Tennis Clothing Source

Rob B:

It seems you've done your research before asking, which is a refreshing change from the usual.

By the time you've narrowed it down to two or three racquets, I'd say it's time to demo. Tenniswarehouse's demo program is great. You can demo all three at once, and only pay for shipping. And you can use them for up to a week. If you do this, selection is simple: buy whatever you liked the best.

Now, I will give you some input about your choices.

Just about the only thing that keeps the Head Metallix 4 categorized as a "tweener", is that it's oversize head is on the very low end of the oversize spectrum. It is very light weight, and very head heavy (both of which are characteristic of a beginners racquet). Personally, this would be the first one of the three that I would axe.

The Kfive 98 has the smallest head, and the largest weight of the three, which would usually lead me to urge you to go with this one over the other two. But it's a very head heavy racquet still. Head heavy racquets are fine, but you can hurt your arm very easily if you don't use them right. If you start swinging with too much wrist, your wrist will start to hurt very quickly. Actually, it will feel like a very heavy racquet when you use it. There are racquets out there that are 2 full oz. heavier, but will feel lighter because they are very head light.

The Four would actually be my choice here. Even though it barely qualifies as midplus (in my book, midplus should stop at 100 sq. in). It still has some heft to it, but it isn't extremely head heavy. This will give you the best maneuverability of the three, which is necessary for learning net play.

Now, I don't want to add more mess to the pot here, but I would suggest trying one more racquet. Either the Dunlop m-fil 400, Head microgel radical team, or Prince O3 hybrid comp. You current choices are on the more powerful end of the tweener spectrum, where these are on the more controlled end. They are a bit heavier, but are even balanced or head light. Just try one in this category. If you like it better than your current three, try the other two I mentioned and pick one of those.

One last thing: I know that 15L string is more durable, but don't get it if you don't need it. You should restring your racquet once a year for every time per week that you play. So if you get a string that will last you 6 months but you string every 2 or 3, you're overcompensating. Now, if you break the 15L every 2 or 3 months, then it's a good choice. Just know that you are sacrificing feel and spin potential by getting a thicker string.