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Drew Kilbourne:

I am sorry if this comment is misplaced. I have been trying to find out how to ask a “new question” and cannot find the link. So here goes.

I have been demoing new rackets over the past few weeks and have a question about racket flex and string tension. First I grew up playing competitive tennis and played at least 3-5 times per week in my youth with a Dunlop Maxply. Since then, I pick up the game about every 10 years and play for about 5 years at a time. I am now 48. So I currently do not have a racket I would consider “my racket.” 10 years ago I played with a Wilson Hyper hammer 5.1, which sucks. So when I recently started back I started seriously demoing rackets. In the last 3 weeks I have demoed 4 rackets per week and each played about 6 hours of tennis) mostly Friday-Sunday). I have played with the following rackets:

Manufacturer Racket Headsize Strung Weight Swing Weight Balance Flex
Wilson KsixOne Team Mid+ 95 10.9 325 1 pt HL 59
Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3 95 Stretch 95 9 301 8 pts HH 70
Babolat Drive Z Lite 100 9.8 312 6 pts HH 67
Babolat XS 102 Mid+ 102 10 322 4 pts HH 66
Babolat Aero Strike Mid+ 100 10.2 314 2 pts HH 61
Babolat Pure Storm 98 10.9 312 3 pts HL 62
Wilson Kpro Team FX 100 10.4 307 1 pt HL 66
Babolat AeroPro Drive Cortex 100 11.3 324 5 pts HL 67
Head MicroGel radical Team 102 10.7 311 1 pt HL 60
Wilson K Tour Team FX 102 10.3 315 1 pt HL 62

Out of these rackets I only like 2 Babolats – The Aero Strike and the Aeropro drive both with cortex. Both of these rackets play insanely well compared to the rest I have tried. I seem to play better with rackets that more “player rackets.” Anything designed to give an edge goes way long and no control. The only Wilson I liked was the KsixOne team but it did not give the pop that the Babolats did.

The Aerpro Drive crushes topsin shots that land at the service line and die. I can work any angle in the court from side to side and front to back. I can also hit shots that come in low or high and play them where I want them to go. The Aero Strike is almost as nice on my forehand but does not produce as much topspin. High Balls are hard to handle with this racket. I also tend to hit this racket very deep and sometimes long. It does play slightly better on my backhand which is nice and I am consistent with it. For medium pace shots this plays well but if someone is driving pace this racket does not handle it as well as the Aeropro Drive (not sure I need to worry given I will be playing in the 50 and up crowd in 1 ½ years).

No for the meat of my question, I am starting to feel a little arm pain and do not know if it is because I have been hitting 2000-3000 balls per weekend or is it one of the rackets. I have also demoed a ton of rackets that had heavy vibration although I recognized that quickly and stopped playing them. There is a slightly more vibration on the AeroPro Drive (67 flex) than the Aero Strike (61 flex). Because of the arm pain I am wondering if the AeroPro is too stiff. My estimated setup for these 2 rackets would be as follows:

I will play gut in either. I grew up on gut and just love it. That and it is better for the arm so I see it as 2 wins.

AeroPro Drive w/Cortex (flex 67). I hit this racket short so I would string it 2 lbs light of mid tension in the range. That would give me a tad more distance and should also reduce some vibration.

Aero Strike w/Cortex (flex 61). I tend to hit this racket long and if I am not paying attention balls will just fly to the fence. If I am concentrating hard and add a little more whip on my forehand I can control it well in the court, but cannot generate the topspin of the Aeropro Drive. So I am thinking this needs to be strung about 2 lbs heavy of the mid range to slow down the ball and add some control. This will however, increase the vibrations from the racket.

So my dilemma is if I get the stiffer racket and string it softer or the more flexible racket and string it harder are they becoming the same in terms of arm health. Or am I over thinking this and my arm is just hurting because I have playing some much, so quickly after a 10 year hiatus.

I am sorry for the long post but would really like some help. I have found many posts about the Babolat Pure Drive and arm problems but none on the Aeropro and no reviews at all on the Aero Strike, So I am looking for some advice.

Thx,

Drew