SF Tennis Freak

Posts Tagged ‘Head Speed MP’

I wanted to write a quick post on a good deed that happened at the Mission Playground courts here in San Francisco. In this day and age it’s too easy (and common) to share the bad stuff. I think it’s just as important to share the good; and this was pretty good!

About a week and a half ago, I shared on Twitter about the great week of tennis I had played with my doubles buddies. I should have known better than to say anything, but I was feeling too good about my game to keep it to myself. Lo and behold, last week was probably the worst I played in months. Absolutely no part of my game worked: not my trusty serve, my mighty forehand, or my improved backhand. Nothing.

It got so bad last Wednesday that I tossed a racquet to the side of the court after losing one of the three sets I lost that day. And this is where the story begins.  I forgot about that racquet until I got my gear together to play on Friday, two days later. It took little time to realize that if my buddies who were last to leave the court hadn’t picked up my racquet, it was probably gone for good.

Sure enough, nobody picked it up, and it wasn’t turned into the the SF Parks and Rec office at the park. I left my name and number, but figured it was a lost cause. Lesson learned: don’t toss racquets to the side on a public court then forget about it! Fast forward to today at the gym when I received a phone call from that office. A racquet matching mine had been turned in. I dropped by and sure enough, there she was. A string was broken, but it was on the verge when I tossed it. It also looked like someone had tried to take off the overgrip. Overall though, she was unscathed.

Sometimes I don’t have the best attitude about SF’s public courts… and sometimes I’m also completely wrong and look like an a’hole when something good like this happens.  Thanks to whoever turned my racquet in without doing any damage after the strings broke. Some pretty good karma is about to come your way… 😉

Welcome back to “Ask Marla” after an extended break thanks to the All England Club. 🙂

Head Speed Pro

Head Speed MP

This week’s question comes via my YouTube channel in response to the video reviews of the Head Speed Pro and Head Speed MP. I’m glad that my thoughts on these two racquets was useful for others, but found myself “out of my element” with these follow-up questions in the Comments section.

Question: I used to play with a Yonex Rdis 100 mid plus, and don’t know exactly if the spin potential is the same. Please Help!

Question: I like to swing out at balls. I currently use a Head Radical Tour (98 square inch) which is a good racket due to control. Is the Speed Pro going to be hard to control by comparison? I don’t want to feel restricted because I might hit the back fence.

I headed over to City Racquet Shop to get Marla’s thoughts on how best to compare the Speed Pro to other racquets.

Answer:  It’s hard to compare newer racquets to older models. The racquet specs will give you a general guide on the most obvious performance aspects, but can’t replace taking the racquet out for a demo hit. With respect to spin, string pattern makes a difference. An open string pattern (16×19) generally allows for more spin than a closed one (18×20). So if you want more spin, go with the open pattern. With respect to power (versus control), “power” and “flex” ratings are only a guide. You have to get a racquet that works with your natural stroke production, and allows you to keep the ball in play for more than one shot.

(SFTF Note: Marla’s last suggestion of getting racquet that works with your natural stroke production is key. For example, I’ve demo’d both the Speed Pro and Speed MP. Though the Speed MP is the racquet that’s more suitable for spin based on its’ open string pattern, I found it hard to control because my natural stroke generates all the spin I need. I don’t need more. The Speed Pro “tames” my spin and gives me a ton of control.

The same is true for power. The Speed line is generally referred to as low-power, but that’s misleading. I find it to be a very powerful with minimal effort i.e. the more relaxed I swing, the more power I generate. And trust me, we’re not talking moon balls! 😉

In conclusion, racquet specs will tell you something, but the best policy is to always demo a racquet more than once, and in different play situations, before you buy it.)

Got a tennis question, but no one to ask?
Send it via email or tweet for “Ask Marla”, a (hopefully) weekly (or biweekly) question-and-answer with Marla Reid of San Francisco’s City Racquet Shop.

About Marla Reid

Marla Reid is a respected tennis pro/coach in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s coached nationally-ranked teams and players at Occidental College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, University of Kansas, and Florida Tech, and has over 15 years of experience at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels. Marla has an M.A. in Exercise Physiology, and is a seasoned racquet stringer.

About City Racquet Shop

City Racquet Shop offers, superior products/services, outstanding customer service, and a community-oriented destination for tennis players to shop, hang out and talk about tennis.

City Racquet Shop online: www.cityracquetshop.com
City Racquet Shop on Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/city-racquet-shop-san-francisco
City Racquet Shop on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cityracquetshop