How hard can a recreational tennis player hit a tennis ball?

While Professional Tennis players can average over 100 MPH, a strong recreational player can typically average around 80 MPH and still maintain good ball control. Tennis rackets and string can also be a major contributing factor when it comes to ball speed. There are literally hundreds of manufacturers to choose from however so how do you know you are getting the best bang for your buck?

Common sense suggests that if you choose a heavier weight racket you can add more power to the ball when combined with string that is designed for speed. The reality is “that depends” on a-number-of factors. The best way to find a racket you are comfortable with is to demo several before buy. It’s equally important to note that not all racket makers are great string makers and visa versa.

Note: The goal of this post is to remain as un-bias as possible. Therefore, we are going to attempt to evaluate three different rackets in this article.  Our first racket is Head’s Graphene XT Speed S. The Graphene Speed S offers a very fast, maneuverable, but offers a powerful combination. The frame is larger which raises the sweet spot higher. This frame offers a solid modern feel but does not feel the same as its predecessor. Recommended for intermediate and advanced players, the racquet offers crisp, controllable power, great maneuverability and more accessibility to accelerate aggressively through the ball. The frame offers a solid modern feel but does not feel the same as its predecessor.

The second racket we looked at was the Wilson Pro Staff 97S. This racket has a different balance from its predecessor to give more whip and better access to spin. Maintaining the 18 x 17 string pattern that became popular with the first 97S. The lower swing weight makes this racquet more accessible to a wider range of players without sacrificing on power. This racket is a good fit for the advanced intermediate to advanced player.

The final racket we wanted to review was the Prince Extreme Warrior 100T for baseliners, ensuring access to solid levels of power and good spin, great for modern styles of play. Made of a carbon fiber frame the base has been been thinned out and lengthened which means it is stiffer and will twist less on shots. The technology also keeps the frame weight a little lighter and can be combine it with the Sony Smart Tennis Sensor and evaluate your play, understanding it better and finding areas you can improve on.