Tennis Tip: Approaching the net in singles

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

One strategy for singles play that is crucial to success is when to come into the net. As a general rule of thumb, you always want to attempt to get to the net as soon as possible to attack your opponent. Being able to combine a strong baseline game with solid net play is not only going to force your opponent into making adjustments, but will frustrate them as well. However, you don’t want to get too eager and come in for no reason or when the time isn’t quite right. Here’s a few short tips on when to come in and put away those shots!

o.canada.com

So when should I go to the net? There are usually many different opportunities to come in during the course of a point. However, the most opportune time is most often when your opponent is off balance. How do you achieve this? There are many equally successful ways but if you aren’t quite comfortable with the serve and volley technique yet, try playing it a little safer by hitting a strong and deep approach shot away from your opponent. This will hopefully cause them to struggle to get to the ball. More than likely, the shot you are then going to get back will end up being short. So close in on the net and put away the volley!

One key factor with the approach shots is timing. The easiest chance for you to try and come into the net off of a deep approach shot is when your opponent is hitting balls short into the service boxes. It’s not a bad idea to consider moving in off of these shorter shots because all of your momentum is already moving forward into the net.

Here’s one final tip to remember-every time you are charging the net make sure that you’re following your approach shot in the same direction you hit it. More than likely it’s going to end up coming back to you the same way! 

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Off Court Practice Tips

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

With January being a slow and chilly month, players are in the process of transitioning to winter sports, or are in between seasons in their league. In order to keep your game moving along at home, use these easy but prudent tips, so when you're back on the court it'll feel like you never left!

Practice your toss while on the phone

aummagazine.com

If you’re struggling to get your toss just right, practice it while talking on the phone! It’s the perfect opportunity to use your free hand to get the toss motion down to a science. Stand up and use your non dominant arm to toss and really emphasize letting the ball come off of your fingertips. Safety Tip: Use a ball of rolled up socks so you don’t break anything.

Split step while cooking dinner

Split stepping is one of the most important parts of your game. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to transition from shot to shot. Take advantage of the standing time and try practicing split stepping while you’re cooking dinner!

Watch instructional videos

Figure out the part of your game that you’d like to work on the most and watch instructional videos on it. Sometimes observing someone else do the motion you are trying to achieve will help you get better at it yourself! Even listening to a podcast to improve mental strategy can do wonders on your game. Best of all, you can do all of this while getting chores done at home!

Watch professional tennis and shadow stroke

With the Australian Open on its way, this is the perfect time to sit down and watch all of your favorite pros compete! It’s also a great opportunity to observe their strokes and try to shadow them yourselves. Tip: If your TV has slow motion settings try recording the matches and watching the close up shots in slow motion. That will help you get a better view of their strokes step by step and will make it much easier to shadow and learn. And take special note in how they set up their feet!

Plank everyday

Most people underestimate the importance of core strength. A strong core is not only good for our overall health but it’s critical for tennis players. Think about how often you are turning, reaching and twisting during your matches. A simple 30-60 second plank everyday will help tone and strengthen those muscles that aid in generating more power with your groundstrokes. Plus, you’ll find yourself recovering quicker to set up for your next shot. It’s a win-win!

Stay active!

Whether you’re getting back into the gym after the holiday break or just going for a simple walk, staying active off-court is vital to improving your tennis game and your health! Yoga is a great option because not only does it help to increase our flexibility and strength, but it also helps to improve our respiration and energy (and you can do it almost anywhere). Anything you can do to maintain your stamina will be beneficial to your game so whatever it is-keep moving!

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Do’s and don’ts of parental involvement in tennis

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

wallknightstennis.com

Parents can be the most supportive and influential people in our lives. They raise us, care for us, and teach us everything they know. Not only are they crucial in teaching us right from wrong, but they’re probably the ones endorsing their child’s tennis game--mind, body and soul. Whether or not they’re players themselves or are learning the game, having your parents come watch your tennis matches or lessons can sometimes be a blessing. However, it can also be a huge headache if they don’t respect their boundaries. So to avoid the headache, here are some do’s and don’ts on how parents should handle themselves when it comes to their children’s tennis game.

Private Lessons

•  Don’t disrupt - The whole purpose of private lessons is to let your child learn from a trained professional. An ideal parent will watch their child’s lesson in leisure. A disruptive parent will interrupt the lesson by criticizing either the student or pro, or trying to coach their child themselves. The biggest thing to remember here is to let the pro do their job. If you have something to add, try discussing it with the child or pro before or after the lesson in a constructive and positive manner.
•   Do encourage - The best thing you can do to help your child perform to the best of their abilities is to encourage them. Compliment them on what they are doing right and let the pro focus on what needs work. This way, your child has more confidence and will feel completely at ease during their lessons.

 Group Lessons/Clinics

• Don’t disrupt - Sound similar? Clinics should be handled very similarly to private lessons. Again, what is most important is that as a parent, you don't interrupt what is happening on the court, especially when there are other kids in the lesson! If you are constantly trying to tell your kid what you think about their game then not only does it distract and upset them, but it is distracting to everyone on the court and makes everyone uncomfortable.
• Do distance yourself - If there’s a balcony or designated viewing area, try watching from there away from the lesson. Maybe even bring a magazine or a book to help pass the time. This allows your child to learn at ease with the rest of his peers.
• Do use constructive criticism - If you have something you want to say to your child, wait till after the clinic is over to discuss it with them. Tell them your thoughts in a positive and helpful manner. The same goes for the clinic itself. If you have any comments or thoughts that you would like to discuss with a pro, try calling or sending them an email if you don’t get a chance to talk to them in private after the class is over.

 Tournaments

•   Do provide guidance - Tournaments are a great opportunity for your kids to finally put all of their hard work to the test! If you’re attending a tournament for the first time, here’s a couple things to keep in mind. First, explain to your child what to expect. How many times are they expected to play (is there a consolation round, single elimination or is it a round robin?), are there particular rules (are they playing a 3^rd set tiebreak in lieu of a set, or playing a standard pro-set up to 8?), will there be an official around and how do you use them in your favor? Second, help your child learn how to properly check in at the tournament desk. Going to their first match can sometimes be intimidating, so help ease that anxiety by walking them inside and checking in with them. After that, wait for their match to be called and offer words of encouragement and luck before they go on. After a few tournaments, your child will learn the routine and might prefer to check in on their own.
• Do ask for an official - If there are any match discrepancies that require an official, try to remain calm and make a request at the tournament desk so that they can make sure someone is available to come solve the issue. Most tournaments will have officials out there to handle any problems. For those that don’t have one, you can ask the tournament desk for their help, otherwise you will have to sit back and let the kids solve the problem on their own.
•   Do relax and have fun! -  Tournaments can make kids feel the pressure, and as a parent the easiest way to handle that is to not show them how you’re feeling. Sit up in the stands, watch their match, and even clap for them when they do well.

High School Tennis

•  Do build independence - Parents tend to be very involved in their child’s high school teams. Whether that means bringing the snacks, driving kids to matches or practice, or just being a part of the cheering squad, it’s easy to get wrapped up in their lives. By all means come to the matches and cheer them on, but try to avoid coming to practices while watching their every move. It will be very difficult for your child to get acclimated to the team environment if their parent is constantly around. If you plan to stay throughout the practice, try sitting in the car and finding something to do while they practice. Let them figure out how to handle life on the team on their own.
• Do trust the coach – Most of the time, these coaches are taking on the job of a high school season primarily for their interest and love in the sport. Trust them to handle any discrepancies that might be within the team or during a match. This is also a great time for your child to communicate to your coach of any issues they might need help resolving. If you must, email or talk with the coach before or after a practice/match just to give them a ‘heads up’ on something you’d like them to address.

 Tennis is one of those sports that provides kids and adults alike with incredibly beneficial life lessons. While your child is learning to figure out the ropes and critique their own game in a conducive manner, parents are learning how to be supportive while giving their child the independence they need for later on in life. So whether they are playing in a lesson or match, continually let your child know how proud you are of their effort and progress no matter the outcome, because at the end of the day—it’s just a game!

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Dealing with favoritism on a team

tennisoncampus.com

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

Being a part of any team is great. Making friends with your teammates and sharing countless memories of hard fought matches is something truly unforgettable. However, good memories aside, not everything on your team can be picture perfect all the time. In many cases, whether its high school, college, or a USTA team, favoritism is very common. Sometimes so much so that it can be extremely detrimental to not only the players themselves, but the overall success of the team. Here are some different scenarios involving favoritism and how to deal with them.

Playing Friends

This is a very common problem especially on USTA teams. In many cases, if the captain is making their lineup, it isn’t unheard of for the captain to play their friends (regardless of what their playing level is) instead of other players who may in fact actually be better than the “friends” of the captain. Not only is this an incredibly frustrating situation, but it makes the team dynamic both awkward and uncomfortable. The best way to deal with this? Begin with talking to the captain yourself. Sometimes it even helps to get your teammates opinions as well and maybe approach the captain as a group (if your situation allows). Another option if talking to your captain isn’t working is to get an un-biased pro involved to hopefully help sort out the situation. Try to emphasize that the current situation you’re in is very detrimental to the team’s success especially with not having the best possible players in the lineup. Hopefully the pro will then be able to step in and help to resolve the situation.

“Pay-to-Play”

In most cases coaches and pros are completely unbiased towards the players that they coach, however, sometimes you can find yourself caught in a situation of pay-to-play and I’m not referring to paying to play on your high school team. This version of pay-to-play is where coaches favor certain players over others because of how much money they are paying towards their program at the specific club they play at. What this means is that players who are willing to spend the most money on the tennis clinics, programs, etc., will be favored to play higher in the lineup over players who might not be paying as much.

This can be incredibly difficult because it doesn’t leave much option for players who might not be financially able to pay as much as others, or because they work and cannot attend as many drills. And if these players are incredibly talented, is it really fair to downgrade them if they don’t play as often? Solution—if you are willing to pay and have the time commitment available then great! Otherwise, deal with the position you will be placed in even if it’s not where you think you should be playing. But the best and most logical option would be to find another club. Do your research ahead of time before making the commitment to go somewhere else and make sure you talk to whoever is in charge of the programs there to get a good grasp on how the club handles things and what their staff is like. Then make a judgment call from there and go with whatever will work best for you.

Tennis Pro’s and Coaches Picking Favorites

Unfortunately, it is easy to get caught in a situation of your coach or pro picking favorites. This is very common especially on high school and college teams. So what do you do when you know someone is playing higher then you because the coach likes them better? Well there aren’t a whole lot of options but the best way to approach the situation is to try talking to the pro/coach about your position on the team first. You can even try to gauge how some of your teammates feel and see what they think and then try to approach the coach as a group discussing how all of you feel about where you are being placed on the team. If this doesn’t work, your best bet is to talk to either the athletic director or person in charge of the overall program and have them handle it. After all it is their job to deal with those situations and hopefully fix them.

Overall the best way to deal with a situation of favoritism is to begin with talking to the person in charge of your program and go from there. Try to approach the individual or head person in charge with the best attitude possible and emphasize how your biggest concern is the success of your team. 

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How to communicate with your doubles partner the RIGHT way

Katelyn Caniford & Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Contributors

In honor of our 3.0 40 & Over Men's USTA team competing at Nationals this month, we wanted to tie in how vital communication is in doubles and how to create a winning method. Communication with your doubles partner is by far one of the most critical components of succeeding together as a team. Whether your partner is your best friend who you’ve played with for years or someone on your USTA team who you’re meeting for the first time, those skills will be a huge factor on whether or not the two of you will work well together in your matches.

front row (l to r): Matt Birbeck, Scott Altman, Michael Kramer, Bill Fox, Adam Stopka
back row (l to r): Ron Bassak, Curt Binder, Ron Novak, John Ragner, Steve Wilt

Often times, communication on the court can be both verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication can consist of talking between points, during points, and in between changeovers about various strategies as well as the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents. Sometimes verbal communication can even just be helping to lift your partner up if they are struggling to get their confidence back.

Non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal communication. This could be hand signals identifying where one of you will be moving on the court, fist bumps to stay connected with each other, or simply making eye contact or giving an encouraging smile. Even if you agree not to talk during the match (some players prefer it that way), non-verbal communication is still a must. So whether it's verbal or non-verbal, let’s go over how to communicate with your partner the right way.  

Do

·         TALK BETWEEN POINTS - In many cases, it doesn’t matter what you are saying to your partner, as long as it’s something positive, encouraging, and helpful. I know from experience that playing with someone who didn’t speak to me at all both during and in-between points is incredibly difficult and frustrating. Whether or not you are talking strategy or just playing therapist to your ailing companion, it is always helpful to speak to each other. That way both of you will be more comfortable as the match goes on and will be able to have enough trust in each other to be successful. Which brings me to my next point

·         TRUST YOUR PARTNER - If you don’t have trust in your partner’s abilities then it’s going to be extremely difficult to be on the same page with your communication skills.  A lot of times, especially in USTA you can get paired with someone that maybe isn’t at the same skill level as you, but the best advice I can give with this is, make it work! Just because your partner isn’t Serena Williams doesn’t mean they don’t have their own strengths to be successful. As their doubles partner it’s your job to build their confidence up and use their strengths to create the best possible match-up you can have. If your partner is incredibly patient during points, use that to your advantage. Get them involved in those long rallies so they can hopefully set you up to hit a winner. If their weakness is the net, maybe try having them stand at the baseline with you so you can be the one to go up and play the net.

·         STAY POSITIVE - There is nothing worse than having a partner that’s negative about every little thing that goes wrong or who knocks your confidence down. Doubles is about teamwork. In order to work together as a team, both people need to have a positive attitude about the match. If you screw up a point, high five your partner and get the next one. Even if your partner is hitting every single ball out, the best thing you can do is keep them calm. Help them to get their confidence back by lots of encouragement and really showing that you believe in them and their abilities. Being as positive as possible even in the worst of situations is the best remedy for a partner who is struggling. Tennis matches can go on for a while. There’s always enough time to come back from any terrible situation as long as you have the right attitude.

Don’t

·         SHOW FRUSTRATION - If things aren’t going well for you or your partner is having difficulty, one of the worst ways to react is by visibly showing those frustrations. If you are unhappy with something, do your best to change it. Again this means encouraging your partner even if on the inside you want to scream. If you’re playing bad, don’t show your opponents your frustration. Instead, slow your game down and focus on trying to be consistent until you can get your confidence back. That way, your partner doesn’t start to deteriorate as well.

·         STOP TALKING TO YOUR PARTNER - Duh! You could be beyond annoyed with your partner, feel the heat of a partner that's frustrated with you, or you could simply be cruising along in a match before you realize your communication has completely deteriorated. How to prevent this? The obvious solution is to remain talking, even if it's about your weekend plans. The more difficult solution is to keep talking when one partner is frustrated. Despite being intimidated, I once walked over to my obviously frustrated partner who clearly didn’t want to talk and sparked up a fun, non-tennis related conversation...guess what it worked and we were able to turn the match around!

·         TEACH - There’s nothing I hate more than having a doubles partner that feels they need to correct what I’m doing wrong when they’re not my tennis pro, especially when that partner could use a little help on their own game. Here’s the thing, you don’t have to sit back and watch your partner make the same mistake over and over without a little help, but it’s imperative you approach it encouragingly. It’s best to use ‘we’ in situations when you want to help your partner improve: “We might have better luck lobbing the net player.” “We should try laying off of our shots to reduce the margin of errors.”

Now here's the biggest tip-have fun! Remember that you and your partner are out there playing together because you both love tennis! Even when things seem tough, as long as you help each other, and have fun, you're already setting yourself up for success.

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Quick Fixes for Tennis Strokes

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro
We all know the feeling. We’re shanking our forehand long, hitting serves into the net, and it feels like nothing we do is working. We start questioning our game that we’ve worked so hard on and begin to doubt ourselves. However, even though it may not seem like it, everyone has those days where everything feels off. Sometimes even the littlest adjustments can make the biggest difference in regards to our strokes. Here are a few quick-fix tips on your different shots that can help you get your confidence back!

Overall Tennis Game

Use a mirror or have someone film you! 

Sounds simple enough right? Mirror your groundstrokes. Sometimes it is difficult for us to figure out exactly what we are doing wrong. In many instances, it can be difficult to pinpoint just what part of our motion is suffering or that we are doing incorrectly. 
Quick Fix - One of the best ways to figure that out is to practice your strokes in front of a mirror so you can see what your form looks like. Another great option is to have a friend film you! This way, you are able to watch yourself and see where you need to make corrections.

The Forehand

  

Figure out where you are making contact with the ball.

     

      In many cases, when we feel like a shot isn’t working, we start to get hesitant. This oftentimes leads to hitting the ball way later then we should. Sometimes we even end up getting too close to the ball or too far away which can really make it difficult to have a proper follow through on our shot. 

      Quick Fix - Figure out where you are making contact. Are you hitting the ball too far behind you and you’re falling back? Do you feel yourself running into the ball with your arm too close to your side? Then the answer is simple. Make contact with the ball in front of your body and step into your shot. Make sure your dominant arm is close to your body but not so much so that your elbow is glued to your side. If it helps, keep your other arm out in front of you for balance. In the picture below we can see Roger Federer making contact with the ball in front of his body and shifting his weight forward.  

    

      The Backhand 

    

      Use “the wall” drill.

      For many players, the backhand can be the most complicated or difficult shot to execute. 
Quick Fix - A good option for when your backhand feels like it is suffering is to line your body up against a wall or a door and practice the motion of your stroke. To begin, stand in front of a wall or even a fence and get into position to hit a backhand. When you practice your swing, don’t hit the racket against the wall but instead keep your string and face of the racket in line with the wall and practice your full backhand motion. This will teach you how to get the spin on the ball that you are looking to achieve. 

      The Volleys

      Figure out where your feet are going. Are you stepping forward or cross stepping into the ball?

One of the biggest problems I believe people encounter with their volleys is not moving their feet. Many times I see players volleying with their feet straight underneath them and not moving forward into their shot at all. 
Quick Fix - Move those feet! Volleying is all about where the rest of your body is going in relation to your shot. If you are not in position to hit the volley correctly, it does not matter how good your stroke is. Take a moment to evaluate your shots and think about if you are either cross stepping or moving forward into the ball. A good way to do this is after you take your shot, freeze and look down at where your feet are. Are they in the same position as they were when you began the stroke? Or are your feet in front of your body like they should be? 

The Overhead

Make sure you are behind the ball.

One of the biggest reasons people miss their overheads is because they are not in the correct position. 
Quick Fix - Get into position as soon as possible and make sure that you are behind the ball when you are making contact. As soon as you see your opponent opening their strings to try and lob is when you need to start getting into position. This means turning your body and shuffling backwards so you can be lined up to hit the overhead. Make sure you are behind the ball enough that you can propel yourself forward. It is much easier to go forward into the overhead rather than having to backup more to be in the right position. Finding the exact point where you want to hit the ball will help too so you can focus on hitting that point and letting your body do the rest. 

The Serve

      Keep your head, neck, and chest up through the serve.

A common problem I see with the serve is players not keeping their head, neck, and chest up when they are following through. It is very easy especially in a long match for fatigue to set in which then results in your upper body falling during the course of the serve. In most cases, this then causes the ball to land in the net. 
Quick Fix - Keep looking at the ball through contact. This way you are forced to keep your head up while the ball is traveling to the other side of the court. 

      Here's one more quick tip--write these tips down! It's quite the task to remind yourself how to fix a stroke when your game is already spiraling out of control. So do yourself a huge favor by grabbing a couple of index cards and write down some keywords to give yourself that little mental kick; Backhand=Wall, Volley=Step in, Serve=Look up, etc. Now go out and kill it!

    

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New Tennis Rackets for Spring 2016!

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

With the start of a new year, comes a new line of rackets from some of the most popular dealers from around the world! Starting with the new Babolat Pure Aero line all the way to the club exclusive Wilson Ultra XP’s, these rackets are sure to enhance the level of play for anyone who is serious about their game! Check out these rackets that are available for sale online at towpathtennisshop.com or straight from our pro shop!

Babolat Pure Aero

Specs

Headsize: 100 sq. in.

Length: 27"

Beam Width: 23/26/23mm

Weight Strung: 315g/(11 oz.)

Racquet/Player Type: Advanced

Color(s): Black/Florescent Yellow

Composition/Construction: Graphite

String Pattern (Mains X Crosses): 16 x 19

Recommended String Tension: 50-59 lbs

Balance: 32cm/ (12.6 in.)

Stiffness/Flex: 72 RA

Grommet Technology: FSI Spin

Frame Technology: Aeromodular 2

Grip Type: Syntec Pro

Swing Weight: 290 kgcm

Swing Type: Fast, Long

Towpath Recommended String: Babolat RPM Blast

What’s so great about it?

Coming straight from Babolat’s previous generation of Aero Rackets, the new Pure Aero Line offers an aerodynamic frame which enables the racket head to move much faster, therefore increasing ball speed. This is due to the combination of woofer and cortex technologies that have been integrated into the racket. The brand new redesigned grommets allow the string bed to move freely which optimizes the lift on the ball. The pure aero comes in the original Pure Aero, the Pure Aero Team, and the Pure Aero Lite. The Pure Aero Play, Pure Aero +, Pure Aero Tour, and the junior rackets will also be available in November 2015!

Why do we like it?

The spin! The new Pure Aero, compared to the older models of Aero rackets, has more interaction between the ball and the strings which increases the amount of spin being generated. Players are able to maximize their spin on the ball without losing any power in their swing. It's perfect for the players who want optimum spin and have more aggressive play styles. Not only is this racket made up of the latest in tennis technology, but with the matte fluorescent yellow finish, it looks great!

Wilson Pro Staff 97 ULS

Specs

Headsize: 97 sq. in.

Length: 27"

Beam Width: 23mm Flat Beam

Weight Strung: 285g/ (10 oz.)

Color(s): Black/Red

Composition/Construction: Braided Graphite + Kevlar

String Pattern (Mains X Crosses): 18 x 16 (S.E.T.)

Recommended String Tension: 50-60 lbs.

Balance: 32.5cm/ (12.8 in.)

Grommet Technology: Spin Effect Technology

Grip Type: Sublime Grip

Swing Type: Moderate to Full

Towpath Recommended String: Luxilon Big Banger

What’s so great about it?

Not only does this racket have better maneuverability compared to its heavier pro-staff counterpart (donned by Roger Federer), but it is a great ultra-lightweight alternative that is able to generate lots of power as well! With the new 18x16 Spin Effect Technology, players are able to generate spin by placing a tighter grip on the ball. With this latest model, you also don’t have to worry about sacrificing power for control because the ULS offers players the perfect combination of power, spin, speed, and control!

Why do we like it?

The lighter weight! This racket is a great choice for players who love the control of the original pro staff, but need a lighter weight frame. It's also perfect for beginner or intermediate level players who are learning to generate their own spin and power. This racket is a great alternative for players that love to hit lots of balls from the baseline. The extreme maneuverability is also excellent for controlling the rackets speed and angle through contact with the ball.

Wilson “Club Exclusive” Ultra XP 

Specs (Ultra XP 100S)                                                      

Headsize: 100 sq. inches

Length: 27.25”

Weight Strung: 290 g/ (10.2 oz)

Racquet/Player Type: beginner

Color(s): black/blue/grey

String Pattern (Mains X Crosses): 16 x 15

Recommended String Tension: 50-60 lbs (53)

Balance: 33 cm/ 5 pts HL

Grip Type: Wilson Sublime

Swing Type: Fast, Long

Towpath Recommended String: Wilson Sensation 16

What’s so great about it?

Not only is this racket modeled after the classic Wilson Profile, but it is very versatile and easy to use. The new technology in this racket makes controlling the ball an easy task especially for beginner and older players who need a racket that is not only lightweight, but has a bigger head size for better ball control. The new technology also allows for easier access to good power without having to exert too much effort.

Why do we like it?

Head size and ease! This racket is obviously a great choice for players that are a fan of the classic Wilson Profile.  Not only is this racket a popular choice among beginners and 55+ players, but it's incredibly maneuverable and easy to swing with. It's also a nice alternative for tennis pros who are looking for an easy racket that can feed balls quickly and with lots of depth.

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