking to a player who’s now in the top 200. When I asked him what he did to his Wilson Blades, he told me, “Nothing.”

“Say what?”

“Yeah… they’re too nice stock. I like them just the way they are. I just make sure that they’re matched but that’s about it.”

Again, I was blown away.

I’ve noticed a pattern in my years of coaching, too. Excellent players focus on their skills, while recreational players often create subcultures of gear obsessives.

Now, obviously that doesn’t mean that some pros are not obsessive and particular about their gear and equipment. But then again they’re professionals and their livelihood depends on playing tennis well.

What Do I Recommend?

You might think I’m about to tell you to grab any old racket and just work on your skills—even one from the Walmart bargain bin will do! Not true.

Your equipment does matter, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. Here’s the approach I recommend:

Test Before You Commit: Spend a couple of weeks playtesting different rackets. Try out a variety of brands and models to find something that feels right for your game. This is where you can lean on all the amazing content creators who put out fantastic videos.

Consult a Racket Technician: Speak with an experienced or certified racket technician. They can help you customize your racket’s swingweight, balance, and grip. (if required) to match your play style and skill level.

Buy in Bulk: Once you’ve found your racket, invest in at least three identical frames. This ensures consistency, especially when one needs restringing etc. You might be best served to spend some money getting your rackets “matched” by a racket technician. What does that mean? Well, if you don’t know, most manufacturers are notoriously poor at quality control. Meaning, just because a racket says that it weighs 315 grams, the chances of you getting three frames that have undiscernible differences in static weight, swingweight, and balance is extremely low. Look for a USRA certified racket technician if you’re in the USA, and equivalent qualifications if you’re elsewhere.

Find a String: spend a similar amount of time trialing a string that works for you. Do you play best with a poly? Hybrid? Synthetic gut? But once you decide… commit! Buy a reel—even a couple reels if it’s in your budget.

Get Spare Grommets: Extend your racket’s lifespan by purchasing extra grommets.

Forget About Your Rackets and Strings: Once you’ve found your setup, stop tinkering around with it. Focus your time and energy on improving your ball striking skills, technique, and mental skills.

Final Thoughts

Professional players often use rackets that are decades-old models, cleverly repainted to give the illusion of new technology. Manufacturers do this to sell the idea that updating your frame every 1.5 years will revolutionize your game.

Don’t fall for it!

Don’t be the fool that I was!

I wish I could have back that time to work on improving my skills instead of messing around researching rackets and forever tinkering with them!

The truth is, no piece of gear can replace time spent on the practice court. Work on your ball-striking, your athleticism, and your mental game—and your results will follow.

So, the next time you find yourself browsing Tennis Warehouse for the latest racket review, or scouring a tennis forum for that ultimate string combination, ask yourself: “Would my time be better spent working on my skills instead?”

It’s a question I wish that I had asked myself more in my younger years.

Disclaimer: I am not an Association of Applied Sports Psychology CMPC, certified sports psychology practitioner, nor am I a licensed mental health counselor, PsyD, or clinical PhD. I am pursuing a master’s in sports, exercise, and performance psychology, and I am a sports psychology practitioner-in-training. I have over 20 years of experience in tennis, including playing, coaching collegiately and with professional players, along with club management experience as a director of programs. I am certified by the Professional Tennis Registry and am a member of Tennis Australia. My aim is to bring the best information to tennis players around the world so that you can apply it for long-term improvement—but sometimes I will make mistakes. If this is your area of research or expertise, and you feel I’ve misunderstood something, please get in touch with me and if required I will happily issue a correction.