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Tennis

My club pro in GSO. He does a great job and is all into the science behind it. I just switched to a 15 gauge poly hybrid today. We'll see how it lasts. Apparently if you go all poly you lose a little feel and it can be bad for your elbow. He's going to try a few different things over the next couple of months to strike the right balance.
 
15 gauge is certainly going to be durable but you will lose some of the feel. It really depends on your level and how you play. The more your strings move the quicker they are going to break. They obviously move most when you swing heavy and apply alot of spin to the ball. The hybrid model you mention is very popular now using a more durable gut string combined with a poly or poly blend. 16 gauge is probably the most common gauge used by recreational players. I play with a 17 gauge syn gut blended with poly and I love the feel but the downside is I break strings frequently.
 
What level tennis players are on this thread? Given the string breaking chatter I am guessing some higher talent.
 
I play 4.0. I was a really good junior before quitting at 14 or so. Dabbled a bit after a 15+ year layoff and have been playing really consistently the last year. I probably hit more like a 4.5 but am trying to get the consistency I need to move up.
 
I was playing a USTA match last week and the dude aced me and just screamed out BOOOOOOM which was a first for me.
 
I don't play USTA tennis too much anymore due to my own kids schedules, but I still play hit frequently, primarily just as a hitting partner for juniors that play tournaments or adults that play state and southern age group tournaments. I'm a good 4.5, but occasionally play up a level, especially if I'm just a hitting partner.
 
I'm probably closer to 5.0 than 4.5. Haven't played any USTA tournaments in several years but most of the guys I hit with play at 4.5 level mainly because there are far fewer options at the 5.0 level.
 
I'm probably closer to 5.0 than 4.5. Haven't played any USTA tournaments in several years but most of the guys I hit with play at 4.5 level mainly because there are far fewer options at the 5.0 level.

Yeah, part of the reason I'm playing 4.0 is our 4.5 talent is stacked with former college players that got tired of playing the same club pros at 5.0.
 
So, I've been wanting to start playing seriously for a little while now and I think that I'm going to start this spring. I took some tennis classes while at Wake for easy credit my senior year and I kept hitting around after that. One of my roommates after undergrad played D1 tennis at a low-level D1 program and he would hit around with me. I tried playing actual matches against him and it would always be a slaughter with him acing practically all of his serves or winning the point on his return if I was serving. I'm guessing that the next step would be for me to take lessons especially so I don't end up doing something stupid and blowing out my elbow. What should I be looking for in an instructor and/or a club to join?
 
So, I've been wanting to start playing seriously for a little while now and I think that I'm going to start this spring. I took some tennis classes while at Wake for easy credit my senior year and I kept hitting around after that. One of my roommates after undergrad played D1 tennis at a low-level D1 program and he would hit around with me. I tried playing actual matches against him and it would always be a slaughter with him acing practically all of his serves or winning the point on his return if I was serving. I'm guessing that the next step would be for me to take lessons especially so I don't end up doing something stupid and blowing out my elbow. What should I be looking for in an instructor and/or a club to join?

Frosty,
Most club pros would be able to help you get started. Obviously some are better than others, or stronger in some areas, etc. If I were coaching you, I would have you spend a 30% of your time doing lessons, 30% of your time practicing (hitting serves, ball machine, drills, hitting so you can work on shots without the pressure of a point), and 40% of your time playing matches (play some against people a little below, some at your same level, and some at a higher level). Give that routine a go and see where it takes you.
 
Damn! Some plaayas on this board. I played 4.0 for the last three seasons, appealed my ranking now playing both 4.0 & 3.5.

4.5+ = Studs!
 
so are we going to get back to the wake tennis talk or should we change this thread title to "weekend warriors" and move it to the pit?
 
There is a separate Wake tennis thread, proceed to discuss Wake athletics freely there.
 
Poly main synthetic cross blend is the way to go these days for anyone 4.0+ who doesn't want to be stringing a racket every week. I use 16 gauge in the crosses, play on average 2-3 times a week, and that will usually last 5-6 weeks per racquet. Lower levels shouldn't mess with poly because synthetic has better playability and they won't break them frequently.

The 4.5/5.0 quandary is a big problem in USTA tennis now. I live in Memphis where there are probably 30ish 4.5s that could/should be 5.0s. But we deliberately avoid getting bumped up because there are so few opportunities to play 5.0 events locally, and the majority of the guys who are 5.0s are former D1 players in their 20s who finagled their way down from 5.5. There was a local 10.0 mixed team from here that won nationals last year because the 5.0 guys were untouchable.

Our 4.5 team went to sectionals last year and finished mid pack without 4 of our top 7 players even making the trip. This year the majority are not even playing USTA tennis because the local and state matches are so boring no one wants to waste their time again. Our choices are to win easily at 4.5 or to get destroyed at 5.0. We've opted just to stop doing USTA and playing for fun against each other.
 
French Open underway. Wawrinka pushed to five sets in round 1. Murray down 1 set to 0 right now.
 
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