SIMPLE OUTPUT (Author and post)
by Deuce
After seeing articles, etc. on how much pollution tennis balls produce and how much environmental damage they cause, I wanted to try pressureless balls, because I've read where people said they could keep using these balls for a long, long time (months, and in some cases years!) - which obviously results in fewer balls polluting and in landfills.
Unfortunately, pressureless balls are much more difficult to find in stores here (Canada) than they were 30 years ago, which is when I last tried them. More companies are making pressureless balls now (back then, it was pretty much only Tretorn) - but you have to buy them in bulk in massive numbers today - which is not very conducive to testing them, of course. It's difficult to find 30 tennis playing friends who want to share a big batch of pressureless balls. 30 - 40 years ago, you could buy a box of 3 Tretorn balls pretty much anywhere.
The problem with the Tretorns of a few decades ago is that they were very hard and heavy. About as good for the arm/elbow as using Kevlar strings is (and if you really want to die 1000 deaths, hit the Tretorn pressureless balls from 30 years ago with Kevlar strings!)
I did find a box of 3 'Artengo' (Decathlon) pressureless balls, and bought them. They were interesting. In the store, I took one out of its cardboard box (pressureless, remember), and bounced it on the floor. It bounced like a regular, pressurized tennis ball.
Bouncing them on the court, as well, they bounced like a regular tennis ball...
When you hit them with your racquet (actually, the strings, hopefully
), the sound is different. The rubber of the pressureless ball is thicker than the rubber in a pressurized ball, and it produces a more 'hollow' sound.
As well, despite the thicker rubber, the pressureless balls compress more than the pressurized balls when struck. This results in a ball which is slower than a pressurized ball. It's simply not as lively as a pressurized ball. The pressureless ball is thus easier to control, and easier to play with.
Unfortunately, though, that is not what I was looking for.
After playing a set and a half with the pressureless balls, they bounced just as well as they did when brand new when I bounced them on the court from my hand. The felt was dirty and more used, of course - and the ink was half worn off on the label.
I don't think I've ever even SEEN Yonex balls - let alone played with them. I guess their availability is continent-dependent to a degree, with them being based in Japan.
After seeing articles, etc. on how much pollution tennis balls produce and how much environmental damage they cause, I wanted to try pressureless balls, because I've read where people said they could keep using these balls for a long, long time (months, and in some cases years!) - which obviously results in fewer balls polluting and in landfills.
Unfortunately, pressureless balls are much more difficult to find in stores here (Canada) than they were 30 years ago, which is when I last tried them. More companies are making pressureless balls now (back then, it was pretty much only Tretorn) - but you have to buy them in bulk in massive numbers today - which is not very conducive to testing them, of course. It's difficult to find 30 tennis playing friends who want to share a big batch of pressureless balls. 30 - 40 years ago, you could buy a box of 3 Tretorn balls pretty much anywhere.
The problem with the Tretorns of a few decades ago is that they were very hard and heavy. About as good for the arm/elbow as using Kevlar strings is (and if you really want to die 1000 deaths, hit the Tretorn pressureless balls from 30 years ago with Kevlar strings!)
I did find a box of 3 'Artengo' (Decathlon) pressureless balls, and bought them. They were interesting. In the store, I took one out of its cardboard box (pressureless, remember), and bounced it on the floor. It bounced like a regular, pressurized tennis ball.
Bouncing them on the court, as well, they bounced like a regular tennis ball...
When you hit them with your racquet (actually, the strings, hopefully
), the sound is different. The rubber of the pressureless ball is thicker than the rubber in a pressurized ball, and it produces a more 'hollow' sound.As well, despite the thicker rubber, the pressureless balls compress more than the pressurized balls when struck. This results in a ball which is slower than a pressurized ball. It's simply not as lively as a pressurized ball. The pressureless ball is thus easier to control, and easier to play with.
Unfortunately, though, that is not what I was looking for.
After playing a set and a half with the pressureless balls, they bounced just as well as they did when brand new when I bounced them on the court from my hand. The felt was dirty and more used, of course - and the ink was half worn off on the label.
by ponchi101 I string mine at 57 Lbs so, after a few hits, they will come down to about 55, which is where I like my NCode to be.
I am not a power player; I am a timing player so, after a few weeks off the court, it takes me a considerable time to get that timing again and be able to put speed on the ball. That is the reason I can keep my strings for longer.
About strength: my last injury was a bad case of golfer's elbow (epitrocleitis or medial epicondylitis) after trying to serve an entire match using a kick. So much for strength
(I think I have recovered by now).
I am not a power player; I am a timing player so, after a few weeks off the court, it takes me a considerable time to get that timing again and be able to put speed on the ball. That is the reason I can keep my strings for longer.
About strength: my last injury was a bad case of golfer's elbow (epitrocleitis or medial epicondylitis) after trying to serve an entire match using a kick. So much for strength
(I think I have recovered by now).by Cuckoo4Coco
I am so sorry you had that elbow injury, but I am glad it has gotten better now and I bet you will not be serving the kick serve an entire match ever again.
I actually have my racquets strung lower than yours at 45 lbs because it is suppose to add power to the game and also for younger players they are suppose to string at a lower tension to limit arm problems. Also like you say the tension goes down some after hitting.ponchi101 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 8:26 pm I string mine at 57 Lbs so, after a few hits, they will come down to about 55, which is where I like my NCode to be.
I am not a power player; I am a timing player so, after a few weeks off the court, it takes me a considerable time to get that timing again and be able to put speed on the ball. That is the reason I can keep my strings for longer.
About strength: my last injury was a bad case of golfer's elbow (epitrocleitis or medial epicondylitis) after trying to serve an entire match using a kick. So much for strength
I am so sorry you had that elbow injury, but I am glad it has gotten better now and I bet you will not be serving the kick serve an entire match ever again.
by ponchi101
That is what they told me ages ago. As I was a serve and volleyer, I needed to be able to control my volleys up front. I usually tried to stay back for two, three strokes. If I was not at the net by then, I was doing something wrong.
I once strung my Pro Staff Original at 75 Lbs, and lined it on each side with lead tape. I basically copied Sampras' racquet. Went out, hit with the racquet for about 5 minutes. The depth and pace were amazing... for about 4:30 minutes. Then my arm started to get tired. It was such a heavy ball I simply could not swing the racquet anymore.
Lead tape off, wasted $20 on a string job. Never again.
(I was around 29, so my elbow took it. Today, I would break some ligaments for sure).
Lower tensions, more power, higher tensions, more accuracy.Cuckoo4Coco wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 8:33 pm ...
I actually have my racquets strung lower than yours at 45 lbs because it is suppose to add power to the game and also for younger players they are suppose to string at a lower tension to limit arm problems. Also like you say the tension goes down some after hitting.
I am so sorry you had that elbow injury, but I am glad it has gotten better now and I bet you will not be serving the kick serve an entire match ever again.
That is what they told me ages ago. As I was a serve and volleyer, I needed to be able to control my volleys up front. I usually tried to stay back for two, three strokes. If I was not at the net by then, I was doing something wrong.
I once strung my Pro Staff Original at 75 Lbs, and lined it on each side with lead tape. I basically copied Sampras' racquet. Went out, hit with the racquet for about 5 minutes. The depth and pace were amazing... for about 4:30 minutes. Then my arm started to get tired. It was such a heavy ball I simply could not swing the racquet anymore.
Lead tape off, wasted $20 on a string job. Never again.
(I was around 29, so my elbow took it. Today, I would break some ligaments for sure).
by Cuckoo4Coco
I often wonder what percentage of young players coming up destroy their arms or elbow before they even get much of a chance to reach the primes of their careers. If my career is going to be college I want to play my max tennis at that age. I don't want to spend most of my time in the training room.
That is why my coach tells me to keep the stringing at a low tension unless I want some arm problems, especially at the young age I am. I think they tell kids my age the exact same thing. I still have the control and with the way my strength is, I could use the extra power on my ground strokes anyway.ponchi101 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 10:02 pmLower tensions, more power, higher tensions, more accuracy.Cuckoo4Coco wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 8:33 pm ...
I actually have my racquets strung lower than yours at 45 lbs because it is suppose to add power to the game and also for younger players they are suppose to string at a lower tension to limit arm problems. Also like you say the tension goes down some after hitting.
I am so sorry you had that elbow injury, but I am glad it has gotten better now and I bet you will not be serving the kick serve an entire match ever again.
That is what they told me ages ago. As I was a serve and volleyer, I needed to be able to control my volleys up front. I usually tried to stay back for two, three strokes. If I was not at the net by then, I was doing something wrong.
I once strung my Pro Staff Original at 75 Lbs, and lined it on each side with lead tape. I basically copied Sampras' racquet. Went out, hit with the racquet for about 5 minutes. The depth and pace were amazing... for about 4:30 minutes. Then my arm started to get tired. It was such a heavy ball I simply could not swing the racquet anymore.
Lead tape off, wasted $20 on a string job. Never again.
(I was around 29, so my elbow took it. Today, I would break some ligaments for sure).
I often wonder what percentage of young players coming up destroy their arms or elbow before they even get much of a chance to reach the primes of their careers. If my career is going to be college I want to play my max tennis at that age. I don't want to spend most of my time in the training room.
by Deuce Not to mention that today's racquets are lighter and stiffer than the racquets of the '80s and '90s. Apparently, fibreglass (a flexible material that gives great feel) isn't 'cool' anymore...
(I have one racquet that is 100% fibreglass (from 1981), and it's the best feeling racquet I've ever hit with in my life. But it's also about 68 sq. in. Similar to the Arthur Ashe Competition racquets. I even had a couple of pro players hit with it, and they really liked it. I would pay a lot of money for a 93 sq. in. frame made exactly like that one.)
I, too, string my racquets low - anywhere between 44 lbs and 55 lbs, and have been doing that ever since I can remember. And I've never had any significant arm or elbow problems.
Playing with full polyester now. I hit extremely flat, and, honestly, my strings last YEARS (I have a stringing machine, but I string other people's racquets much more than my own). I rotate through 5 racquets mostly (and bring out the oldies from time to time). I hate my racquets when they're freshly strung - it takes a good 2 weeks at least before they start feeling right to me. And even after a few years, they still feel great (and I beat people who are proud of their freshly strung racquet which is restrung every week or two ).
It's similar in pickleball - people ridicule my $40 Wilson paddle from Costco - but it's the best feeling paddle I've ever tried (and I've tried over a dozen) - and the people who make fun of my paddle are using paddles that cost between $150 and $250 - and I beat them with my $40 Costco paddle (their ridiculing my paddles is done good naturedly).
"It's not the tools - it's the carpenter."
(I have one racquet that is 100% fibreglass (from 1981), and it's the best feeling racquet I've ever hit with in my life. But it's also about 68 sq. in. Similar to the Arthur Ashe Competition racquets. I even had a couple of pro players hit with it, and they really liked it. I would pay a lot of money for a 93 sq. in. frame made exactly like that one.)
I, too, string my racquets low - anywhere between 44 lbs and 55 lbs, and have been doing that ever since I can remember. And I've never had any significant arm or elbow problems.
Playing with full polyester now. I hit extremely flat, and, honestly, my strings last YEARS (I have a stringing machine, but I string other people's racquets much more than my own). I rotate through 5 racquets mostly (and bring out the oldies from time to time). I hate my racquets when they're freshly strung - it takes a good 2 weeks at least before they start feeling right to me. And even after a few years, they still feel great (and I beat people who are proud of their freshly strung racquet which is restrung every week or two
).It's similar in pickleball - people ridicule my $40 Wilson paddle from Costco - but it's the best feeling paddle I've ever tried (and I've tried over a dozen) - and the people who make fun of my paddle are using paddles that cost between $150 and $250 - and I beat them with my $40 Costco paddle (their ridiculing my paddles is done good naturedly).
"It's not the tools - it's the carpenter."
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