I’ve gotten some comments on YouTube that I play better with a powerful racquet. This is why I felt obliged to write a post on Power vs Control racquets.
When I write power vs control racquets, the clip I am referring to is my latest post on the new HEAD Extreme racquets. I do enjoy the free power and spin in these racquets but when it comes to matches and tournament play, I gravitate towards control-oriented frames to be able to swing more freely with greater margin for error. I just made a vlog about this topic on my Patreon page, so my friends and patrons there, already know this topic well from my blogging and vlogging over there.
I am not sure my reasoning is correct, I just think you should play with what works best for you. And I feel I play more consistent all-court tennis with more control-oriented racquets like the HEAD Pro Tour 2.0 or the Wilson Ultra Pro. This might change if I manage to introduce more and more topspin in my game as a way to create more margin for error, but as it stands today I like to play aggressive and go for the winner and that is why the more traditional racquets seem to suit me better. But it is easier to judge and give advice to others than yourself, so I would appreciate your input and thoughts here.
More power or more control?
Most of the work I do with my personal racquet and string consultations are with players of all levels (from high-level college and ex-Futures players to beginners) revolve around players either looking for more power or more control. It obviously depends on where they’re coming from in their tennis playing career. Maybe they want to be able to play a more all-court game with better touch and feel, maybe they need more comfort from their racquets due to arm problems like tennis elbow (get a Flexbar 
and thank me later!) or maybe they need more help from the frame when it comes to generating depth and spin. We are all different and each player needs a personalized solution, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
We also have different reasons for playing tennis. Most players enjoy the competitive element and want to win more matches, but many also just enjoy hitting for exercise, therapy, and enjoyment and then they are often better off with a more classical and feel-oriented racquet.
What is important is to be able to hit freely with your racquet. You should be able to take a big cut at the ball with confidence. Most tennis matches are won through making fewer errors (boring but true), so being able to play consistently with better margins, will likely help you win more. This does not mean you should push the ball until someone missed due to fatigue – it means we all should work on shot selection, court coverage, learning all types of shots, and how to deal with our nerves in different situations. Tennis is such a multi-layered and rich sport. There are simply so many things we can work to improve and that’s why we love it.
Should you grow into or out of a racquet?
If we revert back to tennis racquets for a second, should you grow into or out of a tennis racquet? Well, I think it depends. Some players will be better able to work on their technique and building power with a control racquet and some players will have an easier time learning to harness the force in a powerful racquet. It all depends on where you are in your journey and what kind of tennis you play.
Okay, rant over. Keen to hear your thoughts here. If you want to watch the vlog, please consider joining Patreon.
Power or control?Â
3 comments
Take a look at the Progress Tour Tennis that’s streamed at the moment. You can find it at the LTA website and can see games from camera angles similar to your vlogs. Most of the ladies play a pretty flat game with control sticks like the Wilson Blade 98 18×20, but I don’t think anyone would say they lack power in their shots. Once you get to a good level, I think your technique and timing will provide the power and so it’s more about finding the best weight/SW/balance/manoeuvrability for you, rather than a Power v Control decision. A control racket strung at 50 will probably give similar power to a power bat strung at 60 but technique will override both.
Hey TennisNerd!
My name is Alen and I love tennis so much that I can’t stop thinking about how to improve my game. I honestly believe that tennis is my passion and I wish to pursue a career in tennis. Not a lot of jobs that involve tennis is going on in Canada and was wondering if having a website blog on tennis is profitable. Thanks and keep up the great work on your website!
Hi Alen, great to hear that you love the game. I think you should always try to work with your passion, but I wouldn’t call running a tennis blog profitable. It’s probably better to be a coach or run a tennis shop. Thanks!