Usually, there is only one main piece of equipment used in tennis that varies from person to person: the racquet. The racquet has undergone some major changes over the past thirty years that have made it a very sophisticated piece of technology. There are two parts to the racquet, the frame and the strings.
Frame
The frame I use, the Head Radical Pro, is now made using graphene, a new material in the tennis industry. Simply put, graphene is a single tightly-packed layer of carbon atoms bonded together in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice (de la Fuente, n.d.). Invented in 2004 at the University of Manchester, graphene is extremely light and extremely strong–about 200 times the strength of steel (University of Manchester). Graphene is used in the shaft of the racquet, which allows the bulk of the weight to be where you want it–the head of the racquet. By making the racquet lighter and increasing its structural integrity, Head racquets allow players to use more speed in their swing while still having full control of the ball (Limer, 2013). The use of graphene in the frame allows the player to apply force to the ball more easily, and therefore increase the acceleration and the speed the ball is hit with.
Strings
The stings also affect things during the shot, such as friction and energy conservation. Although it is hard to see, different strings actually come in different shapes. Some strings, such as Luxilon’s Alu-Power, are round and smooth, providing less friction when the ball is in contact with them. This means less energy lost to thermal energy, and therefore greater power. The reason this can be a negative thing, however, is that it causes a loss of control. When players hit the ball, they often use spin to control the trajectory of the ball. With less friction, it is harder for the strings to grab on to the ball, meaning less spin and therefore less control. There are other strings, such as Yonex’s Poly Tour Spin, that are shaped like a pentagon. What this does is provides edges on the string that dig in to the soft felt of the ball. This causes friction between the two, which, when hit properly, will produce spin. However, since there is more friction, the energy lost to heat will be greater, and therefore the maximum speed will be less.
When choosing your racquet and strings, it is important that you figure out what you want to get out of it. If you are tall and strong, you may elect for a heavier racquet and strings with more control, since you can already generate enough force on your own. If you are less muscular, you may choose the strings and frame that will give you more power, and then modify your swing so that you can still maintain control. Whatever the case, it is important to find the right equipment in order to maximize your skills on the court.